Bluetooth and EQMod

[wasyoungonce (Brendan)]

Hi Willow..yep turned off firewall same thing.

Hi Bob....I found some info that others have reported the same thing..here. This is an old issue but still appears to be causing issues.

Could be because net framework? Quote from MS here:

Posted by Microsoft on 19/05/2008 at 2:40 PM
Thank you for reporting this issue. The root cause of this (RegistryKey.GetValue fails to properly handle non-null terminated string data) will be fixed for the next version of the .NET Framework.

MS supposed to have fixed this some time ago but others are still reporting this issue even in win7! Sigh!

[hikerbob (Bob)]

I'm doing this on XP, Bluetooth on my Win7 desktop machine never seems to be able to find devices and I've not yet mastered ports on Ubuntu (nor tried to do EQMOD/ASCOM with Wine).

I noticed that Win 7 seemed to be a factor in the posts I read on your link.

Bob

[wasyoungonce (Brendan)]

Win XP on my lappy. I just used Win7 as it was a handy lappy to try.

I'm downloading net framework 4 to try.

[wasyoungonce (Brendan)]

Bob. I raised this issue over at the Gemini ASCOM forum and the developers have seen this and advice appears to be the MS software stack is the issue.

I'll be fiddling tomorrow on this and will post back.

[hikerbob (Bob)]

I'm finding with my experiments trying to communicate with an Arduino via Bluetooth that the only serial port the Arduino software seems recognise is the incoming port, not the outgoing. That does not work so well. I'm also finding that when I try and reassign a port manually I have a long list of ports supposedly busy (and I don't think that they are).

A few things still to learn about Bluetooth and serial ports.

Bob

[wasyoungonce (Brendan)]

This may not help.

I looked up the part number of the module (RF-BT0417CB) and found a link to the seller which had a spec sheet and another to a guy using one for an Android controlled bluetooth robot.

The guy running the robot has some code you may find interesting.

I believe range for this module is not that great compared to some...but this is reflected in the price!

[hikerbob (Bob)]

I put an order in earlier for one of the Sparkfun bluetooth boards designed for the Arduino (http://www.sparkfun.com/products/10393). Much more expensive than the module I'm currently using but I want to see what differences there are in practice.

None of that helps with my attempts to get a remote end bluetooth/USB connection working. I'd like to find out how viable it is to control a camera or webcam via bluetooth. I've put a power socket and voltage regulator into my after-market battery pack for my Canon 550D, if I can get the rest working I'd like to put a bluetooth module in there as well (and one end of a short USB cable) so that the EOS utility could be used almost wirelessly.

Right now I'm experimenting by connecting to a SURE GPS unit or the USB adapter on a Arduino Pro-mini. Both convert a USB signal to a serial line. The SURE GPS module already has a similar bluetooth module built in (which works well) so I've got something to compare against.

Bob

[wasyoungonce (Brendan)]

My best guess is that bluetooth does not have the bandwidth required to run a camera and download subs etc...they are max around 2.1mbps.

[hikerbob (Bob)]

"they are max around 2.1mbps." - that might be a problem

Bob

[wasyoungonce (Brendan)]

Ahhh don't worry about what I say...go for it. If it works..I'd buy one from you.

I did see some guy with a wireless hub or something like that to run all devices back to his lappy.

I'll find it and post a link. Just about to try some regedit to fix my COM ports.

[wasyoungonce (Brendan)]

Alright getting somewhere with the BT module.

I deleted the COM ports in the registry and they were re-mapped and assigned and are now correct in the Gemini ASCOM driver selection.

If I select and connect to COM9, the outgoing port, I see the BT transceiver led goes from "flashing" to "on" for around 5 seconds then back to flashing. This does not happen with other ports selected.

So it appears COM9 is talking to the transceiver. But the Gemini is not accepting or responding this incomming transmission. Folks at Gemini ASCOM said the Gemini is a bit picky about time outs from wait for reply and COM port Tx rates so I have a bit to fiddle with.

[wasyoungonce (Brendan)]

Hi Bob..a bit of an update..."It is alive"!..."I have created life itself ..."insert evil laugh!" Finally up and running with Gemini on BT.

I had to:
Set Gemini Autodetect ports to "off", which allows a longer port communication time out period.

Set flow control to "hardware" on both com9 (the outgoing) and COM10 (the incoming) BT ports.

Use Max232 interface between BT module and Gemini RS232.
Not crimp my RJ11 plugs too hard as the Gemini socket would fingers not contact properly.

Still have lots to do..testing on data rates and drop-outs, make a dedicated PCB etc... but I have a big smile on my old mug thanks to you Bob!

And a thanks to the boys from Gemini ASCOM, Paul, Mark and Tom!

I'll post back when I have some more progress.

edit:
the port stack issue is still there...I can fix this by editing the port number in regedit but I appears to have to do this each time I re-boot the computer (not sure on this yet). Something to do with MS bluetooth stack issue! There is obviously a permanent fix but it eludes me at this stage..I'm sure it can be fixed.

[hikerbob (Bob)]

Well done. Hope you are enjoying that nice feeling that comes from knowing that it lives.

Bob

[wasyoungonce (Brendan)]

Just a quick question Bob.

Have you had any trouble with BT stack COM ports like me? I've tried an XP Lappy and a WIN7 lappy both get the strange null characters in the virtual COM port assignment.

I don't think its the dongle as the WIN7 lappy has inbuilt BT. Must be the transceiver.

I can fix this with regedit but I'm looking for a more permenant fix.

[hikerbob (Bob)]

I've not seen the issue you have highlighted.
I'm seeing an ever increasing number of comm ports listed as In Use in the drop down box if I go to reassign a comm port manually and have found other aspects of bluetooth detection and service assignment to be flaky but no odd comm port names so far.

Bob

[wasyoungonce (Brendan)]

Thanks Bob.. I emailed the supplier of the transceiver..it's a transceiver stack issue..probably some OS registration issue.

I can possibly run other BT stack software...looking at that now.

[wasyoungonce (Brendan)]

Hi Bob. Go a reply from mdfly, the transceiver supplier. They were very apologetic but didn't know what the issue was.

In any case after lots off fiddling I installed Toshiba BT stack and this fixed the issue. So it's poor MS software that causes the COM port designation issue.

That said...this is Toshiba software is not freeware, so I need to source either a cheap or free BT stack software.

Anyone?

[hikerbob (Bob)]

I saw quite a bit of comment about the MS bluetooth stack when I was looking at some issues. Let me know if you find a better one at a sane price.

[suma126 (Shane)]

Originally Posted by hikerbob

I've posted this on the EQMOD yahoo group but there may be those interested who are not part of that.

I've managed to get a bluetooth connection running to control an EQ6 Pro.

I'll summarise what I've done here while it's fresh for the benefit of others
who are trying to do the same.

Equipment - a couple of ebay items and bit's and pieces from my workbench and the local Jaycar store.

- A bluetooth module
(http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Bluetooth-Wireless-TTL-Transceiver-Module-5V-GND-TX-RX-/\
380319761963?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0& hash=item588cd3062b) US$15
- An LM7508 voltage regulator
- DB9 male connector
- Micro Bluetooth adapter for the PC
(http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2004689 96304&ssPageName=S\
TRK:MEWNX:IT) AU$1
- A power diode (not essential)
- One small plastic jiffy box from the local electronics store
- Double sided heat trasfer tape (not essential)

All up parts were just over the AU$20.

To confirm pinout's looking at the back of the male DB9 plug connected to the mount with the row of 5 to the top - 1 is top right, 5 is top left, 6 is bottom right and 9 is bottom left.

DB-9
1 12Vdc - I've soldered a diode into the feed to the regulator. Not essential.
5 - Gnd (Left most of the row of 5 looking at the mount or back of the
connector)
6 to the TX pin of the bluetooth module
9 to the RX pin of the bluetooth module

I've stuck the voltage regulator onto the back of the bluetooth module with double sided heat transfer tape and brought the GND and output pins down to the back of the 5V and Gnd pins on the bluetooth module. I removed the 5V pin from the module and then had to replace it, at a guess the hole is not plated through.

Windows XP mapped 2 ports in the Device setup, an Incoming and an Outgoing. I still have not made sense of that but the outgoing one is the one which worked.

I had some problems trying to get EQMOD recognised in the Ascom driver selector, the EQMOD.Telescope driver didn't have any attributes in the profile Explorer. Adding a name seemed to make it visible to the selector. I need to read some more about that as I may now have that right.

I've now had it running from The Sky and also via a very cheap game controller (http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1106477 06075&ssPageName=S\TRK:MEWNX:IT). That's not fully configured so don't take it as a recommendation for the controller but it does do the basics.

I want to explore some other bluetooth options, a smallish battery pack and a bluetooth module for the hand controller so I can run wireless without a PC for simple setup's. Bluetooth comm's to an Arduino controlling the focusser(s). I'm also wondering how hard it would be to get the output of a USB hub into a bluetooth transmitter so that camera(s) can be run through the link.

The image is from before the module went into the case.


Bob

just wondering can you sell me one. cheers

[hikerbob (Bob)]

Shane I don't want to take on support responsibilities and if I was making them to sell that could become an issue.

Bob