BEACN Desktop Linux

A Linux-compatible version of the BEACN Link app that creates virtual audio devices using PipeWire.

Prerequisites

• Linux system with PipeWire audio system
• Node.js (v16 or higher)
• npm (Node Package Manager)
• Build tools (gcc, g++, make)
• PipeWire development files

Installing Dependencies

For Fedora:

sudo dnf install gcc g++ make pipewire-devel nodejs npm

For Ubuntu/Debian:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install build-essential pipewire-dev nodejs npm

For Arch Linux:

sudo pacman -S gcc make pipewire nodejs npm

Installation

You can install BEACN Desktop Linux globally using npm:

sudo npm install -g beacn-desktop-linux

Usage

Command Line Interface

1. Start the interactive CLI:

beacn

2. Or run individual commands:

# Show device status
beacn status

# Set device volume (0-100)
beacn volume beacn_link_out 80

# Toggle mute
beacn mute beacn_link_out on

# List available devices
beacn list

# Show help
beacn help

Available Commands

• status [device] - Show status of all devices or specific device
• volume <device> <0-100> - Set volume for device (0-100%)
• mute <device> <on|off> - Set mute state for device
• list - List all available devices
• help - Show help message
• quit - Exit the application

Available Devices

The following virtual audio devices are created:

• beacn_link_out (Link Out) - Main Output
• beacn_link_2_out (Link 2 Out) - Secondary Output
• beacn_link_3_out (Link 3 Out) - Third Output
• beacn_link_4_out (Link 4 Out) - Fourth Output
• beacn_virtual_input (BEACN Virtual Input) - Virtual Input

All devices are created with the following properties:

• 48kHz sample rate
• 2 channels (stereo)
• 32-bit float format
• Default buffer size: 1024 frames

Device States

The virtual devices go through several states:

1. UNCONNECTED - Initial state when created
2. CONNECTING - Attempting to connect to PipeWire
3. PAUSED - Connected but not actively streaming (default state)
4. STREAMING - Actively processing audio data

Note: Devices will remain in the PAUSED state until audio data is sent through them. This is normal behavior and the devices are still fully functional.

Programmatic Usage

You can also use BEACN Desktop Linux in your Node.js applications:

const beacnLink = require('beacn-desktop-linux');

// Initialize
beacnLink.init();

// Control devices
const mainOutput = beacnLink.devices.mainOutput;
mainOutput.setVolume(0.8);  // 80%
mainOutput.setMute(false);

// Get device status
const status = mainOutput.getStatus();
console.log(status);

// Cleanup when done
beacnLink.cleanup();

Troubleshooting

1. If the virtual devices don't appear:

   • Make sure PipeWire is running: systemctl --user status pipewire
   • Check PipeWire logs: journalctl --user -u pipewire
   • Verify devices in GNOME Settings or pavucontrol
   • Check PipeWire nodes: pw-cli ls Node

2. If devices are stuck in CONNECTING state:

   • Check PipeWire daemon status
   • Ensure no conflicting audio configurations
   • Try restarting PipeWire: systemctl --user restart pipewire

3. If you get permission errors:

   • Make sure your user is in the audio group: sudo usermod -aG audio $USER
   • Log out and log back in for the group changes to take effect

4. If the installation fails:

   • Make sure all dependencies are installed
   • Try installing with verbose output: sudo npm install -g beacn-desktop-linux --verbose

Development

To develop or modify BEACN Desktop Linux:

1. Clone the repository:

git clone https://github.com/yourusername/beacn-desktop-linux.git
cd beacn-desktop-linux

2. Install dependencies:

npm install

3. Build the native module:

npm run build

4. Run the CLI in development mode:

npm start

Architecture

The project consists of two main components:

1. Native C++ module (beacn_native.cc) - Handles PipeWire integration and virtual device creation
2. Node.js CLI (cli.js) - Provides user interface and device control

The native module creates virtual devices using PipeWire streams, which appear as audio devices in the system. Each device is initialized in a PAUSED state and transitions to STREAMING when audio data is processed.

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

Contributing

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch
3. Commit your changes
4. Push to the branch
5. Create a Pull Request

Acknowledgments

• PipeWire team for the excellent audio system
• BEACN for the original BEACN Link concept