Using Link Sprite Bluetooth Shield with Mac

Using Arduino Networking, Protocols, and Devices
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Hi, hope im in the right place here.

Im trying to set up bluetooth communication between my arduino and macbook pro using the linksprite bluetooth shield... Bluetooth Shield for Arduino - LinkSprite Playgound

It says on the site that there could be problems when using certain apple products, but I dont think I have even got that far. Trying to follow their instructions, I have uploaded the basic .ino onto the board, I have downloaded XCTU to try to connect and test it but XCTU does not find it through the USB port so ive fallen at the first hurdle!

Very new to this so please if you can help with basic instructions or comments. I have trawled the net but havent found any articles relating to pairing these two products. Should have done that before I bought it!

Bluetooth.ino (403 Bytes)

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That eliminates 80% of the Arduino population who can help (Apple reveals Windows 10 is four times more popular than the Mac - The Verge )

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It says on the site that there could be problems when using certain apple products,

I suspect that is a vague expression of what is common knowledge. On the shield, the bit that counts as the green bit. It is just another HC-05, but comes at an eyewatering price. HC-05s are incompatible with iStuff, which are BLE only, but OK with OSX , so you are good to go.

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OK! Thanks. Any advice on how to advance? The site only shows instructions for PC users, I'm a little lost.
Baud rate is matching on board and in XCTU, but no device found. Never used XCTU before, could I be missing something?

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If indeed

Nick_Pyner:
It is just another HC-05,

I have some experience with HC-05 and connecting it to my macbook pro.

You need some UNIX know how, I am hesitant to get involved.

Can you get it into AT mode?

If you can, try AT+VERSION, if it gives you 2.0-20100601, then I may be able to help.

the 3.0-20170601 firmware I haven't had much luck

EDIT:
That's MacOS X not iOS which are iPhones, iPads, etc.

6

kilmo:
OK! Thanks. Any advice on how to advance? The site only shows instructions for PC users, I'm a little lost.
Baud rate is matching on board and in XCTU, but no device found. Never used XCTU before, could I be missing something?

Possibly, but

I understand from people I trust that Arduino -> HC-05 -> MacOS is just fine. All you need do is know what to do with the signal once it gets there, and I guess most of that is the same as PC anyway.

Further, I believe the notes alluded to below have been used by a Macinuser with no problems

This is an Arduino forum and not really place for discussion on anything to do with PCs - any more than Mac

Similarly, anything to do with Unix is just a read herring, and can be studiously ignored. I suspect the poster who came up with that waffle just can't read properly.

Indeed, just because you have a Macbook, it doesn't mean you are isolated. We are just talking about plain-vanilla SPP protocol

I have never heard of XCTU but I don't think it has anything to do with bluetooth.

As for your "first hurdle", no comment, I"m afraid - other than that I suspect you might be attempting the wrong hurdle.

There is nothing to indicate you need to get into AT mode, another red herring, and I suggest you just get things working. It may be all you ever need.

I am not familiar with your shield, and have never heard of XCTU, but you might find the following very basic background notes useful.

http://homepages.ihug.com.au/~npyner/Arduino/GUIDE_2BT.pdf
http://homepages.ihug.com.au/~npyner/Arduino/BT_2_WAY.ino

and I would be very interested to hear how you fare with it.

I have just realised that a possible reason why I have never heard of XCTU is that it is macinbabble, but I'm still not sure if it is relevant - indeed I dearly hope it isn't.

7

Nick_Pyner:
that it is macinbabble,

LMAO

I wholeheartedly agree

Nick_Pyner:

This is an Arduino forum and not really place for discussion on anything to do with PCs - any more than Mac

but I think this may help the OP

So this is my devices directory

Last login: Fri May  4 17:47:23 on console
:~ xxxxx$ cd /dev
:dev xxxxx$ ls -l |more
total 0
crw-------  1 root    wheel      13,   1 May  4 17:45 afsc_type5
crw-------  1 root    wheel       8,   0 May  4 17:45 auditpipe
crw-r--r--  1 root    wheel       7,   3 May  4 17:45 auditsessions
crw-------  1 root    wheel      18,   0 May  4 17:46 autofs
crw-------  1 root    wheel      31,   0 May  4 17:46 autofs_control
crw-rw-rw-  1 root    wheel      22,   0 May  4 17:46 autofs_homedirmounter
crw-rw-rw-  1 root    wheel      21,   0 May  4 17:46 autofs_notrigger
crw-rw-rw-  1 root    wheel      19,   2 May  4 17:46 autofs_nowait
crw-------  1 root    wheel      23,   0 May  4 17:46 bpf0
crw-------  1 root    wheel      23,   1 May  5 00:46 bpf1
crw-------  1 root    wheel      23,   2 May  5 00:45 bpf2
crw-------  1 root    wheel      23,   3 May  4 17:45 bpf3
crw-------  1 xxxxx  staff       0,   0 May  4 17:46 console
crw-rw-rw-  1 root    wheel      17,   3 May  4 17:46 cu.Bluetooth-Incoming-Port
crw-rw-rw-  1 root    wheel      17,   9 May  4 17:49 cu.HC-05-DevB
crw-rw-rw-  1 root    wheel      17,   1 May  4 17:46 cu.SLAB_USBtoUART
crw-rw-rw-  1 root    wheel      17,   7 May  4 17:46 cu.usbmodemFD131
brw-r-----  1 root    operator    1,   0 May  4 17:45 disk0
brw-r-----  1 root    operator    1,   1 May  4 17:45 disk0s1
brw-r-----  1 root    operator    1,   4 May  4 17:45 disk0s2
brw-r-----  1 root    operator    1,   3 May  4 17:45 disk0s3
brw-r-----  1 root    operator    1,   2 May  4 17:45 disk0s4

The cu.usbmodemFD131 is my Arduino Uno USB port

The cu.SLAB_USBtoUART is my NODE:MCU 1.0 USB port

and the cu.HC-05-DevB is my bluetooth port

You can accomplish the same bluetooth thing with SerialTools, available free from the Cr-App store, nice because it's pre-signed with all the security Mumbo Jumb

Edit: In fact, I would recommend using SerialTools, your devices directory you do not want to mess with unless you have experience, same goes for all the files and directories owned by root.