Have anyone managed to interface with BLE peripherals on Windows? Is there any library/API that can be used? Qt has now support for BLE in several platforms except Windows (http://doc.qt.io/qt-5/qtbluetooth-index.html) and unfortunately I'm not aware of an alternative for it.
You can find the API released by Microsoft for BLE in this link:
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/hardware/hh450825(v=vs.85).aspx
Be aware that the main drawback of using BLE for Windows 8.1 is that you have to establish a connection with your peripheral device manually in Bluetooth Options for Windows 8.1. You cannot implement a scanning functionality in your application.
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I try to connect to a BLE device using Qt. But I don't know why my used tool doesn't find my device.
Used tool: https://github.com/Gawhary/Qt-BLE-Tester
Best regards
Qt don't suport bluetooth BLE on windows. doc.qt.io/qt-5/qtbluetooth-le-overview.html only on mac and linux.
If you want BLE suport look here. https://forum.qt.io/topic/60288/does-qt-support-bluetooth-low-energy-under-windows-10
Qt supports Bluetooth Low Energy on Windows 10 as Central when developing UWP (WinRT) Apps since Qt5.8
There is no Bluetooth Low Energy support for classic Windows applications as specified on their documentation.
Is it possible to connect to my custom BLE peripheral device (it implements non standard services/characteristics) on Windows 10 and read/write GATT characteristics? What technology is available - Windows 10 SDK, Xamarin?
Yes. You can use the standard Windows APIs in order to read/write GATT characteristics. You can choose among the Win32 APIs (https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/hardware/hh450825(v=vs.85).aspx) and the newer Windows RT APIs (https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/apps/windows.devices.bluetooth.genericattributeprofile.aspx) which are mostly wrappers around the Win32 APIs.
The only requirement I'm aware of is that your custom BLE peripheral device must implement pairing functionality ("Just Works" or "Passkey Entry").
To make my program could communicate with Nokia phone I have setup libusb-win32 library. But after I have this library installed any standard Nokia soft like PC Suite refuses not only to communicate but even to detect my phone! The phone is still available only to my program through libusb-win32 now. Removal of the libusb0.sys driver helps and phone becomes again accessible through Nokia PC Suite, but then it is no more visible to my app via libusb-win32 library. Whether it is somehow possible to get the phone accessible as through libusb-win32 for my application as for standard Nokia phone programs (Nokia PC Suite, NSU, NSS, etc.)?
I run Windows 7 Enterprise and libusb-win32 1.2.6.0
Answer to myself. Yes, it is possible. The driver libusb-win32 should be installed in the filter drive option, not in the device file option.
How can I create an iBeacon on a windows 7 PC with Smart Bluetooth 4.0 integrated with the Wi-Fi, I.e not a separate dongle. I'd rather not look at other OS's as the device also has to run an Adobe air application at the same time.
Thanks
Mike
Sorry, but you cannot natively make a Bluetooth LE-equipped Windows 7/8/8.1 computer broadcast as an iBeacon. The operating system is limited in its BLE support to allowing third party apps to work with a limited number of BLE profiles. More details are available here in this question about Windows phone, but the info also applies to the desktop Windows OS:
iBeacon support for Windows Phone devices. Support is expected to be added in Windows 10 in late 2015.
Until then, your options are limited to a Linux VM or to a hardware dongle with native iBeacon support.
As David pointed out, there is no API available for working with iBeacons until Windows 10.
If you don't need any other Bluetooth connectivity, you can replace the Bluetooth driver with a libusb driver and use your own Bluetooth stack which adds support for iBeacon. You can check out open-source libraries like BlueZ and btstack and make the HCI layer work. On top of that you can implement/port the BLE advertisement and discovery HCI commands and you have all you need for working with iBeacons.
I am looking to implement the use of a Bluetooth 4.0 Smart Ready device (Polar H6/H7 Heart Rate Sensors) in my application. I am forced to target Windows 7 OS. However, I'm only seeing Windows 8 support for Smart Ready devices. I will not be able to upgrade clients to windows 8 in order to use these devices.
The first problem I found is that Windows 7 does not even see the device in order to pair with it. This might be the dongle I'm using. I have tried 2 different ones. The first is a CSR V4.0 (I'm not sure the actual model number). The second is StarTech USBBT1EDR4. Both seem to be using a CSR chipsets. Maybe I should try a different chipset based dongle? Such as Broadcom or TI?
I do see and can pair with the device with my Windows 8.1 Surface Pro.
Is there no way to get Bluetooth Smart implementation for Windows 7 OS platform?
I've recently faced the same problems! I need to run an application in o older version of windows (win xp) and I cannot find any support to that with my dongle (one based in broadcom bcm20702).
What I've found is that windows prior to windows 8, has no bluetooth low energy support, so you would not be able to use the windows bluetoth stack, and broadcom doesn't have a sdk for BLE (I've contacted them, and they said it).
So I've looked for other alternatives and BlueGiga bluetooth 4.0 dongle has a C SDK that you can use to develop your applications in Windows XP and 7. In that page (after register) you can find all the documentation you need.
I've also found a C# Wrapper and a Java Wrapper to its API.
Hope it can help.
[EDIT] : just received my dongle, tried it with win XP and it worked. Guess this is a solution for you also!
Strange thing is, I installed windows 10 and I could use bluetooth smart from my Logitech MX master mouse, but I had to go back to windows 7 because of display drivers and now it does not support it anymore. Windows 7 does not support smart bluetooth. It's just a driver I would presume, but Logitech does not provide it.
I find it realy strange that the old bluetooth device in my laptop worked fine with bluetooth smart devices in Windows 10 but in windows 7 it can only connect to plain old bluetooth devices.