Serial Studio supports multiple data providers, allowing you to receive and visualize data from different sources. This page explains how to configure each data source: Serial Port, Network Socket (TCP/UDP), and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE).

The Serial Port interface allows you to receive data from devices connected via a physical serial connection (e.g., Arduino, ESP32).

• COM Port: The communication port your device is connected to (e.g., COM3 on Windows, /dev/ttyUSB0 on Linux).
• Baud Rate: The communication speed between your device and Serial Studio. This must match the baud rate set on the device (common baud rates: 9600, 115200).
• Data Bits: Number of data bits per frame (common values: 8).
• Parity: Error-checking bit used in data transmission. Options are:
  • None: No parity checking.
  • Even: Ensures even parity.
  • Odd: Ensures odd parity.
• Stop Bits: Defines the number of bits used to signal the end of a frame (common values: 1 or 2).
• Flow Control: Controls the flow of data to prevent buffer overflows. Options are:
  • None: No flow control.
  • Hardware (RTS/CTS): Hardware-based flow control.
  • Software (XON/XOFF): Software-based flow control.
• Send DTR Signal: Enables the Data Terminal Ready (DTR) signal, which can be used to reset certain devices (e.g., some microcontrollers).
• Auto-reconnect: Automatically reconnects to the serial port if the connection is lost.

1. Select the COM Port: Choose the serial port to which your device is connected.
2. Set the Baud Rate: Make sure it matches the baud rate set on your device.
3. Configure Data Bits, Parity, Stop Bits, and Flow Control: Set these according to your device's requirements.
4. Enable DTR Signal (if needed): Some devices (e.g., Arduinos) may require this signal to reset or establish communication.
5. Enable Auto-reconnect: If you want Serial Studio to automatically reconnect when the device is disconnected.
6. Click "Connect": Start receiving data from the connected device.

The Network Socket interface allows you to receive data over the network via TCP or UDP sockets. This method is useful for remote data collection from devices connected to a network.

• Socket Type: Choose between:
  • TCP: Reliable, connection-oriented protocol.
  • UDP: Unreliable, connectionless protocol that offers faster transmission.
• Address: The IP address of the remote device.
• Port: The port number through which data is sent or received.

• Local Port: The port on your local machine that listens for incoming data.
• Remote Port: The port on the remote device from which data is being sent.
• Multicast: Enable this option if you are using UDP multicast to receive data from multiple devices.
• Ignore Data Delimiters: If enabled, Serial Studio will ignore start and end delimiters when parsing UDP data. This is useful when receiving continuous or unstructured data.

1. Select TCP as the Socket Type.
2. Enter the Address and Port: Input the IP address and port of the device or server you wish to connect to.
3. Click "Connect": Serial Studio will establish a TCP connection and start receiving data.

1. Select UDP as the Socket Type.
2. Enter the Local and Remote Ports:
   • Local Port: The port on your machine that listens for data.
   • Remote Port: The port from which the remote device sends data.
3. Configure UDP Options:
   • Enable Multicast: If using multicast, check this option.
   • Ignore Data Delimiters: Check this option if the incoming UDP data does not have start/end delimiters.
4. Click "Connect": Serial Studio will listen for incoming data on the specified ports.

The BLE interface allows you to receive data from Bluetooth Low Energy devices, such as sensors or microcontrollers equipped with BLE communication capabilities.

• Device Selection: First, scan and select the BLE device you wish to connect to.
• Services: After connecting to the device, Serial Studio will display the available services that the device supports. Choose the service from which you want to start receiving data.

1. Scan for Devices: In the BLE setup panel, click the "Scan" button to search for nearby BLE devices.
2. Select the Device: Choose the BLE device from the list of detected devices.
3. Click "Connect": Establish the BLE connection.
4. Choose a Service: Once connected, Serial Studio will list the available services on the device. Select the service that corresponds to the data you wish to receive.
5. Start Receiving Data: Serial Studio will now receive and visualize data from the BLE device.

The MQTT interface allows Serial Studio Pro to connect to MQTT brokers for cloud-based IoT applications and distributed sensor networks.

• Broker Address: The address of the MQTT broker (e.g., test.mosquitto.org or 192.168.1.100).
• Port: The port number for the MQTT connection (usually 1883 for plain connections, 8883 for TLS).
• Username/Password: Credentials for broker authentication (if required).
• Topic: The MQTT topic to subscribe to (e.g., sensors/temperature). Supports wildcards (+ for single level, # for multiple levels).
• Client ID: Unique identifier for this MQTT client connection.
• Quality of Service (QoS): Message delivery guarantee level (0, 1, or 2).
• TLS/SSL: Enable secure connection with certificates.

1. Get Broker Details: Obtain the broker address, port, and credentials from your MQTT service or self-hosted broker.
2. Select MQTT as Data Source: In Serial Studio, choose MQTT from the data source options.
3. Enter Broker Address and Port: Input the MQTT broker's address and port number.
4. Configure Authentication: Enter username and password if your broker requires authentication.
5. Subscribe to Topic: Enter the topic name you want to receive data from (e.g., sensors/temperature or sensors/# for all subtopics).
6. Configure TLS (Optional): If using a secure connection, enable TLS and provide certificate paths.
7. Click "Connect": Serial Studio will connect to the broker and start receiving messages from the subscribed topic.

Learn more: For detailed MQTT setup and configuration, see MQTT Integration and Protocol-Specific Setup Guides - MQTT.

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The Modbus interface allows Serial Studio Pro to communicate with industrial PLCs and SCADA systems using Modbus RTU (serial) or Modbus TCP (network) protocols.

Common Parameters:

• Slave ID (Unit ID): The address of the target device (1-247).
• Function Code: The Modbus function to execute:
  • 01: Read Coils (discrete outputs)
  • 02: Read Discrete Inputs
  • 03: Read Holding Registers (most common)
  • 04: Read Input Registers
• Start Address: First register/coil to read from.
• Register Count: Number of registers/coils to read.
• Poll Interval: How often to query the device (in milliseconds).

Modbus RTU-Specific:

• COM Port: Serial port connected to the RS-485 adapter.
• Baud Rate: Communication speed (common: 9600, 19200, 115200).
• Data Bits: Typically 8 bits.
• Parity: None, Even, or Odd (check device documentation).
• Stop Bits: Typically 1 or 2.

Modbus TCP-Specific:

• IP Address: The device's network IP address.
• Port: TCP port number (default: 502).

1. Connect RS-485 Adapter: Connect your RS-485 to USB adapter to the computer and to the Modbus device (A/B terminals).
2. Verify Termination: Ensure 120Ω termination resistors are present at both ends of the RS-485 bus.
3. Select Modbus as Data Source: Choose Modbus from the data source options.
4. Select Modbus RTU: Choose RTU as the variant.
5. Configure Serial Settings: Set COM port, baud rate, parity, and stop bits to match your device.
6. Set Slave ID: Enter the device's Modbus address.
7. Configure Read Parameters: Select function code (usually 03), start address, and register count.
8. Set Poll Interval: Choose how often to read (e.g., 100 ms).
9. Click "Connect": Serial Studio will start polling the device and displaying register values.

1. Connect Device to Network: Ensure the Modbus TCP device is connected to your network.
2. Get Device IP Address: Note the device's IP address (e.g., 192.168.1.100).
3. Select Modbus as Data Source: Choose Modbus from the data source options.
4. Select Modbus TCP: Choose TCP as the variant.
5. Enter IP Address and Port: Input the device's IP and port (default 502).
6. Set Slave ID: Enter the unit ID (often 1 for Modbus TCP).
7. Configure Read Parameters: Select function code, start address, and register count.
8. Set Poll Interval: Choose polling frequency.
9. Click "Connect": Serial Studio will connect and start reading data.

Learn more: For detailed Modbus setup including register parsing and troubleshooting, see Protocol-Specific Setup Guides - Modbus.

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The CAN Bus interface allows Serial Studio Pro to connect to Controller Area Network (CAN) systems commonly used in automotive and industrial applications.

• CAN Adapter: The CAN interface hardware (e.g., PEAK PCAN-USB, Kvaser, CANable).
• Bitrate: CAN bus speed in bits per second. Common values:
  • 250 kbps: Industrial CAN
  • 500 kbps: Automotive (OBD-II standard)
  • 1 Mbps: High-speed CAN
• Extended Frames: Enable if using 29-bit CAN IDs (vs standard 11-bit IDs).
• DBC File (Optional): CAN database file that defines message structure and signal mappings.

1. Connect CAN Adapter: Connect your CAN adapter to the computer via USB.
2. Install Drivers: Install necessary drivers for your CAN adapter (if required).
3. Connect to CAN Bus:
   • Connect CAN-H to CAN-H line
   • Connect CAN-L to CAN-L line
   • Connect ground
   • Verify 120Ω termination resistors at both ends of the bus
4. Select CAN Bus as Data Source: Choose CAN Bus from the data source options.
5. Select Adapter: Choose your CAN adapter from the list of detected interfaces.
6. Set Bitrate: Configure the bitrate to match your CAN network (critical - must match exactly).
7. Configure Frame Type: Enable "Extended Frames" if using 29-bit identifiers.
8. Import DBC File (Optional): If you have a DBC file, import it to automatically decode CAN messages into named signals.
9. Click "Connect": Serial Studio will start receiving and displaying CAN messages.

DBC files automatically decode CAN messages. To use:

1. In the Project Editor, click "Import DBC"
2. Select your .dbc file
3. Serial Studio automatically creates datasets for all defined signals
4. Signals are decoded with proper scaling, units, and names

Learn more: For detailed CAN Bus setup including manual parsing and OBD-II configuration, see Protocol-Specific Setup Guides - CAN Bus.

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The Audio Input interface allows Serial Studio Pro to capture and visualize audio signals from your computer's audio input devices.

• Input Device: The audio input to capture from (microphone, line-in, audio interface).
• Sample Rate: Audio sampling rate. Common values:
  • 44.1 kHz: Standard audio (music, speech)
  • 48 kHz: Professional audio
  • 96 kHz: High-resolution audio (if supported)
• Channels: Mono (single channel) or Stereo (left and right).
• Frame Size: Number of samples per frame (affects update rate and frequency resolution):
  • Smaller (512, 1024): Faster updates, lower frequency resolution
  • Larger (2048, 4096, 8192): Better frequency resolution for FFT analysis

1. Connect Audio Source: Connect your audio device (microphone, sensor, or audio interface) to the computer.
2. Verify Input in OS: Ensure the audio input is recognized and not muted in your operating system's sound settings.
3. Select Audio Input as Data Source: Choose Audio Input from the data source options.
4. Select Input Device: Choose the appropriate audio input device from the dropdown.
5. Set Sample Rate: Select the sample rate (44.1 kHz or 48 kHz recommended).
6. Choose Channels: Select Mono or Stereo based on your needs.
7. Set Frame Size: Choose frame size based on your use case:
   • For waveform display: 512-1024 samples
   • For FFT spectrum analysis: 2048-4096 samples
8. Click "Connect": Serial Studio will start capturing audio and sending samples to the dashboard.

• Audio Spectrum Analysis: Use FFT Plot widget to visualize frequency spectrum
• Vibration Monitoring: Connect piezo sensors or accelerometers via audio input to monitor machinery vibrations
• Acoustic Measurements: Sound level monitoring and frequency analysis
• Analog Signal Visualization: Any analog signal within audio frequency range (20 Hz - 20 kHz)

• For sensors: Use line-in (not mic-in) to avoid automatic gain control
• Disable enhancements: Turn off noise cancellation and audio effects in OS settings
• For vibration analysis: Use larger frame sizes (4096+) for better frequency resolution
• Permissions: Grant microphone permissions if required by your operating system

Learn more: For detailed audio setup including FFT analysis and vibration monitoring, see Protocol-Specific Setup Guides - Audio Input.

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If you're having trouble receiving data from your device, here are some troubleshooting tips:

• Serial Port: Ensure the correct COM port is selected, and the baud rate matches the device's configuration.
• Network Socket: Verify that your network settings (IP address, ports) are correct and that no firewall or network issues are blocking the connection.
• BLE: Ensure your BLE device is powered on and within range, and check that it's broadcasting the correct services.
• MQTT: Verify broker address, port, credentials, and topic are correct. Check that the broker is reachable and the device is publishing to the topic.
• Modbus: Verify slave ID, function code, and register addresses match your device. For RTU, check wiring and termination resistors.
• CAN Bus: Ensure bitrate matches the network exactly. Verify CAN-H/CAN-L connections and 120Ω termination at both ends.
• Audio Input: Check that the correct input device is selected and not muted. Grant microphone permissions if needed.