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Home | Product Categories | Bluetooth | WRL-10268

Bluetooth Modem - BlueSMiRF Gold

sku: WRL-10268 RoHS Compliant OSHW

Description: The BlueSMiRF is the latest Bluetooth wireless serial cable replacement from SparkFun Electronics! These modems work as a serial (RX/TX) pipe. Any serial stream from 2400 to 115200bps can be passed seamlessly from your computer to your target. We've tested these units successfully over open air at 350ft (106m)! The latest version of this board also breaks out PIO4.

Note: The remote unit can be powered from 3.3V up to 6V for easy battery attachment. All signal pins on the remote unit are 3V-6V tolerant. No level shifting is required. Do not attach this device directly to a serial port. You will need an RS232 to TTL converter circuit if you need to attach this to a computer.

Note: This is a single unit only. We recommend the purchase a USB dongle to interface to a computer if you do not already have access to a computer with Bluetooth connectivity.

This board ships without headers, you can find break away headers in the related items below.

Dimensions: 42x16.5x5.6mm

Features:

  • FCC Approved Class 1 Bluetooth Radio Modem
  • Extremely small radio - 0.15x0.6x1.9"
  • Very robust link both in integrity and transmission distance (100m) - no more buffer overruns!
  • Low power consumption : 25mA avg
  • Hardy frequency hopping scheme - operates in harsh RF environments like WiFi, 802.11g, and Zigbee
  • Encrypted connection
  • Frequency: 2.4~2.524 GHz
  • Operating Voltage: 3.3V-6V
  • Serial communications: 2400-115200bps
  • Operating Temperature: -40 ~ +70C
  • Built-in antenna

Documents:

Replaces: WRL-00582

Pricing

In stock

64.95
58.46
51.96

39 in stock

price
10-99
100+



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images are CC BY-NC-SA 3.0

ASCII version


Comments 14 comments

  • Spork | about 2 months ago 1

    Would rather have seen RESET broken out than PI04, in this revision. Oh well, for those who would rather have RESET, WRL-10144 might be an option.

    • Member #270801 | about 2 months ago 1

      PI04 is the factory reset on the RN-41.

      • Spork | about 2 months ago 1

        Yes, you’re right. Pin #22 is PI04 which is the factory reset. Pin #5 is RESET, which is entirely different. If you look at Sparkfun’s WRL-10144, you’ll see that PI04 and RESET are both broken out in that product.

        • Member #270801 | about 2 months ago 1

          Sure, depends on what you want and need. You can send r,1 to the device to reboot it. You can also cycle the power.

          It’s nice that this product has the needed components on the board to do what is needed with the broken out pins. The other product you mention is pretty bare. This product has a smaller form factor and provides the essentials for the purpose. Obviously SF provides a selection so you can pick the right item for your needs.

  • Member #240068 | about 2 months ago 1

    I am planning to use this for a quadricopter along with an Arduino.

    Two questions –

    1 – it says that the operating voltage is 3.3 – 6V. Therefore, I can directly connect this to an Arduino’s serial ports without cutting the voltage?

    2 – I can connect to a computer through bluetooth (NOT through a cable) without the RS232 to TTL converter circuit, correct? In other words, after setting it up, I can use the arduino serial monitor to communicate wirelessly?

    Thanks.

  • TARDIS_In_A_Teacup | about a month ago 1

    I’ve noticed there are a number of iPhone apps for controlling Arduino based devices for movement (cars, bots, etc.) Will this work with any of them?

  • SimpleSensors.co.uk | about a month ago 1

    Hi guys,

    I’m Julian from UK. I need some help with this one: If I connect this BlueSMiRF Gold to a FTDI basic and I try to give him commands, for example, to enter configuration mode ($$$), it does not respond back. I checked the Tx from the BlueSMiRF with and oscilloscope (sillyscope :–) ) and indeed it does not respond with CMD. However, If I connect the same BlueSMiRF to a Arduino and do exactly the same it works ! What has changed ?? apart from the voltage level I cannot image what.

    Can you help ? Thank you. much appriciated

  • Member #105324 | last month 1

    I’m new to bluetooth/diy projects. What does this do beyond an RN-41 on its own?

    • Member #211675 | about 3 weeks ago 1

      Nothing. It is for people who can’t or don’t want to integrate the module itself into their project. In fact, it does less than the module itself since a select number of pins are broken out.

  • Member #284588 | about 2 weeks ago 1

    So the range of this module is ~100m, but if I’m connecting to it from an Android phone, will I still get that kind of range? It seems like the range depends on both ends of the connection.

  • Member #302059 | last week 1

    I purchased 3 units of the Bluetooth Modem – BlueSMiRF Gold, and I had very bad experience, the quality of SparkFun is good, the problem was the limitations of the Bluetooth module Roving Networks RN-41.

    2 issues i found out in my project:

    1) Roving Networks RN-41 only have SPP Bluetooth profile. SPP is not bad, for instance is available in Androids, but no way with iPhone. So therefore, SPP in not enough in many applications. Even more, SPP is a replacement of some kind or serial port like RS232, so SPP is more like a legacy communication for old apps. Bluetooth has many more interesting profiles like HID (suported by iPhone), OPP, etc. that have more bright future.

    2) The big problem for me was the firmware of the Roving Networks RN-41, the AT commands and services are really limited. The big stopper in my case was the fact I needed that the BT module to generate event to the host micro controller when a paring was done or when an incoming call was coming from a cell phone. The firmware form Roving Networks RN-41 doesn’t generate any event!

    So unfortunate I waste my money with the 3 units of the Bluetooth Modem – BlueSMiRF Gold. After realizing the new necessities, I started an investigation of the best and more flexible Bluetooth modules in the markets, for me one of the best are Blugiga (www.bluegiga.com). The are very good, the can generate event and they support a wide list of profile.

    So what I did is to create my own Bluetooth Modem based on the Blugiga WT11 compatible with the pin out of BlueSMiRF Gold. So I could replace the module in my motherboard.

    If somebody in interested in a Bluetooth Modem based on the Blugiga WT11 compatible with the pin out of BlueSMiRF Gold, can take a look in the Cisium site (http://www.cisium.com), the product is:

    Bluetooth Modem – BlueCSM Gold (http://www.cisium.com/en/portfolio/products/55-pcba/174-20120216000.html)

    We did many variants of 5V and 3.3V, as well CMOS/TTL compatible.

    I hope it can help. BR, Rual