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Bluetooth headset buttons

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Bluetooth headset buttons

Recently I've been listening to music on spotify on my Mac through my Bluetooth headset with no problems but last week spotify stopped responding the the buttons on my headset (play/pause, forward, back) and instead they trigger itunes, even when I am listening to spotify at the time! Does anyone know how I can fix this?

Thank You

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This works incredibly well, thank you.

 

To be clear, I first needed to apply this patch to prevent iTunes from launching...

iTunes Patch Source/Download

iTunes Patch Instructions

 

Then I ran your application...

Spotify Bluetooth Headset Listener Download

Spotify Bluetooth Headset Listener Source

 

Now media buttons on my bluetooth device control Spotify and do not launch iTunes. With just your app, iTunes still launches, so the patch was also necessary.

 

I also decided to put th app in the Applications directory and have it autolaunch at login.

 

It's not a perfect solution, but leads me to believe the issue might be with the bluetooth manufacturers. I have a 3rd party keyboard which had the same media key issues everyone is having with their bluetooth devices. When I called the keyboard manufacturer and told them, they had me send the keyboard back and flashed new firmware which sent a different signal code. Now it works perfeclty. I'm guessing the bluetooth devices are also sending an older code and need to be updated.

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Running Yosemite 10.10.2 and Spotify 1.0.1.1060.gc75ebdfd

 

I found that the latest download from https://github.com/jguice/mac-bt-headset-fix worked if I changed the target platform to match 10.10 and then built from source (/build.sh). Yosemite has a new event code for the play pause button and this has been added to this code. I've also posted a pull request for this change from https://github.com/perchten/mac-bt-headset-fix.

 

BUT, you may also need to fix a bug in spotify which broke scripted control inputs. Instrutions here: https://community.spotify.com/t5/Help-Desktop-Linux-Mac-and/Apple-scripting-broken-in-1-0-1-988-g8f1...control inputs.

 

HTH

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Hi, I just tested https://github.com/jguice/mac-bt-headset-fix on El Capitan and it's still working for me.

 

I did have to make a security exception:  https://support.apple.com/kb/PH21769?locale=en_US

 

Also I put spotify in the foreground initially to test the controls (and quit iTunes which had popped up at some point).  After that I was able to use my headset buttons even with a different app in the foreground and iTunes didn't start.

 

If you have any trouble feel free to create an issue. 🙂

 

Thanks,

Josh

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65 Replies

I would like to get an answer for this as wel. 

Would also love to have a solution for this. Spotify, any response?

I'm also having this problem and would like a fix

 

I am running Mac OS X 10.8.2 with Spotify 0.8.5.1333.g822e0de8

I have Plantronics .Audio 995H headphones. The Volume +, Volume - and Pause/Play buttons work fine, but the Skip button doesn't. All 4 buttons work with iTunes, but the skip button doesn't work in Spotify. I've got the latest Macbook Pro Retina Display, OSX 10.8.2.

 

Please fix this :). Thanks!

I have the same issue with my Sennheiser MM 450-X headset. Even when Spotify is playing audio and iTunes is closed, pressing previous/next/play/pause will cause iTunes to open and nothing happens in Spotify. The keyboard controls work fine.

Just chiming in to say I'd also love this feature.  Does anyone know any other third party apps that can do this?

This feature is also very important to me. I am using the parrot zik headphones.

i have bought a hama bluetooth remote control and am having similar problems - i can't skip tracks on spotify (it works with itunes, so the problem seems spotify-related).

This is definitely still a problem. I have a Big Jambox bluetooth speaker, and I expereince this problem. Spotify successfully captures the keyboard-based controls away from iTunes, but not the play/pause, back, and forward signals from the bluetooth channel. This is especially problematic if I also have my iPhone paired to the JamBox. Here's what happens:

 

When a call comes in while I'm listening to music with Spotify app, the JamBox issues a "pause" command to the Mac that it forwards to iTunes, which does nothing (since it isn't playing.) Spotify continues to play (noiselessly, since the JamBox has "stopped listening")

After the call ends, the JamBox sends a "play" command to the Mac. Spotify is still playing, and now iTunes is playing whatever track happens to be selected.

 

This is... annoying. 🙂


Can't spotify capture the bluetooth control signals in the same way it captures the keyboard commands?

 

what about using some spotify remote apps from the appstore?Someone experience with them?

thx,

alex

Any updates on this?

 

it seems many people have the problem but no answeres or solutions.

 

it seems that Mac always directs the bluetooth play pause signal to itunes.  I would love to be have the this signal accessible by other applications.

 

Would love to hear about any fixes or work arounds.

 

Thanks! -- Steven

CAN SOMEONE IN SPOTIFY REACT.... We have also alternative to move for Itunes - what a poor customer service you provide....!!

Spotify please do something about this!!!!

+1 ! Totally needs to be implemented, can't understand why it hasn't been done yet.

Thanks in advance !

+1

Another user here who would like an answer from Spotify on this...really annoying.

 

User Jaybird Bluebuds X and tapping the "Play/pause" button just opens itunes, even when its closed and spotify is running. 

The problem is not with spotify, but with the mac itself. Hopefully this link can provide a workable solution?
http://lifehacker.com/5651055/free-your-macs-media-keys-from-itunes-no-manual-hacking-required
Let me know if it helped.

/Fred

Edit: the tool on the page above has moved to the following location
http://nomitsu.com/download.php?file=mmfix
Thanks gbenj for the heads up
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Binaural track - listen with headphones with good volume!

It looks like exactly what I'm looking for but the source file is no longer available. Do you have it or a lead on another place it might be hosted?

 

Thanks

I'm sorry! Not currently on a mac, so I didn't bother to check the file. My bad.
Did a quick back-link check and came up with this
http://superuser.com/questions/554489/how-can-i-remap-a-play-button-keypress-from-a-bluetooth-headse...
I hope this provides the solution you need.

/Fred

Edit: added a link in my previous post to the new location for the tool.
☆✩✪ Want to help out? Become a Spotify Rock Star today! ✪✩☆
Jag svarar på svenska via pm eller via twitter


Binaural track - listen with headphones with good volume!

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