RICOH THETA Bluetooth SDK - theta-ble-client

craig · December 1, 2023, 10:23pm

theta-ble-client is a mobile app SDK to connect to the RICOH THETA X and Z1 models with bluetooth. Demos are available for Android, iOS and React Native.

Documentation, including implementation and use instructions are in the docs sub-folder.

theta-ble-client/docs at main · ricohapi/theta-ble-client · GitHub

I built the Android library on Windows 11 with no problems.

PS C:\Users\craig\Documents\Development\ricoh\2023\theta-ble-client> ./gradlew assemble

> Task :kotlin-multiplatform:compileReleaseKotlinAndroid
w: file:///C:/Users/craig/Documents/Development/ricoh/2023/theta-ble-client/kotlin-multiplatform/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/ricoh360/thetableclient/ThetaBle.kt:236:51 This is a delicate API and its use requires care. Make sure you fully read and understand documentation of the declaration that is marked as a delicate API.

Deprecated Gradle features were used in this build, making it incompatible with Gradle 9.0.

You can use '--warning-mode all' to show the individual deprecation warnings and determine if they come from your own scripts or plugins.

For more on this, please refer to https://docs.gradle.org/8.3/userguide/command_line_interface.html#sec:command_line_warnings in the Gradle documentation.

BUILD SUCCESSFUL in 5m 34s
50 actionable tasks: 50 executed

I like that there is a warning on the ThetaBle.kt build file.

This is a delicate API and its use requires care. Make sure you fully read and understand documentation of the declaration that is marked as a delicate API.

demos

cd .\demos\
cd .\demo-android\

Testing Android build with Android Studio.

Build succeeded

Bluetooth authentication

The RICOH THETA X does not require the Bluetooth authentication steps.

github.com

ricohapi/theta-api-specs/blob/main/theta-bluetooth-api/getting_started.md#1-bluetooth-authentication

# Getting Started

RICOH THETA V and Z1 require following steps to start using Bluetooth API.  
RICOH THETA X does not require these steps.

1. [Bluetooth authentication](#1-bluetooth-authentication)
1. [Acquire and set shooting properties](#2-acquire-and-set-shooting-properties)
1. [Shoot a still image](#3-shoot-a-still-image)
1. [Check for file saving](#4-check-for-file-saving)
1. [Wake camera up from sleep](#5-wake-camera-up-from-sleep)

Below, the Bluetooth device is called Central device, RICOH THETA is called Peripheral device.

### 1. Bluetooth authentication

RICOH THETA authenticates a central device via Web API and Bluetooth API. The camera does not use pairing.

Register the central device UUID to camera from Web API command [camera.\_setBluetoothDevice](../theta-web-api-v2.1/commands/camera._set_bluetooth_device.md), and turn the Bluetooth module ON with option [\_bluetoothPower](../theta-web-api-v2.1/options/_bluetooth_power.md).

#### Request (Register a central device)

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Documentation

jcasman · March 15, 2024, 9:09pm

I got this question from the community. Is it possible to use bluetooth without using Wi-Fi at all?

I found this in the API documentation (here): “RICOH THETA authenticates a central device via Web API and Bluetooth API. The camera does not use pairing.”

To me that sounds like you need Wi-Fi to set up bluetooth. Has anyone set up bluetooth without using Wi-Fi?

craig · March 15, 2024, 9:12pm

yea, it did sound to me that WiFi was needed. I can’t remember what I found out in the tests. You could also try and open an issue on GitHub and post the results here if you get a chance.

If there’s time, you could build the Android demo that is included and test it out.

craig · March 20, 2024, 6:53pm

I’m testing it again with the X. It appears that I need to connec twith WiFi using the demo app.

Once connected with WiFi, the Scan BLE button is viewable.

The scan finds my THETA X.