@AustinSmith Unfortunately, no matter how I tried to disable it using M5Unified, I could not get it to work. In the end, adding the line suggested above finally solved the issue. pinMode(DATA_PIN, OUTPUT); // <- Add this

@davievans That setup sounds reasonable. Just make sure the LED driver you choose can handle the current spike your IR diode needs, otherwise the range won’t improve much. Have you already checked which GPIO pin on the Stick you want to use for triggering the module?

To extend the IR range on an M5Stack, the best approach is to use a high-power IR LED paired with a transistor or MOSFET driver to safely handle higher current. Adding a lens or collimator can also help focus the beam for much greater distance and accuracy, and ensuring the signal is properly modulated (like 38 kHz) will improve compatibility with most IR receivers. Just make sure your power supply can support the increased draw from stronger hardware. If you share your budget and required range, I can suggest specific components.

NRF24L01 Troubleshooting Guide for M5 Core2 Users Thanks for bringing this up! The “NRF24 not detected” message usually points to a wiring, power, or SPI initialization issue. While detailed documentation for NRF24L01 specifically paired with M5 Core2 is limited, here’s a comprehensive set of checks to help you isolate the problem. Verify SPI Wiring The NRF24L01 relies on proper SPI mapping. Make sure the following pins align with the Core2’s hardware SPI bus: MOSI → GPIO 23 MISO → GPIO 38 SCK → GPIO 18 CSN (CS) → GPIO 5 or GPIO 26 CE → Any free GPIO (commonly GPIO 4 or 5 depending on your setup) VCC → 3.3V (never 5V) GND → Ground ⚠ Tip: Loose CSN or CE wiring is one of the most common causes of NRF24 initialization failure. Power Stability Check The NRF24L01 is notoriously sensitive to voltage noise. Ensure a clean 3.3V feed (not exceeding 3.6V). Add a 0.1µF ceramic capacitor close to the module’s VCC/GND pins. Prefer a separate 3.3V regulator if you are using the PA+LNA high-powered version. The module may draw up to ~100mA during TX, so confirm your supply can deliver this reliably. Library & Firmware Setup Make sure the correct software environment is in place: Install TMRh20’s RF24 library via Arduino IDE → Library Manager. Update your M5Core2 library from GitHub. Use a fresh example sketch from the RF24 library to confirm base connectivity. Example Initialization Code Adjust pins depending on your wiring: #include <SPI.h> #include <RF24.h> RF24 radio(4, 5); // CE pin, CSN pin void setup() { Serial.begin(115200); if (!radio.begin()) { Serial.println("NRF24 module NOT detected!"); return; } Serial.println("NRF24 module initialized."); radio.setPALevel(RF24_PA_MIN); radio.setDataRate(RF24_250KBPS); radio.openReadingPipe(0, 0xAABBCCDDEEULL); radio.startListening(); } void loop() {} If this fails, the wiring or hardware is almost certainly the issue. Hardware Integrity Checks Before assuming software issues, confirm physical reliability: Inspect solder joints and header pins. Use a multimeter to confirm continuity on MOSI/MISO/SCK/CSN/CE lines. Try a second NRF24 module if available, these modules can fail easily. Swap CSN/CE to alternate GPIOs if conflicts exist.

I fell in love with M5 too :) I'm learning python programming for fun and M5 tech helps me stay interested and engaged. I hardly ever stan any brands but M5 is so cool that I'd even like to have some merch tbh :D I hope you're safe in the US right now. Take care :)

I'd be happy to help you use the M5CoreS3 Power component—could you please share a bit more about your specific project or how you're planning to implement it?

Those generic 10-pack sensor modules from AliExpress have been a game-changer for prototyping - dirt cheap and surprisingly reliable for the price.

I just grabbed an M5Stick and followed the instructions and got it working amazingly with ease. Here's repo and the how to: https://github.com/stevenselcuk/nearPlane Good luck! AD6GO

@Genio Hi I hope you have resolved this issue! would you please share how you handle this error in the end?

@robski - got it solved, turns out the problem was that i was connecting to usb-c on my laptop, which didn't seem like it should be a problem since the Atom Lite also uses usb-c. But once i changed over to my usb-a port, it's all working fine.