Alternative to micro USB Charging / Data cable

jopat · Jun 29, 2014

Someone asked help on our local forum about this and I thought it might also be of help here, so here goes my share.

If you are like me who wants to carry only a small cable for charging and data transfers, you'll find it hard to get your hands on a good micro USB charging/data cable. Buying micro USB charging/data cable for Samsung is tricky since the wiring can be different from the normal USB cable. There should be 5 pins on the micro end, but sometimes there are just 4. But Samsung cable uses only 4 pins that might have been rewired. I'm not sure whether only Samsung does this or the same can be said of the other brands. There are also micro USB cables being sold that does only charging and no data function, and vice versa.

I've grown tired of searching for a cheapo charging/data cable that doesn't deliver the function, so what I did was I bought micro USB to USB adapters instead and bought a normal female-to-male usb cable extender just in case the fragile cable wires get broken again they can be easily replaced. They get the job done. You can also use the other gender adapter and cable combo but using the same combo that I use enables you to charge and transfer data with just the adapter and without the cable in case the fragile cable gets damaged.

They charge the phone as fast as what the USB power brick provides and what the phone can accept at the same time. :victory:

This thread was opened with the intention to help others to easily find an almost guaranteed working data/charging cable combo because not everyone has access to a cheap branded cable. (And sometimes even a branded cable does not guarantee both functions). This is a quicker guaranteed solution for those buying micro USB cable that has no way to test the cable they are purchasing, mostly those buying online or those buying impulsively.

The logic behind the "almost guaranteed working data/charging cable combo" is that unlike micro USB cable, an extension cable guarantees that every pin has its own wire with no modifications, that's why it is called an extension cable. The micro USB adapter, guarantees the full conversion from micro USB to USB interface to have all pins connected properly, that's why it is called adapter/converter.

So, if you do not like the idea of the extended length that is protruding out of your micro USB slot, this thread is not for you and you are not obliged to use or try the setup in any way. The solution provided here is not perfect but a fully functional solution.

I hope this can help someone.

Taz420nj · Jun 29, 2014

No offense, but that is a seriously stupid idea. Do you have any idea the amount of leverage that contraption will put on the μUSB port? Hit that wrong or yank it too far and it will snap the port right off the board.

There is absolutely nothing special about any Samsung charger or cable. They use standard, straight-through A-B cables just like every other phone. The chargers themselves conform to industry standards, whereas + and - are on pins 1 and 4, and the data pins are tied together in order to trigger the phone into high current charge mode. The "B" end of a mini/micro USB does have 5 pins - the extra pin is for an ID resistor (referenced to ground), so the phone can identify when it has been inserted into a desk or car dock. There is no corresponding pin on the "A" end, and the lack of an ID resistor or the physical pin will have absolutely no effect on charging.

jopat · Jun 29, 2014

Taz420nj said:
No offense, but that is a seriously stupid idea. Do you have any idea the amount of leverage that contraption will put on the μUSB port? Hit that wrong or yank it too far and it will snap the port right off the board..

The same goes for the charging flap. Anything that is applied too much force will break. I've been using it for almost a month now and everything is fine. It's just an alternative, maybe a short-term substitute for the oem usb cable if you want.

Taz420nj said:
There is absolutely nothing special about any Samsung charger or cable. They use standard, straight-through A-B cables just like every other phone. The chargers themselves conform to industry standards, whereas + and - are on pins 1 and 4, and the data pins are tied together in order to trigger the phone into high current charge mode. The "B" end of a mini/micro USB does have 5 pins - the extra pin is for an ID resistor (referenced to ground), so the phone can identify when it has been inserted into a desk or car dock. There is no corresponding pin on the "A" end, and the lack of an ID resistor or the physical pin will have absolutely no effect on charging.

And how would you explain the slow charging by other micro usb cables then when using the Samsung-bundled power brick? The usb cables work properly with other devices, other than Samsung. I have plenty of them, only 1 other cable works properly.
http://forums.androidcentral.com/samsung-galaxy-s4-accessories/274965-samsung-s4s-micro-usb-standard-usb-cable-2.html

And no, Samsung bundles 4-pin cables. So the phone can't identify when it has been inserted into a desk or car dock?

AMoosa · Jun 29, 2014

I've never had any trouble with generic charging cables on any of my Samsung Galaxy phones. That adaptor looks useful for plugging in a memory stick though. Lol

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

SaphirX · Jun 29, 2014

My Kindle USB charger cable doesn't work for my S5. It just doesn't fit but all my other charges cables from my S3, Nexus 7 and of course my S5 cable work. A bit strange but I guess it is the problem of the Kindle cable? BTW the Kindle one works on my S5...

Taz420nj · Jun 29, 2014

jopat said:
The same goes for the charging flap. Anything that is applied too much force will break. I've been using it for almost a month now and everything is fine. It's just an alternative, maybe a short-term substitute for the oem usb cable if you want.

Of course anything can be broken given enough force. But it takes far less force to break something when you have effectively quadrupled the length of the lever. The stock cable's plug is 1/2" long. That contraption is easily 2" long. That's the same reason you don't use a one-piece solid adapter to plug 1/4" headphones into the 1/8" jack on your phone. It's 6th grade science.

And how would you explain the slow charging by other micro usb cables then when using the Samsung-bundled power brick? The usb cables work properly with other devices, other than Samsung. I have plenty of them, only 1 other cable works properly.

Considering you are the only one to have this "problem", Mod Edit – Some content removed . USB is USB. That's the entire point of adhering to standards. There are no "special" or "rewired" cables for Samsung, nor does any current Samsung device (with the exception of the Tab2 10.1) require any proprietary cable or charger. If a device's connectors do not adhere to the published USB standards, then the USB name and logo can not be used under penalty of law. A company can use the technology in a non-standard configuration, but it must have a distinctly different connector and can not use the USB marks.

And no, Samsung bundles 4-pin cables. So the phone can't identify when it has been inserted into a desk or car dock?

WTF are you talking about? The standard "A" side of ANY USB cable only has 4 pins. There is no such thing as a 5 pin standard "A". The μUSB JACK on the phone has all 5 pins (well, technically 10, since it is USB3.0, but the extras aren't pertinent). μUSB "B" end of a CABLE does not use the ID pin (pin 4), because it does not need to - so whether or not it is physically present in the plug end is moot, because even if it is there, it's not connected to anything. The only thing the ID pin is used for is for situations where the phone needs to know when a certain device is connected. If the ID pin is connected straight to ground, the phone knows that an OTG adapter is plugged in and it puts itself into host mode. If it sees a certain resistance to ground, it puts itself into either car mode or dock mode depending on what resistance it sees.

And for the record, most of the posters commenting in that thread you linked to over at AC are retards. Especially the OP, who claims to "know for certain" that the S3 uses a connection with reversed pins. Because just like EVERY OTHER PHONE WITH A μUSB PORT, the S3's jack follows the USB standard pinout.

---------- Post added at 12:50 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:48 PM ----------

AMoosa said:
I've never had any trouble with generic charging cables on any of my Samsung Galaxy phones. That adaptor looks useful for plugging in a memory stick though. Lol

It won't work, because it's not an actual OTG adapter. It doesn't have the ID pin tied to ground in order to put the phone into host mode.

elesbb · Jul 1, 2014

This made me LOL

But yes any A to Micro USB cable will work. However, if you use the provided cable that Samsung gives you it will charge quicker by using the extra USB3.0 plug.

But, my S4 charges just as fast as the standard OEM cable they provided when using my Galaxy S2 or any other quality USB A to Micro USB wire. This however is not true when using junk/cheap USB cables irregardless the USB plug ends. The wire quality is usually pants compared to other brands. Some of the cheap USB wires will even show a resistance on an ohms meter.

In the end, the OP is making a very complicated USB plug for their phone

Just buy a quality USB cable from walmart ebay bestbuy etc

Taz420nj · Jul 2, 2014

elesbb said:
But yes any A to Micro USB cable will work. However, if you use the provided cable that Samsung gives you it will charge quicker by using the extra USB3.0 plug.

Sorry, but that's wrong*. The 3.0 plug only adds extra data pins. Power still runs through pins 1 and 5. It will charge faster if you use the provided CHARGER - because that outputs two amps, versus the 3/4 to one amp output by older/generic chargers. The S2/S3 came with one amp cube chargers, the S4/S5 came with a two amp. The ones you find at gas stations are generally 750mA to one amp. But it does not matter if you use a 2.0 or 3.0 cable to get that charge rate, because it is dependent on the charger, not the cable..

[* the 3.0 standard does call for higher power capability when connected to a computer port - the device can negotiate up to 900mA from the host while simultaneously transmitting data (USB2.0 specifies up to 500mA). However this is still lower than the power that is available from the supplied charger.]

As far as sourcing cables, you absolutely can't go wrong with Monoprice. They have the high quality cables with the glossy, hard plastic plug grips (just like what comes with Apple and high end Samsung products) for $3..

jopat · Jul 2, 2014

Taz420nj said:
LOL I just noticed that

RETARD changed the pics in the OP of which adapter and cable he kludged together - I guess in an attempt to make it look less idiotic.. However it's still stupid, because YOU CAN USE ANY A-TO-MICRO-B CABLE IN ANY LENGTH.

In case anyone's interested, this is what he had originally posted..

LoL

Those are not the pics I posted, you just posted your own pics. You're always trying too hard. :silly:

But, yes, I changed the pics because the pics are the opposite gender from what I have indicated that I bought. Nonetheless, they are the objects indicated as vice versa, which failed to register in the pea-size object inside that large cranium of yours.

so what I did was I bought micro USB to USB adapters instead and bought a normal female-to-male usb cable extender just in case the fragile cable wires get broken again they can be easily replaced. They get the job done. You can also use the other gender adapter and cable combo but using the same combo that I use enables you to charge and transfer data with just the adapter and without the cable in case the fragile cable gets damaged.

Taz420nj said:
I actually don't need to back up my "claim" (which it's not actually a "claim", it's a well-documented, globally recognized industry standard) - because you're posting all the evidence for me. You're just too stupid to realize it. Now please. After you impale your crotch on that rusty gate (you should do it multiple times just to be sure), go eat some kindergarten paste and play hopscotch with the rest of the retards.

It's because you can't, in any way. First, you don't have that capacity. Second, those " well-documented, globally recognized industry standard" is not for the "USB" that you re referring to, therefore they don't exist. "USB" is not the whole device or cable itself, but the receptacle & plug and how they will transmit power and data. They don't specify how the device should deliver them. In fact, you can attach another device in the cable between the USB ends.

Taz420nj said:
USB is an INDUSTRY STANDARD. That means in order for a manufacturer to be allowed to call a device "USB Certified", the manufacturer MUST ADHERE TO THE STANDARD'S POSTED SPECIFICATIONS. It does not matter whether the manufacturer chose to use a standard, mini, or micro USB port. It also does not matter if the manufacturer uses a dual-purpose port (such as a USB/eSATA hybrid port on a laptop) or proprietary port (such as Samsung's 11 pin Micro USB) - provided that the port is BACKWARDS COMPATIBLE (there's that obscure word again) - meaning that still adheres to the posted specifications for pinouts and connector dimensions for the USB standard.

I'll say it once again, the USB standard is for the connectors. Anything beyond the connectors and the immediate wires connecting on the pins are not covered by the standard that you claim.

So, just for everyone's information, and since I am already tired of your continued spawning of nonsense and making others ignorant as you, I will explain everything in detail in layman's term. Although, I doubt that eenie weenie pea-size object in your cranium can comprehend them. But nonetheless, I will have maximum tolerance for the handicapped in this thread. Be sure not to post any blabbering anymore, because your ignorance is being broadcasted worldwide.

USB is a plug & socket standard, just like your power plug and power sockets. They have their own standards set by the governing bodies to ensure universality among electronic devices to ensure that they fit and function. Like the power plug, the USB has + and - wires, but with added wires for data transfer. The standard refers to the physical dimensions and positions of the plug and function of the pins, as well as the code classes, but anything beyond that other than the voltage are not covered by the usb standard. If they were also included in the same standard, there won't be innovation. It will be dictating something like a power plug can only be attached to an electric fan and cannot be used elsewhere. The wires inside are also not obliged by the standard to be present. Although there are 4 pins, they are not required to be all used and attached electric wires into. This is the reason why you can't say that all USB cables are the same and will function the same, and that especially applies to micro USB cables. They look the same but you will not know the difference until you use them or slice them open.

Taz420nj said:
However it's still stupid, because YOU CAN USE ANY A-TO-MICRO-B CABLE IN ANY LENGTH.

For your statement that you keep on insisting, your tribe was obviously left out by civilization. For charging/data cable, which this thread aims to give alternative to, you need the correct micro USB cable, using just any micro USB cable that you come across won't guarantee that it will supply power for charging and do data transfer.

Regarding length, you cannot use just ANY LENGTH because the signal weakens after a certain length. You will need to attach a booster to maintain that transfer speed longer than that length.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB#Cabling

The USB 1.1 Standard specifies that a standard cable can have a maximum length of 5 meters with devices operating at Full Speed (12 Mbit/s), and a maximum length of 3 meters with devices operating at Low Speed (1.5 Mbit/s).

USB 2.0 provides for a maximum cable length of 5 meters for devices running at Hi Speed (480 Mbit/s). The primary reason for this limit is the maximum allowed round-trip delay of about 1.5 μs. If USB host commands are unanswered by the USB device within the allowed time, the host considers the command lost. When adding USB device response time, delays from the maximum number of hubs added to the delays from connecting cables, the maximum acceptable delay per cable amounts to 26 ns. The USB 2.0 specification requires that cable delay be less than 5.2 ns per meter (192 000 km/s, which is close to the maximum achievable transmission speed for standard copper wire).

The USB 3.0 standard does not directly specify a maximum cable length, requiring only that all cables meet an electrical specification: for copper cabling with AWG 26 wires the maximum practical length is 3 meters (9.8 ft).

This is, again, straight from wiki:

To reliably enable a charge-only feature, modern USB accessory peripherals now include charging cables that provide power connections to the host port but no data connections, and both home and vehicle charging docks are available that supply power from a converter device and do not include a host device and data pins, allowing any capable USB device to charge or operate from a standard USB cable.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB#Connector_types

This is particularly evident in most micro USB cables bundled with powerbanks. The powerbank requires only to supply power and it doesn't need data transfer. So, it is more logical to bundle data-less cable so that the material acquisition cost could be lowered. The opposite can said about older cellphones that are bundled with proprietary charging cables that have micro USB slots for data transfer. Most of their bundled USB cables do not have charging capabilities, although some can still be charged when plugged into the computer.

And also, this proves that USB cables do not provide the same current or amperage. And also proves that not all micro USB cables will charge your device at full speed due to different resistance which the caveman has still failed to answer. The OP provided visuals, so I'm hoping the caveman can at least recognize them. This is a factual data and not some blabbering blah-blah-blah from someone obviously left out by time.

http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2451375

vectron said:

This thread was opened with the intention to help others to easily find an almost guaranteed working data/charging cable combo alternative because not everyone has access to a cheap branded cable. (And sometimes even a branded cable does not guarantee both functions). This is a quicker guaranteed solution for those buying micro USB cable that has no way to test the cable they are purchasing, mostly those buying online or those buying impulsively.

The logic behind the "almost guaranteed working data/charging cable combo" is that unlike micro USB cable, an extension cable guarantees that every pin has its own wire with no modifications, that's why it is called an extension cable. The micro USB adapter, guarantees the full conversion from micro USB to USB interface to have all pins connected properly, that's why it is called adapter/converter.

So, if you do not like the idea of the extended length that is protruding out of your micro USB slot, this thread is not for you and you are not obliged to use or try the setup in any way. The solution provided here is not perfect but a fully functional solution.

jopat · Jul 2, 2014

To avoid further trolling, this thread will not be updated any more nor any post will be made by the OP.

Taz420nj · Jul 2, 2014

Oh my f*cking god it is amazing that someone can be as utterly stupid as you are and survive beyond puberty. Seriously, do you have any idea what a moron you sound like?

YOU HAVE NO CLUE WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT.

I find it absolutely ASTOUNDING that you are quoting sources that completely contradict your argument, and yet you claim them as evidence that you are right.

I was particularly amused by the fact that you quoted the wiki, but you don't seem to have read or understood what you quoted in the least. This is evidenced by the fact that you claim:

jopat said:
] Second, those " well-documented, globally recognized industry standard" is not for the "USB" that you re referring to, therefore they don't exist. "USB" is not the whole device or cable itself, but the receptacle & plug and how they will transmit power and data. They don't specify how the device should deliver them. In fact, you can attach another device in the cable between the USB ends.

and

jopat said:
]I'll say it once again, the USB standard is for the connectors. Anything beyond the connectors and the immediate wires connecting on the pins are not covered by the standard that you claim.

But if you had actually read the VERY FIRST LINE at the top of the wiki entry, it says:

Universal Serial Bus (USB) is an industry standard developed in the mid-1990s that defines the cables, connectors and communications protocols used in a bus for connection, communication, and power supply between computers and electronic devices

It is not just about the "connectors and the immediate wires connecting the pins", the USB standard lays out EVERYTHING, from the connector dimensions, to the pinouts, to the cables, to the power transmission levels, to the data transfer. If a device does not comply with those standards, then it can not be legally called "USB Certified".

Game, set, match.

ronnie498 · Jul 3, 2014

Mod Edit

Thread Closed

ronnie498
Forum Moderator

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Alternative to micro USB Charging / Data cable

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elesbb

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