Which Bluetooth Stack supports APT-X on Windows 7

I'm thinking about buying wireless desktop speakers for ease of use with different audio sources (Notebooks, Mobile Phone etc.). For higher audio quality over the standard A2DP protocol there are different codecs needed unlike the mandatory SBC codec, which has a rather poor quality and high latency.

So I would like to know, which Bluetooth stacks ( Windows 7 built in and others) support which Codecs ( apt-x, AAC ), because I would like to use the internal Bluetooth hardware and not buying simply an apt-x enabled BT dongle for ease of use.

Does there a list exists, where I can get an overview about the supported codecs ? A big plus would also be a list , which mobile phones support these codecs in their bluetooth implementation.

Florian Storck

Posted 2012-11-12T11:25:10.043

Reputation: 266

I have the same question, but meanwhile the offical list of hardware supporting aptX might help: http://www.csr.com/technology-solutions/av/audio-products-powered-by-csr-aptx

– None – 2012-12-03T15:02:24.943

Thanks for the link, but the main problem is still the stack. Usually its easy to see which products support APTx, at least when you're buying a dongle. But I even don't know whether Windows8 supports APT-x out of the box... – Florian Storck – 2012-12-17T10:50:44.307

Answers

aptX was developed by CSR and is not free of charge. Manufacturers must pay royalties in order to use aptX. So, if you have an aptX device and want to use aptX on a computer... you need to install a Bluetooth aptX embedded stack on the computer...

So if you have 2 "official/registered/compatible (paying CSR royalties)" aptX devices, they should work together in aptX mode (and not in SBC mode, which is natively part of Bluetooth). Rem: often there is no mean to know if aptX is used, sometimes a led...). Rem: there is a list of compatible aptX devices on CSR and/or aptx sites, I have found one, maybe more up-to-date here: http://blog.cobrason.com/2014/05/la-liste-de-tous-les-appareils-certifies-apt-x-fevrier-2013/

The only mean I know to add aptX on a computer is to use the Bluetooth stack (with aptX support) of a validated computer. I have read one year ago a paper where the expert tried this, at the end a CSR logo appeared briefly on the computer.

I saw another info, a bluetooth stack provided by CSR ?! http://www.driverscape.com/download/csr-bluetooth-chip

Good luck.

Azra

Posted 2012-11-12T11:25:10.043

Reputation: 11

Let me preface this with the fact that I have just started investigating AptX. However, it appears that there are a number of BlueTooth 4.0 USB dongles on the market with AptX support and of course their hardware-specific drivers. Google is your friend. ;-) Here is a sample:

http://www.kinivo.com/Kinivo-BTD-400-Bluetooth-4-0-Adapter/dp/B007Q45EF4

I've read good things about their BTC450 Bluetooth hands-free unit; maybe their other products are likewise excellent.

Pheckphul

Posted 2012-11-12T11:25:10.043

Reputation: 9

Any remarcable update on this? I'm facing the same question. I have a laptop whose BT does not support apX and I wonder what's the best solution. Any luck with BT 4.0 + aptX + Linux? – Carles Araguz – 2016-01-26T15:12:21.207

@Florian Storck – Pheckphul – 2016-03-09T05:29:13.860

@Florian Storck I don't recall your original question stating your not wanting to add a dongle. The built-in Bluetooth stack in Windows 7 supports AptX, in that an AptX codec can be used with an A2DP driver written for Windows 7. Windows 7 doesn't include A2DP support, so you will need a third-party driver. – Pheckphul – 2016-03-09T06:04:58.127

Hi, the question is meanwhile a little bit outdated. I meanwhile use Windows 8.1 / 10 and didn't make checks regarding aptX. But since A2DP is directly supported I would think aptX is supported as well. – Florian Storck – 2016-03-09T15:54:22.003

2That doesn't answer the question as I don't want to attach another dongle whereas my Notebook has already BT built in...but I suppose that there is no better solution at the moment. And what about BT 4.0 / apt-X support on Linux...? – Florian Storck – 2013-06-26T12:09:55.587

Just bought a pair of Sony MDR10RBT headphones and needed to upgrade my bluetooth to support aptx. I bought an SMK 4.0 LE +EDR dongle that came with the CSR Harmony stack which as you can see here clearly supports aptx...

http://www.csr.com/news/pr/release/180/en

Works and sounds great including the remote control features. I also use a Logitech BT keyboard and mouse on the same adapter which is older 2.1 tech and has no problems with the new dongle or CSR stack. I'm a picky IT pro, this stack works well and I approve it.

user281782

Posted 2012-11-12T11:25:10.043

Reputation: 1

1Thanks for your answer, but as stated I didn't want to plug another dongle to my Notebook as it already has built in bluetooth support. Using another stack (Widcomm, whatever, I don't know) should be possible instead of the original one deployed by Lenovo/HP. At least I didn't found resources to check, whether apt-x is supported out of the box from such a stack. – Florian Storck – 2013-12-16T12:55:43.950