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A Practical Bluetooth Endpoint Alternative for Q-SYS Systems.

Bluetooth remains a practical requirement in many installed AV systems. Whether a user needs to share audio from a phone, connect a laptop in a meeting room, or play content from a tablet in a classroom, they expect the process to be quick and familiar.

For integrators supporting Q-SYS environments, the discontinuation of the Attero Tech unD6IO-BT creates an immediate question: what should replace it in new designs, existing installations, and projects already in progress?

The Symetrix xIO Bluetooth RCA-3.5 offers a practical alternative, bringing Bluetooth and wired analog connectivity into Dante-based AV systems, with easy integration into Q-SYS projects using a downloadable Symetrix plugin.

 

A Bluetooth Endpoint Built for Installed AV

Consumer Bluetooth adapters may work for temporary applications, but installed AV systems require more control, security, and reliability. The xIO Bluetooth RCA-3.5 is designed specifically for commercial AV environments. The PoE-powered, Dante-enabled endpoint allows users to connect a phone, laptop, or tablet without relying on loose adapters, external power supplies, or improvised cabling.

It also combines multiple source options in a single wall-mounted device, including:

  • Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity
  • Stereo RCA inputs
  • A 3.5 mm analog connection
  • Dante network audio
  • Power over Ethernet

This makes it suitable for meeting rooms, classrooms, hospitality spaces, training facilities, and other environments where users may need both wireless and wired consumer audio connections. 

 

Flexible Pairing and Security Controls

Bluetooth in a commercial environment needs to be simple for the intended user without allowing pairing behavior to become unpredictable. Using the Symetrix xIO Configurator within Composer, integrators can define how the endpoint behaves before it is brought into the Q-SYS design.

Available settings include:

  • A custom Bluetooth device name
  • Front-panel pairing enablement
  • PIN code configuration
  • Selectable pairing modes
  • Retention of previous pairings

Integrators can choose settings based on how the room will be used, whether the goal is to support recurring users, simplify guest access, or maintain tighter control over who can connect.

A recognizable Bluetooth name can also make a significant difference for the end user. Naming the endpoint for the room or space helps users confidently select the correct device rather than guessing from a list of generic product names.

 

Using xIO Bluetooth in a Q-SYS Project

The xIO Bluetooth RCA-3.5 is not limited to systems built around Symetrix DSPs. Symetrix provides a Q-SYS plugin that allows integrators to incorporate the endpoint into a Q-SYS design and manage its primary functions from within the platform.

The configuration process begins in Symetrix Composer:

  1. Add the xIO Bluetooth device and xIO Configurator to the site.
  2. Identify the correct unit from the discovered hardware.
  3. Configure the Bluetooth name, pairing behavior, PIN settings, analog inputs, and other device properties.
  4. Push the selected settings to the endpoint.

The next steps take place in Q-SYS Designer:

  1. Download the xIO Bluetooth RCA-3.5 plugin from the Symetrix Control Library.
  2. Extract the downloaded file.
  3. Open it using Q-SYS Plugin Helper.
  4. Locate the plugin under the Symetrix section of the user plugins library.
  5. Drag the plugin into the Q-SYS design.
  6. Enter the IP address of the xIO Bluetooth endpoint.

Once connected, the plugin provides access to functions including PIN changes, playback control, analog input configuration, and level adjustments. Channels can also be linked, allowing one control to adjust a paired set of channels.

The result is a straightforward way to add a current Symetrix Bluetooth endpoint to a Q-SYS project without changing the broader DSP and control environment.

Watch Now: How to use Symetrix xIO Bluetooth RCA 3.5 in place of a discontinued Q-SYS unD6IO-BT

 

Supporting Existing and Future Q-SYS Systems

The discontinuation of a familiar endpoint can create challenges at several stages of a project. An integrator may need to revise a design that has already been specified. A customer may want to expand an existing system using hardware that is no longer available. A service team may need to replace a device in an installed room. New Q-SYS projects may also continue to require Bluetooth even though the previously selected endpoint has reached end of life.

In each case, the replacement option needs to suit professional installation, support the required networked audio workflow, and give the integrator adequate control over pairing, security, analog audio, and user behavior. The xIO Bluetooth RCA-3.5 provides a practical path forward for those applications while preserving the Q-SYS system around it.

 

More Than a Bluetooth Receiver

Bluetooth may appear to be a small part of an AV design, but it is often one of the few system elements that end users interact with directly.

When pairing is confusing, the device name is unclear, or the connection behaves unpredictably, the user experiences the entire AV system as unreliable. A well-configured endpoint removes that friction and gives users a familiar way to bring their own content into the space. For integrators, the right endpoint also needs to be simple to configure, secure enough for the space, and dependable after the project has been handed over.

With Bluetooth 5.0, Dante, PoE, analog source connectivity, configurable pairing behavior, and Q-SYS plugin support, the Symetrix xIO Bluetooth RCA-3.5 gives integrators a commercially available alternative for projects affected by the discontinuation of the unD6IO-BT.

To learn more, download the xIO Bluetooth RCA-3.5 Q-SYS plugin and configuration resources from the Symetrix Control Library.

 

 

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