Hi, I have an Arduino clone UNO SMD R3 ATmega328P, which I'm trying to use to switch a control in MSFS flight simulator. Arduino IDE recognises the board: Tools - Board - Arduino AVR Boards - Arduino Uno, and Tools - Port - COM4. I have uploaded and verified with no error messages. On the board when connected to PC by USB cable I have 2 red LEDs showing.
But the Arduino doesn't show up in Device Manager, except in Ports - USB Serial Port (COM4). Nor does it show up in the Games Controllers (unlike, for example, a flight sim control stick). So the result is that the simple switch I've installed on the arduino doesn't communicate with the PC program as it's supposed to. Any ideas, please?
How do you think it should communicate with the PC program? The situation that you describe is exactly what would be expected. An Uno R3 connected to a PC will just look like a COM port.
Hi, just to clarify, no, I'm not wanting to using the board as a games controller, just to send a switch command (ON or OFF) to one of the controls in a flight sim program. I'm using a program called Mobiflight (installed on the PC) to communicate with the flt sim program.
The Games Controller I mentioned is a small program on MS Windows 10 that identifies what input devices eg a flight control stick, are connected. I expected to see the Arduino USB cable to show on on the Games Controller when I plug it in - but it doesn't show, which makes me believe either there's a problem in how I setup the board, OR, it's the wrong sort of board and I can't use it.
Well, Mobiflight includes the Uno in the list of compatible boards. But one of the other replies I had suggested there are different types? Sorry, I'm a complete beginner in this matter!
Just in case. When you connect the board to Mobiflight, you need to close the Serial Monitor (and/or Serial Plotter) in the IDE. If it isn't, it might be the reason why the board is not detected.
Just to explain what I’m getting – and bear with me, this is all new to me!
I open Arduino IDE, connect board to PC using supplied USB cable. Board shows 2 red LED lights, therefore must be receiving power via the USB cable.
Following the “getting started” Arduino Guide it says open Device Manager and look under Ports, and I should see Arduino UNO. But I don’t, all I see is 2 listings, Comms Port (COM1) and USB Serial Port (COM4). The board isn’t shown in Other Devices or HIDs and there is no “Unknown Device”. The Guide talks about updating drivers by right clicking on the Uno but it’s not there.
I open the Arduino IDE (2.3.3) and follow Guide for First Sketch (file – examples – 01 basics – Blink). It then says select board, but there are 2 options unknown COM1 and unknown COM4, which I select. Then select board from drop down long list, I select Uno and OK. The IDE window now shows Arduino Uno at the top and that it's COM4.
But clicking Upload then gives a red error message “avrdude: ser-open(): can’t open device \.\Com: Access is denied.
Sorry, I don't understand what are VID or PID. Also I can't do anything or close Serial Monitor/Plotter in Tools
The board was undoubtably cheap but as a beginner I thought it would do the job I wanted. I knew nothing about “the 16U2”
Yes, USB Serial Port (COM4) disappears when I disconnect the board.
Following your instructions (Details – Hardware IDs – Property) it is shown as FTDIBUS\COMPORT&VID_0403&PID_6001 Does that help with the VID and PID?
As I said I’m using Arduino IDE 2.3.3
Going back to your earlier post ref Serial Monitor if I select Tools – Serial Monitor I get a message in the lower box “Connecting to ‘ArduinoUno’ on ‘COM4’”, but after a few seconds “Port monitor error command ‘open’ failed: Serial port busy. Could not connect to COM4 serial port.” So when you said I needed to “close the Serial Monitor in the IDE”, it seems it was never open?
And to answer Brazilino’s question about uploading, I think I meant I’d just selected the IDE upload arrow.
Regarding the question about a specific chip on my board, yes, it does have the component your arrow points to; it appears to be labelled C14. My board is similar but not quite the same as your picture - I'm not sure how to post my own picture yet. Immediately to the right of the main connecting port I have the oval component as in your picture, and I also have the same or similar component to the right of the square CPU and just to the left of your C6 (which I also have). Does that help? You mentioned a specific driver?
Don't worry about it; I'm quite sure that it should be supported in mobiflight unless the serial-to-usb converter is a fake.
There is a bug in IDE 2.3.3 where uploads can fail (specifically with FTDI based boards) if you have the serial monitor or serial plotter open.
It's strange to find a cheap clone with a FT232 chip; there is nothing wrong with that (I have an expensive clone with the FT232). I don't have an official Nano so can't check the VID/PID but I'm reasonably sure that it will be the same as in your output. The chip should look like below (count the number of pins). It's also what @Brazilino pointed at, not at the small capacitor ()
An official Nano has the FT232 chip and is mentioned in the mobiflight documentation so it should work.
Not sure about it. "Serial port busy" indicates that something else is using the port; it can be part of the IDE or it can be mobiflight or it can be something else. There is a Microsoft tool called "process explorer" but I have serious problems driving it and finding the correct information for the FTDI chip.
Yes. It really looks like your board has a CH34x chip, which means you have to install the driver. Why it is showing as an FTDI device in COM4 remains a mistery though.
That chip is as fake as it can be. There has been one topic with the same symptoms for a Nano; Arduino nano unable to establish connection with laptop. Poor user bought it locally, went back to the shop and was told that there was no warranty on it because it was Chinese import.
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