I should use the mac mini m1 also for indoor cycling activities so I have to connect, in addition to the keyboard and mouse, also two other bt devices. Does the mac mini have at least 4 BT channels?
MacBook Pro (2020 and later)
There is no "channels" in Bluetooth. It is a "shared band" protocol which by specification can handle up to seven devices. However, practical limits are three to four devices depending on data stream demands.
Since all devices share the same bandwidth, the practical limit is determined by the data bandwidth of each device. So, there really is not a clear cut answer to your question since the nature of the data streaming is unknown and if the keyboard and mouse will also be in continuous use.
Also, when you say "indoor cycling activities", are you referring to static cycling devices or actual bikes on an indoor track? If it is the latter, Bluetooth has a limited range so it may not be of use in such circumstances.
There is no "channels" in Bluetooth. It is a "shared band" protocol which by specification can handle up to seven devices. However, practical limits are three to four devices depending on data stream demands.
Since all devices share the same bandwidth, the practical limit is determined by the data bandwidth of each device. So, there really is not a clear cut answer to your question since the nature of the data streaming is unknown and if the keyboard and mouse will also be in continuous use.
Also, when you say "indoor cycling activities", are you referring to static cycling devices or actual bikes on an indoor track? If it is the latter, Bluetooth has a limited range so it may not be of use in such circumstances.
The effective throughput of Bluetooth 5.0, is ~1.6 Megabits/second with a good signal (actual speed is 2.0 Megabits/second, but a fair amount is consumed with transmission overhead).
With that said, the keyboard and mouse definitely do not use a lot of data bandwidth. Depending on how your heart rate monitor is reporting data, that can be low to medium low bandwidth. Your interactive trainer also depends on how much data and how often it is reported. Then there is the audio. How much bandwidth it consumes totally depends on the quality that is being sent and if it is using Bluetooth compression or data passthrough, like AAC. normal iTunes downloads are 256 kilobit/sec streams. Also, the audio receiving device will also dictate what can be sent.
So, with that said, it is a matter of adding up the numbers to see if it is feasible and the easiest way is to just try and see what happens.
Thank you for the answer.
I am referring to static cycling activities with an interactive roller.
In this specific use, my minimal need is to connect the keyboard, mouse, heart rate monitor, interactive trainer and an audio output to the Mac Mini.
Mac Mini M1, how many bt channels does it have?
