A Bit 2.0 that shows a white screen, or nothing, at the end of the build is disheartening — and it is usually something small. Bit 2.0 is assembled without soldering, so the checks are quick.
1. Charge it first. Plug it in with the USB cable and leave it for a full hour, then try again. A battery that arrived flat can look exactly like a dead console.
2. Compare your build against the guide. Open the Bit 2.0 build guide at circuitmess.com/blogs/resources and check each connection against the photographs — in particular that every connector is seated fully and squarely, the right way round. A connector that is one notch out can light the screen white without ever drawing a picture.
3. Do not peel or force anything around the screen. If a ribbon or adhesive near the screen looks loose or detached, stop there and photograph it rather than pressing or re-sticking it — that is something we would rather look at with you.
4. Restore the firmware. Connect Bit to a desktop computer running Chrome, Edge or Opera, open code.circuitmess.com and use Restore firmware. That rules out interrupted or corrupted software, and it puts back the games it shipped with.
If it is still white or dead, email us with:
your order number
photos of the board and the screen connection, casing off if you can
a short video of what happens when you switch it on
Email that to [email protected]. We look at each case individually, and if a part turns out to be genuinely defective, replacing it costs you nothing — see Do your kits have a warranty?.
If the restore itself will not run — the browser cannot see the device, or it stops part-way — see The firmware restore at code.circuitmess.com fails or cannot find my device.