Arduino bluetooth options

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Just have some basic questions regarding bluetooth modules for Arduino as I haven’t got any prior experience with bluetooth.

I’m looking to get a bluetooth module to be used with my Arduino Mega 2560. I see there are two options recommended on this website:

If I go with the Bluefruit LE SPI module, does it mean the module can “talk” to other devices only in SPI mode (i.e. cannot support UART/serial communication at all)? Or, is there something that can be done on the code/software side to emulate UART?
Does the same apply in reverse (i.e. whether UART module can be used for SPI)?

The above modules seem to support Bluetooth 4.0. Any other recommended modules that can do Bluetooth 5.0 SPI?

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Hi Vince,

I found some excellent resources on the different types of communication methods. Both types of communication use completely different protocols.Seeed had some really good documentation here: https://www.seeedstudio.com/blog/2019/09/25/uart-vs-i2c-vs-spi-communication-protocols-and-uses/

In regards to Bluetooth 5.0, I don’t believe Core stocks any breakout Arduino boards. (Quick reddit post here: https://www.reddit.com/r/arduino/comments/9d9mii/bluetooth_50_for_arduino/)

Let us know how you go!

Cheers,
Liam.

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Hi Vince,

Adding onto what Liam said, the UART and SPI refers to the communication protocol used on the cable interface side of the project, that is, communicating from the Arduino to the Bluetooth module. Once the signal is wireless it uses the Bluetooth communication protocols as such UART and SPI devices can talk to each other wirelessly.

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Thanks for clarifying Mitchell. Just had a light bulb moment. It makes sense now. :slight_smile:

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That’s excellent Vince,

Make sure to let us know if there’s anything else that we can help you with.

Bryce
Core Electronics | Support

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