Working with the RedBear Blend

[Robert Atkins]

I have a RedBear Blend and I want to talk to it from iOS.

I'm currently using the default setup provided with the Blend and RedBear's library over the top of the Nordic SDK. I can connect to this from an iOS app I've built, but not everything is working like I expect and the documentation for the RedBear library is poor. So I have a few questions.

1. Is it true that there is no way to define my own characteristics and services without running nRFgo Studio on Windows? (I have a Mac, and no room to install a Windows VM)

2. I see references to "pipes" and "aci" in some documentation. Where can I get an overview of these concepts?

3. Where can I get a broad-strokes description of the steps necessary to a) advertise services b) accept a connection request from a BTLE "central" device, and transfer data to and from it?

[Asbjørn]

1: Yes, this is true, unfortunately we haven't been able to port it over to support more platforms. In theory you could write your own configurations and upload them, but it would be easier for yourself to create the config file once and then you can use them in the other development setup you have.

2: Chapter 19 and 20 in the nRF8001 product specification should give you some help.

3: a) and b) Well, the Bluetooth 4.1 specification would be a good, but heavy source for information on the different concepts. Chapter 18 and the event descriptions in the nRF8001 product specification would also be a good source. Since you have the SDK already I would recommend you to spend some time looking at how one of the examples in the SDK is handling these concepts.

[Robert Atkins]

It's a custom app I wrote. The RedBear demo app works. I'll have a play with nRFToolbox on the weekend.