From 54893050315767726d5fd5d6a5fa2640aab24e4f Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: "F. Duncanh" <fduncanh@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 3 Nov 2025 01:50:23 -0500
Subject: [PATCH] update README for Bluetooth LE service discovery

---
 README.html | 75 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++-------------------
 README.md   | 39 ++++++++++++++++---------
 README.txt  | 84 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++----------------------
 3 files changed, 119 insertions(+), 79 deletions(-)

diff --git a/README.html b/README.html
index a9f3437..c1cc63d 100644
--- a/README.html
+++ b/README.html
@@ -9,18 +9,19 @@ class="uri">https://github.com/FDH2/UxPlay</a> (where ALL user issues
 should be posted, and latest versions can be found).</strong></h3>
 <ul>
 <li><p><strong>NEW on github</strong>: Support for <strong>service
-discovery using a Bluetooth LE “beacon”</strong> (as an alternative to
-Bonjour/Rendezvous DNS-SD service discovery). The user must set up a
-Bluetooth LE “beacon”, (a USB 4.0 or later “dongle” can be used). See
-instructions below. The beacon runs independently of UxPlay and
-regularly broadcasts a Bluetooth LE (“Low Energy”) 46 byte packet
-informing nearby iOS/macOS devices of the local IPv4 network address of
-the UxPlay server, and which TCP port to contact UxPlay on. A python
-script (Python &gt;=3.6) “uxplay-beacon.py”, to broadcast the
-Service-Discovery advertisement will be installed on systems with DBus
-support (Linux and *BSD, using BlueZ for Bluetooth control): this does
-<strong>not</strong> require enhanced “root permissions” to run. A
-windows version of this script is also planned for the future.
+discovery using a Bluetooth LE “beacon”</strong> for both Linux/*BSD and
+Windows (as an alternative to Bonjour/Rendezvous DNS-SD service
+discovery). The user must set up a Bluetooth LE “beacon”, (a USB 4.0 or
+later “dongle” can be used). See instructions below. The beacon runs
+independently of UxPlay and regularly broadcasts a Bluetooth LE (“Low
+Energy”) 46 byte packet informing nearby iOS/macOS devices of the local
+IPv4 network address of the UxPlay server, and which TCP port to contact
+UxPlay on. Two versions of a Python script (Python &gt;=3.6)
+“uxplay-beacon.py”, (one for Linux/*BSD using BlueZ
+LEAdvertisingManager1 with DBus, and one for Windows using
+winrt/BluetoothLEAdvertisementPublisher) are ready for users to run: the
+appropriate version will be installed when UxPlay is built. They
+independently run Service-Discovery beacons that iOS devices respond to.
 Instructions are <a href="#bluetooth-le-beacon-setup">given
 below</a>.</p></li>
 <li><p><strong>NEW on github</strong>: option
@@ -1472,17 +1473,24 @@ messages, set GST_DEBUG=4; for DEBUG messages, GST_DEBUG=5; increase
 this to see even more of the GStreamer inner workings.</p>
 <h1 id="bluetooth-le-beacon-setup">Bluetooth LE beacon setup</h1>
 <p>The python&gt;=3.6 script for running a Bluetooth-LE Service
-Discovery beacon is uxplay-beacon.py. Currently only a DBus version (for
-Linux and *BSD) is available, and it is only installed on systems which
-support DBus. Bluetooth &gt;= 4.0 hardware on the host computer is
-required: a cheap USB bluetooth dongle can be used. Bluetooth support
-(BlueZ) must be installed (on Debian-based systems:
-<code>sudo apt install bluez bluez-tools</code>; recent Ubuntu releases
-provide bluez as a snap package).</p>
-<p>In addition to standard Python3 libraries, you may need to install
-the gi, dbus, and psutil Python libraries used by uxplay-beacon.py. On
-Debian-based systems:</p>
+Discovery beacon is uxplay-beacon.py. It comes in two versions, one (for
+Linux and *BSD) is only installed on systems which support DBUS, and
+another only for Windows 10/11. Bluetooth &gt;= 4.0 hardware on the host
+computer is required: a cheap USB bluetooth dongle can be used.</p>
+<p>On Linux/*BSD, Bluetooth support (BlueZ) must be installed (on
+Debian-based systems: <code>sudo apt install bluez bluez-tools</code>;
+recent Ubuntu releases provide bluez as a snap package). In addition to
+standard Python3 libraries, you may need to install the gi, dbus, and
+psutil Python libraries used by uxplay-beacon.py. On Debian-based
+systems:</p>
 <pre><code>sudo apt install python3-gi python3-dbus python3-psutil</code></pre>
+<p>For Windows support on MSYS2 UCRT systems, use pacman -S to install
+<code>mingw-w64-ucrt-x86_64-python</code>,
+<code>*-python-gobject</code>, <code>*-python-psutil</code>, and
+<code>*-python-pip</code>. Then install winrt bindings
+<code>pip install winrt-Windows.Foundation.Collections</code>,
+<code>winrt-Windows.Devices.Bluetooth.Advertisement</code> and
+<code>winrt-Windows.Storage.Streams</code>.</p>
 <p>If uxplay will be run with option “<code>uxplay -ble</code>” (so it
 writes data for the Bluetooth beacon in the default BLE data file
 <code>~/.uxplay.ble</code>), just run <code>uxplay-beacon.py</code> in a
@@ -1492,13 +1500,14 @@ checking if the BLE data file exists, and stop when it no longer detects
 a running UxPlay plus this file (it will restart advertising if UxPlay
 later reappears). The script will remain active until stopped with
 Ctrl+C in its terminal window (or its terminal window is closed).</p>
-<p>The beacon script can be more finely controlled using five possible
+<p>The beacon script can be more finely controlled using certain
 options: these can be given on the command line, or read from a
 configuration file <code>~/.uxplay.beacon</code>, if it exists.
 Configuration file entries are like the command line forms, one per line
 (e.g., <code>--ipv4 192.168.1.100</code>). Lines commented out with an
 initial <code>#</code> are ignored. Command line options override the
-configuration file options.</p>
+configuration file options. Get help with <code>man uxplay-beacon</code>
+or <code>uxplay-beacon.py --help</code>. Options are</p>
 <ul>
 <li><p><code>--file &lt;config file&gt;</code> read beacon options from
 <code>&lt;config file&gt;</code> instead of
@@ -1512,6 +1521,10 @@ supported.</p></li>
 default choice of BLE data file (<code>~/.uxplay.ble</code>) that is
 monitored by the beacon script. This also requires that uxplay is run
 with option “<code>uxplay -ble &lt;BLE data file&gt;</code>”.</p></li>
+</ul>
+<p>The BlueZ/Dbus version has thee more options not offered by the
+Windows version:</p>
+<ul>
 <li><p><code>--AdvMin x</code>, <code>--AdvMax y</code>. These controls
 the interval between BLE advertisement broadcasts. This interval is in
 the range [x, y], given in units of msecs. Allowed ranges are 100 &lt;=
@@ -1534,15 +1547,17 @@ can disable DNS_SD Service discovery by the avahi-daemon with</p>
 $ sudo systemctl stop avahi-daemon</code></pre>
 <p>To restore DNS_SD Service discovery, replace “mask” by “unmask”, and
 “stop” by “start”.</p>
+<p>On Windows, the Bonjour Service is controlled using <strong>Services
+Management</strong>: press “Windows + R” to open the Run dialog, run
+<code>services.msc</code>, and click on <strong>Bonjour Service</strong>
+in the alphabetic list. This will show links for it to be stopped and
+restarted.</p>
 <p>For more information, see the <a
 href="https://github.com/FDH2/UxPlay/wiki/Bluetooth_LE_beacon">wiki
-page</a> This has useful information if you wish to build a python
-beacon controller script for Windows (we would like to have one!).</p>
+page</a></p>
 <ul>
-<li><strong>Our current understanding is that Bluetooth LE AirPlay
-Service Discovery only supports broadcast of IPv4 addresses. Please let
-us know if this is incorrect, or if IPv6 support is introduced in the
-future.</strong></li>
+<li><strong>Note that Bluetooth LE AirPlay Service Discovery only
+supports broadcast of IPv4 addresses</strong>.</li>
 </ul>
 <h1 id="troubleshooting">Troubleshooting</h1>
 <p>Note: <code>uxplay</code> is run from a terminal command line, and
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index b417992..b6eff8e 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -2,13 +2,12 @@
 
 ### **Now developed at the GitHub site <https://github.com/FDH2/UxPlay> (where ALL user issues should be posted, and latest versions can be found).**
 
--   **NEW on github**: Support for **service discovery using a Bluetooth LE "beacon"** (as an alternative to Bonjour/Rendezvous DNS-SD
+-   **NEW on github**: Support for **service discovery using a Bluetooth LE "beacon"** for both Linux/\*BSD and Windows (as an alternative to Bonjour/Rendezvous DNS-SD
     service discovery).    The user must set up a Bluetooth LE "beacon", (a USB 4.0 or later "dongle" can be used). See instructions
     below.   The beacon runs independently of UxPlay and regularly broadcasts a Bluetooth LE ("Low Energy") 46 byte packet informing nearby iOS/macOS devices of
-    the local IPv4 network address of the UxPlay server, and which TCP port to contact UxPlay on.    A python script (Python >=3.6) "uxplay-beacon.py",
-    to broadcast the Service-Discovery advertisement  will be installed on systems with DBus support (Linux and *BSD, using BlueZ for Bluetooth control):
-    this does **not** require enhanced "root permissions" to run.
-    A windows version of this script is also planned for the future.
+    the local IPv4 network address of the UxPlay server, and which TCP port to contact UxPlay on.    Two versions of a Python script (Python >=3.6) "uxplay-beacon.py",
+    (one for Linux/*BSD using BlueZ LEAdvertisingManager1 with DBus, and one for Windows using winrt/BluetoothLEAdvertisementPublisher) are ready  for users to
+    run: the appropriate version will be installed when UxPlay is built.   They independently run Service-Discovery beacons that iOS devices respond to.
     Instructions are [given below](#bluetooth-le-beacon-setup).
 
 -   **NEW on github**: option `-vrtp <rest-of-pipeline>`  bypasses rendering by UxPlay, and instead
@@ -1491,11 +1490,13 @@ GStreamer inner workings.
 # Bluetooth LE beacon setup
 
 The python>=3.6 script for running a Bluetooth-LE Service Discovery beacon is uxplay-beacon.py.
-Currently only a DBus version (for Linux and *BSD) is available, and it is only installed on systems which
-support DBus.    Bluetooth >= 4.0 hardware on the host computer is required: a cheap USB bluetooth dongle
-can be used.    Bluetooth support (BlueZ) must be installed (on Debian-based systems: `sudo apt install bluez bluez-tools`;
-recent Ubuntu releases provide bluez as a snap package).
+It comes in two versions, one  (for Linux and *BSD) is only installed on systems which
+support DBUS, and another only for Windows 10/11.    Bluetooth >= 4.0 hardware on the host computer is required: a cheap USB bluetooth dongle
+can be used.    
 
+On Linux/*BSD,
+Bluetooth support (BlueZ) must be installed (on Debian-based systems: `sudo apt install bluez bluez-tools`;
+recent Ubuntu releases provide bluez as a snap package).
 In addition to standard Python3 libraries, you may need to install the gi, dbus, and psutil Python libraries used by
 uxplay-beacon.py.  On Debian-based systems:
 
@@ -1503,6 +1504,12 @@ uxplay-beacon.py.  On Debian-based systems:
 sudo apt install python3-gi python3-dbus python3-psutil
 ```
 
+For Windows support on MSYS2 UCRT systems, use pacman -S to
+install `mingw-w64-ucrt-x86_64-python`, ``*-python-gobject``,
+`*-python-psutil`, and ``*-python-pip``.   Then install winrt
+bindings `pip install winrt-Windows.Foundation.Collections`,
+``winrt-Windows.Devices.Bluetooth.Advertisement`` and
+``winrt-Windows.Storage.Streams``.
 
 If uxplay will be  run with option "`uxplay -ble`" (so it writes data for the Bluetooth beacon in the default BLE data file
 `~/.uxplay.ble`), just run ``uxplay-beacon.py`` in a separate terminal.    The python script will start
@@ -1510,10 +1517,10 @@ Bluetooth LE Service-Discovery advertising when it detects that UxPlay is runnin
 a running UxPlay plus this file (it will restart advertising if UxPlay later reappears).   The script will remain active until stopped with Ctrl+C in its
 terminal window (or its terminal window is closed).
 
-The beacon script can be more finely controlled using five possible options:  these can be given on the command line, or read from
+The beacon script can be more finely controlled using certain options:  these can be given on the command line, or read from
 a configuration file `~/.uxplay.beacon`, if it exists. Configuration file entries are like the command line forms, one per line (e.g.,
 `--ipv4 192.168.1.100`).  Lines commented out with an initial ``#`` are ignored.  Command line options override the configuration file
-options.
+options.   Get help with `man uxplay-beacon` or ``uxplay-beacon.py --help``.  Options are
 
 * `--file <config file>` read beacon options from ``<config file>`` instead of
 `~/.uxplay.beacon`.
@@ -1524,6 +1531,8 @@ it is not given, an address will be obtained automatically using `gethostbyname`
 * `--path <BLE data file>`.  This overrides the default choice of BLE data file (``~/.uxplay.ble``) that is monitored by the beacon script.   This also requires
 that uxplay is run with option "`uxplay -ble <BLE data file>`".
 
+The BlueZ/Dbus version has thee more options not offered by the Windows version:
+
 * `--AdvMin x`, ``--AdvMax y``.  These controls the interval between BLE advertisement broadcasts.  This interval is in the range
 [x, y], given in units of msecs.   Allowed ranges are 100 <= x <= y <= 10240.  If AdvMin=AdvMax, the interval is fixed: if AdvMin < AdvMax
 it is chosen flexibly in this range to avoid interfering with other tasks the Bluetooth device is carrying out.   The default values are
@@ -1542,12 +1551,14 @@ $ sudo systemctl stop avahi-daemon
 
 To restore DNS_SD Service discovery, replace "mask" by "unmask", and "stop" by "start".
 
+On Windows, the Bonjour Service is controlled  using **Services Management**: press "Windows + R" to open the Run dialog, 
+run `services.msc`, and click on  **Bonjour Service** in the alphabetic list. This
+will show links for it to be stopped and restarted.
 
 For more information, see the [wiki page](https://github.com/FDH2/UxPlay/wiki/Bluetooth_LE_beacon)
-This has useful information if you wish to build a python beacon controller script for Windows (we would like to have one!).
 
-* **Our current understanding is that  Bluetooth LE AirPlay Service Discovery only supports
-broadcast of IPv4 addresses. Please let us know if this is incorrect, or if IPv6 support is introduced in  the future.**
+* **Note that  Bluetooth LE AirPlay Service Discovery only supports
+broadcast of IPv4 addresses**.
 
 # Troubleshooting
 Note: `uxplay` is run from a terminal command line, and informational
diff --git a/README.txt b/README.txt
index ed15a37..bdcc108 100644
--- a/README.txt
+++ b/README.txt
@@ -3,19 +3,20 @@
 ### **Now developed at the GitHub site <https://github.com/FDH2/UxPlay> (where ALL user issues should be posted, and latest versions can be found).**
 
 -   **NEW on github**: Support for **service discovery using a Bluetooth
-    LE "beacon"** (as an alternative to Bonjour/Rendezvous DNS-SD
-    service discovery). The user must set up a Bluetooth LE "beacon", (a
-    USB 4.0 or later "dongle" can be used). See instructions below. The
-    beacon runs independently of UxPlay and regularly broadcasts a
-    Bluetooth LE ("Low Energy") 46 byte packet informing nearby
-    iOS/macOS devices of the local IPv4 network address of the UxPlay
-    server, and which TCP port to contact UxPlay on. A python script
-    (Python \>=3.6) "uxplay-beacon.py", to broadcast the
-    Service-Discovery advertisement will be installed on systems with
-    DBus support (Linux and \*BSD, using BlueZ for Bluetooth control):
-    this does **not** require enhanced "root permissions" to run. A
-    windows version of this script is also planned for the future.
-    Instructions are [given below](#bluetooth-le-beacon-setup).
+    LE "beacon"** for both Linux/\*BSD and Windows (as an alternative to
+    Bonjour/Rendezvous DNS-SD service discovery). The user must set up a
+    Bluetooth LE "beacon", (a USB 4.0 or later "dongle" can be used).
+    See instructions below. The beacon runs independently of UxPlay and
+    regularly broadcasts a Bluetooth LE ("Low Energy") 46 byte packet
+    informing nearby iOS/macOS devices of the local IPv4 network address
+    of the UxPlay server, and which TCP port to contact UxPlay on. Two
+    versions of a Python script (Python \>=3.6) "uxplay-beacon.py", (one
+    for Linux/\*BSD using BlueZ LEAdvertisingManager1 with DBus, and one
+    for Windows using winrt/BluetoothLEAdvertisementPublisher) are ready
+    for users to run: the appropriate version will be installed when
+    UxPlay is built. They independently run Service-Discovery beacons
+    that iOS devices respond to. Instructions are [given
+    below](#bluetooth-le-beacon-setup).
 
 -   **NEW on github**: option `-vrtp <rest-of-pipeline>` bypasses
     rendering by UxPlay, and instead transmits rtp packets of decrypted
@@ -1516,20 +1517,27 @@ this to see even more of the GStreamer inner workings.
 # Bluetooth LE beacon setup
 
 The python\>=3.6 script for running a Bluetooth-LE Service Discovery
-beacon is uxplay-beacon.py. Currently only a DBus version (for Linux and
-\*BSD) is available, and it is only installed on systems which support
-DBus. Bluetooth \>= 4.0 hardware on the host computer is required: a
-cheap USB bluetooth dongle can be used. Bluetooth support (BlueZ) must
-be installed (on Debian-based systems:
-`sudo apt install bluez bluez-tools`; recent Ubuntu releases provide
-bluez as a snap package).
+beacon is uxplay-beacon.py. It comes in two versions, one (for Linux and
+\*BSD) is only installed on systems which support DBUS, and another only
+for Windows 10/11. Bluetooth \>= 4.0 hardware on the host computer is
+required: a cheap USB bluetooth dongle can be used.
 
-In addition to standard Python3 libraries, you may need to install the
-gi, dbus, and psutil Python libraries used by uxplay-beacon.py. On
-Debian-based systems:
+On Linux/\*BSD, Bluetooth support (BlueZ) must be installed (on
+Debian-based systems: `sudo apt install bluez bluez-tools`; recent
+Ubuntu releases provide bluez as a snap package). In addition to
+standard Python3 libraries, you may need to install the gi, dbus, and
+psutil Python libraries used by uxplay-beacon.py. On Debian-based
+systems:
 
     sudo apt install python3-gi python3-dbus python3-psutil
 
+For Windows support on MSYS2 UCRT systems, use pacman -S to install
+`mingw-w64-ucrt-x86_64-python`, `*-python-gobject`, `*-python-psutil`,
+and `*-python-pip`. Then install winrt bindings
+`pip install winrt-Windows.Foundation.Collections`,
+`winrt-Windows.Devices.Bluetooth.Advertisement` and
+`winrt-Windows.Storage.Streams`.
+
 If uxplay will be run with option "`uxplay -ble`" (so it writes data for
 the Bluetooth beacon in the default BLE data file `~/.uxplay.ble`), just
 run `uxplay-beacon.py` in a separate terminal. The python script will
@@ -1540,12 +1548,14 @@ advertising if UxPlay later reappears). The script will remain active
 until stopped with Ctrl+C in its terminal window (or its terminal window
 is closed).
 
-The beacon script can be more finely controlled using five possible
-options: these can be given on the command line, or read from a
-configuration file `~/.uxplay.beacon`, if it exists. Configuration file
-entries are like the command line forms, one per line (e.g.,
+The beacon script can be more finely controlled using certain options:
+these can be given on the command line, or read from a configuration
+file `~/.uxplay.beacon`, if it exists. Configuration file entries are
+like the command line forms, one per line (e.g.,
 `--ipv4 192.168.1.100`). Lines commented out with an initial `#` are
 ignored. Command line options override the configuration file options.
+Get help with `man uxplay-beacon` or `uxplay-beacon.py --help`. Options
+are
 
 -   `--file <config file>` read beacon options from `<config file>`
     instead of `~/.uxplay.beacon`.
@@ -1561,6 +1571,9 @@ ignored. Command line options override the configuration file options.
     This also requires that uxplay is run with option
     "`uxplay -ble <BLE data file>`".
 
+The BlueZ/Dbus version has thee more options not offered by the Windows
+version:
+
 -   `--AdvMin x`, `--AdvMax y`. These controls the interval between BLE
     advertisement broadcasts. This interval is in the range \[x, y\],
     given in units of msecs. Allowed ranges are 100 \<= x \<= y
@@ -1587,15 +1600,16 @@ can disable DNS_SD Service discovery by the avahi-daemon with
 To restore DNS_SD Service discovery, replace "mask" by "unmask", and
 "stop" by "start".
 
-For more information, see the [wiki
-page](https://github.com/FDH2/UxPlay/wiki/Bluetooth_LE_beacon) This has
-useful information if you wish to build a python beacon controller
-script for Windows (we would like to have one!).
+On Windows, the Bonjour Service is controlled using **Services
+Management**: press "Windows + R" to open the Run dialog, run
+`services.msc`, and click on **Bonjour Service** in the alphabetic list.
+This will show links for it to be stopped and restarted.
 
--   **Our current understanding is that Bluetooth LE AirPlay Service
-    Discovery only supports broadcast of IPv4 addresses. Please let us
-    know if this is incorrect, or if IPv6 support is introduced in the
-    future.**
+For more information, see the [wiki
+page](https://github.com/FDH2/UxPlay/wiki/Bluetooth_LE_beacon)
+
+-   **Note that Bluetooth LE AirPlay Service Discovery only supports
+    broadcast of IPv4 addresses**.
 
 # Troubleshooting