NRF52840: New Project - Gazelle vs Bluetooth 5

RE: NRF52840: New Project - Gazelle vs Bluetooth 5

Leschge — Wed, 12 Feb 2025 11:03:31 GMT

Please be aware that Bluetooth has hefty fees (11,000$ and more) if you or your client wants to sell these devices.

RE: NRF52840: New Project - Gazelle vs Bluetooth 5

Davs — Wed, 25 Sep 2024 11:14:05 GMT

Hi,

do I understand correctly, that dynamic pairing with Gazell enabled the encryption of the data between the host and a device? Is it possible to pair 2 devices to a single central? (I'm evaluating using Gazell for a wireless split keyboard design).

Thanks.

RE: NRF52840: New Project - Gazelle vs Bluetooth 5

BearedTree — Tue, 23 Apr 2024 14:42:21 GMT

[quote userid="7377" url="~/f/nordic-q-a/110439/nrf52840-new-project---gazelle-vs-bluetooth-5/480104"]You can do this with Bluetooth as well, using pairing/bonding and filter accept list (whitelist). But pairing the dongle and devices in the factory may be a bit more tedious.[/quote]

I believe it had more to do with the end-use case regarding the ability to prevent a bunch of advertising to non-desired devices, not necessarily production related.

This is a more custom job, so this would not be going to large-scale production; the clients are also not developers, and they just did not want to see a bunch of devices on their iphones etc.

[quote userid="7377" url="~/f/nordic-q-a/110439/nrf52840-new-project---gazelle-vs-bluetooth-5/480104"]What do you mean by "pin complexity" here? But you are right that Bluetooth is a more complex protocol.[/quote]

The client, I believe, was talking about the ability to add a pin/passkey to prevent unauthorized bluetooth connections. I have not really looked at the Bluetooth protocol a whole lot, so I just put what their concern was. The filter list probably solves that issue.

I'll take some time to go over the bluetooth 5 spec before proceeding. I know, at least, Gazelle fits the use case.

RE: NRF52840: New Project - Gazelle vs Bluetooth 5

Einar Thorsrud — Tue, 23 Apr 2024 07:01:56 GMT

Hi,

[quote user="BearedTree"]they want to limit the ability for devices to connect to just the specified peripherals and know that they are set to sync with any given-specific USB dongle.[/quote]

You can do this with Bluetooth as well, using pairing/bonding and filter accept list (whitelist). But pairing the dongle and devices in the factory may be a bit more tedious.

[quote user="BearedTree"]It seems like there was some concern about the dongle advertising itself and potentially getting connected to.[/quote]

That depends on how you design the firmware on the dongle. If you want the dongle to act as a centrlal only, it does not have to matter.

[quote user="BearedTree"]There was also concern about the limitation of the Bluetooth pin complexity, but I have not messed around with that protocol to know if there is a more robust way to manage/accept connections.[/quote]

What do you mean by "pin complexity" here? But you are right that Bluetooth is a more complex protocol.

I think most of the arguments agains Bluetooth are less strong than you may think, but on the other hand this use case does fit what Gazell was designed for (a dongle without power consumption limitations, and limited peripherals). So I would choose Bluetooth if I were you, primarily because this is a seems line use case that also fits Bluetooth very well and Bluetooth is much more used.

RE: NRF52840: New Project - Gazelle vs Bluetooth 5

BearedTree — Tue, 23 Apr 2024 00:10:48 GMT

Thanks, Einar.

Ya, after I head gone through the docs, ESB did not seem like a good fit, which is why I ended up looking at Gazelle or Bluetooth.

The reason against Bluetooth, from what I understand, is that they want to limit the ability for devices to connect to just the specified peripherals and know that they are set to sync with any given-specific USB dongle. It seems like there was some concern about the dongle advertising itself and potentially getting connected to. There was also concern about the limitation of the Bluetooth pin complexity, but I have not messed around with that protocol to know if there is a more robust way to manage/accept connections.

Gazelle's pairing seems to be a better fit given those points.

RE: NRF52840: New Project - Gazelle vs Bluetooth 5

Einar Thorsrud — Mon, 22 Apr 2024 12:10:36 GMT

Hi,

ESB is probably not a good fit, as it is quite simple and lacks several important features. Gazelle is a posibility. It support pairing, and frequency hopping, and is in some ways similar to Bluetooth. If you are starting a new project now I would look at Bluetooth first, unless there is a paticular reason why you think Gazelle would be a better fit.

Br,

Einar