Bluetooth Attachment

Expansion modules and attachments
rimai
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Re: Bluetooth Attachment

Post by rimai »

If you want one, just PM me.
Roberto.
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cosmith71
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Re: Bluetooth Attachment

Post by cosmith71 »

What version of BT does this run?

--Colin
rimai
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Re: Bluetooth Attachment

Post by rimai »

Roberto.
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cosmith71
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Re: Bluetooth Attachment

Post by cosmith71 »

So here's something interesting.

In the past, the BT attachment had worked pretty well for me. Occasional "Port in use" errors, but that's it. Recently, it became pretty much unusable. It would either be a port in use error, or it would time out while trying to upload.

The fix? I moved my computer's BT adapter closer to the tank using a USB repeater cable. Now it works perfectly. I haven't even seen any port in use errors (unexpected benefit).

My theory is that the port in use errors are a sign of iffy signal strength and the RF noise in the house finally got to the point to where it interfered too much making the intermittent problems constant. Moving the computer's BT adapter away from the computer and a little closer to the tank seems to have solved everything.

Here's the cable I'm using. It's longer than I needed, but it's cheap. :mrgreen:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HYJ ... UTF8&psc=1

--Colin
paperdesk
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Re: Bluetooth Attachment

Post by paperdesk »

I thought I'd post my experience with the bluetooth attachment in case it may be of help to someone.

First of all, my computer quit shortly before I got the bluetooth adapter, so initially I used my wife's computer. The bluetooth adapter on her computer has always been weak. I had mixed results. I frequently got the "port's already in use" error as well as one or two others that I don't remember the specifics on.

Next, I tried it on a really old computer. i got it to work twice, but otherwise it usually started sending the code and just got hung in the middle.

A week or so ago I got a new notebook with a normal (i.e. strong) built it bluetooth adapter. I initially forgot to update the file Roberto linked to on the first page of this thread, but after doing that I have had no more trouble. I can now send code from every room of my house, and have never had a single error or failure!

Ted
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lnevo
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Re: Bluetooth Attachment

Post by lnevo »

Hmm will have to check that file update. Maybe thats why I have some issues. I never got mine to sync properly ever.
pandimus
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Re: Bluetooth Attachment

Post by pandimus »

Any particular bt dongle that works best? My computer is maybe 12 feet away up one floor
pandimus
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Re: Bluetooth Attachment

Post by pandimus »

I finally got mine in.. It took about an hour and half to get it up and running.. One thing I would like to stress.. You need to disconnect your wifi from the reef angel, plug the bt into the reef angel with new cable.. Then use old cable to hook wifi up to the bt module.. I kept getting timeout errors even though my wifi was working...
snoopy60
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Re: Bluetooth Attachment

Post by snoopy60 »

just got my adaptor. pugged it in, paired it, changed the dll file, and it worked perfectly in 2 minutes.
Question, after I upload new code, it doesn't seem to want to take effect until I go back to the head unit and unplug the BT. Once I unplug it, I can plug it right back in and everything is fine. Is this normal? (a small bother since i bought the BT so i wouldn't have to go back and forth. Before i got the BT i don't remember if i had to unplug the cable for it to start using the uploaded code). As always everybody, thanks for your help
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Sacohen
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Re: Bluetooth Attachment

Post by Sacohen »

No that's not normal. Mine takes effect right after the upload is done.

I'm not sure what would be causing that.

What OS are you uploading from?
snoopy60
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Re: Bluetooth Attachment

Post by snoopy60 »

windows 8 on my tablet
pandimus
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Re: Bluetooth Attachment

Post by pandimus »

Mine also is immediate...
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cosmith71
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Re: Bluetooth Attachment

Post by cosmith71 »

Nope. During the upload, the screen should go off, and the red light should flash. When it's over it should come back up and start running.
snoopy60
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Re: Bluetooth Attachment

Post by snoopy60 »

I'd like to see if anyone else has any thoughts but I can try using the cable again to see if it does the same thing. I can always switch to my desktop using win 7 now that I have blue tooth. Again, everything else seems to be perfect
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cosmith71
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Re: Bluetooth Attachment

Post by cosmith71 »

I use Windows 8.1 with no problems.
snoopy60
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Re: Bluetooth Attachment

Post by snoopy60 »

screen on the head unit (reef angel +) goes off, red light flashes (and blue light on the BT attachment goes on). when upload finished, blue light goes off, red light stops blinking but screen doesn't come back on until I detach the BT and plug it back in.
snoopy60
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Re: Bluetooth Attachment

Post by snoopy60 »

screen goes off on head unit (RA+), red light starts flashing, blue light on BT goes on. when upload finished, blue light goes off, red light stops flashing but screen doesn't come back on unit I detach and reconnect BT
snoopy60
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Re: Bluetooth Attachment

Post by snoopy60 »

wonder if I ought to reinstall the software?

Any thoughts on what I should try or what might be causing this?
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Sacohen
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Re: Bluetooth Attachment

Post by Sacohen »

Reinstalling can never hurt.

I'd be interested in seeing what it does on your Windows 7 system.
Last edited by Sacohen on Fri Jan 02, 2015 6:59 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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cosmith71
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Re: Bluetooth Attachment

Post by cosmith71 »

Did you replace the rxtxSerial.dll file?
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Sacohen
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Re: Bluetooth Attachment

Post by Sacohen »

I believe he said he did that earlier.
pandimus
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Re: Bluetooth Attachment

Post by pandimus »

Does it lock up after up load? Can you do a reset command?
snoopy60
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Re: Bluetooth Attachment

Post by snoopy60 »

replaced the dll.

after upload I have to disconnect the BT widget from the head unit, then it accepts the upload and works perfectly.

How do I do a "reset command." and will that help diagnose the issue?
pandimus
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Re: Bluetooth Attachment

Post by pandimus »

I use the reset, from my reef angel app. It always gives an error but does reset it..
dedvalson
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Re: Bluetooth Attachment

Post by dedvalson »

Hi,

Received my Bluetooth attachment and got it working pretty quickly.

I had a question though. Is it normal for the actual software upload to be much slower over bluetooth?

With a direct connection it takes around 6 seconds, with bluetooth it is more like 40 seconds.

Not a big deal but I just wondered.

Don
rimai
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Re: Bluetooth Attachment

Post by rimai »

Yeah, I think it is the overhead of the bluetooth connection, but I may be wrong. I never really dug deep to find out.
Roberto.
89delta
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Re: Bluetooth Attachment

Post by 89delta »

Question for ya rimai.....does the BT modual need to be an rn-41 or can any old arduino bt modual work?
rimai
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Re: Bluetooth Attachment

Post by rimai »

I've had issues with different modules.
Roberto.
AlanM
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Re: Bluetooth Attachment

Post by AlanM »

I haven't uploaded new code to my RA for a while but went to do it tonight and discovered that my bluetooth attachment wasn't talking to Win 7 anymore even though it still showed RNBT-41FC device listed. I removed the device and went to re-add it, and it fails each time. I disconnected the bluetooth from the head unit, reconnected and tried to re-add, but it failed. I rebooted the computer and it still failed.

It gives me error code 0x80004005 which probably means nothing, but are there tips folks can give to get it to connect when it insists on not connecting?
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cosmith71
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Re: Bluetooth Attachment

Post by cosmith71 »

Delete the driver, reboot, and then try.
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