Using the BT_ADAPTER USB device to communicate with Picaxe 28 project board

[Jerry Silverthorn]

Hi all !

I can't find anything on this subject using search - which is strange as I am sure it is (or was) very common.

Years ago I created a PICAXE-28 project to control a Pantomime CooCoo clock such that I could change the time and deploy the CooCoo as required. I used this BT_ADAPTER (HC-06) Bluetooth device then and it worked very well. But that was in Window 7 days. I think I used PuTTy as a terminal - but that doesn't work for this application in windows 10. (No connection options - device remains PAIRED but not CONNECTED)

I am having problems with windows 10 for a similar comms interface for a solar water heater project - I want occasionally to read data from the project board to see the water temp(s) and possibly to control the pump externally.

So given that things have moved on - is there a better way ? Better project board, better interface chip ?

Why can't I connect to the Bluetooth device (yesterday it was good - today after a windows update I had to reinstall the AXE-027 drivers and can't now connect to HC-06 even though it has successfully Paired.

Anyone got good experience of this - please help !!

 

[julianE]

Search for BT Terminal. It should be available in the microsoft store, I used to use it on my windows phone back in the day. I'm sure there are newer ones, google for bluetooth terminal.

 

[Jerry Silverthorn]

Thanks JuilianE - nothing in microsoft store called BT Terminal. I did find however that if I link the ports Com 5 and Com 6 to my Bluetooth device using the Bluetooth menu - More Bluetooth Options that it now works. Pretty sure this is a Microsoft upgrade issue as it was working prior to the upgrade. All now as I can read and write from both my laptop and my Android phone. I am suing the Windows app BT Serial Terminal and that is easy to use and works well - now !!

 

[julianE]

Microsoft has gotten very aggressive with their upgrades My win10 machine is on the latest update and it's very ugly to my eyes. So far hasn't broken anything. I will be going to the registry soon to stop updates unless i ask for them, i hate all the things they do in the background.

Glad you got the bluetooth working.

 

[papaof2]

Microsoft seems to by vying with Apple for the "MTOS" award: Most Tyrannical Operating System. Way too much of Apple's "You're holding the phone wrong" to cover up a very poor design decision a few years back. No Apple phones in this house.

 

[thunderace7]

The recent Windows 10 update has removed Flash support. There was something previously (but I think that was Adobe) but there was a work-around. The W10 update prevents the work-around.
I use a parts catalogue program for my car that uses (or used to) Flash to display diagrams. It no longer does so.

 

[papaof2]

There were some security holes in previous versions of flash, but I don't use it enough to bother with keeping current on its status.