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What is the lowest cost way to add a Bluetooth integrated radio to an embedded system?
I am using a BlueGiga WT12 which works well. IIRC these are in the $20-$25 range. Are there comparable modules that are less expensive?
For example, I've also considered the Zigbee integrated radios (e.g. XBee). However, everything seems to be in the $20-$25 range.
Bluetooth is somewhat complex to implement, there's a whole protocol stack etc. $20 is probably the minimum you are going to pay at this point, the only way to go much cheaper is to mass produce (and I'm talking like tens of thousands of modules).
Do you really need Bluetooth? You could try using a slower, cheaper, RF radio, depending on your application. For example, the least expensive wireless mice and keyboards generally do not use bluetooth, they use custom RF which requires a separate USB dongle on your PC, but even with the separate piece it's cheaper for them to produce than bluetooth.
The $2 option:
Stick a $2 USB-Bluetooth adapter on your propller MCU
It depends on you already using a Parallax Propeller for your local Microprocessor, but you could probably bang-together a USB-Host driver for another microprocessor, if you really know the microprocessor well.
You said you're using the CC2500 for other projects, the CC2540 might appeal (if BLE is an option).
Also, BTStack looks like it can drive cheap HCI USB dongles.
You need to be careful here.. If your application is talking to phone, I would strongly advise against BT. Simple reason, you cannot get it to work with iPhone. You need to become an MFI member and pay Apple tax(i.e. royalty) and put an authentication chip.
If your app is vertical and you can specify Android, bt is ok.
Depending on your complexity, if you need additional or more comprehensive protocols, you need to license a BT stack from somebody unless you want to spend 6 months developing yourself. The BT stack mentioned above is good for basic stuff but wouldn't work for more complex stuff.
The commercial BT stacks cost about 20K and comes with a royalty as low as tens of cents. (Volume is the determining factor)
My vote goes for these: http://www.ebay.com/itm/190433073764 and their kind. (many more on dx.com) Very easy to interface.
