Hello, I was trying to use a GPS module to read in some values.
First, I wanted to see some raw values so I needed to connect a FTDI adapter but I didn't have any of those. So I decided to make an uno into that thing(after doing little research).
Therefore I removed the micro controller and connected GPS to UNO's tx-->tx and rx-->rx and gave 3.3V to the module and also the ground wire.
I connected the u-center app and I could see some values meaningful coming in
So I just played a little with those numbers but unfortunately it was in hexa decimal form. So I had to use a sketch to see values that I wanted
Secondly, I put micro controller back on the UNO board and uploaded a sketch to read in the values from GPS module using a software serial pin 3 and 5.(At least that is what I was trying to do) Then, I couldn't see anything else then 'PORT BUSY' or 'PORT ERROR' and got confused
So I gave several trials and finally found out that my 'RX and TX LEDs' were not working. So I looked up on the internet and found some similar symptoms that occurred to other people. But most of them had shorted the wires with high voltage and that was the cause for the board's USB connector(converter) to burn.
But in my case, I couldn't see any problems....
Do you guys have any IDEA what might have happened to my board????
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I think it's pretty clear what I did, but I will post some pictures of it.
(Note that it suddenly stopped working after I put the micro controller back on the board,,,, u-center was not getting any values from the port since then...)
SUMMARY: it worked as an FTDI adapter but it couldn't get any uploads after I put micro controller back on the board.