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There is a french version of this document.
Passionate about electronics and audio, I quickly discovered the "DFPlayer Mini": a small and very affordable audio player.
Since the features and build quality seem to vary greatly depending on the manufacturers and versions, this guide will help clarify things.
By the way, thanks to the "DFPlayer Mini," I sell the "Ambi'Son Mini" module in the shop, and I offer two free guides to help you build your own sound box, DF only or with an Arduino (also possible with a Raspberry Pi).
This player is always manufactured in China by several companies. It is sold in many places, but many copies exist and do not work the same, or sometimes not at all... I’m thinking of "MP3-TF-16P" and other "BY8001-16P" that I won’t cover here.
The DFPlayer Mini is a small electronic board with many pins, capable of holding a MicroSD card (sometimes called "TF").
It offers a "Line" output and an amplified 3W output.
This module can read WAV, MP3, and WMA files from a MicroSD card (sometimes called "TF") formatted in "Fat16", "Fat32", or "ExFat" and can communicate with an Arduino (or a clone, like I use) or Raspberry Pi via RX/TX.
While theoretically, it has everything to be liked, in practice things are different: depending on the manufacturers and versions, the features they offer are not always there.
It’s highly likely that for economic reasons, to keep the price as low as possible, and because it only (almost) affects people who are not very picky, the quality and features sometimes change drastically.
In this comparison, we can see the removal of several components, and even the difference in the audio chip: a "DFROBOTILISP3," a "GD3200B," a "GD3200D," and finally a "TD5580A."
Here are now the characteristics of the versions I had on hand, from the best to the worst.
Compared to all other versions, it is perfect! Which is normal, as it is DFRobot who designed this player.
Its LED is blue, its audio chip is a "DFROBOTILISP3," and all the component placeholders are filled (and there are many). Bought in 2024 at 5.90$, directly from "DFRobot" (beware of customs fees: in my case, it was €4 for 2 DF!). "DFRobot" and "DFR0299" are written on the packaging. It is also sold for €6.55 at "BerryBase".
Compared to all the following versions, it is... (almost) perfect!
Its LED is red, its reference "HW-247A" is printed in white on the circuit, its audio chip is a "GD3200B," and all component placeholders are filled. Bought before 2023, €3.02 at "Reichelt", I don’t remember what was written on the packaging.
This version is entirely mono and accumulates other flaws.
Its LED is red, its reference "HW-247A" is printed in white on the circuit, but this version has fewer components (some placeholders are empty) and its audio chip is a "GD3200D." Bought in 2023 for €2.52 at "BerryBase", I received them in packaging marked "BerryBase" and "Sertronics GmbH."
This version accumulates all the flaws and is not even autonomous.
Its LED is red, its reference "HW-247A" and version "v0.5.1" are printed in white on the circuit, and its audio chip is a "TD5580A." Bought in 2024 for €3.02 at "Reichelt", I received them in packaging marked "BerryBase" and "Sertronics GmbH."
Although this small module is still very nice, it is no longer autonomous and must be controlled by an Arduino or a Raspberry Pi to be used.
Do you know of other versions? Do you have suggestions or questions? Contact me or comment below this guide.
♥ - Joseph SARDIN - Founder of BigSoundBank.com - About - Contact
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