Make your own cables

ericlmccormick · Jul 5, 2011

So far I have learned how to make a USB host cable and a universal charging cable. I have shared this in a few post but I figured it would be good to have them all in one place with a diagram.

I will update this drawing as I learn how to build the other cables.

Thanks goes out to pokey9000 for sharing how to do the USB host and nudging me the right way for figuring out the charging!

Update:
I guess the titles of each is not enough to properly relay what each does so here is a quick description of each.
1. USB Host - Puts the Tab into host mode so that you can use items like thumb drives and keyboards. If you want to use a USB powered hard drive, you will need to use a powered hub.
2. USB Host w/ Power - Puts the Tab into host mode but also allows you to charge the unit at the same time.
3. Universal Charging - For making a 30-pin cable that will let you charge your Tab off any 5V source so that you don't get the red X over the battery. When doing this, data transfers will not work.
4. Universal Charging Inline cable - For if you don't want to buy a 30pin connector or cut up your OEM cable, you can put this in line with your OEM cable and use any 5V source.

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

used2hvatreo · Jul 5, 2011

ericlmccormick said:
So far I have learned how to make a USB host cable and a universal charging cable. I have shared this in a few post but I figured it would be good to have them all in one place with a diagram.

I will update this drawing as I learn how to build the other cables.

Thanks goes out to pokey9000 for sharing how to do the USB host and nudging me the right way for figuring out the charging!

Image link is broken, and I'm crazy interested in this. Can't wait to see it when its up. Good Job man

ericlmccormick · Jul 5, 2011

It is my first time linking a picture which you can't just upload, you need to link to an existing online photo.

I think I fixed the problem use ImageShack but if you still have issues viewing, use the below link

GT Cable layouts

used2hvatreo · Jul 5, 2011

ericlmccormick said:
It is my first time linking a picture which you can't just upload, you need to link to an existing online photo.

Try going here. Hopefully this works for you.

GT Cable layouts

Worked perfectly, thanks. This stuff is so interesting, I can't wait to get home and play

dwa012 · Jul 5, 2011

do you have a picture of a real example of the USB host w/power

ericlmccormick · Jul 5, 2011

dwa012 said:
do you have a picture of a real example of the USB host w/power

Not yet. I haven't built the USB host cable myself as my connectors are in the mail. I built that diagram from a mixture of what pokey9000 discovered plus what the pin outs are for the OEM cable.

Hopefully by the end of the week I will get the connector and will build this into a project enclosure which will also have a switch to change this between charge only, USB slave and USB host.

thatdude90210 · Jul 5, 2011

Cool. Seems like it would be easier to just grab a few of these cables, cut the cable and connect rather than soldering to the naked connectors from Kineteka.

ericlmccormick · Jul 5, 2011

thatdude90210 said:
Cool. Seems like it would be easier to just grab a few of these cables, cut the cable and connect rather than soldering to the naked connectors from Kineteka.

Mostly likely, like the OEM cable, the connector is not fully populated. You would be able to easily make a charge only cable the will charge off anything, but to do other things like USB hosting, you need another pin, or rearrange the pins that are there which are probably a pain to do too.

thatdude90210 · Jul 5, 2011

Ah, true. Most likely lot of those pins don't have wires connected.

davehries · Jul 5, 2011

This is good stuff. I am looking forward to learning more. Thanks you for doing this.

dwa012 · Jul 6, 2011

I had a brain fart.

I know what the usb host w/ power cable would look like. I have parts orderd for the host mode configuration. I hopefully await a hdmi/usb-host cable.

snaai8 · Jul 6, 2011

First off, thanks for this awesome discovery !

But I've still got some questions..
what is the difference between the usb host and the usb host w. charging?
And what should the universal charger do?
Thanks!

ericlmccormick · Jul 6, 2011

snaai8 said:
First off, thanks for this awesome discovery !

But I've still got some questions..
what is the difference between the usb host and the usb host w. charging?
And what should the universal charger do?
Thanks!

The USB host should be pretty much the same as the OEM dongle. The host with power should allow you to charge the unit when also attached to a power supply. I have not tested this but I expect should work without a problem. The reason people might just opt to not have the power is to make a smaller package.

The universal charge cable puts the unit into charge mode no matter what your 5VDC power source is. Without this, you must use the OEM charger (or aftermarket adapter) else get a red X over the battery.

jeffcrilly · Jul 7, 2011

Anyone know if it would be possible to hack a USB port into the multimedia-dock? It has the 30pin male and female.. probably passthru.. I've yet to take it apart (I suspect there are screws on the bottom). Anyhow I figure the dock should work with the USB adapter, so maybe all the wires are there inside the base. Then it would just be a matter of adding a female USB (with appropriate resistor). And possibly this would allow charging, audio, etc WITH USB attached. Best part is that multimedia docks are available at local bestbuy, etc.

alternatively, i'm considering a keyboard <sigh>.. but only if usb host mode works with it.

-jeff

cleblanc92 · Jul 7, 2011

jeffcrilly said:
Anyone know if it would be possible to hack a USB port into the multimedia-dock? It has the 30pin male and female.. probably passthru.. I've yet to take it apart (I suspect there are screws on the bottom). Anyhow I figure the dock should work with the USB adapter, so maybe all the wires are there inside the base. Then it would just be a matter of adding a female USB (with appropriate resistor). And possibly this would allow charging, audio, etc WITH USB attached. Best part is that multimedia docks are available at local bestbuy, etc.

alternatively, i'm considering a keyboard <sigh>.. but only if usb host mode works with it.

-jeff

I have the dock and like this idea...I will check out it's assembly in a bit and reply back.

cleblanc92 · Jul 7, 2011

UPDATE: YUP (4) philips screws under the pad on the bottom. Will try to get a pic posted.[/QUOTE]

guts attached...

davehries · Jul 7, 2011

Great! I am looking forward to seeing just how you do this.

FrezoreR · Jul 7, 2011

I want know how one would do the hdmi cable, will that be hard to reverse engineer?

cleblanc92 · Jul 7, 2011

This dock is suppose to allow either the HDMI or the USB connector to plug in the back so that means it does pass all this through. This is going to be interesting....

snaai8 · Jul 7, 2011

okay a few questions again..

Would it be hard to make a usb keyboard work on the tab (like cutting up the usb cable and replacing it with a 30pin dock connector?)?

And how much effort would it take to create a hdmi out? or a normal video out if possible..? Because I actually need an old video out port but on the samsung site is says that the video out represented is not compatible with the 10.1..

and where do you solder everything on? I've yet to find a picture of the 30pin connector which tells you where to solder..
Where would I solder in this image? http://shop.kineteka.com/images/thumbs/0000564.jpeg
Or should I just get a tab-out like this:
http://shop.kineteka.com/products/200-samsung-tabbreakout.aspx

Make your own cables

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