TKTalkie v3 Released!

[TKSnake[TK]]

On 8/25/2017 at 10:25 AM, Jimbo3301 said:

I programmed my BLE device using an FTDI cable and Tera Term terminal emulator. The syntax I used was AT+NAME=TK11055. I discovered after assembly and powering up that the syntax was wrong.  Apparently, it should have been AT+NAMETK11055 omitting the “=”. My BLE is named "=TK11055". Too much trouble to change it. I also desoldered the 6 pin header and wired from the thru holes to the pins on the audio adapter. Was a little paranoid about potential shorts between the header pins and the audio adapter.  I guess I could of put a piece of shrink wrap around the pins. That would have been easier.

I tried using an FTDI cable to program my BLE, but it didn't seem to be responding on Terra Term, at 9600 or 38400 baud. Is there something I'm missing? I even made a breakout box to split off some 3.3v power to Pin 34 from the main power on the 5v serial interface with no success. Any advice would be appreciated. 

[lerxstrulz]

On 9/20/2017 at 1:53 AM, TKSnake said:

I tried using an FTDI cable to program my BLE, but it didn't seem to be responding on Terra Term, at 9600 or 38400 baud. Is there something I'm missing? I even made a breakout box to split off some 3.3v power to Pin 34 from the main power on the 5v serial interface with no success. Any advice would be appreciated. 

This is the setup I use to program the BLE.  I don't have a diagram but these pics should show you exactly how to set it up.  I'll also post the Arduino sketch I use.  Just connect at 9600 using the serial monitor and enter the commands.  To set the name:  AT+NAMEYourNameHere [Enter]  Some BLE modules "may" use AT+NAME=YourNameHere.  It will depend on the manufacturer and how well they stick to the spec.  Most real HM-10's will use the full AT command set but a lot of the CC2541's use a reduced or modified set. You can check that it set correctly by just typing AT+NAME and it should display the programmed name.

 

 

// Basic Bluetooth sketch HC-05BLE_02_9600+ECHO
// Connect the BLE module and communicate using the serial monitor
//
// The BLE defaults to commincation mode when first powered on.
// The default baud rate for communication mode is 9600. Your module may have a different speed.
//
 
#include <SoftwareSerial.h>
SoftwareSerial BTserial(2, 3); // RX | TX
// Connect the HC-05 TX to Arduino pin 2 RX. 
// Connect the HC-05 RX to Arduino pin 3 TX through a voltage divider.
 
char c = ' ';
 
void setup() 
{
    Serial.begin(9600);
    Serial.println("Arduino is ready");
 
    // HC-05 default serial speed for communication mode is 9600
    BTserial.begin(9600);  
    Serial.println("BTserial started at 9600");
}
 
void loop()
{
    // Keep reading from HC-05 and send to Arduino Serial Monitor
    if (BTserial.available())
    {  
        c = BTserial.read();
        Serial.write(c);
    }
 
    // Keep reading from Arduino Serial Monitor and send to HC-05
    if (Serial.available())
    {
        c =  Serial.read();
 
        // Copy the serial data back to to the serial monitor. 
        // This makes it easy to follow the commands and replies
        Serial.write(c);
        BTserial.write(c);  
    }
 
}

 

 

 

[TKSnake[TK]]

Seems like if I want to do this I'll have to go with this option since it's the most well documented. Just means I'll need to spend more money on the endeavor.

[Timmer]

I’ve received my TK-Talkie. I had connected my amp, mic, and power, started the amp and all worked well.  

 

I encountered a little trouble with the unit shutting down, but it was my fault, the battery was putting out more amperage than I’d thought. I switched to the proper battery and all was well.

 

The only change I’d made was adding my TK ID, which somehow appears 3 times in the drop down when starting. 

 

I went to to try it today, to actually get into the app and tweak things and generally play around. 

 

My TK ID still appears 3 times, and the unit worked (background sound effects).

 

I decided to delete my TK ID to start fresh, I have not yet changed my passcode from the one sent with the instructions.

 

In the drop box, I have TK-Talkie and Add new profile.  No matter what I choose, the app says there is no Bluetooth connection. 

 

My iPhone 6 is up to date.  I’m assuming I screwed myself somehow  by deleting my TK ID.   I’m basically locked out of the app and I’ve tried to get back in with no luck. I’ve downloaded the Lightblue app and it still detects my TK ID that I’d used as a profile name. 

 

When powered on, the orange LED above the card is solid, the smaller LED blinks.  I’ve just noticed that the Lightblue app does not consistently detect a BLE signal. 

 

How do I reset the app or get back in ?

 

Thanks for any help anyone may have. 

Edited October 28, 2017 by Timmer

[lerxstrulz]

I’ve received my TK-Talkie. I had connected my amp, mic, and power, started the amp and all worked well.  
 
I encountered a little trouble with the unit shutting down, but it was my fault, the battery was putting out more amperage than I’d thought. I switched to the proper battery and all was well.
 
The only change I’d made was adding my TK ID, which somehow appears 3 times in the drop down when starting. 
 
I went to to try it today, to actually get into the app and tweak things and generally play around. 
 
My TK ID still appears 3 times, and the unit worked (background sound effects).
 
I decided to delete my TK ID to start fresh, I have not yet changed my passcode from the one sent with the instructions.
 
In the drop box, I have TK-Talkie and Add new profile.  No matter what I choose, the app says there is no Bluetooth connection. 
 
My iPhone 6 is up to date.  I’m assuming I screwed myself somehow  by deleting my TK ID.   I’m basically locked out of the app and I’ve tried to get back in with no luck. I’ve downloaded the Lightblue app and it still detects my TK ID that I’d used as a profile name. 
 
When powered on, the orange LED above the card is solid, the smaller LED blinks.  I’ve just noticed that the Lightblue app does not consistently detect a BLE signal. 
 
How do I reset the app or get back in ?
 
Thanks for any help anyone may have. 

Delete the app and reinstall. Sounds like the device list became corrupted. You will not lose any settings on the TKTalkie as they are stored on the micro SD card and not in the app itself.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[TheRascalKing[TK]]

Hey all... wondering if anyone can help me troubleshoot - my TK Talkie was working fine but the last time I went to plug it in, it wouldn't fire up at all. I used a new 5V battery pack and upon closer inspection, realized it listed a 3Amp max power output. I tried an older battery after that was forsure a 1Amp max after and it still wouldn't fire up. Could I have fried the Talkie from too much power? Is there anything I can do? Help! Thank you

[lerxstrulz]

1 hour ago, TheRascalKing said:

Hey all... wondering if anyone can help me troubleshoot - my TK Talkie was working fine but the last time I went to plug it in, it wouldn't fire up at all. I used a new 5V battery pack and upon closer inspection, realized it listed a 3Amp max power output. I tried an older battery after that was forsure a 1Amp max after and it still wouldn't fire up. Could I have fried the Talkie from too much power? Is there anything I can do? Help! Thank you

The board has a built-in over-amp circuit that will shut it down and should protect it from getting fried.  Can you connect it to your computer and see if it comes on?  As strange as it sounds, I had one a while back (like a year ago) that I was experimenting with and did the same thing.  It would not come on so I thought it was dead.  Then a few weeks later I plugged it in just for the heck of it and it worked.  Not saying you should wait a few weeks 

 

[TheRascalKing[TK]]

 

On 11/28/2017 at 12:22 PM, lerxstrulz said:

The board has a built-in over-amp circuit that will shut it down and should protect it from getting fried.  Can you connect it to your computer and see if it comes on?

Plugged it into my computer at work and the lights are on! Gonna try testing it again when I get home. Awesome, thanks for the tip! As obvious as that is, I never would have thought of it haha

 

UPDATE: Somehow we're back up and running! It just seems that it only likes certain battery packs I have. Oh well, not the end of the world. Trooping with it for the first time tonight, so we'll see how it goes! Thanks for the help!

Edited December 1, 2017 by TheRascalKing

[Mheadroom]

I’m currently working on putting together a TKTalkie and I’m wondering, there’s a lot of room in the Aker 1506. I could likely fit a 5v regualator circuit and a jack in there. Has anyone tried running the TKTalkie and a wireless mic receiver off the Akers internal battery? I’m wondering how long it would last.

[lerxstrulz]

I’m currently working on putting together a TKTalkie and I’m wondering, there’s a lot of room in the Aker 1506. I could likely fit a 5v regualator circuit and a jack in there. Has anyone tried running the TKTalkie and a wireless mic receiver off the Akers internal battery? I’m wondering how long it would last.

Someone has done that. It is in one of the threads...maybe the V2 thread?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[Suspend]

Hey all, I've just put a Teensy 3.2 together with a CC2541 BLE module and I'm having some issues.  I got the version 3 source code from GitHub and installed it via the Arduino (Verify/Compile/Upload) software.  No errors.  Everything seemed to go fine.  When I plug it into my Aker 1505 I can just barely hear the startup sound.  It's super quiet even with the volume cranked.  That's problem #1.

 

I thought maybe I need to adjust the volume from the app but I cannot seem to connect via Bluetooth either.  The device shows up in the iphone App but when I type the access code I found in the settings.txt file, I get three super quiet beeps and the phone says "Could not connect:  Bad device id."  At that point I thought I might have my Tx/Rx wires backwards.  I saw someone mention the tutorial has them reversed.  So I swapped the wires.  Now when I type the access code, I get the spinning red cog for a second, the bluetooth light goes solid but the app is still sitting on the connect screen.  After a minute or so I get a "request timeout" error.  That's problem #2.

 

Help.  :-)

 

Mark

 

[Suspend]

On 10/1/2018 at 10:03 PM, Suspend said:

Hey all, I've just put a Teensy 3.2 together with a CC2541 BLE module and I'm having some issues.  I got the version 3 source code from GitHub and installed it via the Arduino (Verify/Compile/Upload) software.  No errors.  Everything seemed to go fine.  When I plug it into my Aker 1505 I can just barely hear the startup sound.  It's super quiet even with the volume cranked.  That's problem #1.

 

OK, solved problem #1.  I was using mono audio jacks on the line out and microphone inputs.  It seems that was my issue.  I can only assume that the mono jack was sending the signal on the wrong channel and that's why the audio was almost non-existent.  I picked up two stereo panel mount jacks and wired those up and the audio and mic work properly now.  The output is really loud.  No problem with quiet audio anymore.

 

However, the bluetooth connection error still eludes me.  I am unable to connect to the app to change settings.  I'm using firmware v3.  I've tried my iphone with IOS 12 and also an older iphone with IOS 11 and both cannot connect.  So I don't think it's related to the new IOS update.  I might try firmware v4 and see if that fixes it...

 

Mark

 

[Suspend]

7 hours ago, Suspend said:

However, the bluetooth connection error still eludes me.  I am unable to connect to the app to change settings.  I'm using firmware v3.  I've tried my iphone with IOS 12 and also an older iphone with IOS 11 and both cannot connect.  So I don't think it's related to the new IOS update.  I might try firmware v4 and see if that fixes it...

 

Allright, solved the bluetooth problem, too.  I upgraded to version 4 of the firmware and checked all my wires and found I had two misplaced.  Be very careful of the wiring if you put one of these together.  It's fairly straightforward but I think there's some vagueness in the tutorial when referencing the transmit and receive pins.  Transmit on the Teensy goes to receive on the bluetooth.  Receive on the teensy goes to transmit on the bluetooth.  Seems simple but don't skim the instructions like I did and you won't make this mistake.  :-)

 

Works great now.  :-)

 

Mark

 

[TK-2241]

I just built my TK-Talkie this weekend - very cool - but having a couple problems...

 

1) Not getting anything from the mic.  I know my mic works because I can hear it fine when plugged directly into my amp.  It's a powered mic with a small coin battery - no volume, just on or off.

 

2) Every so often, in addition to hearing the audio from the TK loop properly, I also get a weird sound that plays every so often.  Here's a link a short video with it: https://www.dropbox.com/s/mw8o4m5dfjd3cau/2018-10-28 12.39.23.mov?dl=0

[Suspend]

48 minutes ago, TK-2241 said:

I just built my TK-Talkie this weekend - very cool - but having a couple problems...

 

1) Not getting anything from the mic.  I know my mic works because I can hear it fine when plugged directly into my amp.  It's a powered mic with a small coin battery - no volume, just on or off.

 

2) Every so often, in addition to hearing the audio from the TK loop properly, I also get a weird sound that plays every so often.  Here's a link a short video with it: https://www.dropbox.com/s/mw8o4m5dfjd3cau/2018-10-28 12.39.23.mov?dl=0

Hey Arlo, I would suggest very carefully checking to see you've wired the mic jack properly, both to the audio board and the jack itself.  I had tons of trouble with no audio from my mic.  I was using a mono audio jack on the TKTalkie.  I'm still not sure if it was the way I wired it up but when I switched to a stereo mic jack, suddenly I had audio from my mic.  I can only assume that perhaps I wired it to wrong channel and by switching to a stereo audio jack I had both the left and right wired to the TKTalkie so it started working.

 

Not sure about your "weird sound" issue, but I'd concentrate on problem #1 and see if problem #2 goes away once your mic is working.

 

Mark

 

[TK-2241]

4 minutes ago, Suspend said:

Hey Arlo, I would suggest very carefully checking to see you've wired the mic jack properly, both to the audio board and the jack itself.  I had tons of trouble with no audio from my mic.  I was using a mono audio jack on the TKTalkie.  I'm still not sure if it was the way I wired it up but when I switched to a stereo mic jack, suddenly I had audio from my mic.  I can only assume that perhaps I wired it to wrong channel and by switching to a stereo audio jack I had both the left and right wired to the TKTalkie so it started working.

 

Not sure about your "weird sound" issue, but I'd concentrate on problem #1 and see if problem #2 goes away once your mic is working.

 

Mark

 

Hey Mark - thanks.  Yeah, I just discovered that if I sort of plug the mic in half way I get audio.  So I'm just going to jumper the left and right channels at the jack so it should either way.

[Suspend]

1 hour ago, TK-2241 said:

Hey Mark - thanks.  Yeah, I just discovered that if I sort of plug the mic in half way I get audio.  So I'm just going to jumper the left and right channels at the jack so it should either way.

Sounds like EXACTLY the same issue I had.

[TK-2241]

Ok, I've gotten most things working now.  

 

I DID have to connect the right channel terminal on the mic jack for mine to work.

Now I believe I just have configuration issues.  The blue tooth module I have doesn't seem to work properly, and I found out it is not the correct one - so I just have to everything manually until a new one gets here.  Just trying to get the loop working and mic sensitivity set correctly.  Unfortunately the serial commands do not work as expected.

 

So I'll keep fiddling...

[TK-2241]

So I got everything working with the help of Brent from TKTalkie!  I absolutely love it!  

 

Went out with it last night with my daughter and it worked very well.  I have a speaker mounted beneath the frown inside the bucket (old FX kit - will be retired once I have my AP ;-) and the mic (unidirectional) is right on top of it - I thought for sure I'd get a ton of feedback, but system very adeptly handles the mic on/off levels and it just worked great.

[OnkelPaschulke]

Hi folks,

first post and first problem... I just finished building the TKTalkie V3 and I had troubles with the app. I couldn't get a connection. So I upgraded to V4 but I still have the same problem. Im using an iPhone SE with iOs 13.5.1. According to the iPhone there is an active connection withe TKTalkie because it's listed as paired and the LED on the BLE Modul is not blinking anymore. I checked the wires twice and they are connected correct. Im using a HM-10 Module with the CC2541 chip. Does anybody has an idea?! The rest seems to work find. It's just the bluetooth connection...

[SB_Sneetch]

Just wanted to add a post for how awesome this little bugger is!!   It was inexpensive to build, great satisfaction by having it work as expected, and all the various options you can set for comm clicks/etc, voice changing and up to 12 phrases and or other functions (vol Up/Down, PTT, etc) to 6 buttons (3 per hand).    Seriously a cool solution and really appreciate this being open source and available to anyone to build.  

[kayelbe[501st]]

I built a Ver3, and am having issues.  Wanting to use a wireless mic with the setup, couldn't get it to work through the mic input.  Didn't have the correct BLE module yet, but I soldered up everything else while waiting.  I was hoping it was a setting that I couldn't adjust until the BLE was installed.

 

Got the BLE module installed last night, got the peripheral disconnected alarm a million times before I was able to connect through the app (didn't change anything, just kept trying over and over.  Once the profile took, it was easy to connect).  Still couldn't get the microphone to work, even found the one that came with the Aker1505 and tried that--still doesn't work.  Both wired and wireless mics work connected without the TK-Talkie.

 

Did some digging today and found the note that the wireless *should* be connected via line-in.  Soldered up a jack to the Line-In on the audio shield...

 

Now, it won't connect through the app.  I get either timed out or peripheral disconnected errors.  Also, get the three BEEPS.  Reading above, someone said that meant it couldn't read the SD card?  I don't think that's an issue because the startup.wav file plays just fine.  I deleted and reinstalled the app several times, even tried the 2.0 app.

 

Any help would be appreciated!

 

 

Edit to add Serial Monitor message when attempting to connect via App (get the error message(s) and three beeps):

 

> RX: connect=0d75b398bcacc44e|21398
> BLE Cmd: connect Value: 21398 Uid: 0d75b398bcacc44e
> Received access code 21398
> DEVICE ID 0d75b398bcacc44e...Send Access OK
{"cmd":"access","data":"1"}

I went into serial manager and was able to change input to line in and the microphone now works!  If all else fails I guess I will have to manually edit the settings.

 

That tells me the teensy and shield work fine, but I can't connect through the BLE.  Weird thing is, I can *connect* just fine (light goes solid), it just doesn't like the connection or something.  I tried the app from the manufacturer (DSD Tech), and although I didn't know what to do once connected, it DID connect.  Also installed Light Blue--same:  I can connect but don't know what to do after that).

 

 

Edited October 9, 2020 by kayelbe
more info

[lerxstrulz]

The wireless mic works in the mic port (I use a 2.4Ghz with mine) you may just have to adjust the mic input gain. If you have the line-in wired up and working then great, but you are right the line-in cannot be adjusted via the app (it was dropped in favor of the mic port.)

 

Your ble issues sound like either a short somewhere or a comm issue between the ble and the teensy. If the light goes solid then you have a connection, but if nothing else happens it means that they can't talk to each other.

 

Make sure the TX of the ble goes to the RX of the teensy and vice versa. Also take a voltmeter and make sure you have continuity from end to end on the TX and RX wires.

 

Lastly, if you are on Android make sure location services are on. They tied the ble radio into that a few updates back.

 

Oh, and make sure the baud rate in your config.txt matches what the ble is set to, which is typically 9600 by default.

 

Hope that helps!

 

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

 

 

 

 

[kayelbe[501st]]

4 hours ago, lerxstrulz said:

 

 

Oh, and make sure the baud rate in your config.txt matches what the ble is set to, which is typically 9600 by default.

 

 

Version 3 doesn't have a config.txt file.  It has a settings.txt file, which after I checked ver4 it appears to be the same thing.  However, there is no baud rate line in the settings file.

 

FWIW, I'm checking my BLE soldering.  I agree it has to be here.  It worked for a minute when I first put it together, but hasn't since.  That sounds more like a broken connection.  Unfortunately I'll have to desolder the teensy board to get a better look.

[kayelbe[501st]]

Well, after triple checking my soldering I remembered the one other thing that I had done between successful and unsuccessful connection attempts:  I had added the pre-made profiles from the download section.  I went back and only today noticed that they were meant for v4 firmware.  Apparently, adding them to the profile folder on the SD card and not upgrading to V4 firmware will confuse the TK-Talkie during the connection process to the app.  That is why I was getting the "connected" LED on the BLE, but the app would timeout.

 

Also, when I reported the "3 Beeps", I may have been wrong; there were 3 beeps, but they were a different tone/pitch/octave.  There is apparently a 3 beep process during a normal connection.  During my experimenting today I was able to hear both and noticed the difference.  Again, weirdly the "good" 3 beeps wasn't every time.