Box of Delights Control Centre
Version 1.0

"The Box chooses its own moment to awaken."

Overview

Box of Delights Control Centre is a Windows application designed to communicate wirelessly with one or more Box of Delights devices via Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE).

The software provides a simple interface for discovering nearby Boxes, establishing a connection, monitoring battery status and remotely activating magical effects.

The aim of the project is to provide a reliable control system.

Features
Automatic Bluetooth Low Energy device scanning
Connect to nearby Box of Delights devices
Remote activation of effects
Unlock and lock the Box
Play startup sound
Adjust LED brightness
Low
Medium
High
Battery voltage monitoring
Battery percentage indicator
Simple one-button interface
Atmospheric startup music and random Keeper's quotations
Requirements
Windows 10 or Windows 11
Bluetooth 4.0 (BLE) adapter
One or more compatible Box of Delights devices
Bluetooth enabled
Connecting
Switch on your Box of Delights.
Launch Box of Delights Control Centre.
Press Scan.
Nearby Boxes will appear.
Select your Box.
Press Connect.

Once connected the battery indicator will become active and all controls will be enabled.

Available Commands

The software can send the following commands to a Box.

Command	Description
Unlock Box	Unlocks the servo mechanism
Lock Box	Locks the servo mechanism
Startup Sound	Plays the startup audio
Event 01–21	Activates one of the programmed magical effects
Brightness Low	Sets LED brightness to 25%
Brightness Medium	Sets LED brightness to 80%
Brightness High	Sets LED brightness to 100%
Battery Monitor

While connected, the Box periodically reports:

Battery percentage
Battery voltage

The indicator updates automatically without interrupting the connection.

Disconnecting

Select Disconnect at any time.

The application will safely disconnect from the Box and automatically reset itself ready for another connection.

Bluetooth Protocol

Service UUID

6e400001-b5a3-f393-e0a9-e50e24dcca9e

Command Characteristic

6e400002-b5a3-f393-e0a9-e50e24dcca9e

Status Characteristic

6e400003-b5a3-f393-e0a9-e50e24dcca9e

Example commands

UNLOCK
LOCK
PLAY:10
BRI:25
EVT:11

Example notification

BAT:81%,3.94V
Troubleshooting
No devices found
Ensure the Box is powered on.
Check Bluetooth is enabled on your PC.
Move closer to the Box.
Press Scan again.
Unable to connect
Ensure another computer or phone is not already connected.
Restart the Box.
Restart the application.
Battery indicator not updating
Wait a few seconds after connecting.
Ensure the Box firmware supports battery notifications.
Future Features

Antivirus Software

Some antivirus programs or Windows security settings may prevent Box of Delights Control Centre from running, particularly when it is first downloaded.

If this happens, you may need to:

Allow the application through your antivirus software or Windows Security.
Add the application to your antivirus software's list of trusted or excluded programs.
If you are confident the software came from a trusted source, temporarily disable your antivirus software while installing or running the application, then re-enable it afterwards.

Important: Only do this if you obtained the software from a trusted source. Never disable your antivirus software for programs from unknown or untrusted sources.

Software Design & Development

Robin Elliott

Powered by

Godot Engine

Bluetooth Low Energy

ESP32

About the Project

The Box of Delights project is inspired by the wonder, mystery and imagination of classic fantasy adventures.

Every Box is designed to surprise, delight and encourage exploration through sound, light, movement and hidden mechanisms.

"Magic belongs to those who still look for it."