

Once you've confirmed that it passes a loopback test, the only remaining problems are around the ATmega328P chip. Finally, crank up the baud rate in the terminal to 115200, reconnect the RX-TX jumper and confirm it still passes the loopback test as AVRDUDE typically uses that speed when uploading a sketch. Try it on a different PC, preferably NOT running Windows 10, to eliminate the driver. If you don't get an echo or it doesn't match what you type, its back to driver or CH340G chip problems. it just means your terminal program has 'local echo' turned on. If you get a double echo that drops to a single one when you disconnect the RX-TX jumper, that's also O.K. The characters should no longer be echoed. Double check by disconnecting the RX-TX jumper.

If it opens, every character you send should be echoed, and you can see the signal pulse on the jumper between RX and TX if you use a scope or logic probe. If its a 'real' PC serial port with a DE-9 connector, jumper pins 2 to 3 for loopback). If it fails at opening the port, either the drivers or CH340G chip are bad, (or the terminal program's totally borked - if you've got one, try a different serial port to eliminate that. The one in the Arduino IDE will do if you don't have anything better - it doesn't have hardware handshaking or local echo so no configuration will be needed. Ground the Arduino's reset pin, and jumper its RX to TX (Digital pin #0 to digital pin #1) to take the ATmega328P out of the loop and open the COM port with a terminal program (with hardware handshaking and local echo disabled). As to your CH340G problems, do a loopback test. It cant be the cable if its still working reliably with a PICkit 3 for programming, debugging and powering the target board. A power only 'USB' cable gives no indication on the PC when its connected - no sounds, no tray icons and nothing in Device Manager. If you give a brief summary of the rest of it with times, you may even pick up a few viewers. Few of us will wade through 40 minutes of video to find the interesting bits. Please give a time reference for the section of your video that's relevant.
