DFR0299 (DFPlayer Mini) not powering on/recognized with Arduino Uno

Hello everyone,

I'm currently facing a frustrating issue with my DFR0299 (DFPlayer Mini) modules and Arduino Uno. I've tried several troubleshooting steps, but I'm completely stuck, and it's holding back my development. Any help or guidance would be greatly appreciated.

Problem Description: The DFPlayer Mini does not seem to power on (no LED indicator) even when connected to the 5V and GND pins of my Arduino Uno. Despite following the official DFPlayer Wiki documentation, the serial monitor consistently reports that the module is not recognized.

Troubleshooting Steps & Observations:

Wiring: I'm fairly confident in my wiring connections to the Arduino Uno. I've double-checked them multiple times.External Power: I even tried supplying power to the DFPlayer Mini using a separate DC converter, just in case, but it made no difference; the module still didn't show any signs of life.SD Card: I have formatted the SD card to FAT32 and ensured my audio file (e.g., '001.mp3') is correctly named and stored.Multiple Modules: The most perplexing part is that I purchased six DFR0299 modules, and all of them exhibit the exact same symptoms.

Request: Given that all six modules are showing the same issue, I'm starting to think there might be a common wiring mistake I'm repeatedly making or some compatibility aspect I'm overlooking. Could anyone please help me verify if my wiring assumptions might be wrong or suggest any other troubleshooting steps I could take? I'm quite desperate to get this working.

Thank you in advance for your time and assistance.