Testing the Kittenbot Meowbit Bluetooth Module

While the Meowbit is a good initiation to video gaming, it would be nice if it could interact wirelessly with the micro:bit for some cool projects. 

This is where the Kittenbot BLE SD module comes in handy.

For about 15$/12€, you get a simple BLE chip on a card, in SD card format, that slides into the Meowbit slot. There's a mode button on the top to go in pairing mode but I'm not convering that here.

The software setup side is not so well documented so here's a quick guide to get started with the makecode editor:

Go to https://arcade.makecode.com/#editor, then to "Extensions" at the bottom end of the objects selection list and insert the url https://github.com/KittenBot/pxt-sdwireless in the search field. 

Next, click on the sdwireless frame that will show up:

After a short while a new Sdwireless extension will appear in the editor with a bunch of functions that, at least in Blocks language, look similar to those of the micro:bit Radio extention. 

The very first line to use, sdwireless.sdw_init(), activates the SD Wireless module, as in the example below.  

The same line will likely also trigger an error in the editor...

While this won't have any functional impact once flashed into the Meowbit, it prevents the web emulator from working. 

The workaround for this is to comment out (or move the SD wireless block away) temporarily while elaborating your code.

For testing, you need of course to setup your micro:bit module to listen to the same radio group.

Congratulations! 

By wirelessly combining the controls of the Meowbit with the versatility of the micro:bit you just openned a whole new field of creativity...