Bluetooth Codecs

Hi,
If Bluetooth 4.2 can transmit at 3 Mbps(3000 Kbps) and Bluetooth 5.0 can transmit at 6Mbps(6000 Kbps), then why does a Codec like AptX or LDAC need to compress a file down to 1 Mbps at its source before it transmits from Bluetooth.
Thanks

 

Reliability. Speeds like 3Mbps or 6Mbps are under optimum conditions, so for reliable communications, it makes sense not to rely on ideal conditions.

Furthermore, for backwards compatibility with older devices, especially with point-to-multipoint, data rates have to be restricted to whatever the lowest can manage.

S.

 

Thank you.

I know that 1 Mbps(1000Kbps) approaches lossless, but I'm hoping for the the day when you can somehow control your bluetooth device to only handle lossless music and nothing else for the purpose of transmitting pure lossless music. The bluetooth unit can automatically return to standard operation or a manual mode change. If you are only using your bluetooth for one purpose or function, then why not be able to take advantage of Bluetooth 4.2s 3000Kbps or Bluetooth 5.0s 6000Kbps max transmission rates. If I'm correct, Bluetooth 4.2 and up has always had the ability to transmit lossless music. Audio transmission rates have been lowered(music compressed) to allow for everything else to fit through the "pipe" at the same time, in a reasonable amount of time, as well as backward compatibility.
What do you think?

Mike

 

I suppose that as for most people, low bitrate mp3 is adequate, especially for mobile applications, and bluetooth has been designed for non critical applications, so there's no incentive to make it handle anything else. Applications like Squeezebox, Sonos or Roon use the home wifi or their own network which can carry a lot more data more reliably.

You're right that there's no technical reason why bluetooth couldn't be used for uncompressed data, just nobody's seen the commercial value of doing so.

S