BLE Connection

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bobzai2015
 
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BLE Connection

Post by bobzai2015 »

I have a custom device that has a Feather 32u4 on board for BLE communication. I want to build a Python-based app on my Mac/Windows computer that is able to communicate with the board via Bluetooth LE.

1. Am I able to communicate directly with my BLE board from my Mac? How about Windows?
2. If I need a USB dongle for my computer to enable BLE communication, what dongle works best for Python-based app access (e.g., pyserial) and is there a difference between working with a Mac/Windows?
3. If I switch over to Adafruit ItsyBitsy nRF52840 Express - Bluetooth LE, does any of that change?

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adafruit_support_mike
 
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Re: BLE Connection

Post by adafruit_support_mike »

bobzai2015 wrote: Tue Nov 15, 2022 11:42 pm 1. Am I able to communicate directly with my BLE board from my Mac? How about Windows?
Most Macs have BLE modules built in, but Windows hardware is more varied. You'll have to check the feature list for your computer, and may need an external Bluetooth dongle if the machine doesn't have one built in.

Hardware support is only one part of the problem though. You'll also need code libraries that make it possible for your code to talk to the BLE radio. Specifically, you'll need Python modules that handle the low-level interaction between your code and the BLE hardware.

I don't know of any such modules for macOS or Windows offhand. Maybe someone from the community will have more information. Regardless, you'll need to look for options and see what it takes to get them working.
bobzai2015 wrote: Tue Nov 15, 2022 11:42 pm 2. If I need a USB dongle for my computer to enable BLE communication, what dongle works best for Python-based app access (e.g., pyserial) and is there a difference between working with a Mac/Windows?
I wouldn't expect any significant difference in the code support for BLE hardware, unless you find something written for a specific device by its vendor.
bobzai2015 wrote: Tue Nov 15, 2022 11:42 pm 3. If I switch over to Adafruit ItsyBitsy nRF52840 Express - Bluetooth LE, does any of that change?
Not really.

The main distinction of the nRF52840 is its ability to operate as a BLE central device. Your computer will probably take the role of a central device though, and the nRF52840 doesn't have any unique properties as a BLE peripheral device.

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