ESP32 camera unable to upload code

Question

On a USB 3 port win 10 latest Arduino IDE 1.8.13
I try to compile the webcam server example of an ESP32-Cam.
I'm using an FTDI232 programmer as in the picture below.
I checked everything connection is properly wired.

And I checked with 5v and 3v wiring schemes).
For 5v i used top left pin in the picture below of the esp32

I followed this tutorial : https://dronebotworkshop.com/esp32-cam-intro/
And tried to resolve it with https://randomnerdtutorials.com/esp32-troubleshooting-guide/ (but its not for this board)

My wiring is like :

The reset button lights up front led when i press it (i guess thats normal).
However i cannot upload code, it only has one reset button.
And i tried pressing it long and short from 1 sec to 20 sec (if that matters?).
However its not uploading when doing normal upload:

esptool.py v2.6  
Serial port COM3  
Connecting........_____....._____....._____....._____....._____....._____.....____  

A fatal error occurred: Failed to connect to ESP32: Timed out waiting for packet header
A fatal error occurred: Failed to connect to ESP32: Timed out waiting for packet header

If i do "upload using programmer" (not sure if i have to do that, should I ?)
Then i get the error:

java.lang.NullPointerException
    at cc.arduino.packages.uploaders.SerialUploader.uploadUsingProgrammer(SerialUploader.java:295)
    at cc.arduino.packages.uploaders.SerialUploader.uploadUsingPreferences(SerialUploader.java:90)
    at cc.arduino.UploaderUtils.upload(UploaderUtils.java:77)
    at processing.app.SketchController.upload(SketchController.java:732)
    at processing.app.SketchController.exportApplet(SketchController.java:703)
    at processing.app.Editor$UploadHandler.run(Editor.java:2055)
    at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:748)

Any ideas ?

most likely the 3.3v LDO on the FTDI can't handle the high current of the ESP32. — dandavis
– dandavis, Commented Feb 17, 2021 at 20:57
Nah it seams the ' preferred ' FTDI for those devices (as i red on various sites who had problems with other FTDI's.. — Peter
– Peter, Commented Feb 18, 2021 at 8:42

Peter · Accepted Answer · 2021-02-24 15:19:14Z

ESP32-cam SOLVED communication

Ok was a pretty troubling problem, the ESP32 cam wouldn't connect at all to the Arduino IDE. I didn't think the FTDI card required a driver, (as com protocol is already known to windows I just thought it serialized a data stream using the chip)...

Some more info to resolve it:

Well the ft232rl USB board the one you see in my question... does require a driver.
You can download the driver from here: https://ftdichip.com/drivers/vcp-drivers/
Next, I had to use the 5v scheme, so that's not the scheme shown in my question.
Instead in above scheme use the topleft pin for 5v input.
And set the jumpers on the ft232rl board to 5v as well.
I assume you allready had the board installed in the IDE, if not just follow https://randomnerdtutorials.com/installing-the-esp32-board-in-arduino-ide-windows-instructions/ and then you tried to upload the ip web code https://randomnerdtutorials.com/program-upload-code-esp32-cam/
At some point in that article you will need to upload your code.
In Arduino IDE select your board, (use some sample code), and use upload.
In the arduino IDE, DO NOT USE : "use programmer".
Although you buy an FTDI programmer apparently it means something else in Arduino universe.

A kind of misleading here is that without the driver, it is already seen as a com port.
So the Arduino IDE uses it as a comport, and it just fails proper communication.

PS I won't rule out that on some PC's those devices work straight out of the box.
Because the hardware/software implementations of a COM port in a pc with windows is a little complex. Realtime ports, vs event-based operating system code vs various pc/laptop chipsets.
But if you get "Failed to connect to ESP32", then i hope my answer helped you.

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