Week 1: M5Stack StickS3 Setup

Welcome

This guide gets you from unboxing to a working project. Follow each step in order.

USB connection → UIFlow visual programming → Smart Product Challenge

Having issues?

Jump to Troubleshooting at any time.

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What to Bring to Session (4 hours)

Important

EVERY team member needs their own laptop and equipment.

Must Have

Item	Why Needed	Notes
Laptop computer	Driver installation and UIFlow programming	Windows, Mac, or Linux. Tablets/phones will NOT work
Chrome or Edge browser	UIFlow 2.0 requires Web Serial API	Safari and Firefox do NOT work. Download Chrome
USB data cable	Connect StickS3 to computer	Must be DATA cable, not charge-only. Quick test: can you transfer photos with it?
Laptop charger	Sessions are 4 hours long	Most batteries won’t last the full session

💡 About 50% of connection issues come from wrong cables

Charge-only cables look identical but cannot transfer data. If your device is not detected, try a different cable first.

Team Collaboration

• Each person works on their own laptop
• Everyone contributes to Smart Product Challenge
• Video must show what each member did
• Remind teammates to bring equipment!

Share this guide with your team via group chat.

Help Others Culture (Assessment Bonus!)

Got your device working? Help others! This earns recognition in your assessment.

1. Solved your connection issue? Great!
2. Look around - who else is struggling?
3. Help your teammates first
4. Then help OTHER teams too!
5. After helping, report to TA: “I helped [Name] from [Team]”

ℹ️ In Your Video Demo

You can mention: “I helped [Team Name] solve their driver issue” - but ONLY if you reported it to TA first for verification!

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What is M5Stack StickS3?

Watch a quick introduction before you start setup.

English (YouTube) ~5 min

Bilibili ~5 min

About Chinese videos

The official Chinese tutorials on Bilibili are concise, scripted, and StickS3-specific. Use auto-translate if needed - the visual clarity is worth it.

Recommended Videos (Watch in Order)

Video	Duration	What You’ll Learn
UIFlow2 Quick Start for StickS3	~5 min	Unbox, flash, run your first program
M5Burner Firmware Tool	~2 min	How to flash and recover firmware
UIFlow2 Interface Overview	~6 min	Where everything lives in the IDE

Search “M5StickS3 UIFlow2” on Bilibili or browse the M5Stack official channel.

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Before You Plug In - Checklist

Complete these steps BEFORE connecting your device.

/ completed — progress saved in your browser

⚠️ WiFi — Skip It During the Challenge

Recommendation: You do not need WiFi for the Week 1–2 Smart Product Challenge. USB connection is all UIFlow 2.0 needs.

Flashing firmware risks bricking the device. We have limited spares. If you want to try WiFi setup, ask the Module Leader for permission first.

If approved: use the WebBurner inside UIFlow 2.0 (open flow.m5stack.com → click the connection area at the top-right → look for “Burn firmware”). Forum reports suggest it bricks devices less often than the M5Burner desktop app.

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Quick Start (3 Steps)

Step 1: Install CH9102 USB Driver

Windows Users:

1. Download CH9102 driver
2. Device must be UNPLUGGED
3. Run installer
4. Restart computer

Mac Users:

1. Try connection without driver first
2. If device not detected → install driver
3. Get CH9102 from M5Stack downloads

macOS built-in support varies by version.

Downloads:

• M5Stack Download Page (English)
• Windows Direct Link

Mac: How to check if driver is needed

Open Terminal and run:

ls /dev/tty.*

With device plugged in, if you see /dev/tty.usbserial-... → Driver working!

If nothing appears → Install driver from M5Stack downloads.

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Step 2: Connect Device

Standard Connection (Try This First):

1. Plug USB cable into device
2. Connect to computer
3. Check Device Manager (Windows) or Terminal (Mac)
4. Device should appear as COM port

What you should see:

• Windows: Device Manager → Ports (COM & LPT) → USB-SERIAL CH9102 (COM#)
• macOS: Terminal: ls /dev/tty.* → See /dev/tty.usbserial-...

Not Working? Try Boot Mode Entry (Troubleshooting)

If standard connection fails, force the device into download mode:

1. Unplug USB cable
2. Hold side button down
3. While holding, plug in USB
4. Keep holding 2 seconds
5. Release button

When to use boot mode:

• Device not detected with standard connection
• “Code 10” error in Device Manager
• Timeout or write errors
• First-time connection issues

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Step 3: Setup UIFlow & Run Your First Project

1. Open UIFlow 2.0 in Chrome: flow.m5stack.com

2. Login or Register (if you haven’t yet)

   • One account per team: one person creates account, share login with teammates
   • Write down: Email & Password

3. Switch from Cloud Pair to USB mode

   • Look at the lower right corner of UIFlow
   • Default shows: Cloud Pair
   • Click and change to: USB

4. Click “Connect” and select your COM port

5. Import Knight Rider project and click RUN

   • See LEDs animate!

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You’re All Set!

Now modify colors, speed, and explore blocks.

💡 Week 1-2: Smart Product Challenge

Your first goal is to build something that “just works” — not fancy, but reliable enough to demo in a video.

Available sensors (you don’t need to use all of them):

Sensor / Component	What it detects
PIR sensor	Motion — someone walks by
ENV III (temperature + humidity)	Room conditions
LED RGB strip	Visual output / indicator
Unit Hub	Connects multiple Grove sensors to one port
StickS3 built-in button	Tap / press — a button is a sensor too!

Team roles tip — this is the key: Assign clear roles at the start of the session. Everyone should have a specific part to build and explain. For the video demo: no presentation slides needed — just show what you built, how it works, and have every team member speak.

• Working > ambitious but broken
• Video due Week 3, then choose your real project

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Something Not Working?

Click your symptom for instant help:

Symptom	Quick Fix
Device won’t show up	Try different USB cable (data cable!), different USB port
”Code 10” error	Use boot mode entry (hold button while plugging in)
COM port keeps changing	Normal! Just note the new number
Timeout / Write error	Use boot mode entry, try different port
UIFlow won’t connect	Switch to USB mode (lower right corner), use Chrome/Edge
Screen is black	Hold button 6 seconds to reset, check USB cable

Quick fixes to try first:

1. Try different USB cable (data cable, not charge-only!)
2. Use boot mode entry (hold button while plugging in)
3. Try different USB port
4. Restart computer

See the full Troubleshooting Guide for detailed solutions.

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Quick FAQ

Question	Answer
Which cable do I need?	DATA cable (USB-A to USB-C OR USB-C to USB-C). NOT charge-only!
Do Mac users need drivers?	Try without first. Install CH9102 if device not detected.
COM port keeps changing?	Normal! Just note the new number.
Tried everything 20+ minutes?	Use TA laptop! No penalty. Some PCs have IT restrictions.

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Reference Guide

Button Functions

Press Type	Duration	Function
Short press	< 1 second	Reset / Wake
Long press	~6 seconds	Power Off
Hold during plug-in	Hold + plug USB	Boot Mode (troubleshooting)

Cable Troubleshooting

• Data cable (works): Can transfer files, labeled “USB 2.0” or “USB 3.0”
• Charge-only cable (won’t work): Only powers device, can’t communicate. Often thinner/lighter

Device Manager Guide (Windows)

1. Press Win + X
2. Click “Device Manager”
3. Expand “Ports (COM & LPT)”
4. Look for: USB-SERIAL CH9102 (COM#) or USB-SERIAL CH9103 (COM#)

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Still Need Help?

Don’t struggle alone - we’re here to help!

1. Self-service (2 min): Try the 6-second reset, check this guide
2. AI Assistant (5 min): Use the “good questions” format with specific details
3. Forum/Peer Help: Post to M5Stack Community
4. Instructor/TA: When you’ve tried steps 1-3 and are still stuck