@sebastian Yeah, I get what you mean—there are definitely some exciting new Boards out there! The Nano 33 IoT is super beginner-friendly, and I can see why it’s gaining attention. That said, I still feel like the ESP32 wins when it comes to raw performance, cost and built-in features.

I am a fan of the ESP32 for its features and price, but I think it’s important to keep an open mind. The Arduino Nano 33 IoT has caught my attention lately. It’s great for beginners and integrates seamlessly with the Arduino platform, which makes it super accessible. Plus, with the launch of the Raspberry Pi Pico 2 and the anticipation of the Pico 2W, there are exciting new options coming into play. These Boards could potentially outperform the ESP32 for many IoT projects, especially when it comes to ease of use and energy efficiency. So while the ESP32 is still a solid choice, I think it’s wise to explore the newer alternatives as they become available!

I’ve been using the ESP32 for many years now for most of my projects due to its built-in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and dual-core processor. It has a great balance between performance, features, and price, but with newer Boards like the Raspberry Pi Pico W and improved Arduino Boards, I’m wondering if the ESP32 is still the best all-around microcontroller for IoT and other general purposes in 2024. Price-wise no one beats ESP32 and like Arduino, now it too has a large, active community, which means you can find libraries, tutorials, and troubleshooting help easily. What are your thoughts? Do you still prefer the ESP32, or are there other Boards that have taken its place as the go-to for most projects

I know is not probably the best place for a newbie, the AI somehow helps but I definitely prefer go with the experts. I am fascinated with the laws of electronic, but more than ever I know it demands a serious compromise to enter this amazing world. Board Description: HXYT-A0-665-REV1.1 (A bluetooth speaker)The speaker wont turn on, is doing nothing.SIDE ACompt.1= 56HS5, B310B (5 pins)Compt.2= J6 (3 pins) ?Compt.3 4004A, 33580KMSide BCompt.1= 4R7 (inductor)Compt.2= SS54 (SCHOTTKY BARRIER RECTIFIER)Compt.3= M8889, Y4D371 (8 Pins) ?Compt.4 PNSA15E7E, X0B253, 2359 --When connected the battery in the terminals, it shows normal (aprox 5V)--I tested the negative and positive spots in reverse of battery connector and off course no shorted--When first tested pin C of power button, it shows 0.840V, after some tests is showing 2.4V when first push the power button it drops to 0V but now no more drops and it gets 2.4 V no matter if push the power button--Tested all capacitors of Side A and all of them are ok, also the capacitor X which is connected to the Compt.3, the component 3 seems to be a DC-DC converter, the capacitor X is in parallel of pins 4 and 6. When checking the VIN in Compt.3 (pin5) is ok, but when I push the power button there is no VOUT (pin1)--When connected to the charger, the device’s charging led turns on and the Board battery terminals shows the charging voltage. In Side B We can see the battery port, the left pin is the + one, that pin goes to the compt.1 through pad named in the image as “pad positive pin”, then the compt.1 is connected to the compt.2 (I tested both and they seem to be ok). I tested all capacitors in Side B, all of them are ok except capacitor X. The capacitor X is connected to the pin that is marked with a yellow face sticker in compt.4, and I'd like to have the PCB's information or at least the compt.4's (or the M8889) in order to know that capacitor values.What more testing do you recommend me to apply, what is component 2 in side A, what is component 4 in side B, is it a multiplexer? What is component 3 in side B, is it a switch IC? What recommendations can you give me when is hard to find a component by its code? Attachment :  Side-A.jpg

... the Board, lifting one leg of suspected components (like capacitors or diodes) to see if the short clears. Electrolytic caps are a common culprit. Another simple method that’s helped me is the finger test or using a drop of isopropyl alcohol. Power the Board with a current-limited supply (set low, so nothing burns), and often the shorted component will heat up faster than the rest. You can sometimes feel it with your finger or WAtch where the alcohol evaporates first. If the short is stubborn, I’ve also followed the divide and conquer approach—cutting tra ...

It turns out the driver chip WAs indeed the issue. I replaced the Board with a new ESP32 Board, and everything is working perfectly now.

I need to pick one interface before finalizing my PCB and firmware. Short on‑board sensor links; priorities are minimal pins, low power, and reliable data. Which would you choose and why?

I need a Board with native USB support for HID or custom USB projects, and I’m trying to decide between the ESP32-C3 and ESP32-S3. Do both support native USB, and which one is more reliable for this purpose?

I'm using an ESP32 (also applies to ESP8266) in a project that needs to maintain a stable Wi-Fi connection. Occasionally, the Wi-Fi connection drops—due to signal issues or router resets—and the device doesn't reconnect automatically unless I manually reboot it. I WAnt to know how to automatically detect a dropped Wi-Fi connection and reconnect to it programmatically, without having to reset the entire Board.

I’m looking to get started with ESP32 development and WAnt to find the most affordable Board that still works reliably. There are so many variants out there—ESP32-WROOM, ESP32-C3, ESP32-S3, and countless clones. What are the cheapest ESP32 Boards you've used that still perform well for basic projects like Wi-Fi control, sensor data logging, or IoT experiments? Are the ultra-cheap Boards from sites like AliExpress or Amazon worth it, or do they come with issues like instability or poor build quality?

I just got a brand new ESP8266 and tried uploading a basic sketch (just a simple Serial.begin() and a few prints), but as soon as it runs, the Board keeps restarting in a loop. I haven’t connected any sensors or peripherals — just powered it via USB. The Serial Monitor keeps showing reset messages like rst cause: 4 or something similar. Is this normal for a new Board? Could it be a power issue, bad code, or something else I’m missing?Would really appreciate any suggestions before I start panicking

Hey, this is a very common issue. Let’s troubleshoot: Check the USB Cable: First, make sure you’re using a data-capable USB cable. Some cables (like cheap ones for phone charging) only provide power and can’t transfer data. Try a different cable if you’re unsure. Drivers: Have you installed the necessary drivers? The ESP32 often requires the CP2102 or CH340 USB-to-serial drivers, depending on your Board. You can download these from the manufacturer’s website or search for “ESP32 USB driver.” After downloading the drivers, manually install it(there will be a text file for instructions to follow.) COM Port Visibility: Open your Device Manager (Windows) or System Information (Mac) and check if the ESP32 shows up under Ports or USB Devices. If it's not there, take out the USB cable and insert it again while keeping the device manage window open. If you notice some changes, it's a good sign. So if it’s listed with an error, the drivers might not be properly installed. Power Issues: The fact that the LED turns off could indicate the Board isn’t receiving stable power. Maybe either the port or connector is loose. Let me know how it goes after these steps!

EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory) allows you to store data even after the Board is powered off. It's non-volatile. This makes it useful for storing things like settings, calibration values, or any data you WAnt to retain. Let's understand the different memory types in Arduino: SRAM: Works as temporary storage while the program is running. Data in SRAM is lost when the power is turned off. Flash Memory: The Arduino stores your program code here. Like EEPROM, flash memory is non-volatile, but you can't store or retrieve any data d ...