Problem connecting mBot with mBlock 5 on macOS

#1

Hi,

I have an mBot wich I’d like to control/program from my MacBook using mBlock 5.

When I try to connect from mBlock 5 I get this “Connect Device” dialog and nothing happens; it can’t find any serial device apparently, let alone the one my mBot is connected to:

42%20PM

Im on macOS High Sierra (10.13.6), running mBlock v5.0.0-RC and have the wchusbserial1420 driver properly installed: it actually works fine with both mBlock 3.4 and Arduino CC, but not with mBlock 5…

Any hints for what to check and get it going with mBlock5 as well?

Cheers,
mFrank

Connection Issues in Mblock 5 (Arduino)
#2

Hi Frank.
On the same Mac computer, do you have both mBlock 3 and mBlock 5? And mBlock 3 works but mBlock 5 doesn’t?

You mentioned that “the wchusbserial1420 driver”, but actually we need “/dev/tty.wchusbserial1410 driver”. So I am afraid you need try to install the driver manually as below guides.
If your Mac os is below mac os sierra, here is the link to download the driver.
If it is Mac os sierra, please download and install this driver.
If it is Mac os high sierra, here is thelink to download the driver.

#3

Hi,

Thx for your reply. Yes Ive got both mBlock 3.4.11 and mBlock 5.0.0-RC installed on the same macbook.

And you’re right about the serial device name: it’s indeed called “/dev/tty.wchusbserial1410”, not “-20”.And it shows up in mBot 3.4.11 under this name, as well as when doing an ‘ls -l /dev | grep usb’ from a bash shell (along with /dev/cu.wchusbserial1410).

I’ve got two mBot’s right now, a bluetooth version and a 3.4G version. Both work fine using either their respective radio connections or the USB cable (only the latter would use the wchusbserial1410 driver ofcourse). So It seems to me that both this driver and my mBot’s are fine.

However, indeed with mBlock 5.0.0-RC, the serial devices of neither the radio connections (both bluetooth and 2.4G) nor the USB connection show up. No ports are found at all in fact.

Any clues? Anything configurable I’m missing? Would mBlock 5 need another USB serial driver than mBot 3? How come the radio serial ports don’t show up either in mBlock 5? questions… questions… :wink:

#5

Have you noticed the dropdown icon? Here you may have another option.
image

#6

I am having a similar problem, where my mBlock 3 is working but I’m stuck on the “Scanning for a COM port…” for mBlock 5. However mine on the mBlock is /dev/tty.wchusbserial1410 after I entered the command ls /dev/tty*. How do I fix this? I am running the newest macOS of 10.14.4 (Mojave) and have tried installing that driver in the forum, but it might be only for macOS High Sierra and not for Mojave. Please help me, since I have to use the mBot for a school project. Also, my two friends are using macBooks and theirs work, same os and same mBot and everything.

#7

Hello AltyMan,
On same computer, mBlock 3 detects the mBot (COM port) , which means driver is installed successfully.
Do you have any other USB devices? Like USB hub, USB printer? If yes, please unplug all other device and only connect mBot. Then test again if mBot can be detected in mBlock 5.

#8

I actually don’t have any other USB devices connected.

#9

Good luck on this issue! Hey, do you have any feeling whether this stuff would work on a mid 2010 Mac with Yosemite OS? Or LINUX?

#10

Hello AltyMan,
Then would it be possible for us to have a remote control with Teamviewer? We are working from 9:00am to 18:30pm, Mon-Fri, China time.

#11

I have the same problem but I’m using windows 10 pro and I’m new to mbot I tried to download another version and its 4 but it doesn’t work I can’t connect with USB or Bluetooth please help me to figure this out

#12

Hi Shishi,
It cannot detect the device even with USB cable?
Have you installed the driver? Read this post?
Is your first time using the Makeblock device?
Tried online version mLink?