USB car charger

[thedogger]

I've had the same problems with chargers. Only 2 out of 5 of my mini-USB chargers works with my HTC TyTN. It definitely seems to be a software issue, because the unit charges fine with these chargers, no matter if they put out 500mA or 1 AMP, when the unit is completely off. Once it is powered on and in standby (screen off) or with screen on, they don't work. I put a note regarding this issue on HTC's wiki 'known problems' page. Hopefully HTC reads their own wiki every once in a while.

 

[alex_atanassov]

USB car charger solution

Guys, I finally made up my mind and dismantled one of the 'USB/miniUSB'cables I had. Connected the idle pin 4 to pin 5, re-assembled the mini USB plug and can confrim I can now charge the HTC Tytn with any car charge adapter with standard USB output plug.
This will also work on any standard car charger with miniUSB output.

If you do this, make sure you do not connect by accident any of the other pins. Suggest check with a tester this before re-assembling.

Another thing; note that once pin 4 and 5 are connected you will not be able to use this specific cable to connect the TyTn with a PC; charging via PC USB however will works.

 

[icemantwilight]

Another thing; note that once pin 4 and 5 are connected you will not be able to use this specific cable to connect the TyTn with a PC; charging via PC USB however will works.

That's interesting, I'll add that to my notes. Just to confirm.. if the pins are bridged the TYTN will NOT talk data on that cable??

 

[alex_atanassov]

Correct, ActiveSync did not work with the cable i re-worked. Only charging.
Beleive this is not an issue if you use this cable only in the car.

 

[SkizZO]

good! thanx to let us know your experience!

(it's a correct phrase??)

 

[joej]

good! thanx to let us know your experience!

(it's a correct phrase??)

hi, do post pictures if you can. thanks

 

[jridder]

This behavior is particularly annoying because not only will my Motorola charger not charge my TyTN, my TyTN charger will not charge my Motorola. I guess I have to wire up a double headed cable. So much for standards. Idiots.

 

[jasjamming]

Guys, I finally made up my mind and dismantled one of the 'USB/miniUSB'cables I had. Connected the idle pin 4 to pin 5, re-assembled the mini USB plug and can confrim I can now charge the HTC Tytn with any car charge adapter with standard USB output plug.
This will also work on any standard car charger with miniUSB output.

If you do this, make sure you do not connect by accident any of the other pins. Suggest check with a tester this before re-assembling.

Another thing; note that once pin 4 and 5 are connected you will not be able to use this specific cable to connect the TyTn with a PC; charging via PC USB however will works.

Hi Alex,

I just did the same thing at work today, i dismanted the mini-usb jack and soldered pin 4 to 5 and then reassembled the plug.

Workd great now and no need to invest $20 in a specific charger.

 

[Radimus]

I use a $10.00 retractable cable RAZR charger from WalMart and it works fine

 

[freeck]

Hi guys,

I am already testing some time to get my car charger working, and finally found this thread where the solution seems to be described (because I don't have the mini-usb-connector I cannot test I now.
But something puzzles me: If I connect my gsm to my PC with the standard USB-cable delivered by Orange, I measure that pin 4 and 5 are not connected.
But the charging is still working....?

Can somebody explain that?

 

[alex_atanassov]

Hi guys,

I am already testing some time to get my car charger working, and finally found this thread where the solution seems to be described (because I don't have the mini-usb-connector I cannot test I now.
But something puzzles me: If I connect my gsm to my PC with the standard USB-cable delivered by Orange, I measure that pin 4 and 5 are not connected.
But the charging is still working....?

Can somebody explain that?

This was explained in another thread with the fact that TyTn starts charging when (1) notice data via Active Sync or (2) notice reliable power source (even no data). Obviosuly due to some bug we need to connect pin 4+5 to tell TyTn he has a reliable poer source.

 

[tadzio]

But something puzzles me: If I connect my gsm to my PC with the standard USB-cable delivered by Orange, I measure that pin 4 and 5 are not connected.
But the charging is still working....?

Can somebody explain that?

Well, the TyTN takes pin 4 into consideration only if there is no proper USB device at the other end of the cable. If there is a device (like your PC), they negotiate the current the TyTN may draw from the USB port of the PC, and then the TyTN starts charging.

Cheers
Daniel

 

[jridder]

I tried the "plug it in and do a soft reset" routine with my 8525. As others have noted, it continued to charge after the reset finished. However, it also continued to work when I disconnected power and then connected power again (I think others reported that it would only continue charging as long as the power was connected).

Further, I did another soft reset with the power not connected. It still continued to charge properly with my Motorola charger and my generic car charger. I then did a complete power cycle and it still charges. I guess my 8525 finally learned it's lesson (and I'm very glad I don't have to hack a power cable - just an audio cable).

Jonathan

 

[jridder]

Another update. My 8525 didn't completely "learn it's lesson". It seems to charge OK with my Motorola charger after a soft reset. Then it will continue working for a while even when I unplug the power or even power cycle. However, at some point it stops working (after a day or two) and I have to soft reset again.

 

[warmkiwi99]

soft reset trick works for me.

noticed that without this, it doesn't charge until the screen deactivates, then it charges

 

[thebimbo]

I bought a combo AC/car charger and it works fine with the TyTN.

http://www.boxwave.com/products/categories/versacharger.htm

 

[jfrm]

I'm using the soft reset trick and normally it use to works, but it is a little annoying to be resetting everytime your forget to suspend before connect....

It's possible to change the behaviour of the hermes with a registry hack?

It's possible to solder, or connect with a small copper wire, the pins on the male USB (not miniUSB) side of the cable?

if so, can any one who knows the wiring order post a image HowTo?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Lurker0]

It's possible to solder, or connect with a small copper wire, the pins on the male USB (not miniUSB) side of the cable?

You see, that USB connector has 4 pins, and all are in use. The MiniUSB has 5 pins, and this is exactly one odd that is used to signal about the charger. But it's not that hard to short pins in the MiniUSB connector. Even if the #4 pin has no a soldering plane inside. I used a piece of thin wire, inserted it into the hole that keeps the 4th pin inside, and soldered it to #5. They also can be shorted from the connector side, which goes into the phone. Do it yourself or find somebody to do it for you, and forget about the problem forever.

 

[FruJu]

I got a car charger of ebay for a dollar, works great!

 

[lan]

difference mini USB standards

I dit some surging on the mini usb and found this information in Wikipedia:

Most of the pins of a Mini-USB connector are the same as those in a standard USB connector, except pin 4. Pin 4 is called "ID" and, in the Mini-A connector, is connected to ground, but in the Mini-B is not connected. This causes a device supporting USB On-The-Go (with a Mini-AB socket) to initially act as host when connected to a USB Mini-A connector (the "A" end of a Mini-A–Mini-B cable). The Mini-A connector also has an additional piece of plastic inside to prevent insertion into a slave-only (B-only) device

It seems that we need a mini USB-A cable to charge the divice. I have only no idea if you can buy this cable. If you look at the differences between the A and B connector you can see that the female connector is made for a mini-A. Hope this information helps.