Society of Robots - Robot Forum

Electronics => Electronics => Topic started by: Conscripted on April 14, 2010, 07:38:45 AM

Title: Which Bluetooth for $50 robot
Post by: Conscripted on April 14, 2010, 07:38:45 AM
Good morning.
I'm about to start a new tele-operated robot. I've finally gotten everything I need except a bluetooth module. The brain for my robot will  be the $50 robot controller with an ATMEGA 168 loaded into it. It's time for me to purchase the bluetooth controller but I'm not sure which one to get. I'm looking at the blue smirf gold HERE (http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=582) and at a roving networks adapter HERE (http://rovingnetworks.com/documents/rn-41sm-ds.pdf).

I know several people on here have bluetooth experience. I've read the tutorial. I understand that I need one that connects with UART. I'm looking for the best adapter I can get for the money. The roving network adapter is about $20 cheaper. That can be good or bad. Anyone have a recommendation for simple, affordable bluetooth?
Title: Re: Which Bluetooth for $50 robot
Post by: richiereynolds on April 14, 2010, 02:26:11 PM
I got a Bluesmirf and had a few initial problems, here's a post http://www.societyofrobots.com/robotforum/index.php?topic=10471.0 (http://www.societyofrobots.com/robotforum/index.php?topic=10471.0)

But it's working really well now. Apart from what's mentioned in that post it turned out I had a rubbish bluetooth usb dongle. I bought one off ebay for about £3 thinking they're probably all the same but I now know better. Had loads of issues with it not releasing windows com ports, poor range, taking ages to connect, if it did connect at all. Spend a few quid more and get a named brand dongle.
Title: Re: Which Bluetooth for $50 robot
Post by: tim_wang on April 14, 2010, 02:46:33 PM
Both bluetooth modules uses Roving Network's RN-41 chip, so performance wise the radios are identical. But the RN-41SM seem to support faster UART speeds, and RS-232 as well.