BlueSMiRF and SSC-32 Configuration Tutorial

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<td valign="top" align="left">BlueSMiRF and SSC-32 Configuration Tutorial.

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By James Frye

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Updated 06/18/2007.

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This tutorial is to help connect a SparkFun BlueSMiRF to the SSC-32 to be used with

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<a target="_blank" href="https://wiki.lynxmotion.com/info/wiki/lynxmotion/view/ses-software/lynxterm/">LynxTerm</a>

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or the <a href="https://wiki.lynxmotion.com/info/wiki/lynxmotion/view/ses-software/ssc-32-sequencer/" target="_blank">SEQ-01 Visual Sequencer</a> program.

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We were able to achieve a range of over 50 feet using the 582 ceramic antenna module indoors, line-of-sight. We

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were unable to test it at a greater distance due to the small size of our office. We can only assume the 158 duck antenna version has a longer

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range.</td>

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Image of BRAT with BlueSMiRF.</td>

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<td valign="top" align="left">Necessary Hardware

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You will need:

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> Bluetooth USB Dongle (WRL-00150)

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Choose one of these modules:

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> Bluetooth Modem BlueSMiRF (Int. ceramic ant.) (WRL-00582)

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> Bluetooth Modem BlueSMiRF RP-SMA (Ext. ant.) (WRL-00158)

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> 2.4GHz Duck Antenna RP-SMA (WRL-00145)

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</td>

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BlueSMiRF modules and Accessories.</td>

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<td valign="top" align="left">Step 1.

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We need to create a custom cable. Using a DC-02 data cable as a

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base, you will need to remove the violet wire's female connector from the black housing on one end. Refer to Figure 1 for an example of how to

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easily remove a connector from a black housing.</td>

Figure 1.</td>

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<td valign="top" align="left">Step 2.

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Cover the exposed connector with heatshrink to avoid shorts. Your cable should look like Figure 2.</td>

Figure 2.</td>

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<td valign="top" align="left">Step 3.

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Connect the data and power cables to the BlueSMiRF as shown. Consult

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Table 3 for connection information. A wiring diagram is available directly following Step 4.

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<td align="center" bordercolor="#808080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0" colspan="2">BlueSMiRF

Connections</td>

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<td align="center" bordercolor="#C0C0C0" bgcolor="#FFFFFF">Violet (Heat shrink end)</td>

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<td align="center" bordercolor="#C0C0C0" bgcolor="#FFFFFF">Power Cable - Red (+)</td>

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<td align="center" bordercolor="#C0C0C0" bgcolor="#FFFFFF">Power Cable - Black (-)</td>

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<td align="center" bordercolor="#C0C0C0" bgcolor="#FFFFFF">Yellow</td>

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<td align="center" bordercolor="#C0C0C0" bgcolor="#FFFFFF">Violet</td>

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Table 3.</td>

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</center></div>

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Figure 3.</td>

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<td valign="top" align="left">Step 4.

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Connect the data and power cables to the SSC-32 as shown. Consult Table 4 for connection information. A wiring diagram is available directly

following this step.

<td >

</center><table border="1" bordercolor="#000000" >

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<td align="center" bordercolor="#808080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0" colspan="2">SSC-32 Connections</td>

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<td align="center" bordercolor="#C0C0C0" bgcolor="#FFFFFF">Yellow</td>

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<td align="center" bordercolor="#C0C0C0" bgcolor="#FFFFFF">Black</td>

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</div>

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Table 4.</td>

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</center></div>

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Figure 4.</td>

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<td valign="top" align="left" colspan="2">Wiring Diagram.

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Refer to the following diagram for wiring information.

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<td valign="top" align="left">Step 5.

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Set the SSC-32's baud rate to 9600, using the jumper configuration as shown.</td>

Figure 5.</td>

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<td valign="top" align="left">Step 6.

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Install the BlueSoleil program, which is included with the KB-018 Bluetooth USB Dongle. Open the program, and plug the dongle into the computer.

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The "Welcome to Bluetooth" message shown in Figure 6 should pop up. Type in a device name and select a type. Click "OK" to

continue.</td>

Figure 6.</td>

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<td valign="top" align="left">Step 7.

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Apply power to the SSC-32, and click on the orange "sun" in the center of the screen to search for Bluetooth devices.

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Note: When the SparkFun device is first loaded, it will occasionally appear as a device address instead of a

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name. You must wait until the BlueSoleil program finishes searching for additional Bluetooth devices for the name to appear. Please wait

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until the name appears before continuing.

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Figure 7.</td>

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<td valign="top" align="left">Step 8.

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Right click on the SparkFun-BT icon, and click on "Refresh Services".

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Next, right click on the SparkFun-BT icon, and click on Connect > Bluetooth Serial Port Service.

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Note: The first time you connect, the "Quick Connect" dialogue will appear. What you choose here is

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your choice. Please make a note of which COM port is listed.

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Figure 8.</td>

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<td valign="top" align="left">Step 9.

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<a href="https://wiki.lynxmotion.com/info/wiki/lynxmotion/view/ses-software/lynxterm/" target="_blank">Download</a> and install Lynxterm. Click on "Setup" in the

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"Port" section and change the baud rate to 9600, and change the COM port to the one listed in the Quick Connect dialogue.</td>

Figure 9.</td>

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<td valign="top" align="left">Step 10.

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Click on "Setup" in the "Terminal" section. Make sure your settings are the same as in Figure 10. Double-check to make

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sure "Send line feeds with carriage return" is turned off!

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Figure 10.</td>

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<td valign="top" align="left">Step 11.

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In the main terminal screen, type "ver" and then hit "enter" to test connectivity to the SSC-32. You should see "ver"

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replaced with your firmware's version. Now type "+++" and hit "enter" to activate "Configuration Mode" on the

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BlueSMiRF. You should see "OK" on the screen after you enter the "+++".</td>

Figure 11.</td>

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<td valign="top" align="left">Step 12.

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Type "AT" and hit "enter". You should see "OK" returned on the screen, confirming that communication is still

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possible with the BlueSMiRF. If you don't see an "OK", go back through the tutorial and double-check your settings.

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Now type "ATSW20,472,0,0,1" and hit "enter". This changes the baud rate to 115.2k baud.

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Note: This command does not return an "OK" on completion.

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Reminder: Terminal applications do not allow the use of the "Backspace" button! If you make a

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typo, just hit "enter" and try it again.

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Figure 12.</td>

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<td valign="top" align="left">Step 13.

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Type "ATSI,8". Disregard the rest of the line - it's just leftover from the previous command. You will see a return of "OK"

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and "01D8,0000,0000" which is the baud rate written in hexadecimal. If this number is different, then you need to repeat Step 12.</td>

Figure 13.</td>

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<td valign="top" align="left">Step 14.

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Click on "Setup" in the "Port" section, and change the baud rate to 115200.

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Now disconnect from LynxTerm (press "Disconnect" in the "Port" section) and BlueSoleil

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(right click on the SparkFun icon, then click Disconnect > Bluetooth Serial Port Service), and turn off the SSC-32.</td>

Figure 14.</td>

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<td valign="top" align="left">Step 15.

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Set the SSC-32's baud rate to 115.2k baud, using the jumper configuration as shown.

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Turn the SSC-32 back on. Reconnect BlueSoleil (right click on the SparkFun icon, then click Connect >

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Bluetooth Serial Port Service), then reconnect LynxTerm (press "Connect" in the "Port" section).

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In LynxTerm, type "ver" and hit "enter" for the final test. You should see the firmware

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version returned on the screen if all is well.

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Congratulations! You can now control your robots without the annoyance of wires!

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Figure 15.</td>

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<td valign="top" align="left">Step 16.

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For our testing, we did not have to change any timeouts in LynxTerm for reliable communication. However, we did have to change some timeouts in

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<a href="https://wiki.lynxmotion.com/info/wiki/lynxmotion/view/ses-software/ssc-32-sequencer/" target="_blank">SEQ-01</a>.

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Click on "Timeouts" and refer to Figure 16 for specific values.

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It's a good idea to experiment with timeout values. Try to find the smallest values that still allow reliable

communication.</td>

Figure 16.</td>

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