When engineers start Bluetooth application development, there are some choices: Bluetooth chip, Bluetooth module, and Bluetooth PCBA. Then how do make the choice for the Bluetooth audio project?
What’s Bluetooth chip?
Bluetooth chip is a collection of circuits that integrate Bluetooth functions for short-range wireless communication. Its application scenarios include audio transmission, data transmission, location services, and device networks.
What’s Bluetooth module?
Bluetooth module is a collection of chip basic circuits that integrate the Bluetooth function. The Bluetooth module combines fixed and mobile information devices into a personal local area network through a wireless connection to realize wireless interconnection and communication between devices.
What’s Bluetooth PCBA?
Bluetooth PCBA is a PCBA with Bluetooth function. Normally, it is a complete product without a case, customer could use the PCBA board directly.
What are the differences between Bluetooth chip, module, and PCBA?
The price of Bluetooth chip is much lower than Bluetooth module and Bluetooth PCBA, and the size is very small, but development is very complicated, engineers need to have high R&D capabilities, there are two major difficulties in the development of Bluetooth chips: the design of the Bluetooth antenna in hardware; the analysis of the communication protocol in software. It needs to spend a lot of time for the researcher.
Compared to Bluetooth chip, the development of Bluetooth module is much easier, there is no need to design an antenna, nor need to complete a communication agreement, which greatly reduces the difficulty of development. The module supplier has completed the interface and the underlying protocol, call the interface or operate according to the packaged application protocol; for Bluetooth chip, it is necessary to develop Bluetooth-related functions.
Bluetooth PCBA with full functions no need extra R&D, for example, a TWS earphone PCBA with all earphone functions, adding a housing, it’s a finished product, can be used directly. But there is a disadvantage, most Bluetooth PCBAs don’t support software modification.
Then how do make the choice for the Bluetooth audio project?
It depends on the detailed application.
If you have strong Bluetooth development capabilities, then we advise Bluetooth chip, the cost of the same type of Bluetooth chip is lower than that of the Bluetooth module and Bluetooth PCBA.
Actually, most customers select Bluetooth modules for development, as it is much easier in development. You can customize some functions through I/O ports. And you could accord the market requirement to designing the finish product PCBA and case.
For Bluetooth PCBA, it’s suitable for companies with few R&D personnel and products that need to enter the market quickly.
BLM World Limited provides Bluetooth/WI-FI modules both with standard firmware and customized firmware