Mod for sony liveview stock watchband to facilitate charging

gorgy76 · Oct 8, 2012

Hi,

I have here a simple mod for the stock sony liveview watch band to facilitate charging without taking out the liveview at its retaining base. I would just like to share this simple mod so that anyone with a broken tabs that clips the liveview in place can use their stock watchband again (Mine broke the other day

,the engineer who design this thing must be fired) or for those anybody that would like to use their stock watchband and was tired of constantly taking out their liveview for charging. This mod will allow the liveview to be charged still attached to the stock watchband. (Caution; Pics are very huge....sorry). Liveview app has a recently updated so it improves connectivity but no auto connect yet. Otherwise I'm enjoying it more now on jellybean than previously where it stays more of its time inside my desk unused, so for now will be using it more frequently.

Materials needed are the following:

a. Long nose flier (preferred as it allow small length bending of the paper clip)
b. paper clip
c. super glue (for those with broken tabs)

http://i1223.photobucket.com/albums/dd501/gorgycuads/IMG_20121008_105705.jpg?t=1349708425

Steps:

1. Cut, measure and shape the paper clip according to the image shown. Remember to measure the lenght of the clips and its bending in proportion where the retaining pin is attached to the watch base. ( I would not explain further as a picture is worth a thousand words)

http://i1223.photobucket.com/albums/dd501/gorgycuads/IMG_20121008_105715.jpg?t=1349708412

2. when done, remove the stock retaining pin from the watchband. You will have to enlarge the hole where the retaining pin is attached to the base of your live view by using the extra paper clip and heating the tip of it using a gas stove, a candle or anything at your own convenience. (Be careful with this procedure, take extra caution). While the tip of the paper clip is still red hot immediately insert it to the hole and take it out afterwards and do the opposite side.

3. Now that the hole is larger, and your modded paper clip pin is ready to be inserted to the notch. Now replace the stock retaining pin with your modded paper clip retaining pin and place it back. Put your liveview back. For those with broken tabs super glue on the back of your liveview and put it back allow the glue to dry for several minutes.

Here are some pics in action: You still retain factory look and gain some convenience charging with the port without removing anything( except for the rubber cover which you will still have to open). Enjoy

(Sorry if I have made some grammatical error or did not explain properly as english is not my primary language).

http://i1223.photobucket.com/albums/dd501/gorgycuads/IMG_20121004_184024.jpg?t=1349708444

http://i1223.photobucket.com/albums/dd501/gorgycuads/IMG_20121004_184101.jpg?t=1349708435

http://i1223.photobucket.com/albums/dd501/gorgycuads/IMG_20121008_110238.jpg?t=1349708665

http://i1223.photobucket.com/albums/dd501/gorgycuads/IMG_20121008_110338.jpg?t=1349708656

iakovl · Oct 22, 2012

nice idea... i'll try how to think how to do it on my watch strap

Alahdal · Dec 12, 2012

Good Job. I have to look for a technician to do it for me

.

smartyenrique · Dec 17, 2012

superb job! i am doing this right away! wish me luck

---------- Post added at 03:17 AM ---------- Previous post was at 02:43 AM ----------

wooaahhh done! great idea... and quite easily achievable

jamesweech · Dec 18, 2012

Thank You!

Thank you so much for this tip,
without it i would have to struggle to remove the watch from its strap everyday as on my one it is way to stiff,i found i didn't have to make enlarge the hole for the paperclip and is quite sturdy :good:

Laur3nt1u · Jan 17, 2013

just did this and I didn't had to enlarge the hole

willfck4beer · May 22, 2013

Could use some advice.
This thing has a TINY battery and doesn't use that much power.
As a watch mode it's in the light all the time. What if we never had to plug it in to charge it again... but instead kept it plugged in the whole time to a solar watch strap?
ebay has these (which, two, in series relation might work)

http://www.ebay.com/itm/PowerFilm-F...00918136469?pt=UK_Gadgets&hash=item2ec7a77695

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Thin-Film-F...489?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a81313771

and my favorite (one of these might work... don't think their calculation can be right: e.g. 2V *420mA = .84W
So if we .84W / 5V = .168 = 168ma that's more than standard usb @ 100ma and should give enough juice over 8 hours of office and sunlight right? Plus this thing is waterproof and looks sick (they even have a black one now too).

for dirt cheap that puts out decent charge ... anyone have any ideas how to fashion one of these (or two) into a watchstrap?
Perhaps solder on a male micro usb that will couple to liveview on that side and then a regular watch pin on the other side.
Wouldn't this generate enough energy to never have to plug in and allow unlimited use?
50ma * 8hours a day??? for a 100mah ish battery?
Am I missing something here?
The only issue I see is the voltage... usb needs 5V +/- .25ish?
Would one use a voltage regulator?
Any input greatly appreciated. I'm more software than EE.
Thanks,
Frank

willfck4beer · May 30, 2013

FYI: Liveview mn800 Sony $18 free shipping! Just wanted to pass it along.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sony-Ericss...er_Cell_Phone_Accessories&hash=item589938963b

trapinha · May 30, 2013

Nice idea

willfck4beer · Jun 4, 2013

IT WORKS! IT'S ACTUALLY CHARGING!

Just need to clean it up a bit and do some testing. But it is indeed charging.

FLESH KILLA · Jun 4, 2013

How did you do that???

willfck4beer said:
IT WORKS! IT'S ACTUALLY CHARGING! View attachment 2015449
View attachment 2015450
Just need to clean it up a bit and do some testing. But it is indeed charging.

Nice!
Just ordered a liveview the otherday for $20 from amazon. Can't wait for it to get here! How did you get the solar strip to charge it, that's a great idea?

willfck4beer · Jun 4, 2013

Just need to get a solar band to be about 5v. Ebay has cheap voltage converters with usb outputs. I'm soldering on a male micro usb and removing female full size usb port. I cut the end of the charger that came with the live view off... only two cables inside. Having some weird results though. Will report more after some more tinkering.

willfck4beer · Jun 5, 2013

Goddamnit. I cant figure it out. It doesn't seem to be working. The charging indicator light comes on and the screen charging icon indicator shows charging. But even when the device is off and left on the charger... no charge seems to accumulate in the battery.
Not sure if the voltage regulator efficiency is to blame resulting in sub 100ma output??? (This seems to be the case as my phone doesn't report charging). But why would liveview report charging but never charge?

The other possibility is that I need to incorporate a diode, like an led, inline to keep current flowing back from liveview to boost converter when a cloud goes over? Oddly, if I disconnect solar cell... liveview seems to illuminate an led built into regulator. Odd!

This morning I charged for about twenty minutes and when I disconnected, the charging light stayed illuminated for several minutes and liveview would not respond.

Anyone have any ideas?
I'm hoping I don't have to incorporate a tiny rechargeable coin battery intermediate to liveview and the solar cell.

FLESH KILLA · Jun 5, 2013

I don't know much about electrical setups but it sounds like the current is flowing into the liveview, then back to the converter and is circulating in and out. Basically, the solar strip is charging the liveview, and at the same time the liveview is powering the converter. This would explain the led staying on after it had been disconnected as the remaining charge in the battery was sent to the voltage converter. Did you try disconnecting everything (usb cable and all) after charging it?

willfck4beer · Jun 5, 2013

Not yet. Been busy at work. But dying to try. I agree with your assessment. Wish I had an extra led to isolate so there was no backwards flow.

willfck4beer · Jun 12, 2013

I'm hitting 59.6milliamps on an overcast day with a portion of the panel covered.
Usb provides 100ma max non-negotiated. I'm seeing the liveview pulling 74ma from a usb computer outlet. Getting close!
There seems to be some accumulation. I'm thinking of incorporating a tiny rechargeable nimh coincell to balance everything out and provide more current. I don't see any negative current flowing from live view beyond the voltage converter to the ammeter. Successfully charged my bt headset. Getting there.
I've got, what I hope, is a more efficient converter on the way.

willfck4beer · Jun 13, 2013

Never run out of battery again on liveview:
Charge from your phone!!!

Otg male micro to micro usb will charge the live view from note2 usb.

3300mah note2 battery at about 100ma to live view's 100ish... while liveview provides an awesome second screen! And remote control/ game D pad plus select. Sick!!! Fxuck yeah

Phone remote.
My note 2 is so big... I need a remote.
In the hood don't even need to whip out note2. There's some serious benefits here.

Schematic attached for my idea of male to male plug to charge liveview from phone:
*Data (D+/D-) generally green and white wires not needed.
*Depending on the orientation of your phone port and whether you want second screen face up (as I do) then there's this difficult twist.
Use the shield to send GND and maybe a conductive ink pen to draw a trace from 1 to 5.
*4 and 5 on OTG side must be coupled for phone to detect OTG.
*Not sure how the phone will react to seeing pins 2/3 D+/D- as open. Hope this works. I think it will.
My phone charges the liveview using a 2 conductor cable... so they should show open anyway.

*if your phone connector is reversed or you don't care about the orientation (which might be nice in some configs)... this is a **** ton easier. Only need to couple two male micro-b to male micro-b with all connectors going straight through. (and couple 4 and 5).

Schematic up just FYI FWIW.
ONE CAVEAT to this. Without the data cables you can't negotiate for higher current above 100mA. But for bluetooth peripherals and liveview... this should be quite sufficient.

willfck4beer · Jun 14, 2013

Solar charger wrist band working on smartwatch1! They are going to have to build their own for smart watch 2 as I believe it's proprietary connection.
Best news ever just hit... Sony OPENS up dev on smartwatches; home brew friendly behavior? Hell yeah sony! This is such a relief, if this is the new Sony, I'm getting ps4 *****es! The boycott is over! I'm totally getting smarter watch 2 when it comes down to a reasonable price...Cannot wait for full multitouch.
Does anyone have specs fir smart watch 2 plug? Its not microusb is it?

willfck4beer · Jun 17, 2013

OR - the really easy way if you don't need structural coupling:
$5
http://hakshop.myshopify.com/products/micro-to-micro-otg

Male to male
micro-b to micro-b
with OTG (on the go) enabled.

Already all the work is done... great cable to charge liveview directly from phone!
Also works with your bluetooth headset, mouse, keyboard, and the like.
One improvement on this would be to couple in a resistor across the data lines to allow charging the phone while derivatively charging the liveview.

I'll leave that to the other threads.

willfck4beer · Jun 18, 2013

Direct phone to liveview charging. 100ma @ 5v
Usb micro to usb micro
Micro-b
$5 from hackify

Mod for sony liveview stock watchband to facilitate charging

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