Lost in DFPlayer debugging

Hi,

I am unable to debug why dfplayer is not working for me.

I have been trying to use DFPlayer Mini (bought from two different vendors on amazon) using both the basic and more complete (1K resistor also on TX) wiring as shown in the wiki ( DFPlayer Mini Mp3 Player - DFRobot Wiki )

I have been mainly using the "full function" code in the same URL on an Arduino Uno. I have tried the simpler example too but I do not think my issue is related to the code.

The board has been powered by both the arduino itself and also through an external AC/DC adaptor at 5V.

Of the three units:

  1. One unit has a blue LED that turns on and if I play with shorting I/O lines, I get it (sometimes) to play one of the mp3s on the card. Ardunio serial monitor always gives.
    DFRobot DFPlayer Mini Demo
    Initializing DFPlayer ... (May take 3~5 seconds)
    Unable to begin:
    1.Please recheck the connection!
    2.Please insert the SD card!

  2. Another unit has a red LED that turns on and it does not respond to shorting I/O lines. The arduino result is exactly the same.

  3. Third unit does not have any LEDs that turn on. The arduino result is exactly the same.

I am lost. I can not even figure out where to look for about what to expect for the LED behavior. I think since I am able to play one mp3 file on one of the units my SD card is created correctly.

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!

Thanks.

Have you downloaded the DFMini Robot Library? There are 5 different programs examples on that. I'm at work so I'm going off of memory here- but two of them are named "DigitalwithoutACK" and "DigitalwithoutReset." See if you can get your player working off of those.
Also, remember you have to name your tracks 0001.mp3, 0002.mp3 , etc. Gotta be 4 digits, but if you've got the wiki I assume you saw that.
The last thing is that the soldering wiring on those things isn't the greatest. This Youtube link shows the problems with the soldering, in the end the diagnosis is that the factory had the wiring of the SPK + and SPK - backwards.
[Fixing DFPlayer Mini with no sound - YouTube](http://Have you downloaded the DFMini Robot Library? There are 5 different programs examples on that. I'm at work so I'm going off of memory here- but two of them are named "DigitalwithoutACK" and "DigitalwithoutReset." See if you can get your player working off of those.
Also, remember you have to name your tracks 0001.mp3, 0002.mp3 , etc. Gotta be 4 digits, but if you've got the wiki I assume you saw that.
The last thing is that the soldering wiring on those things isn't the greatest. This Youtube link shows the problems with the soldering, in the end the diagnosis is that the factory had the wiring of the SPK + and SPK - backwards.
Fixing DFPlayer Mini with no sound - YouTube
Hope that helps.)
Hope that helps.

Hello, may post your schematic, please?

Hi,

I have used the one that is on the wiki:

Is there a documentation of the LEDs and colors?

The one I have is through the Arduino IDE. Its called DFRobotDFPlayerMini. It should be a direct download through the "Manage Libraries" function under the Tools menu. I searched DF Mini and several appear. The two I referred to earlier are "AdvancedSettingwithoutACK and
"Advanced Setting without Reset".
I have never seen a reference to the LED colors. The only one I assume is that Red means the power is on.

Thank you. I have found those. I will try them. I was using the basic version without avoiding ACK or RESET.

I have weird behavior from LEDs as I tried to explain before which is:

1 unit: always a blue LED on.
1 unit: always a faint red LED on.
1 unit: nothing is ever on.

Some videos show that LEDs are on when it is working/playing songs but there is no documentation that I can locate.