Broke the mini usb connector off :(

As title.. I broke the connector clean off. Any options to still be able to run the espruino?

Well, you can power it externally and connect over bluetooth (if you have HC-05 installed), but I think you need USB in order to update the firmware (Gordon will know the answer to this - I'm not sure).

Might also be able to buy a replacement connector online and "just" solder on a new one... That's a fun solder job, for sure.

That USB connector is so fragile without anything around it. I don't have a solution for using it without fear on mine yet, so I've been connecting USB as little as possible, and carefully when I do - I do most of my work over bluetooth, while powering it externally.

I'll have a closer inspection to see what I can do. Worst case I cut into the PCB trace but I really see that as last resort.

Argh, that's a shame. Were you actually putting a lot of force on it, or did it just drop off? If you drop me an email and I'll try and get a new one out to you.

You can still use your board with a usb-ttl convertor if you don't want to use bluetooth, see http://www.espruino.com/Wiring+Up. You can update firmware that way, but via the command line - not the Web ide.

Hi Gordon,
I've ordered a replacement already but thanks for the offer. I was unplugging the micro USB and one of the hooks unclipped first which yanked everything sideways. My fault so nothing to complain about.

I'll give the alternative wiring a go :) nice to know there is a backup

It lives again thanks to the alternative wiring method! =]

Connected
=undefined
>echo(0);
<<<<<{"VERSION":"1v55","BUILD_DATE":"Mar  3 2014","BUILD_TIME":"17:37:21","BOARD":"ESPRUINOBOARD","CHIP":"STM32F103RCT6","CHIP_FAMILY":"STM32F1","FLASH":262144,"RAM":49152,"SERIAL":"33FFD505-41573033-23501043","CONSOLE":"Serial1"}>>>>>
=undefined
> 

Thanks! That's great news!

When I ripped the connector off one of the dev boards to see how strong it was, and then needed to use it again, I soldered a big male type A USB connector to the other end of the board and then wired across. You can wire onto the 2x 22 Ohm resistors, ground, and the side of the big diode for 5v - and then you can get proper USB working again!

Sorry to hear that it went though - Seeed have epoxied right over it on the boards that they have in stock (and the next batch that goes to Phenoptix will have this done too). I'm making sure the next revision has a 4 pin through-hole USB, so hopefully that one will be bombproof :)

Ooo! I think I'll have a go at that and it can be my frankenstein espruino. Which are the pins I need? I've highlighted what I've interpreted from your post:

I think it would be the 3 visible pins within the black circle?

Yes, those are the ones! Don't worry too much about connecting to the right side of the 2 resistors - they're in there to try and match impedance, but it'll still work even if they're not there - so you could just attach wire to both sides of them if it makes a more solid contact :)