Using ESP32 and DFPlayer Pro failing

It seems like you're encountering issues with the DFPlayer Pro module when interfacing it with your ESP32 (NodeMCU 32S). Let's break down the problem and see how we can troubleshoot it:

### Understanding the Output
The output you provided suggests that the DFPlayer Pro module is responding to commands, but the responses are unexpected:

1. **File Numbers and Lengths**: The numbers (like 13472) you're seeing for file number, time length, and total length are not correct. They typically should correspond to specific values related to files and playback, not generic large numbers.

2. **File Name**: The file name "牥潲r" appears corrupted or incorrect, which indicates a problem with reading or interpreting file information.

### Possible Issues and Troubleshooting Steps

1. **Serial Communication Issues**:
  - Ensure that your ESP32 and DFPlayer Pro are communicating correctly via serial interface. Check that the baud rate matches between your ESP32 code and the DFPlayer Pro module (usually 9600 baud by default).
  - Verify that you have connected the TX and RX pins appropriately between ESP32 and DFPlayer Pro.

2. **Power Supply**:
  - DFPlayer Pro requires a stable power supply (usually 5V) with sufficient current capacity. Make sure your power source can provide enough current for both ESP32 and DFPlayer Pro.

3. **Library and Code Issues**: https://www.heisener.com/
  - Ensure you are using a reliable and compatible library for controlling DFPlayer Pro with ESP32. Sometimes, libraries need specific configurations or adjustments for ESP32 compatibility.
  - Double-check your initialization code for the DFPlayer Pro module. It's crucial to initialize it correctly before attempting to send commands.

4. **File System on SD Card**:
  - If you're using an SD card with the DFPlayer Pro module, make sure the files are formatted correctly (FAT16 or FAT32) and placed in the root directory or in designated folders as expected by the module.

5. **AT Command Verification**:
  - AT commands should correspond to documented commands for the DFPlayer Pro module. If commands like play, pause, next, etc., are not functioning as expected, recheck their syntax and ensure correct usage.

### Steps to Troubleshoot

- **Start with Minimal Setup**: Simplify your setup to isolate the issue. Connect only the essentials (ESP32, DFPlayer Pro, power supply) and test basic commands like changing volume or playing specific files.
 
- **Check Hardware Connections**: Ensure all connections (wires, pins) are secure and correctly configured according to the documentation.

- **Verify SD Card Content**: Double-check the files on your SD card and their compatibility with the DFPlayer Pro module. Ensure there are no issues with file names or formats.

- **Serial Output Debugging**: Use serial debugging to print out the responses from DFPlayer Pro to understand what data is being received and if it matches what you expect.

- **Library Updates**: If using a library, ensure it's up to date and compatible with both ESP32 and DFPlayer Pro. Sometimes, updating or switching libraries can resolve compatibility issues.

By systematically going through these troubleshooting steps, you should be able to pinpoint where the issue lies—whether it's in hardware connections, power supply, software initialization, command syntax, or file system compatibility. If the problem persists, examining the specific responses from DFPlayer Pro via serial output will provide further clues on what might be going wrong.

So I looked further and if you change 2 and 3 to 1 and 3 when using an ESP32 you have to use the RX and TX pins and it will communicate and give the correct values. My new issue is I can't use serial print afterwards which isn't too big of a deal if it wasn't my primary way to debug things. But To correct it, rx into tx and tx into rx and pin 1 is tx in code and pin 3 is rx within the code. Do not use pin 4 or pin 2 from my experience…

Has anyone figured this out? I'm running into the same issue.