Hello,
I bought an Adafruit ItsyBitsy M4 Express, especially for making retro-games with MakeCode Arcade. After soldering the pins I tested out my ItsyBitsy under CircuitPython and the Arduino IDE. Then I tried to make it running with MakeCode Arcade (newest bootloader). I used the following documents from the adafruit learning system:
- Introducing Adafruit ItsyBitsy M4 (release from 2021-07-26 and 2021-08-19)
- MakeCode Arcade with SAMD51 M4 (release from 2020-12-11)
- How to Make Games in MakeCode Arcade (release from 2019-04-04)
- Simple Audio Player (rel 2018-02-05),
link: https://docs.arduino.cc/tutorials/gener ... dio-player
I wired the ItsyBitsy M4 with an Adafruit 1.8-TFT and all the other the components on a breadboard like given in «MakeCode Arcade with SAMD51 M4). First it won`t work, after conneting and disconnetig from the PC and several times resetting the ItsyBitsy, suddenly it works ^^
That means I got the bootloader screen and could download the «Eater Princess» from MakeCode Arcade. So I could play the game. But I missed the sound.
In «Introducing Adafruit ItsyBitsy M4» I found on page 140 how to wire a Piezo Speaker. Finally I checked out, that the sound cames on A0 of the ItsyBitsy (with the original code of the «Eater Princess» - I did`nt modify it). But the sound of the «game over» was very low. So I needed an audio amplifier and a mini speaker (8 Ohm). In the Arduino tutorial «Simple Audio Player» I found how to do that. It worked fine in general – e.g. connecting the amplifier with my smartphone - as well with my ItsyBitsy MakeCode Arcade: Now I could hear the «game over»-sound clearly :-)
I was happy, but only for a humble few days, yesterday morning the ItsyBitsy crashed: instead of the «Eater Princess» I saw only the ItsyBitsy blinking on its LED (red) near the reset-button. The reset-button did`nt work. Connecting the ItsyBitsy with a computer there is now no flash disk.
Nothing works anymore …
I guess I need a new ItsyBitsy M4 Express – please help me out.
Thanks in advance
ItsyBitsy out of service
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Please be positive and constructive with your questions and comments.
- mikeysklar
- Posts: 13945
- Joined: Mon Aug 01, 2016 8:10 pm
Re: ItsyBitsy out of service
@Maker21,
What was your date of purchase for the ItsyBitsy M4 from us?
Since you are using MakeCode a single reset button press should bring up the bootloader. Please make sure that no other components are attached to your ItsyBitsy.
What was your date of purchase for the ItsyBitsy M4 from us?
Since you are using MakeCode a single reset button press should bring up the bootloader. Please make sure that no other components are attached to your ItsyBitsy.
- Maker21
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Tue Sep 14, 2021 7:49 pm
Re: ItsyBitsy out of service
+++mikeysklar wrote:@Maker21,
What was your date of purchase for the ItsyBitsy M4 from us?
Since you are using MakeCode a single reset button press should bring up the bootloader. Please make sure that no other components are attached to your ItsyBitsy.
Hi Mikeysklar,
I purchased the ItsyBitsy M4 from Play-Zone.ch on August, the 9th of 2021. Play-Zone told me to contact you describing the problem as a topic - in case of a warranty-exchange they will need your ok.
But in the meantime I could reset the ItsyBitsy M4 - detached of all its components. This helped out: The bootdrive was available again on the PC, so I could download the "Eater Princess".
Now it works again - with sound :-)
Thank you very much for your support.
Regards
- mikeysklar
- Posts: 13945
- Joined: Mon Aug 01, 2016 8:10 pm
Re: ItsyBitsy out of service
Glad to hear you got this going. Now code up some games!
Please be positive and constructive with your questions and comments.