Adafruit Sound FX green light is on but the SFX doesn't show as a USB device

I think I may have got the Adafruit Sound FX code integrated into the rest of my project. However, I have powered up the SFX board for the first time to upload the audio files. The green light is on, UG is tied to GND for UART mode, and the SFX isn’t recognised as a USB drive and no driver needed, as explained in the Adafruit tutorial. I tried multiple leads which I tested on the Nano33BLE board and they all work with that. Can anyone help out please, I don’t know what else to try.

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I found the following post in the Adafruit Forum which should be the solution, it says you can’t have the board connected to an Arduino as it won’t be recognised as a USB. So I need to disconnect it all to upload files. Also reset is required to be connected to Arduino for the boards to talk to each other.
Not sure if this will be a hassle in the future if I need to add or modify sound files, I would like to know if I can upload files via UART?

Adafruit customer service forums • View topic - FX Sound Board 2mb connected once now not connecting

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Hi Kevin,

I’ve done some digging into this one, and I think you’re on the money. There’s a chance that the microcontroller that’s on the FX board uses the same pins for UART and USB, so that might be why you can’t do both at once. I’d try adding a switch to your pulldown connection so you can switch between a mode that works to add files, and one that gets controlled by the micro.

Does that work in with the rest of your project?
-James

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I disconnect each connection and tested, thinking I may get away with just the uarts and reset, but no, every connection including ground and Vin had to be disconnected and then it works.

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So James, are you meaning the UG pin, which is connected to GND for UART mode? and open the contacts to float it?

I tested it and you are correct. Thanks James. Easy fix. I’ll post it on Adafruit site as it isn’t on there and all they say to do is disconnect the board. Another win :partying_face:

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Hi Kevin,

Excellent, glad it was this easy, definitely worth chucking a post on the Adafruit thread so others know for next time :slight_smile:

-James

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