Orators

orators turns a Linux desktop into a Bluetooth speaker. The primary interface is now a Ratatui dashboard that manages pairing, trusted/allowed devices, setup, and backend health. oratorsctl remains available for advanced and scriptable control.

Scope

• Linux-first implementation
• Rust workspace with a long-lived daemon, a Ratatui app, and an advanced CLI client
• D-Bus control API on the user session bus
• BlueZ pairing and trusted-device control
• Media-only MVP: A2DP sink playback, no call or mic support
• Managed host install: one BlueALSA system service plus one Bluetooth-only WirePlumber fragment

Workspace

• crates/orators-core: domain types, config, diagnostics, state machine
• crates/orators-linux: Linux integrations for BlueZ, BlueALSA, local audio inspection, and systemd
• crates/orators: publishable crate with:
  • orators for the TUI
  • oratorsd for the daemon
  • oratorsctl for advanced/compat CLI usage

Local Development

cargo fmt
cargo clippy --workspace --all-targets -- -D warnings
cargo test --workspace

Nix

nix develop
nix flake check

Service Model

• orators opens the TUI
• oratorsd runs under systemd --user
• oratorsctl talks to the daemon over the session bus for pairing and device control
• oratorsctl install-user-service installs only the user daemon unit
• oratorsctl install-system-backend installs the supported media backend:
  • root orators-bluealsad.service
  • user ~/.config/wireplumber/wireplumber.conf.d/90-orators-disable-bluez.conf
• oratorsctl uninstall-system-backend removes that backend and restores stock WirePlumber Bluetooth ownership

Host Model

• The system must provide trusted BlueALSA binaries in the expected system locations:
  • bluealsad
  • bluealsa-aplay
  • bluealsactl
• The host must have a usable local playback output
• WirePlumber stays responsible for the rest of the desktop audio graph, but not Bluetooth media ownership

Configuration

Example ~/.config/orators/config.toml:

pairing_timeout_secs = 120
auto_reconnect = true
single_active_device = true
adapter = "hci1"
allowed_devices = []

[device_aliases]
"5C:DC:49:92:D0:D8" = "Fold 7"

• adapter is optional. If omitted, Orators auto-selects the only powered adapter. If multiple powered adapters exist, the managed backend install requires --adapter hciX.
• device_aliases are local-only display names. Orators never writes them back into BlueZ.
• Legacy Bluetooth-mode fields are still ignored on load so existing configs remain readable.

TUI

Run:

orators

Key workflows:

• Tab / Shift-Tab: switch views
• q: quit
• Dashboard:
  • p toggle pairing
  • i install/repair backend
  • u uninstall backend
• Devices:
  • j / k move
  • a allow/disallow
  • t trust/untrust
  • c connect/disconnect
  • f forget
  • x reset on host
  • n set local alias
  • N clear local alias
• Settings:
  • Enter edits pairing timeout or adapter
  • Enter / Space toggles boolean settings

Advanced CLI

Examples:

oratorsctl doctor
oratorsctl pair start --timeout 120
oratorsctl devices list
oratorsctl devices allow 5C:DC:49:92:D0:D8
oratorsctl devices alias 5C:DC:49:92:D0:D8 "Fold 7"
oratorsctl config show
oratorsctl config set pairing-timeout 180

Operational Notes

1. Install the daemon unit once with oratorsctl install-user-service.
2. Install the managed media backend once with oratorsctl install-system-backend [--adapter hciX].
3. Run orators for the normal control flow.
4. Pair a new phone from the Pairing view, then allow it from the Devices view if you want stable reconnect behavior.
5. Disconnect Bluetooth audio devices before uninstalling or changing the managed backend.

License

MIT. See LICENSE.