Introduction: Bluetooth to FTDI Adaptor

About: There's always a better way, just keep recycling those brainwaves!

This is a simple hack to enable you to plug in your blutooth adapter directly in place of the FTDI connector for a wireless serial connection.

I like to be able to use my phone as a serial terminal for my arduino projects. This enables me to do this with a simple plug in swap.

Unfortunately the standard pin arrangements and gender on FTDI and Bluetooth connectors do not match.

This is a simple hardware mod to enable you to simply plug and play to get a wireless serial connection to a previously wired connection.

The modified bluetooth adaptor plugs directly into your existing arduino project giving you a wireless serial connection from your phone.

Step 1: Adapt the Bluetooth Module

simply solder a female 6 pin socket as shown in the photo. i only use 4 connections. vcc, gnd, rx, tx.

Dont be tempted to connect all 6 directly across, as the voltages and ground will short.
Having a female and male 6 pin connector keeps it backward compatible.

Note that I have hard wired the supply voltage to 3v3 You may wish to use the 5v or make it switchable between the two.

Step 2: Connect Via Bluetooth

install a bluetooth terminal app to your phone.
I use "serial bluetooth terminal" for android.

There are plenty of other instructables showing you how to configure and connect using bluetooth. So i wont delve into that.

This particular arduino project is "work-in-progress" for a wireless PS2 controller hookup to a RS485 line to a PTZ camera. The screenshot shows the serial log output. Check out billporter.info for details on arduino to ps2 hookup.

Hope this helps others!