BLE for GoPro

Hi everyone,

I started an application for controlling my GoPro11 with my Garmin Fenix 6 Pro.

I have encountered some issues and have some questions.

I am using the nRF52840 and the Thingy52 examples.

1) I manage to connect to the GoPro, but whenever I request the name through

var device = BluetoothLowEnergy.pairDevice(scanResult);
device.GetName();

I get null. However, if I use the nrf desktop application that has a test software for BLE, it finds my GoPro and displays the name properly. Is this an issue related to the Garmin BLE stack, or am I missing something?

2) I try to send a command to GoPro, but I get back from onCharacteristicWrite the status code 18, which is related to authentication, which is available since API Level 4.2.5, however I am using 3.4.0. Any ideas on that?

3) Finally, if I try to enable the notifications for certain characteristics by using the CCCD Uuid, when I try to read the characteristic afterwards with getCharacteristic I get null. However, if I don't enable the notifications, when I read the characteristic I get a proper value.

jim_m_58 10 months ago

1) If you use my blescan app, https://apps.garmin.com/apps/9bcc8b66-8385-4afb-b93e-f69e01422284,

you'll see that you wont get a name for most devices. I see 10+ devices, and the only ones I see with a name are the thingy52 and Garmin HRM-PRO. It's been that way since this was introduced.

CIQ Ble is a very minimal implementation.

If you haven't watched the breakout session where this was introduced, it should help to understand stuff. https://forums.garmin.com/developer/connect-iq/b/news-announcements/posts/adding-bluetooth-connectivity-to-your-connect-iq-projects

Anshul.ConnectIQ 10 months ago

George GoPro needs secure bonding to successfully communicate with other ble devices, BLE bonding apis are available since 4.2.5, any thing lower than that cannot communicate to a GoPro

George 10 months ago in reply to Anshul.ConnectIQ

Hmm that sucks, do you have any clue if Garmin makes available newer APIs to older devices like the fenix 6? Or fenix 6 has a hw limitation that fenix 7 doesn't have?

Anshul.ConnectIQ 10 months ago in reply to George

There is a hardware limitation, this api will not be available to any ciq version prior to 4.2.5

George 10 months ago in reply to Anshul.ConnectIQ

Thank you for your answers. Then I guess another way would be to connect my Fenix 6 to my android phone, and relay messages to the GoPro through the android. Do you know if you can send commands to the official android gopro app, or will I have to do any kind of communication entirely outside the existing gopro application?

Anshul.ConnectIQ 10 months ago in reply to George

Sorry, I do not have expertise on that.