ESP32 CAM

@hurrikane I gave up on those devices a while ago and now order the MB-M modules, so much easier.

This is a Canadian link so adjust to your country https://amz.run/6IR8

@zander Took your advice and gave up on CH-340Gs, as I received my FT232RL FTDI in yesterday's mail, but I still have problems. The device is now recognized on the PC,that is the port selection under tools is "unghosted"

but it will not upload from either RPi 400 or PC saying there is no serial port even tho it shows under tools when I connect it. I'm getting a bit fed up with these, I wasted my money albeit 11 bucks, but it's the principle

@hurrikane I am not sure what you got, but the MB-M connects via standard USB cable. Off the top of my head I don't know what a FT232RL is or for that matter a CH-340G. I do see nomenclature like that from time to time but I think everyone is chasing the wrong thing. I am providing an OOS link to my Canadian source, and a picture as well. I think you need to install a driver but not sure. I run a modern Mac and they are generally much harder to interface with this kind of device but I have never had a problem although I sometimes need to try the upload 3 or 4 times. Occasionally I need to quit the IDE and start it again. It will work eventually.

HOWEVER, it is NOT unusual to have to hit the upload several times, and some of these modules need you to hold down the right hand button (NOT the reset) as soon as you see 'connecting....' Some modules I don't need to hold the button down , some I do.

https://amz.run/6JEW

@zander 

I don't know what a FT232RL is

It is usb to serial chip. It can be used to program the esp32 cam from the Arduino ide.

@robotbuilder Ok, so that's the old fashioned way, I use a normal USB cable now. Sorry at 80 and ASD I have a hard time with all the part numbers, it's all a jumble to me.

@zander 

No problem. I never remember part numbers.  They should just use a descriptive name.  I just happened to have bought one along with an ESP-30 Cam.  Still have to use them but too busy with other projects. 

@robotbuilder What is an ESP-30 cam?

Hello everyone...

there are mostly two kinds of chips builtin these chinese USB 2 serial cables the CH340 series, and the FTDI chips. I assume that your plugs house the CH340 chips because they are most common.

The website is: https://sparks.gogo.co.nz/ch340.html

For Windows:

The unrecognized device on COM?? should have a manual driver replacement.

For Linux:

https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/how-to-install-ch340-drivers/linux

@zander 

🙂

Of course I meant ESP32-CAM.

@hurrikane Not sure how you got that from my reply. I do NOT use FTDI anymore, I only use a normal full USB cable. The ESP32CAM-MB has the needed chips, probably CH-340G as they are the latest I think. In fact the latest don't even need to have the pgm button held down.

The same is true for most newer boards of all kinds.

The drivers for windows are built in but for the Pi you will need to install something. I don't know what that is, it just worked for me. 

One of the reasons I don't miss windows is the constant wrestling with the device manager. I know why it was always an issue so knew where to look. I suspect you do too but there are always exceptions.

Good luck!

@punny3dfx Those are two excellent resources.

@hurrikane I just noticed we are still in the 'Introduce Yourself' forum. You should start from fresh in the correct forum going forward, something like Components.../ESP32 or Project Corner/Help Wanted.

Perhaps cold boot the PC, display device tree after each of the following steps, fire up IDE, load sketch, select board and port. That's a total of 4 device tree prints. If not working, shut down IDE, restart IDE, do NOT verify or upload, just press the board re-boot button, just select the board and port if not pre-selected. If still not working the board may be bad.

@hurrikane -- if you're still having the issue, it's probably your cable.  I tried several different USB converters and loaded and unload various drivers -- all to find out that my USB-A to micro-USB cable was a charging-only cable.  I tested it with my meter and found only the outer two pins (power/ground) on the USB-A side were connected to anything at all on the micro-usb side.  Bought a cable that was labeled as a DATA cable, and suddenly everything was coming up Milhouse.

@drewster This post is old and complicated; you probably did not notice he has a problem with multiple connections. More likely he has either rotten boards or the regular flaky operation. I frequently need to kill the IDE and restart to get a good connection, but I expect these things to fail and just try again. In EVERY case I have encountered, they eventually work. Not to say your advice re cables isn't good, but people need to know that a $4 USB cable is not a data cable; some need to learn there are two different cables.