Bluetooth replacement for programming cable?
 

I am looking for a bluetooth or other wireless device to replace the programming cable for the robot. The only decent modules I can find are form Sparkfun and cost about $60-70 for each end.

I only have $75 for this project and I also need a module for the computer.

If anyone has any ideas please post them.

Thanks,

Re: Bluetooth replacement for programming cable?
 

I don't know much about Bluetooth, but I would much rather use an extremely long ;) serial cable (which I do right now ;) ;) ). It is fast, reliable, and proven, unlike Bluetooth serial cables. I think it would be sweet to have such a technology in a perfect world, but not at the price of $70 an end, and certainly not at the cost of reliability and speed.

I don't have any suggestions as to where to go for these ends. I checked on Newegg (http://www.newegg.com) and found one: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16833139008

If you have a Bluetooth-enabled laptop, you probably only need one end, which would meet your budget constraints. If you feel like going through with this, make sure you post the results. There should be no problem with interference--the field runs on 900MHz, and Bluetooth is in the gigahertz range. Also, what about power? Bluetooth devices, I would think, draw a crazy amount of power, and whatever you can fit in that little device probably won't sustain that kind of draw for very long. The one I linked to uses a wall-wart--worse than the serial cable you want to replace.

I don't think that Bluetooth is exactly ideal for our uses. You can decide for yourself. Tell me what you think, and if you do go for it, post what you get.

JBot

Re: Bluetooth replacement for programming cable?
 

They have modules that are just bluetooth and may be useable for this but i have no idea where i found them, search these forums someone was planning this out about a year ago and i think the link was on there

Re: Bluetooth replacement for programming cable?
 

Awe man...I just visited your link and check that product out, it appears to be a network type blue tooth and not serial, do you have another link for an RS-232 version? I am looking too. And I wondered if anyone else has any feedback for any devices they have tried?

Re: Bluetooth replacement for programming cable?
 

Thanks everyone. I was hoping someone had found somthing better, but I think the adapter above will work.

Re: Bluetooth replacement for programming cable?
 

i dont know if you saw this on the page but so you would still need to find a way to power it.

Re: Bluetooth replacement for programming cable?
 

A quick search on google found this:
http://www.ipenabled.com/bluetooth-rs232-usb.html
I've never used it or seen it in person, but the specs on the web site seem to match what would be required to connect to the RC. You would need to supply 5VDC, which you could pull from an unused PWM port. The data sheet shows 30-50 mA current draw, so a PWM port would be able to handle it.

Re: Bluetooth replacement for programming cable?
 

I am not sure what you mean by "network type blue tooth"...the link I found looks like it is for RS-232...

Unless you just mean wireless serial. Bluetooth can do that, too. I found a product here that looks like it might do what we want. Unfortunately it costs $169 (!! :yikes: !) The manufacturer claims that the device can draw power from a pin on the serial port--if I'm reading the schematic right, this won't work with the RC as there is no power output. However, we could power this from a PWM output if the current draw is low enough (It isn't listed on the spec sheet for the adapter I just linked to).

The biggest problem is the cost. 2 times $169 equals way too much money... :(

I will keep searching, but I kinda doubt that there are any really good devices for this out there.
I have never tried one of these devices, or I would link to it. It would be sweet to have that kind of money, but that's probably not going to happen until I get my multi-billion dollar company with a monopoly over the entire software industry going... :p

Well, it was worth a search...

JBot

Re: Bluetooth replacement for programming cable?
 

This is the one I currently use to do console/serial for a server:

http://www.ipenabled.com/blueportxp.html

Contains a built in battery, and then transmits over Bluetooth.

Re: Bluetooth replacement for programming cable?
 

This may be fine for debugging, but I wouldn't trust a wireless device to program the robot. Small files over Bluetooth OBEX wouldn't be a problem, but you would need to build another box to catch the files and transport them to the RC. All of this goes without mentioning possible packet loss.

For what its worth, I'd just go pick up a 25 foot serial cable. This is just my opinion though.

Re: Bluetooth replacement for programming cable?
 

I used a Blue Tooth Serial adapter last year and it wasn't good for programming.
It was even slower then a USB to Serial adapter. The only value it had was returning camera values wirelessly.

Re: Bluetooth replacement for programming cable?
 

Thanks for telling us this--I won't waste my money on a Bluetooth adapter if the chance comes up.

Darn, that would've been really cool...

JBot

Re: Bluetooth replacement for programming cable?
 

Model number? Vendor?

Re: Bluetooth replacement for programming cable?
 

You might want to try these radio modules instead...

http://www.rentron.com/remote_control/TXLC-434.htm

Edit: I just realized they are only one way communications! Sorry...