Hello, I'm new here. I just purchased an arduino kit, and need some information on interfacing with an android tablet like the onn 8" Tablet Pro. I have not ordered the tablet yet because it says it has usb-c and a tutorial i found says to use micro usb OTG I can't find any specs that mention OTG or anything. I was thinking of using the bluetooth module but seems the one for arduino is discontinued (sadface) I'm a game developer that uses unreal engine and wish to make puzzle boxes that have the tablet as an interface. so if anyone can help me I would love some direction.
I'm not looking to buy hugly expensive tablets my budget can afford ONLY the tablet above.
I have a completed Game ready to be setup/used on a tablet and I do have a few skills with basic c++. I just need to know how to interface with the usb-c on the tablet if there is a way etc.
I remember a discussion some time ago here on the forum about how not all tablets have OTG support. I had assumed they did because the super cheap one I bought happened to have it, but I guess I just got lucky. So I would definitely not assume OTG support if it isn't advertised as having it.
I haven't actually tried doing serial communication on my tablet. I only tried the HID (I can't remember whether it was keyboard or mouse).
Which module were you looking at? There are certainly a lot of Bluetooth modules that can be used with Arduino boards, or even Arduino boards that have built-in Bluetooth or BLE support. So this is very much an option.
Just to make this clear for all of us - you mention using the tablet as a (user?) interface, so what will the function of the Arduino be? Will it be used to control external peripherals such as buttons, leds, servos etc? Which ones/kinds?
I'm trying to establish if the Arduino will be in fact a necessary addition. Keep in mind that the average tablet has a way more powerful processor than the entry-level Arduino's (Uno, Nano etc.) So having an Arduino mostly makes sense if you need it to interface with outside electrics, to put it simply.
Also, the USB port on virtually all Arduinos is not a full-feature USB port, but only works as a virtual COM port. Don't expect it to function as a HID device for example. This may or may not be an issue for you; I'm not sure to what extent it's possible to 'talk to' an emulated RS232 port over USB from a tablet.
yes to control survos and actuaters that open drawers and unlock parts of the puzzle. as the player advances in my unreal engine puzzle game. it will have buttons and lots of things on the arduino. but it will be controlled by unreal engine on an android tablet etc.
unreal engine can send outputs to the arduino using a plugin that is written in c++
but it is for serial COM port communication and reading the tutorial this OTG connection allows it to talk to the arduino in mobile devices but can't find one that lists this OTG ports
but no tablets out there say they have this OTG support. not 1 i can find on amazon. this OTG is talked about but the documentation if a tablet has this is non existant. i was hoping someone could point me to one that does but is not over $150 as the nexus they talk about is lower specs than the one i listed but 5 times the price etc.
In unreal engine you can send numberic values OUTBOUND to an arduino via com ports on a usb(windows) I know how and can do this. BUT I can't put an entire PC inside a puzzlebox or the prices of a puzzle box going to be $20,000... I can compile the game for ANDROID but how do i send data to the arduino from a tablet? the guide says you do it over the OTG but how if you can't find ones that have this OTG support? i was thinking bluetooth but there is no way to send data from unrealengine to bluetooth. only to com ports.
You can't turn on motors or survos or any external devices like this direct from a tablet, they don't have an interface board to hook anything up to. I'm not putting a GAME on the arduina but want to control the arduino by sending data accross the usb from the GAME to open locked doors on the box that contains the tablet. it will have drawers that open, button sequences you have to tap to solve the box. if you ever watched Chris ramsey on youtube that does puzzle boxes that have tablets that control the arduino in them to open drawers, flach lights etc you would understand more on what i need to accomplish.
think of it this way, the puzzlebox has a tablet attached on the top of it that displays a mobile game. in the game there are EVENTS that send data to com ports, the puzzle box has drawers and pieces that move when the arduino is given commands from the game to unlock parts of the box. turning motors moving parts to allow movement/extraction of parts of the puzzle box. the GAME made in unreal engine is also a puzzle game you control using the tablet.
This is about programming an Arduino using a tablet. I very much recommend against doing that. It is technically possible in some very limited fashion, but you're going to have a bad time because it is not well supported. Use a real computer for writing and uploading the code to the Arduino board.
What you have been talking about is the tablet as an interface for the Arduino board. That is a much easier thing to accomplish. You only need to have some way of communicating between the two devices.
The tablet I have is the Digiland DL718M. I paid about $35 USD for it years ago and it is still working fine (though an occasional flicker from the backlight makes me think that part is not well). I just connected my Arduino Mega to it with an OTG cable and was able to send and receive serial data. Unfortunately, from a quick search it seems this tablet is no longer very widely available, as is usual with mass manufactured electronics products. So I don't know that it would be a good choice for you, but I thought I'd share the information in case it would be of use.
Since you have not been able to find any suitable tablets that advertise OTG support, my advice would be to identify a good value tablet that has the other specs you need and just go ahead and buy it, along with an Arduino board and OTG cable. Give it a try and see if it works. If not, you should be able to return the tablet, then repeat the process with another tablet until you find a good one.
If that's the only thing you found for Arduino and Bluetooth then you need to work on your Internet search skills.
It looks very nice, but there are plenty of other options. I'm not super knowledgeable about the options for standalone modules you would connect to a standard Arduino board to add Bluetooth or BLE communication capabilities, but I believe the HC-05, HC-06, and HM-10 are the popular ones. They are very inexpensive and widely available.
You also have Arduino boards available with built-in Bluetooth and/or BLE capabilities. Some options:
yes ue4 supports tcp and udp but only on windows. and none for wifi. there is bluetooth support but not for arduino. only support for arduino is com ports that i can find.