Hi
I am not new to Arduino and have experience but started touching now BT and I got stuck at the beginning.
I have to Itead BLE shields and I cannot find any working examples.
I failed to understand the basics here, so any help is appreciated.
I want both boards to communicate somehow or with my Android
Do I need to program the BT parameters some how? I saw in some examples I need to send AT commands, but how? I understand I have default parameters on new boards.
I see I can change RX TX ports by moving jumpers. If I use regular serial do I need to make any change?
If I have two arduinos with shields. Does the code need some addressing or any message is sent to the paired device? So in such case how to pair the two boards?
I cannot see the device on my Android, and I read somewhere BLE devices are now on the paired device list so how to pair with Android?
It does not specifically address the gear you have but bluetooth is bluetooth and the principles remain the same. The jumper you allude to probably enables you to use the standard hardware serial D0,D1 or the alternative software serial. I suggest you stay with the former wherever possible and only accept software serial as an unavoidable kiss of death.
Megas have four hardware serial ports, and your shield may be geared for that as well, but stick with D0,D1 for the moment anyway.
thanks for the reply, the description is very clear and reassuring.
I understand now the jumpers (left as is) and the meaning of flashing Led
I uploaded the sample code, which is straight forward, and tested with regular serial monitor (no surprise)
The Shield now is on the UNO and Led is flashing
I do not see the device when searching from Android as described
I used also IPAD and it does not discover it
So two options
There is a way to switch the shield to be discoverable - I doubt it
The fact it's BLE require different mechanism on Android. I saw some posts about it. I tried downloading apps from Google play which is supposed top discover BLE devices, but none found
I'm afraid I can't comment much as I'm only familiar with the cheapo HC-0x devices. I would have thought that turning on the power is all that is needed to make the device discoverable. I now understand the BLE is iPhone compatible and perhaps this makes communicating with real equipment a bit more complicated but I guess it isn't too helpful when your iPad can't see it either.
I point out that since you are using a shield and trying to connect with Android, you are spared of the two common mistakes, wrong wiring, and using bluetooth with USB cable connected to same computer. Something more serious is going on.
A quick flick through Google Play is a bit intimidating. I get the impression that you need BLE in your android device as well, along with Android 4.3, and BLE is brand-specific, i.e. not universal like plain vanilla Bluetooth.
I have found this very helpful so far but would like some advice. If I'm use an Arduino Uno Rev3 and an Arduinio Ethernet Shield which Arduino bluetooth hardware piece should I purchase for communication with my MAC or iPhone?
rkear89:
If I'm use an Arduino Uno Rev3 and an Arduinio Ethernet Shield which Arduino bluetooth hardware piece should I purchase for communication with my MAC or iPhone?
If you want to communicate over ethernet, you don't need a bluetooth device. If you want to communicate via blue tooth, you don't need an ethernet shield.
I understand Bluetooth 4 modules will work with Apple products.
I make frustrating small progress
I cannot yet send commands to shield from serial terminal although I understand how to do it
I can see one shield on my android not the second one, not sure why
I am unable to connect though
And IPAD or IPHONE have same issues in my case
Nick
Here is a question I hope you can answer (or someone else)
I am able now to configure BT shield via Arduino serial terminal
So I have to BT devices connected and needed to be programmed
One should be slave the other master
What's the minimum parameters I need to configure so they are able to communicate?
Your post is unclear, but you are right in that, whenever two bluetooth devices are paired, one is a slave and one is a master. There is some background on this at the end of the link I posted above, but it is more of an attempt to end the confusion than instruct.
If you mean two Arduinos talking to each other, the minimum you need is that one is a master and you know the name of the other.
Sorry for not being clear, the answer was in the second part.
So all I need to do is put one board in Slave mode and set its name, and the master should call it?
Its amazing I cannot find examples on the site of the company which sells the shield.
I found out how to send AT commands to the chip from Arduino, I send it commands for setting the name and get back OK, but when I search for the device with Android I see it as MAC address and not the name I set
They have detailed datasheet with so much data I get lost