Can't get dfr mp3 player to work

Hey there, I got this dfr mp3 player modul, installed the dfrobot library, but can't get it to work. I just want it to play a music track with my arduino nano. Could someone help me pls? I wanted to make a small music box with it and it should actually be a christmas present. Now nothing works as it should.



I put a file ,,mp3tf16p.h into the sketch folder.

This is how I managed to connect it (is it correct? )

This is my code:

#include "SoftwareSerial.h"

SoftwareSerial mySerial(10, 11); // RX, TX

void sendCommand(uint8_t command, uint16_t parameter) {
  uint8_t startByte = 0x7E;
  uint8_t version = 0xFF;
  uint8_t length = 0x06;
  uint8_t feedback = 0x00;
  uint8_t endByte = 0xEF;

  uint8_t highByte = (parameter >> 8) & 0xFF; // High Byte of Parameter
  uint8_t lowByte = parameter & 0xFF;        // Low Byte of Parameter

  uint16_t checksum = 0xFFFF - (version + length + command + feedback + highByte + lowByte) + 1;
  uint8_t checksumHigh = (checksum >> 8) & 0xFF;
  uint8_t checksumLow = checksum & 0xFF;

  mySerial.write(startByte);
  mySerial.write(version);
  mySerial.write(length);
  mySerial.write(command);
  mySerial.write(feedback);
  mySerial.write(highByte);
  mySerial.write(lowByte);
  mySerial.write(checksumHigh);
  mySerial.write(checksumLow);
  mySerial.write(endByte);
}

void checkSDCardStatus() {
  sendCommand(0x3F, 0); // Check TF card status
  delay(1000);

  while (mySerial.available()) {
    int incoming = mySerial.read();
    Serial.print("Response: 0x");
    Serial.println(incoming, HEX);
  }
}

void setup() {
  Serial.begin(9600);
  mySerial.begin(9600);

  Serial.println("Initializing DFPlayer Mini...");

  sendCommand(0x06, 30); // Set volume to maximum (30)
  Serial.println("Volume set to maximum.");

  Serial.println("Checking SD card status...");
  checkSDCardStatus();

  sendCommand(0x03, 1); // Play track 1
  Serial.println("Playing track 1.");
}

void loop() {
  while (mySerial.available()) {
    int incoming = mySerial.read();
    Serial.print("Response: 0x");
    Serial.println(incoming, HEX);
  }
}

forgot to mention: I formatted my SD CARD (32GB ) SHCD with the sd card formatter and only put two tracks on it named 0001.mp3 and 0002.mp3

so ,tried another code
#include <SoftwareSerial.h>
#include <DFRobotDFPlayerMini.h>

SoftwareSerial mySerial(2, 3); // RX, TX Arduino Nano
DFRobotDFPlayerMini myDFPlayer;

void printDetail(uint8_t type, int value);

void setup() {
Serial.begin(115200);
mySerial.begin(115200);

if (!myDFPlayer.begin(mySerial)) {
Serial.println(F("Kann DFPlayer nicht initialisieren:"));
Serial.println(F("1. Überprüfe die Verbindung!"));
Serial.println(F("2. Überprüfe die SD Karte!"));
while (true);
}
Serial.println(F("DFPlayer initialisiert."));

myDFPlayer.volume(30); // Lautstärke setzen (Bereich: 0-30)
myDFPlayer.EQ(DFPLAYER_EQ_NORMAL); // EQ-Modus auf Normal setzen
myDFPlayer.outputDevice(DFPLAYER_DEVICE_SD); // Ausgang auf SD-Karte setzen
}

void loop() {
static unsigned long timer = 0;

// Alle 5 Sekunden eine Datei abspielen
if (millis() - timer > 5000) {
timer = millis();
myDFPlayer.play(1); // Datei 0001.mp3 abspielen
Serial.println(F("Spiele Datei 0001.mp3"));
}

// Verfügbare Informationen vom DFPlayer prüfen
while (myDFPlayer.available()) {
printDetail(myDFPlayer.readType(), myDFPlayer.read());
}
}

void printDetail(uint8_t type, int value) {
switch (type) {
case TimeOut:
Serial.println(F("Zeitüberschreitung!"));
break;
case DFPlayerPlayFinished:
Serial.print(F("Abgespielt: "));
Serial.print(value);
Serial.println(F(" Lied beendet."));
break;
case DFPlayerCardInserted:
Serial.println(F("SD Karte eingesteckt!"));
break;
case DFPlayerCardRemoved:
Serial.println(F("SD Karte entfernt!"));
break;
case DFPlayerCardOnline:
Serial.println(F("SD Karte Online!"));
break;
case WrongStack:
Serial.println(F("Falscher Stack!"));
break;
default:
Serial.println(F("Unbekannter Typ."));
break;
}
}`

And this is the result

Can't initialise the DFPlayer

  1. Check Connection!
  2. Check SD Card!

can you give a link to the specific DFRplayer?
how have you connected the DFRplay to the nano?
it is possible the Nano may not have sufficient power to drive the player

have you looked at DFRobotDFPlayerMini library? I have used it with a UNO (using AltSoftSerial library) and an ESP32 OK

EDIT: just noted post 3 - make sure you use code tags </> it makes the code much more readable
noted you are using

mySerial.begin(115200);

I used 9600 baud to communicate with the DFRplayer

also have a look at Dfrobot-Dfplayer-Mini.html#manual

I bought this DFRplayer DFR Player Amazon

I have connected the Nano to my laptop currently to look at the serial monitor. I don't know how to connect it otherwise (other than to a plug but then I can't check the errors )

Initializing MP3Player ...
MP3Player online.
MP3Player initialized.
Checking SD card...

#ifndef MP3TF16P_H
#define MP3TF16P_H

#include "SoftwareSerial.h"
#include "DFRobotDFPlayerMini.h"

#define MP3_ERROR_ONLY 1
#define MP3_ALL_MESSAGE 2

class MP3Player
{
private:
    SoftwareSerial *mySoftwareSerial;  // SoftwareSerial für die Kommunikation mit dem MP3-Modul
    void statusOnSerial(uint8_t type, int value);
    void waitPlayIsTerminated(void);
    int p_RX; // Empfangspin
    int p_TX; // Sendepin

public:
    DFRobotDFPlayerMini player; // Instanz des DFPlayer
    MP3Player(int RX, int TX);  // Konstruktor
    ~MP3Player();              // Destruktor
    void playTrackNumber(int trackNumber, int volume, boolean waitPlayTerminated = true);
    boolean playCompleted(void);
    void initialize(void);
    int serialPrintStatus(int errorOnly);
    SoftwareSerial* getSoftwareSerial(); // Methode für Zugriff auf mySoftwareSerial
};

// Konstruktor: Initialisiert die RX- und TX-Pins
MP3Player::MP3Player(int RX, int TX)
{
    p_TX = TX;
    p_RX = RX;
}

// Destruktor: Bereinigt Ressourcen (falls erforderlich)
MP3Player::~MP3Player()
{
}

// Initialisierung des MP3-Players
void MP3Player::initialize(void)
{
    mySoftwareSerial = new SoftwareSerial(p_RX, p_TX); // Erstelle SoftwareSerial-Instanz
    mySoftwareSerial->begin(9600);                     // Baudrate für die Kommunikation

    Serial.println(F("Initializing MP3Player ..."));

    // Starte den MP3-Player
    if (!player.begin(*mySoftwareSerial, true, false)) // Beginne Kommunikation mit Modul
    {
        Serial.println(F("Unable to begin:"));
        Serial.println(F("1. Please recheck the connection!"));
        Serial.println(F("2. Please insert the SD card!"));
        while (true)
            ; // Endlosschleife bei Fehler
    }
    player.volume(10); // Setzt die Lautstärke (Skala: 0-30)
    Serial.println(F("MP3Player online."));
}

// Zugriffsmethode für mySoftwareSerial
SoftwareSerial* MP3Player::getSoftwareSerial()
{
    return mySoftwareSerial;
}

// Spielt eine Datei basierend auf der Track-Nummer und Lautstärke
void MP3Player::playTrackNumber(int trackNumber, int volume, boolean waitPlayTerminated)
{
    player.volume(volume);    // Setze Lautstärke
    player.play(trackNumber); // Spiele Datei mit angegebener Nummer
    if (waitPlayTerminated)
    {
        waitPlayIsTerminated(); // Warte, bis Track beendet ist
    }
}

// Wartet, bis das Abspielen des Tracks beendet ist
void MP3Player::waitPlayIsTerminated(void)
{
    while (!playCompleted())
    {
        // Warte passiv
    }
}

// Prüft, ob das Abspielen abgeschlossen ist
boolean MP3Player::playCompleted(void)
{
    if (player.available())
    {
        return player.readType() == DFPlayerPlayFinished; // Rückmeldung: Track beendet
    }
    return false;
}

// Gibt Statusmeldungen des MP3-Moduls auf der seriellen Schnittstelle aus
int MP3Player::serialPrintStatus(int verbose)
{
    if (player.available())
    {
        uint8_t type = player.readType(); // Typ der Nachricht
        int value = player.read();        // Wert der Nachricht
        if (verbose == MP3_ERROR_ONLY)
        {
            if (type == DFPlayerError)
            {
                statusOnSerial(type, value);
            }
        }
        else
        {
            statusOnSerial(type, value);
        }
        if (type == DFPlayerError)
        {
            return value; // Fehlercode zurückgeben
        }
        else
        {
            return 0; // Kein Fehler
        }
    }
    return 0; // Standard-Rückgabe
}

// Gibt detaillierte Fehlermeldungen auf der seriellen Konsole aus
void MP3Player::statusOnSerial(uint8_t type, int value)
{
    switch (type)
    {
    case TimeOut:
        Serial.println(F("Time Out!"));
        break;
    case WrongStack:
        Serial.println(F("Stack Wrong!"));
        break;
    case DFPlayerCardInserted:
        Serial.println(F("Card Inserted!"));
        break;
    case DFPlayerCardRemoved:
        Serial.println(F("Card Removed!"));
        break;
    case DFPlayerCardOnline:
        Serial.println(F("Card Online!"));
        break;
    case DFPlayerPlayFinished:
        Serial.print(F("Number:"));
        Serial.print(value);
        Serial.println(F(" Play Finished!"));
        break;
    case DFPlayerError:
        Serial.print(F("DFPlayerError:"));
        switch (value)
        {
        case Busy:
            Serial.println(F("Card not found"));
            break;
        case Sleeping:
            Serial.println(F("Sleeping"));
            break;
        case SerialWrongStack:
            Serial.println(F("Get Wrong Stack"));
            break;
        case CheckSumNotMatch:
            Serial.println(F("Check Sum Not Match"));
            break;
        case FileIndexOut:
            Serial.println(F("File Index Out of Bound"));
            break;
        case FileMismatch:
            Serial.println(F("Cannot Find File"));
            break;
        case Advertise:
            Serial.println(F("In Advertise"));
            break;
        default:
            Serial.println(F("Unknown Error"));
            break;
        }
        break;
    default:
        Serial.println(F("Unknown Message Type"));
        break;
    }
}

#endif // MP3TF16P_H

Hope the code is more readable now. I changed it to this code now. Not on my own though, used ChatGPT for this because I'm desperate now and can't figure it out anymore.

how is the nano connected to the DFRplayer? which pins used? how is it powered?

Just noticed the code wasn't posted. added it above.

I have connected toe NANO with a usb c to usb c cable. Usb c cable stuck into my laptop and the other end into the nano.

this is the current connection. I connected the 2nd pin at the dfplayer (blue cable) to D11 on Nano and the 3rd (yellow dfrplayer) to D10

5V (green cable) is on the 1st pin at dfrplayer and the grnd (brown cable) is also on Grnd

Thanks for your help btw !

try this code

// Arduino Nano Classic  DFRobotDFPlayer player

// **** Once the card is formatted, MP3 files can be copied to it. 
// **** They are played in the order in which they were copied to the card
// names make no difference

#include "Arduino.h"
#include <AltSoftSerial.h>
#include "DFRobotDFPlayerMini.h"

// Nano connections
// Nano VIN (5V) to DFPlayer VCC
// Nano GND to DFPlayer GND
// Nano pin 8 RX to DFPlayer TX
// Nano pin 9 TX to DFPlayer RX
// Nano pin 4 to DFPlayer BUSY

AltSoftSerial mySoftwareSerial(8, 9); // nano RX, TX
#define BUSY 4

DFRobotDFPlayerMini myDFPlayer;
void printDetail(uint8_t type, int value);

void setup() {
  pinMode(4, INPUT_PULLUP);  // GPIO 4 is Busy signal
  mySoftwareSerial.begin(9600);
  Serial.begin(115200);
  delay(3000);
  Serial.println();
  Serial.println(F("\nNano DFRobot DFPlayer Mini Demo"));
  Serial.println(F("Initializing DFPlayer ... (May take 3~5 seconds)"));

  if (!myDFPlayer.begin(mySoftwareSerial)) {  //Use softwareSerial to communicate with mp3.
    Serial.println(F("Unable to begin:"));
    Serial.println(F("1.Please recheck the connection!"));
    Serial.println(F("2.Please insert the SD card!"));
    while (true)
      ;
  }
  Serial.println(F("DFPlayer Mini online."));
  myDFPlayer.volume(25);  //Set volume value. From 0 to 30
  //myDFPlayer.play(1);     //Play the first mp3
  delay(10);
  Serial.println("enter track to play (1, 2, 3, etc)");
}

void loop() {
  static unsigned long timer = millis();
  static int busy = -1;
  // check if player Busy status has changed
  if (digitalRead(BUSY) != busy) {
    if ((busy = digitalRead(BUSY)))
      Serial.println("busy " + String(busy) + " NOT playing");
    else
      Serial.println("busy " + String(busy) + " playing");
    ;
  }

  if (millis() - timer > 3000) {
    timer = millis();
    //myDFPlayer.next();  //Play next mp3 every 3 second.
  }
  // if new track entered play it
  if (Serial.available()) {
    int x = Serial.parseInt();
    Serial.println("playing " + String(x));
    myDFPlayer.play(x);
    while (Serial.available()) Serial.read();
    delay(10);
  }

  // if player status changed display
  if (myDFPlayer.available()) {
    printDetail(myDFPlayer.readType(), myDFPlayer.read());  //Print the detail message from DFPlayer to handle different errors and states.
  }
}

void printDetail(uint8_t type, int value) {
  switch (type) {
    case TimeOut:
      Serial.println(F("Time Out!"));
      break;
    case WrongStack:
      Serial.println(F("Stack Wrong!"));
      break;
    case DFPlayerCardInserted:
      Serial.println(F("Card Inserted!"));
      break;
    case DFPlayerCardRemoved:
      Serial.println(F("Card Removed!"));
      break;
    case DFPlayerCardOnline:
      Serial.println(F("Card Online!"));
      break;
    case DFPlayerPlayFinished:
      Serial.print(F("Number:"));
      Serial.print(value);
      Serial.println(F(" Play Finished!"));
      break;
    case DFPlayerError:
      Serial.print(F("DFPlayerError:"));
      switch (value) {
        case Busy:
          Serial.println(F("Card not found"));
          break;
        case Sleeping:
          Serial.println(F("Sleeping"));
          break;
        case SerialWrongStack:
          Serial.println(F("Get Wrong Stack"));
          break;
        case CheckSumNotMatch:
          Serial.println(F("Check Sum Not Match"));
          break;
        case FileIndexOut:
          Serial.println(F("File Index Out of Bound"));
          break;
        case FileMismatch:
          Serial.println(F("Cannot Find File"));
          break;
        case Advertise:
          Serial.println(F("In Advertise"));
          break;
        default:
          break;
      }
      break;
    default:
      break;
  }
}

serial monitor output (I press 1 then 2 then 3 to play tracks 1 etc)

Nano DFRobot DFPlayer Mini Demo
Initializing DFPlayer ... (May take 3~5 seconds)
DFPlayer Mini online.
enter track to play (1, 2, 3, etc)
busy 1 NOT playing
playing 1
busy 0 playing
playing 2
busy 1 NOT playing
busy 0 playing
playing 3
busy 1 NOT playing
busy 0 playing

photo

Where do the RED and BLK wire from the DFPlayerMini go? It looks like you have two power sources. Draw your wiring as you have it.

that is how it looks like .

it says this `C:\Users\jeann\Documents\Arduino\mp3try\mp3try.ino:8:10: fatal error: AltSoftSerial.h: No such file or directory
#include <AltSoftSerial.h>
^~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
compilation terminated.
exit status 1

Compilation error: AltSoftSerial.h: No such file or directory`

Is it because I have this other mp3tf16p.h in my sketch folder with code? this currently. Should I remove it? Verwende dieses Symbol um Code zu posten

#ifndef MP3TF16P_H
#define MP3TF16P_H

#include "SoftwareSerial.h"
#include "DFRobotDFPlayerMini.h"

#define MP3_ERROR_ONLY 1
#define MP3_ALL_MESSAGE 2

class MP3Player
{
private:
    SoftwareSerial *mySoftwareSerial;  // SoftwareSerial für die Kommunikation mit dem MP3-Modul
    void statusOnSerial(uint8_t type, int value);
    void waitPlayIsTerminated(void);
    int p_RX; // Empfangspin
    int p_TX; // Sendepin

public:
    DFRobotDFPlayerMini player; // Instanz des DFPlayer
    MP3Player(int RX, int TX);  // Konstruktor
    ~MP3Player();              // Destruktor
    void playTrackNumber(int trackNumber, int volume, boolean waitPlayTerminated = true);
    boolean playCompleted(void);
    void initialize(void);
    int serialPrintStatus(int errorOnly);
    SoftwareSerial* getSoftwareSerial(); // Methode für Zugriff auf mySoftwareSerial
};

// Konstruktor: Initialisiert die RX- und TX-Pins
MP3Player::MP3Player(int RX, int TX)
{
    p_TX = TX;
    p_RX = RX;
}

// Destruktor: Bereinigt Ressourcen (falls erforderlich)
MP3Player::~MP3Player()
{
}

// Initialisierung des MP3-Players
void MP3Player::initialize(void)
{
    mySoftwareSerial = new SoftwareSerial(p_RX, p_TX); // Erstelle SoftwareSerial-Instanz
    mySoftwareSerial->begin(9600);                     // Baudrate für die Kommunikation

    Serial.println(F("Initializing MP3Player ..."));

    // Starte den MP3-Player
    if (!player.begin(*mySoftwareSerial, true, false)) // Beginne Kommunikation mit Modul
    {
        Serial.println(F("Unable to begin:"));
        Serial.println(F("1. Please recheck the connection!"));
        Serial.println(F("2. Please insert the SD card!"));
        while (true)
            ; // Endlosschleife bei Fehler
    }
    player.volume(10); // Setzt die Lautstärke (Skala: 0-30)
    Serial.println(F("MP3Player online."));
}

// Zugriffsmethode für mySoftwareSerial
SoftwareSerial* MP3Player::getSoftwareSerial()
{
    return mySoftwareSerial;
}

// Spielt eine Datei basierend auf der Track-Nummer und Lautstärke
void MP3Player::playTrackNumber(int trackNumber, int volume, boolean waitPlayTerminated)
{
    Serial.print(F("Setting volume to "));
    Serial.println(volume);
    player.volume(volume);    // Setze Lautstärke
    Serial.print(F("Playing track number: "));
    Serial.println(trackNumber);
    player.play(trackNumber); // Spiele Datei mit angegebener Nummer
    if (waitPlayTerminated)
    {
        waitPlayIsTerminated(); // Warte, bis Track beendet ist
    }
}

// Wartet, bis das Abspielen des Tracks beendet ist
void MP3Player::waitPlayIsTerminated(void)
{
    Serial.println(F("Waiting for track to finish..."));
    while (!playCompleted())
    {
        // Warte passiv
    }
    Serial.println(F("Track finished."));
}

// Prüft, ob das Abspielen abgeschlossen ist
boolean MP3Player::playCompleted(void)
{
    if (player.available())
    {
        return player.readType() == DFPlayerPlayFinished; // Rückmeldung: Track beendet
    }
    return false;
}

// Gibt Statusmeldungen des MP3-Moduls auf der seriellen Schnittstelle aus
int MP3Player::serialPrintStatus(int verbose)
{
    if (player.available())
    {
        uint8_t type = player.readType(); // Typ der Nachricht
        int value = player.read();        // Wert der Nachricht
        if (verbose == MP3_ERROR_ONLY)
        {
            if (type == DFPlayerError)
            {
                statusOnSerial(type, value);
            }
        }
        else
        {
            statusOnSerial(type, value);
        }
        if (type == DFPlayerError)
        {
            return value; // Fehlercode zurückgeben
        }
        else
        {
            return 0; // Kein Fehler
        }
    }
    return 0; // Standard-Rückgabe
}

// Gibt detaillierte Fehlermeldungen auf der seriellen Konsole aus
void MP3Player::statusOnSerial(uint8_t type, int value)
{
    switch (type)
    {
    case TimeOut:
        Serial.println(F("Time Out!"));
        break;
    case WrongStack:
        Serial.println(F("Stack Wrong!"));
        break;
    case DFPlayerCardInserted:
        Serial.println(F("Card Inserted!"));
        break;
    case DFPlayerCardRemoved:
        Serial.println(F("Card Removed!"));
        break;
    case DFPlayerCardOnline:
        Serial.println(F("Card Online!"));
        break;
    case DFPlayerPlayFinished:
        Serial.print(F("Number:"));
        Serial.print(value);
        Serial.println(F(" Play Finished!"));
        break;
    case DFPlayerError:
        Serial.print(F("DFPlayerError:"));
        switch (value)
        {
        case Busy:
            Serial.println(F("Card not found"));
            break;
        case Sleeping:
            Serial.println(F("Sleeping"));
            break;
        case SerialWrongStack:
            Serial.println(F("Get Wrong Stack"));
            break;
        case CheckSumNotMatch:
            Serial.println(F("Check Sum Not Match"));
            break;
        case FileIndexOut:
            Serial.println(F("File Index Out of Bound"));
            break;
        case FileMismatch:
            Serial.println(F("Cannot Find File"));
            break;
        case Advertise:
            Serial.println(F("In Advertise"));
            break;
        default:
            Serial.println(F("Unknown Error"));
            break;
        }
        break;
    default:
        Serial.println(F("Unknown Message Type"));
        break;
    }
}

#endif // MP3TF16P_H

You have not installed AltSoftSerial.h... you can install it using the Library Manager in the IDE.

Remove what?

This sketch does not match your previous post or the suggestion in Post #8.

I tried the code @horace send me in this thread

How do you determine "working"? Have you tried a buzzer in place of the speaker?

this is what I get

�����Mد؂��Zㆂ�

and after 1

���М

I assume on the Serial Monitor. Check your baud rate matches in the sketch and on your IDE.

No, I don't have sth like this. In order to work it should light up, right? The Led on the mp3 mini. It never did so far. The RX sometimes lit up/blinked for a few seconds but that's it . Nothing else. And the result would be a song playing through the speakers. That's all I want

What is this?

What lights up?

Thanks, didn't realize I still had 9600. With the new one I got this

Nano 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!

SD Card is inserted and the connection is the same as I have drawn. I don't know what else to check tbh