FWIW I just found the BLE Scanner and the RaMBLE - Bluetooth LE Mapper android apps, but are not picking up the MB on my desk.
I’ve never looked at info on BT beacons, wondering if the MBs are set up need some sort of other action/connection to enable any beacon for some period of time?
Googled a but but so far have only found this slightly related article:
Well, back to work for me! Will have to play more later.
This seemed a somewhat speculative but informative link:
The details on the spectrum of the 3 radio frequencies plus links to various patent filings and FCC info.
It is possible. It would save battery if they only beacon for a certain period of time, potentially triggered by an NFC interaction. NFC triggers a timer (could be for, say, 12 hours after tapping in at the park, etc). During this time the BT beacon starts. But after that 12 hours, it stops beaconing to save battery.
This seems to confirm the use of BT LE: “Wireless Bluetooth Low Energy 4.0 has been added”
The only reason to add BT LE to the tapstiles is if the bands themselves use BT LE.
This post is a tad older, so they didn’t presume BT LE…but did mention the use use 2.4 Ghz, which is what BT LE uses. They theorized sending a signal every minute or so, but we know that can’t be the case since the on-ride photos would have to be far more accurate in timing to get the shot right. BT LE beacons could be used with a beacon send VERY frequently without using much power at all. (It is the point!)
This all gives me hope that there would be a way to detect the battery of a magic band. But if it doesn’t trigger without the NFC as presumed, it might not be as easy to do.
I was thinking the same thing about the timer.
I did just use the NFC app to read my MB prior to trying the BT beacon scanners.
Thinking now the band’s NFC may just be just passive(?)
Or perhaps more likely it requires a specific tapstile or purchase transaction for the beacon to flip on.
Yes. This is what I’m thinking. I doubt they are using passive NFC, but it is possible. But some kind of interaction would better guarantee security.
A) I love how technically geeky this thread is.
B) It’s cool to get a new MB, but what if your previous one is tricked out exactly how you want it? You don’t want to go through THAT again, per se.
C) So, has a way been figured out?