If your controller says the camera is not connected, shows no feed, or the Mission Control screen never turns on, there are a few checks worth making before you write to us. It is frustrating to hit this at the end of a long build, and in most cases the cause is at one of the connections rather than in the electronics themselves.
First, note that the camera with its add-ons ships in the Rover kit and has its own build steps; which build guide applies depends on the version you bought. The Mars Rover camera add-ons and the Mission Control module explains what each module does and which build guide to follow for your kit.
Then work through these checks:
Start with power. Fit six fresh AA alkaline cells, all the same brand and age, each the right way round. Rechargeable cells give 1.2 V rather than 1.5 V, which can cause odd behaviour.
Reseat the camera cable at both ends, comparing it against the photos in the build guide at circuitmess.com/blogs/resources. It should sit fully and squarely in its connector. While you are there, look at the cable itself — if it arrived with a fold or crease in it, make a note of that for your message to us.
Reseat the Mission Control module's connections the same way, against the build-guide photos for that module.
Restore the stock firmware on both units — the rover and the controller — at code.circuitmess.com. You will need a desktop computer running Chrome, Edge or Opera.
The same checks apply if the message only appears on some power-ups, or if the camera works but the Mission Control screen stays dark.
If none of that brings the feed up, email [email protected] with your order number, photos of the camera cable and its connectors at both ends, and a short video of what the screen does when you power everything on. We look at each case individually, and the photos help us see whether the cable or a module needs replacing.