Skip to Content

RN4870 Development Tools

Last modified by Microchip on 2023/11/09 09:03

The RN-4870-PICtail is a development board based on the ultra-compact Bluetooth® 4.2 Low Energy RN4870 module. The RN4870 uses a simple ASCII command interface over the Universal Asynchronous Receiver Transmitter (UART). This board enables the evaluation of the RN4870 and the development of Bluetooth Low-Energy applications in two different ways:

  1. Plugged into the USB port of a PC, the board will enumerate as a Communication Device Class (CDC) Serial device. Through a terminal program like CoolTerm, you can configure and control the module. In addition, you can transfer data using the provided easy-to-use command set.
  2. As a PICtail™/PICtail Plus, the board interfaces to the Explorer 8 or Explorer 16 Development Board. The Explorer 8/16 modular development system works with one of the hundreds of available PIC 8-, 16-, and 32-bit microcontroller Plugin Modules (PIM). The PICtail bridges the host MCU UART to the RN4870's UART interface for data transfer or configuration using the straight-forward, easy-to-use ASCII-style command set.

RN4870-PICtail Development Board with Sensor Board Attached

The package also includes the sensor board that you see mounted on the PICtail above. The Sensor Board is an accessory designed for RN4870 PICtail to demonstrate digital and analog IO capabilities over Bluetooth Low-Energy connections.

The Sensor Board interfaces include:

  • Test Point for Analog-to-Digital (ADC) channels
  • Potentiometer
  • Dual Inline Packages (DIP) switch block to connect or disconnect sensors from the RN4870
  • Light sensor
  • Push button

 
Microchip Direct
Buy here >

Features

  • PICtail interface for connection to Microchip’s most popular microcontroller development platforms
  • Bluetooth® 4.2 Compliant RN4870 module with on-board antenna and 2 dBm output power
  • Plug-and-Play USB interface for configuring and controlling the module
  • USB indication, module status, and user-configurable LEDs
  • Coin cell battery, USB, or PICtail power options
  • Potentiometer
  • Light sensor
  • iOS app for demonstration