which wireless connection should I buy?

[Joe]

I need to hook up a simple wireless connection between my laptop and my robot. I'm on a tight budget, so economy is the key feature I'm looking for. Range is not important (I'll never be standing more than a couple meters away), and data rate isn't particularly important either (I'll be sending very small amounts of data). Two-way communications isn't necessary at this point; the robot needs to receive but doesn't need to data.

Any recommendations?

Thanks,
— Joe

[inaki]

I would use a 433Mhz emitter-receiver pair.

[Joe]

I would use a 433Mhz emitter-receiver pair.

Sorry, I should have added that I'm a newbie. Can you recommend a specific product? Maybe a link, or manufacturer, or at least some keywords I could use to find it? I'd think that any wireless link will involve an emitter and receiver, and I assume that the frequency alone isn't enough for me to identify the thing you have in mind.

Thanks,
— Joe

[rockweasel]

Hi Joe

I have used and can recommend the BlueSMirF product from sparkfun. Inexpensive and easy to implement.

[inaki]

These modules are very popular because they are cheap, easy to implement and low power. You can get both emitter and receiver for 15 Euro !

They are sold under many brands.
Jusk look in the internet for: "433Mhz, module"

You can see how they look in this page for example, in Spain:
http://www.ariston.es/esp/catalogoConsu ... gina=280;1
Look at references: C0503 and C0504.

One known maker of RF modules is AUREL (in Italy-www.Aurel.it-). These modules are sold all across Europe. For example click here, in France:
http://www.electrome.fr/produits/produi ... /aurel.htm

I have used these modules for robotics already and work very well.

[Joe]

These modules are very popular because they are cheap, easy to implement and low power. You can get both emitter and receiver for 15 Euro !

They are sold under many brands.
Jusk look in the internet for: "433Mhz, module"

Something like this 2400 bps RF Link from Spark Fun? That does look like a great deal, though I've heard some people say that they are a bit unreliable (tend to generate bit errors). But I may be able to correct for that in software.

Thanks,
— Joe

[Pev]

Quite a few people go for the serial bluetooth option like the Sparkfun BlueSmirf units. You find quite a few posts in these modules on the various forums. Their great if your laptop already has bluetooth as you'll only need to buy the robot end.

Pev

[koko76]

Another high recomendation for the Sparkfun BlueSMiRF line. One thing that I really liked about it was that I didn't have to do any level matching for it to connect to the serial port. With the 433 setups I had looked into, you needed to match the RS232 to the logic levels on the board coming out from the computer. The BlueSMiRF computer side is a USB connection, and makes a software serial port which can be used exactly as if you were sending data out a physical port on the machine.
Very plug and play, very easy.

[PaulP]

One thing to watch for on BlueSmirf. I have just fitted one to a KHR and because the Protocol for the controller is very time critical it causes multiple failures because of Latency. If its going on a controller that you have control of the protocol then fine.

Oh and dont be fooled by the blurb. They may have a good range in the open but whatever the walls of my house are made of stops the signal dead. 10 feet into the (removed by spam filter) with the door open is fine.

The P.C. softwares a bit invasive as well. It installs 10 or more Comm ports and loads of other services I'm never going to use just to get serial.