Introduction: How to Configure a DSD TECH SH-B30

After hours of searching I couldn't find any guide for how to set up a DSD TECH SH-B30 to a specific baud rate and bluetooth name. Indeed other than the page I bought it from, I couldn't find any mention of the SH-B30 through Google.

Eventually after piecing together other people's attempts to figure out which of the DSD TECH user guides should actually be used to configure this thing, I found the answer, and rather than the usual next step of forgetting all about it, I figured it would be jolly nice if there was a page somewhere on the internet which came up if someone else searched "How to configure a DSD TECH SH-B30"

If nothing else, maybe I'll find it again myself in a few years.

Supplies

To perform the config, you'll need:

a USB to serial cable

a power lead for the SH-B30 and a small Philips head screwdriver.

Step 1: Open It Up

The first step is to open it up, using your small screwdriver.

If you can find a magnetic screwdriver that would be extremely helpful, because getting the screws out can be a real pain.

Step 2: Plug It In!

With the power lead in, the little red light should flash like this.

If not, that means it's paired to a usb device, and you'll have to find out what's paired and unpair it before you can configure it.

Use the USB to serial cable toconnect your PC to the serial port of the SH-B30.

On the main board is a smaller breakout board which contains the actual bluetooth adaptor. This breakout board has a tiny microswitch you'll need to press before the config commands will work.

Step 3: Get the Application From DSD TECH

Next you'll need to download the DSD-TECH Bluetooth Config Tool.

I've linked it there but if they change the URL with a new version you might have to go to the DSD TECH Website and search for the latest version. If THAT link doesn't work, you will probably have to search for their new website. You know how Google works.

Pick the COM port for your USB to serial cable, and set the baud rate to the device default of 960o before clicking open.

The tab you will want to use is the HC-05 tab. If you've followed other guides and failed, it may be because they were written and tested for the SH-B23A, which is based on the HC-06, and the two devices tend to be treated as interchangeable.

Finally hit the test button and you should see a "Send: AT" and a "Receive: OK"

Now you can set Bluetooth device name, pin code and baud rate. When you restart the device, this will be the new baud rate to use both in regular operation and to do a new configuration.

Step 4: Troubleshooting

Keep in mind that you can actually plug in a serial cable into your PC with nothing on the other end, connect to it successfully and when you hit test you will see "Send: AT" appear in the app. That side of things is all done on the PC.

The only part that comes from the SH-B30 is the "Receive: OK". So what to do if you don't get that response?

There are 4 things that might be wrong.

  1. You didn't push the button. Solution: Push the button.
  2. The jumpers should be on PC-COM. I'll be honest, I don't really know what these jumpers do but I do know you never need to take them off the PC-COM settings shown in these pictures
  3. It might not be on the default baud setting. Maybe someone else got to it first? Luckily you can just connect to a different baud and hit test until you get a response.
  4. If none of the above helps, your device is not the same as mine, meaning it could be a SH-B23A. Fortunately there are way more guides for the SH-B23A, so get to Google and fill yer boots.

Step 5: Final Testing

If you've set up your baud and bluetooth settings, you can turn the power off and on again, use a bluetooth terminal app on your phone (search the app store for Bluetooth Serial Terminal) and a serial terminal on your PC (such as PuTTY) and send messages back and forth using the baud rate you configured.

Welcome to the wireless age!