Can the microUSB port be replaced with USB-C one?

uConsole
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Hi,

I am thinking about purchasing a uconsole and reading through the description, I can see it has a microUSB port. I guess this is used for both charging and reaching the rPI. I am not a big fan of microUSB as they tend to break easily and USB-C is much more reliable.

Is it possible to exchange the microUSB port without messing up with the case or other functionality? I am also planning on installing an CM5 directly. Is that advised?

Thank you!

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It has a type C for charging already

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The only micro USB port is on the keyboard, and thatā€™s for flashing new firmware to the keyboard. You donā€™t see it when itā€™s assembled and you donā€™t even need to use it. Charging the device is handled by USBC.

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and itā€™s not accessible under normal circumstances, and only needed when flashing the keyboard from another computer

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there are issues, but yes.

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I am not a big fan of microUSB as they tend to break easily and USB-C is much more reliable.

This is very reasonable.

I can see it has a microUSB port. I guess this is used for both charging and reaching the rPI.

This is not. Please read the excellent How to Ask Questions the Smart Way by Eric S. Raymond. This resource is worth the time for both new and old participants in the internet and, while it is directed towards netizens in particular, it is useful everywhere.

Your query is poorly researched (in that you are asking how to fix a problem that does not exist) and your time would have been better spent looking at the photo that appears on ClockworkPi.com when you click ā€œuConsoleā€ which clearly shows a USB type C port labeled ā€œpower / type cā€. If you impulsively jumped to the forum after seeing a reference to the keyboard having a micro USB type B for flashing only, next time take a moment to double check the information presented; it would have stuck out to you before getting there.

Additionally I havenā€™t seen anyone mention that the USB type C port does not carry data to the system module; it only handles charging.

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This is an incredibly rude response to a perfectly reasonable question. This should be a welcoming community that encourages questions and discussion.

Back to the question: as others have said, uConsole has USB-C for charging only. In terms of adding USB-C ports, the simplest way would be to buy an extension board that has one, like the uEther ethernet board or the USB hub board. You can see some of the options here.

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This is an incredibly rude response to a perfectly reasonable question. This should be a welcoming community that encourages questions and discussion.

I apologize for not fully considering my reply. It was not intended to come across as rude. I have read the cited article at least twice a year since it was shared with me, in a thread I started, on another forum a decade ago. I consider it on par with The Art of War in terms of practical brilliance, the intellectual counterpart to a martial text. However the text itself is written in the flippant and abrasive style of the internet in the mid 2000s and prior that came about between its revolutions of anonymity and compassion, and it perhaps lacks the maturity or good taste to which we are again accustomed. I lack a modern equivalent to share.

Research is a skill nobody receives for free, mistakes are a necessary part of the learning process, and oneā€™s quest for understanding should never be impeded by lack of existing knowledge. Learning to catch fish will keep you fed for the rest of your life; learning to learn will keep you fulfilled.

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I have to say, I was a bit triggered by this response. As someone who has worked in IT in various roles for over 30yrs, a personal tenet for me is ā€˜there is no such thing as a stupid question due to lack of understandingā€™. Tech is complex and difficult to understand and nobody can know it all. I post pretty simple questions here about uConsole because Iā€™m a new owner and have limited experience with Linux. So far, the replies I have received have been fantastic, and patient. Is it too much trouble to show a little humility and understanding that not everyone knows what you do???

The op was clearly misunderstanding something about the uConsole hardware and didnā€™t really deserve the response they got from you. Just saying.

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Hi and thank you all for your answers!

Looking again at the pictures on a desktop and not on a mobile I found the USB-C info. I was puzzled from the beginning because under European law it is even forbidden to deliver any devices using something other than USB-C

Thanks again!

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Super helpful. You must he an absolute blast to hang around with. :roll_eyes:

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donā€™t be jealous of his netizenship!

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Hi Zoli,

I think you may mean the port on the right side. The port is an HDMI mini cable, for attaching an external screen, and not a usb -micro nor mini.

You may want to buy the hackergadgets extension cards and the antennas, and I would certainly upgrade to the CM5 if you have ordered it already. Otherwise order one without a module and buy one yourself locally saving you on waiting and double costs!

Regards bart

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Hey Bart,

Thank you for the reply! I was actually misled by the keyboard microUSB port but understood later that itā€™s there just for updating the keyboardā€™s fw.

I was thinking the same about buying the CM5 module myself and order the uConsole without a motherboard.

I as looking a few days ago at a post from someone who was using the RF extension card to reach meshtastic and that looks great. Just need to squeeze the funds for it.

Thanks again!

Zoli