Connecting your ATS Mini: USB vs Bluetooth
ATS Mini Controller talks to your radio in two ways: over a USB cable (Web Serial) or wirelessly over Bluetooth LE (Web Bluetooth). Both give you the same remote control. They differ in speed and audio quality. This guide covers the one-time setup on the radio, which browsers work, and how to choose.
Before you connect: enable Ad hoc on the radio
On the radio, open the on-screen menu and set the port you want to Ad hoc mode: USB Port → Ad hoc for a cable, or Bluetooth → Ad hoc for wireless. From firmware 2.34 the USB remote interface is off by default, so this step is required. Without it the radio simply ignores the app.
Leave the serial speed at its default 115200 baud. The wrong baud rate does not break anything; it just fills the screen with garbage characters. So if you see nonsense after connecting, check the baud first.
Connecting over USB
- Plug the radio into your computer with a USB-C cable. It must be a data-capable cable, not a charge-only one — charge-only leads are the most common reason a radio never shows up.
- In the app, choose the USB transport and click Connect.
- Pick your radio in the browser’s device chooser and confirm.
Once connected, the app reads the radio’s status and you are in control.
Connecting over Bluetooth
Bluetooth LE needs firmware 2.34 or newer. Set Bluetooth → Ad hoc on the radio, choose the Bluetooth transport in the app, click Connect, and select the radio in the chooser. The same human gesture is required as with USB.
Which should I choose?
| USB | Bluetooth LE | |
|---|---|---|
| Screenshots | Fast (a second or two) | Slow (about 30 seconds) |
| Audio | USB power can add noise to the radio’s audio output | Clean, since the radio runs on battery |
| Best for | Screenshots, theme editing, desktop use | Clean audio from the 3.5 mm output, cable-free or phone use |
| Firmware | Works on older firmware too | Requires 2.34+ |
A simple rule: use USB when you want quick screenshots or are editing themes, and Bluetooth when you want to listen to clean audio on battery.
Supported browsers
The app needs the Web Serial or Web Bluetooth APIs, which only Chromium browsers implement: Chrome, Edge or Opera on desktop (USB and Bluetooth), or Chrome on Android (Bluetooth only). Safari and Firefox do not support these APIs, and the app shows a banner when your browser cannot connect. You also need a secure page (HTTPS), which this site already provides.
New to the app? Start with the About & FAQ. To make sense of what the radio reports back once connected, see Reading the status panel.
Recommended gear
- Short USB-C data cableAccessoryWeb Serial needs a data-capable USB-C cable — a charge-only lead powers the radio but never shows it to the browser.