Pluto USB socket - be very afraid!!

[g8gtz]

Let my experience be a warning to you all...

I use the pluto on SDR console on the PC and on Langstone but the USB has started to go intermittent.

This morning I decided to hardwire in a type A usb socket - this soon went down hill as I carefully removed the micro socket off the PCB and even with great care the tracks came with it

I have spent the last 2 hours managing to recover it by soldering fine wire on to the transformer feeding the socket - huge sigh of relief when I got the bing bong sounds

FYI - schematic are here https://wiki.analog.com/university/tool ... g/hardware

So I suggest you choose a good lead and then hard wire that in to the Pluto micro socket and plug and unplug on the end of that!

Noel

[g4eml]

Glad you managed to fix it Noel.

Those micro USB sockets are never very good, especially when they have the weight of a large moulded plug and screened cable hanging on them.
What it really needs is a lightweight plug with a short super flexible cable to a chassis mounted conventional full size USB B connector. I did something similar when I mounted my Lime mini in a box.

The only problem with doing that, or adding a hard wired cable is that it won't then work in OTG mode so it can't then be used stand-alone on a network. But if you are only ever going to use it as a peripheral that is not a problem.

One tip, if you haven't already heard of it, is to use the relatively new UV setting glue for wire tacking and providing strain relief on board repairs etc.
You can buy it on eBay fairly cheaply. It comes in a small pen shaped tube and has a similar consistency to thick superglue but it doesn't set until it is exposed to UV from the supplied little LED torch. It sets rock hard almost instantly you shine the light onto it. It really works well for wire tacking, much better than the old superglue and chemical activator method.

Colin.

[g0mjw]

Let my experience be a warning to you all...


This morning I decided to hardwire in a type A usb socket - this soon went down hill as I carefully removed the micro socket off the PCB and even with great care the tracks came with it

Why on earth would you try to do that? Oh well. Glad you fixed it. Best solution is to use a connector saver, tape it to the case or similar to prevent accidental disassembly.

Mike