[Q] thunderbolt not charging well with other usb cables - Thunderbolt Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

i bought two extra usb cables from amazon, i can't link to them since i don't have enough posts yet, but they're the "EMPIRE USB Data Cable for Verizon HTC ThunderBolt" from amazon
i intentionally looked for some that said for use with thunderbolt in case there was something different than just a micro-usb cable; however, it does not seem that these cables charge as well as the cable that ships. it takes several hours even when trying to charge with the original AC adapter using one of these cables vs the ~1.5-2 hours with the cable that comes with. When trying to use a computer or a car adapter it just holds the charge steady, if using navigation it actually drops battery while plugged in!
is there something i'm missing here? they should all be the same right? can anyone point me to some that actually work? (preferably from amazon since i have gift cards there)

I've had the same problem.
Make sure you are getting the correct voltage. I think my issues are that USB is a slower charge than outlets and the "extra" charger I had was for my bluetooth which had a lower voltage.

strobieone said:
I've had the same problem.
Make sure you are getting the correct voltage. I think my issues are that USB is a slower charge than outlets and the "extra" charger I had was for my bluetooth which had a lower voltage.
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yeah, i understand that usb from the computer will be a lower voltage, which is what i thought the issue was at first. but then i tried using the original AC adapter with the replacement usb cable and it was slower than the original cable. i don't see why the cable would make a difference, but it definitely appears to.
i downloaded the current widget and can see that just swapping between the OEM cable and the aftermarket cable the charging current is quite different. ~+600ma with the OEM and -100ma to +300ma with the aftermarket (yes at times it was LOSING charge while plugged in using the aftermarket)

roppetty said:
yeah, i understand that usb from the computer will be a lower voltage, which is what i thought the issue was at first. but then i tried using the original AC adapter with the replacement usb cable and it was slower than the original cable. i don't see why the cable would make a difference, but it definitely appears to.
i downloaded the current widget and can see that just swapping between the OEM cable and the aftermarket cable the charging current is quite different. ~+600ma with the OEM and -100ma to +300ma with the aftermarket (yes at times it was LOSING charge while plugged in using the aftermarket)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You should never use any other cable than the one provided with your Thunderbolt. On the site it may say that it "Works" with the Thunderbolt but that doesn't mean you are going to get the performance you need out of it. I have had that problem plenty of times with older cables and sadly it keeps me buying the slightly overpriced cables from Verizon so I know that I get what I need.

roppetty said:
yeah, i understand that usb from the computer will be a lower voltage, which is what i thought the issue was at first. but then i tried using the original AC adapter with the replacement usb cable and it was slower than the original cable. i don't see why the cable would make a difference, but it definitely appears to.
i downloaded the current widget and can see that just swapping between the OEM cable and the aftermarket cable the charging current is quite different. ~+600ma with the OEM and -100ma to +300ma with the aftermarket (yes at times it was LOSING charge while plugged in using the aftermarket)
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Click to collapse
It sounds like a defective cable. Check to see how it's charging (AC or USB). If it says USB when connected to the HTC charger, the cable is bad.
I use micro-USB cables I got from Monoprice, no problems.

mike.s said:
It sounds like a defective cable. Check to see how it's charging (AC or USB). If it says USB when connected to the HTC charger, the cable is bad.
I use micro-USB cables I got from Monoprice, no problems.
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Click to collapse
It's not defective, it's just not designed for charging. OP, always make sure it says it is a charger cable, not a data cable, when you buy one.

WeaselWeaz said:
It's not defective, it's just not designed for charging.
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BS. You have no clue what you're talking about. The TB follows the USB charging specification.

The thing about USB (Universal serial bus) cables is that they are UNIVERSAL. It doesn't matter where you get them from, what they say, or what they are branded. They have to meet certain specs (including materials and current capacity) in order to get the USB label.
If you're having a problem, I am 99% sure the cable is not the issue.
Try out monoprice.com. I've used them for years. You can get 3 wall chargers, 5 USB cables and 2 car chargers (all 1A) for like $25, shipped.
Edit: QFT
mike.s said:
BS. You have no clue what you're talking about. The TB follows the USB charging specification.
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necosino said:
The thing about USB (Universal serial bus) cables is that they are UNIVERSAL. It doesn't matter where you get them from, what they say, or what they are branded. They have to meet certain specs (including materials and current capacity) in order to get the USB label.
If you're having a problem, I am 99% sure the cable is not the issue.
Try out monoprice.com. I've used them for years. You can get 3 wall chargers, 5 USB cables and 2 car chargers (all 1A) for like $25, shipped.
Edit: QFT
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Click to collapse
yeah, i'm with you, that's why i posed to see if there was something i'm missing and didn't know about. i'm a computer engineer so i know a cable is a cable is a cable, which is why i was like wtf when these didn't work the same.
thanks all, at least i know i didn't miss something and these should work the same.

ive had this problem on every phone. takes forever to charge through usb.

A USB cable is a USB cable is a USB cable is a USB cable.
If you are doing seat of your pants checks on charging, etc, they are never going to be accurate. CPU usage, network usage, etc while the phone is charging will affect how quickly it does charge. The stock charger provides 1000mA to charge the device, if you are using it, or another app is doing something (downloading data, using cpu, etc) it will not charge as quickly because power is being drained as it is being charged.
There is too much that would cause a slower charge state that you can't compensate for by a seat of the pants judgement on charging.

Its all about the mA.
No, thats not a storm. Its just my Thunderbolt layin down this post.

I have the same issue. I have tried four different usb cables with the oem charger and only two charge normally, the oem and one that I had with an old phone that I put a mini to micro adapter on to fit. The other two, one actually micro one mini to micro adapted, charge extremely slow. Yes a cable is a cable, but given I use the oem charger, the only differing things are the cables.

For what it's worth, I hate to burst your bubbles but not all USB cables are equal. And, in fact, not all phones are optimized for USB cables. Just because a cable looks like a USB cable and works as a USB cable doesn't mean that it is ONLY a USB cable. There are quite a few devices out there that can be charged (albeit slowly) with a USB cable but can be charged quickly with a cable that you only think is a USB cable. Take the Nook Color, for instance. The cable that it comes with looks like a USB cable on all accounts, but it's not. I forget which (both are techniques currently used) but either it has extra pins or has a data pin repurposed to provide additional power so it can charge faster. There are quite a few devices out there that are like this, and it seems like the number of these devices just keep growing and growing.
Now these "non-USB" devices still support USB standards, and can be charged via USB standard cables. However, they are optimized for non-USB standards and charge faster with these non-USB cables.
I'm honestly not sure if our Thunderbolts are such a device or not, and if the cables that they come with are such cables. They very well could be, and what the OP claims goes along with that theory. But honestly, I simply do not know.
EDIT:
Oh, and one more example. Go take a look at the custom "USB" cables that Team Blackhat had made that can power Motorola devices in CWM without a battery in the device. This is yet another example of where a USB cable isn't a USB cable.

Having the data pins connected to 5v sources is part of the charger itself; it has nothing to do with the cable.
Every USB cable has 4 pins: two 5v+, a gnd and a 5v- if the second + and - aren't connected to a source in the charger, you will only get a 0.5A charge, and it will go slow. If the charger DOES have them connected, you get the full 1A, and a much faster charge.
If the charger or cable is anything different then it is not USB. End of story. I know some phones have extra pins in the USB location for video out, for example, but those don't interfere with the standard USB pins.
Sent from my ThunderBolt using Tapatalk

necosino said:
Every USB cable has 4 pins: two 5v+, a gnd and a 5v-
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Wrong, kinda. Check this out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nook_Color#USB_port
The Nook Color uses a modified connector with two depths. The first depth is compatible with micro-usb (5-conductor), while the second depth has 12 conductors. This change was made to increase the amount of power available to charge the larger battery of the Nook Color when using the included cable.
Because of this, the USB cable included with the Nook Color is physically incompatible with other devices employing standard micro-usb connectors. However, the Nook Color itself is physically compatible with standard micro-usb cords.
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Now I realize that calling this a "USB Cable" might be stretching the definition of "USB Cable" (hence the "wrong, kinda" comment) but more than likely, most people have no clue that one cable is different than another, so the end result is that, for all practical purposes, we DO have different types of USB cables.

necosino said:
Every USB cable has 4 pins: two 5v+, a gnd and a 5v- if the second + and - aren't connected to a source in the charger, you will only get a 0.5A charge, and it will go slow. If the charger DOES have them connected, you get the full 1A, and a much faster charge.
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Click to collapse
Close, but not quite.
The pins are +5, Ground, +D and -D. All power is drawn through the +5 and Ground lines. The D lines are used for data transfer.
Per the USB specifications, a device can only draw 100 mA without enumerating (negotiating via USB, implies both ends have "intelligence"). If it can enumerate, it can negotiate for up to 500 mA (e.g. plugged into a PC which has a "driver" which recognizes the phone).
There are also specifications for DCPs (Dedicated Charging Ports). For these, the D+ and D- pins (the center two in a full sized USB connector) on the charger must be connected together with no more than 200 Ohms. These ports must provide at least 500 mA, but can provide more (micro-USB connectors are rated to 1.8 A). That's how the phone knows it can draw more than 100 mA from a "dumb" power adapter.
The TB follows the USB charging spec. Here are some things that can happen.
If it's plugged into a charger which doesn't follow the USB spec (D+ and D- not connected together, these are fairly common), it can only draw 100 mA. It doesn't matter if you bought a "2.5 Amp USB charger," if the charger doesn't follow the spec, a device which does isn't supposed to draw more than 100 mA. That's enough to charge it very slowly when the screen is off and it's idling. If the phone is doing anything, the battery will actually be discharging. This is a problem which seems to be common with many car chargers. A lot of device will ignore the 100 mA spec limit, and draw whatever they can, which is why they will charge from an improper adapter.
It's plugged into a PC with no driver - same thing.
It's plugged into a PC with a driver - it can negotiate and pull 500 mA. This is enough to charge while running in almost all cases (it might be on the edge if streaming video via 4G with GPS on, etc.) It will charge, but not as fast as it could.
For all of the above, a TB will show "USB" as the charging type.
It's plugged into a USB DCP. By spec, these must be able to deliver at least 500 mA. The AC adapter shipped with the TB is marked 1.0 A, and the phone won't draw more than 1.0 A (the most I've seen it use to charge the battery is ~800 mA). This will allows the fastest charging. With a DCP, the TB will show "AC" as the charging type.
Cables can have the same effect - all USB cables are supposed to be basically the same. But, some manufacturer's play loose with the spec. They may have "USB" cables with resistors or other changes inside which signal different things to a device. They may not have proper gauge wiring. It may just be a bad cable. Etc.
I've charged the TB with the stock AC charger using both the stock cable, and one I got from Monoprice. Works fine. I've also got a USB hub I converted to a charging station (follows the spec for USB dedicated charging ports), and that works fine with both the original and the Monoprice cables.
I have run into "flaky" cables, where they only work right if jiggled around a bit. Maybe they've been flexed too much, and have an intermittent connection. Maybe the contacts have gotten dirty. I don't worry about it, I just throw those away, you can get new ones from Monoprice for less than a buck.

Thanks Mike S (Also my initials, lol) That's what I get for posting after staying up a bit too late.

well i just ordered two micro usb cables from monoprice. we'll see if those fare any better.
the only thing i can guess is the power wires are a small gauge in the cables i bought from amazon. monoprice has two different kinds, some use 28awg for both data/power and then they have some that have 24awg for power and 28awg for data. i'm hoping that getting the bigger wire for the power will solve the issue.
also, i've been using juiceplotter and you can visibly see the slope of the charge change when switching just between these cables i bought vs the stock one when using the HTC charger so i'm pretty certain it's the cable.

roppetty said:
i've been using juiceplotter
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Click to collapse
Battery Monitor Widget will do that, and more, including telling you whether it's charging AC or USB.
You can also check the charging type from Home Settings/About Phone/Battery/Battery Status.

Related

NT does not charge via USB when connected to PC?

I have noticed the NT only charges when using the AC charger and not when connected to a PC like phones. It even has to use the cable it came with as normal micro usb cables do not work (not for charging anway). Is this right or is this posdibly a hidden setting somewhere I have missed?
romified said:
I have noticed the NT only charges when using the AC charger and not when connected to a PC like phones. It even has to use the cable it came with as normal micro usb cables do not work (not for charging anway). Is this right or is this posdibly a hidden setting somewhere I have missed?
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Click to collapse
The computer does not provide enough amps to charge it. The first day I got mine I plugged the usb into a phone wall charger and it indicated it was charging but didnt seem to be increasing charge. I left it overnight and when I woke up i checked the charge...it didnt budge. I looked at the two wall chargers. The phone charger is a 1 amp charger while the nook charger is 1.9amp. Considering a usb from the computer only provides .5 amps there is no way it will charge.
This is the same as the nookcolor. They use the same charger and have the same limitations.
Sent from my NookColor using Tapatalk
In addition to the current difference, the cable that comes with the NC or NT has a different MicroUSB end. It is a little longer to reach the higher current pins. There are several discussions in the NC Accessories forum that go into the details.
The NC can charge via pc, as long as the usb hub is powered, or the usb ports are powered, with the provided cable micro usb cable.
Other tablets can charge over .5amp USB so it should work on the NT unless they intentionally designed it to be limited. The Lenovo ThinkPad tablet and iPad both worked via .5amp USB. Just very slowly (had to put iPad in sleep mode).
EDIT: iPad 1 for clarification, never owned the second.
Sent from my Nook Tablet using Tapatalk.
I have a newer motherboard (Gigabyte Z68XP-UD4)
when I plug my Nook Tablet into the front USB, it doesn't charge. But I just plugged it in at about 80% power into the rear USB that was red and labelled "3x USB Power" and it charged WHILE I was transferring files.
I didn't know it was charging until I plugged it into the AC and it showed 100%.
I can confirm it with video evidence if you need it because I'm not one to spread misinformation.
My Giga X58A-UD7 will charge mine too. The option must be enabled in The BIOS in order for the additional Amps to be dispensed. And, it will only work on the onboard (rear) USB ports.
Am I correct in thinking that the USB Standard must include a provision for optional high power pins that may not be present in all USB cables - or chargers?
If I have a standard microUSB cable, can I use my 3x port to charge my NT or do I need to use the special longer connector cable that came with the NT?
Another poster said the Nook USB connector was actually longer, so the high power pins would reach the recessed ones.
Bottom line - don't assume just any cable will work.
Are thenook color and tablet chargers the same? im looking to pick up a spare on ebay,
It's the same thing as the ipad. It will say not charging but it actually does just reaaaaaaaaaaally slow.
dermotti said:
Are thenook color and tablet chargers the same? im looking to pick up a spare on ebay,
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They appear to be the same or at least work the same. I have one charger downstairs and one upstairs and the tablet and color charge fine on either one. Just make sure to use the B&N cable, unless you want to wait a while.
So does anybody know where we can pick up chargers cheap? I already have like 5 micro usb chargers and it sucks I cant use them.
AFAIK the NT and NC use the same power supply. My NC with CM 7.1 draws about 600-700 milliamps (according to the Battery Monitor Widget). I have successfully charged it from a PC using a standard micro USB cable. Here's the catch:
- when you connect the tablet to the charger it will turn on. Power down the tablet completely. It will then charge, but takes about 12 hours.

NT's 12pin USB cable is unique?

NT uses a 12pin micro USB cable as NC, it seems a special standard, if we use standard 5pin micro USB, only connect to computer is OK, but seems have some trouble to charge, could we find any replacement one?
ms2003 said:
NT uses a 12pin micro USB cable as NC, it seems a special standard, if we use standard 5pin micro USB, only connect to computer is OK, but seems have some trouble to charge, could we find any replacement one?
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Click to collapse
You'll need to purchase from B&N (unless somebody else can find another source). It is unique. If you look at it, the connector not only has 12 pins, but is longer. The extra length is what initiates contact for charging.
Although its slower to charge attached to the PC (500mA instead of 2A), it does charge. I left mine overnight and it was fully charged using a standard micro-usb cable.
My Samsung Galaxy Tab is like this. There is a software work around that makes it charge faster over USB (see http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1323957). This gives hope that someday we get similar functionality.
donbowman said:
Although its slower to charge attached to the PC (500mA instead of 2A), it does charge. I left mine overnight and it was fully charged using a standard micro-usb cable.
My Samsung Galaxy Tab is like this. There is a software work around that makes it charge faster over USB (see http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1323957). This gives hope that someday we get similar functionality.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have heard it will only charge on PC via USB if the screen is off. Otherwise, it uses too much power to really charge it.
What would happen if I put the USB port into a power adapter? I use them to charge my phones when I don't have access to my laptop's USB ports.
salvachn said:
What would happen if I put the USB port into a power adapter? I use them to charge my phones when I don't have access to my laptop's USB ports.
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Make sure it provides the correct amount of power first.
donbowman said:
Although its slower to charge attached to the PC (500mA instead of 2A), it does charge. I left mine overnight and it was fully charged using a standard micro-usb cable.
My Samsung Galaxy Tab is like this. There is a software work around that makes it charge faster over USB (see http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1323957). This gives hope that someday we get similar functionality.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
only the output will affect? if i found a charge head that provides 2A output will it work?
FWIW...
I tried using the official Nook cord with an Apple iPad (2 amp) usb charger. The NT never indicated that it was charging.
I tried using a quality micro USB cord with an iPad charger and with the official Nook charger, but it never indicated that it was charging.
I haven't tried a standard micro USB cord to a PC (yet).
So far, only official Nook cord and official Nook charger work for me. Alas.
SoonerLater said:
FWIW...
I tried using the official Nook cord with an Apple iPad (2 amp) usb charger. The NT never indicated that it was charging.
I tried using a quality micro USB cord with an iPad charger and with the official Nook charger, but it never indicated that it was charging.
I haven't tried a standard micro USB cord to a PC (yet).
So far, only official Nook cord and official Nook charger work for me. Alas.
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using the nook cord here with my htc phone charger. all works well
None of my generic USB cords work.
USB Extension cables appear to work with charger
I tried a USB extension cable with the Nook charger and it does work. That means, I think, that the A end of the USB is standard.
I know nobody wants to sacrifice the Nook cable but I'm surprised no one has done this yet. I thought at least the Nook Color cable would be cross-compatible with the NT and someone would have buzzed out the Color cable by now.
There's the bi-color charge LED, but I can't see how they could put a charge chip in there; no room.
This cable is unique....and poorly constructed/misaligned to the 2 prong AC adapter. The USB does not fully insert into the AC Adapter. If not perfectly placed/propped while plugged in to charge, the NT does not charge or charges slowly.
My remedy has been to move the NT closer to the plug so that there is little to no bend in the cable leading to NT.
Will B&N send another if I request online/call? Or, must I unroot and go to a B&N?
SoonerLater said:
FWIW...
I tried using the official Nook cord with an Apple iPad (2 amp) usb charger. The NT never indicated that it was charging.
I tried using a quality micro USB cord with an iPad charger and with the official Nook charger, but it never indicated that it was charging.
I haven't tried a standard micro USB cord to a PC (yet).
So far, only official Nook cord and official Nook charger work for me. Alas.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have an Apple USB extender between the Nook wall plug and USB cable. Charges fine.
Sent from my BNTV250 using xda premium
johninsf said:
This cable is unique....and poorly constructed/misaligned to the 2 prong AC adapter. The USB does not fully insert into the AC Adapter.
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Click to collapse
Yeah, it's terrible. I don't have any charging issues, but the misalignment causes a ton of electricity to leak, so don't leave it on a couch or a fuzzy blanket unless you want (shockingly) pleasant surprises for hours. I wish they would make an all-in-one-piece as well (do they? would be a good add-on). Sheesh, poor design.
With the billions and billions of 3rd party cords out there, it seems amazing that none exist for the nook tablet. I don't really wanna pay 30 bucks for a backup charger.
2mA too much?
I noticed that the official Nook charger output is rated at 1.9mA - I've just bought a generic 2.0mA USB plug adapter and am hoping that it will work with the existing Nook USB cable. I'm hoping the extra 100mA won't fry the thing...
The extra pins in the Micro end of the Nook USB cable are used to support the higher power draw of the Nook when charging at full rate (2.0A) since the max rated current of a Micro-USB connector is only 1.8A. I am sure they also use the additional pins to make the cable proprietary and possibly also control the bi-color LED. The extra pins are set further into the connector so that they do not cause compatibility problems with standard Micro-USB cables.
In addition to this, the charger brick that comes with the Nook has its Data lines shorted, to each other I believe, to indicate to the Nook that it is plugged into an adapter and not a computer.
The combination of those two things is what is needed for the Nook to charge at its full charge rate. Since the USB A end of the cable is a standard 4-pin design, extension cables that offer all 4 pins/wires will work fine.
The Apple adapter (even the 2.0A version) will not work because it uses a voltage divider (couple of resistors) on the data lines to indicate to the iPod/iPhone what style charger it is (1.0A or 2.0A). One of the data lines is held at 2.1V and the other at 2.7V. Depending on which one (D+ or D-) is at what voltage determines what style charger it is. So the Nook does not recognize the "non-zero" voltage values on the data lines and assumes it is a PC, so it will only charge at 500mA.
Other vendors power bricks use the same "short the data lines" trick as the Nook adapter so several others will work. I believe as mentioned already in this post that HTC uses this same method.
WARNING​
Be careful though because if the adapter is rated at less than 2.0A (e.g. 1.0A) you could cause damage or fire. I am not sure if the Nook will slow down charging if it detects the charge voltage dropping if it is trying to pull too much power out of an underrated supply.
If you really want to use your Apple IPad adapter with your Nook Color/Tablet cable you could modify a USB A/A extension cable to disconnect the Data lines and then tie together only the data lines on the side of the cable that will go to the Nook. Again, this can be dangerous, I can not take any responsibility if you attempt to do this.
HTML:
USB A/A Extension Cable
[ ] GND ----------------------------------------------------- GND [ ]
[ ] D+ ------} <-tied to D- cut and taped-> D+ [ ]
[ Nook ] D- ------} <-tied to D+ cut and taped-> D- [ Adapter ]
[ ] +5V ----------------------------------------------------- +5V [ ]
AdamOutler has confirmed that it will charge on any usb cable, but the tab must be off and it will not show signs of charging. I'm pretty sure that this was charging from the computer.
My device battery is way low.. I'm charging on normal USB so it's trickling up at a rate of about 0x0010 per 2 minutes. At this rate, the device will be ready to use in aproximately 1.5 hours... And until then i'm sure nothing will show on the screen.
This may or may not apply to using the Barnes and Nobel cable. I do not have one available though.
So, if you ever come across a situation where the device won't turn on even after being plugged in, leave it plugged in for a few hours. It could have a case of the "sleeping death".
Also, I'm able to verify that the device... even when totally powered off will charge on a standard USB cable.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=20905962&postcount=190
Has anyone else had issues with the end that plugs into the nook bending out of place and preventing the cable from working? Since its the cable that is not working and since the tab is still under warranty can I take it back and get the cable replaced for free?
bscythe said:
the charger brick that comes with the Nook has its Data lines shorted, to each other I believe, to indicate to the Nook that it is plugged into an adapter and not a computer.
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Click to collapse
Ahhh... So we can't use a generic power brick or car charger and have the NT charge at full rate (unless we also muck with the USB cable). Thanks for this info!

Chargers Matter

FWIW, I think I may have traced my recent charging problems to a Belkin USB charger at my office. On this power source, the battery indicates charging from USB, and apparently there's not enough current to keep up with the demand of the device. It discharges continuously with the screen on, and only keeps even with the screen off. The only way to charge with the Belkin is to turn the phone off.
With the included HTC adapter at my home, however (and with a Motorola adapter left over from a previous phone), the Rezound will charge with screen off, and perhaps even a little with the screen on. Allowed to charge overnight, I do not have to turn the device off when using the HTC charger. On this charger, the phone indicates AC power.
Of course, none of this was an issue before I took the ICS leak. Even though I've gone back to GB, I still have the ICS firmware, and I suspect something different in there is affecting charging.
In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if HTC simply lowered charging rates as part of a campaign to deal with widespread heat issues. If you were trying to cool the phone, that's definitely something you would consider tweaking.
For sure, it's a known issue, some chargers give the full 1A ( the phone indicates AC charging) and some only give 400ma or less (USB Charging).
Search around for chargers and there's good discussion on AC adapters that work well, and even how to modify a USB wall/car charger to give a full AC amount.
Both my gigabyte and msi motherboards are able to deliver up to 1.5A via the USB ports, and are even able to charge my phone (or tablet) when the computer is OFF.
a.mcdear said:
Both my gigabyte and msi motherboards are able to deliver up to 1.5A via the USB ports, and are even able to charge my phone (or tablet) when the computer is OFF.
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for sure, but i bet your phone is only commanding 500ma from it since the phone is usb 2.0 spec... I too have a power port on my laptop to charge things when the laptop is off but it doesn't get over usb 2.0 spec because of the phone :x
I've tried everything, short of trying to make, or looking for, customized drivers to overload it.
thatsricci said:
for sure, but i bet your phone is only commanding 500ma from it since the phone is usb 2.0 spec... I too have a power port on my laptop to charge things when the laptop is off but it doesn't get over usb 2.0 spec because of the phone :x
I've tried everything, short of trying to make, or looking for, customized drivers to overload it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You might be right when it comes to the Rezound, but I know for a fact that it is capable of supplying more than 500mA to some devices for charging. It charges my TF101 even with the screen on, which every other computer with ordinary USB ports seems incapable of doing. If I plug my TF101 into any other computer with a standard USB 2.0 port, it will still slowly discharge if the screen is on and I'm using it.
Either way, I notice absolutely no difference between charging via USB on my computer or via the actual charger, so I'm relatively sure the USB port IS outputting at least the full 1A that the actual charger is rated at, and I am NOT using a kernel with the "fast charge" mod..
I haven't really spent much time noticing how slowly the Rezound would charge on a regular USB 2.0 port. Maybe I'll give it a shot on my laptop tonight just to test it out.
Or, a simple ammeter would probably put the issue to rest definitely.. I wonder if I know anybody with one I could use.....
a.mcdear said:
You might be right when it comes to the Rezound, but I know for a fact that it is capable of supplying more than 500mA to some devices for charging. It charges my TF101 even with the screen on, which every other computer with ordinary USB ports seems incapable of doing. If I plug my TF101 into any other computer with a standard USB 2.0 port, it will still slowly discharge if the screen is on and I'm using it.
Either way, I notice absolutely no difference between charging via USB on my computer or via the actual charger, so I'm relatively sure the USB port IS outputting at least the full 1A that the actual charger is rated at, and I am NOT using a kernel with the "fast charge" mod..
I haven't really spent much time noticing how slowly the Rezound would charge on a regular USB 2.0 port. Maybe I'll give it a shot on my laptop tonight just to test it out.
Or, a simple ammeter would probably put the issue to rest definitely.. I wonder if I know anybody with one I could use.....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Or you could use a battery charging app to verify what rate it is charging at.
Sent from my ADR6425LVW using XDA
nosympathy said:
Or you could use a battery charging app to verify what rate it is charging at.
Sent from my ADR6425LVW using XDA
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Which app do you use?
thatsricci said:
for sure, but i bet your phone is only commanding 500ma from it since the phone is usb 2.0 spec... I too have a power port on my laptop to charge things when the laptop is off but it doesn't get over usb 2.0 spec because of the phone :x
I've tried everything, short of trying to make, or looking for, customized drivers to overload it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Use a charging only cable, i.e. Naztech Micro USB Charging Cable (sorry, don't remember who initially pointed to this), and the phone will see the source as an outlet and not a usb port.
plcline said:
Use a charging only cable, i.e. Naztech Micro USB Charging Cable (sorry, don't remember who initially pointed to this), and the phone will see the source as an outlet and not a usb port.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well that makes sense, any USB cord without data points can only provide power and therefore the phone wouldn't be able to determine whether its a computers USB port or a charger. When the data pins are present, the phone must request a high-power mode from the computer in order to obtain the full 500mA on standard ports, or 1.5A in the case of some newer boards as I mentioned earlier.

Help understanding USB cables...

Ok, So I figured USB cables were pretty straight forward, but apparently i'm wrong, so maybe some of you can shed some light on this?
I have purchased several of those external battery type things to carry around when I need extra juice and am away from power for an extended time and I have found the following regarding cables very odd..
With the stock samsung wall charger/cable I get around 1000ma charge rate. Good...
If I take the above cable and use it with an external battery device I get 500ma.. Bad...
If I use the coiled cable that comes with the external battery I get 800ma charge rate.. Huh?
If I use the short straight cable that comes with the external battery I get 900ma charge rate.. Double Huh?
The external battery has a 1000ma charging port that I am using. (as well as a 2A)
When traveling around i'd like to bring just 1 cable instead of many cables each for a different device as these are all Micro USB and supposed to be standard, and I realized that some cables have the data pins shorted for extra power above an beyond the "standard" 500ma charge from a computer USB port.
What I don't get is how some of the cables deliver more than the normal 500ma from one device but not the other? Either the extra pins are shorted or not?
I know some of you will say who cares about 500ma or 1000ma, but I am using a 5400mah battery in my Note, and 5 hours vs 10 hours recharge time is a pretty big difference.
I just want one long cable that will charge at close to 1000ma from anything
While I don't know a great deal about USB cables, I do know that even our stock cables are cheap at best.
A year or so ago, I had an HTC cable go bad and decided to buy a high capacity cable.
I went online , to monstercable.com and found a 6 foot long brute..
It was nearly double the wire strand size, and used gold plated connections.
I could charge my phone in just under an hour ...using my stock HTC adapter.
I'm convinced that the resistance in the cable is your main issue. And a quality cable will solve it.
I paid $29.00 for the cable plus shipping, and I still use it today ....g

Usb cable for the car

Can I purchase the same exact cable that comes with N6 somewhere online? I want to be able to have an extra one for my car.
2014 SR5 Premium
Pretty certain its the same turbo charger they sell on Motorola.com, its like 35 bucks.
sfidelisrp said:
Pretty certain its the same turbo charger they sell on Motorola.com, its like 35 bucks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was looking for this, but it's out of stock. Any ideas who has this available.
http://www.motorola.com/us/accessories-batteries-chargers/USB-Data-Cable/usb-data-cable.html
2014 SR5 Premium
Don't know where you'd get that exact one but honestly if all you're looking for is the cable you can find micro USB cables almost anywhere. I bought two in Walgreen's for like 5 bucks a pop that I keep in my vehicles. They work perfect. Nothing special about buying over priced cables when they all do the exact same thing.
---------- Post added at 07:15 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:13 AM ----------
dinosaur1 said:
I was looking for this, but it's out of stock. Any ideas who has this available.
http://www.motorola.com/us/accessories-batteries-chargers/USB-Data-Cable/usb-data-cable.html
2014 SR5 Premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Above
Like the others have said. Any USB to Micro-USB cable would work just as well as another (unless the cable is faulty, which... well.... yea).
Isn't it more in the charger than the cable? Unless of course you're talking USB 3 of course.
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elementaldragon said:
Like the others have said. Any USB to Micro-USB cable would work just as well as another (unless the cable is faulty, which... well.... yea).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not quite following your ending statement.
2014 SR5 Premium
elementaldragon said:
Like the others have said. Any USB to Micro-USB cable would work just as well as another (unless the cable is faulty, which... well.... yea).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not true. Cable does matter. Some don't pass enough current. Some don't stay put.
Monoprice premium cables should be <$3 and quality seems good; no complaints here.
http://www.monoprice.com/Product?c_id=103&cp_id=10303&cs_id=1030307&p_id=9965&seq=1&format=2
(black ones seem to be OOS)
daftlush said:
Not true. Cable does matter. Some don't pass enough current. Some don't stay put.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
dinosaur1 said:
I'm not quite following your ending statement.
2014 SR5 Premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Again... if it's a faulty cable. Only time I've ever seen a cable NOT work is if it was bent tightly too many times and split a wire in the casing, or as you said, if the connector itself was somehow flawed. Current supplied is a non-issue, because USB does not require a lot of current for anything. If it did, the wires would need to be thicker.
Just bought this to use with Incipio car turbo charger I bought earlier. I like coiled cables to use in the car: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008DVMRXG/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_75DBub1FSNSV2
This is my new favorite! I charges my N5 from 0% to 50 in 10 minutes! And I love the light on the plug so you can see when you plug it into the phone. I give this 6 out of 5 stars, specially with it being 6 foot long!
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CWM989I/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
and for the car (although can't vouch for speed in the car charger) http://www.amazon.com/Rapid-Dual-Car-Charger-Micro/dp/B00GB8XIZO/ref=pd_bxgy_cps_img_y
What is a good charger that I can use at work?
2014 SR5 Premium
dinosaur1 said:
What is a good charger that I can use at work?
2014 SR5 Premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Look at my post above yours.
dinosaur1 said:
What is a good charger that I can use at work?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The kick-ass 1.8A Blackberry Folding Blade Chargers... ~$5-6 each or 2 for ~$10.
Get a "Charge Only" cable. They deliver higher current to phone from charger than than data / charge cables. Amazon has them at reasonable price.
wtherrell said:
Get a "Charge Only" cable. They deliver higher current to phone from charger than than data / charge cables. Amazon has them at reasonable price.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Link?
2014 SR5 Premium
http://www.verizonwireless.com/acce...er-with-fast-charge-technology-for-micro-usb/
Came across this today. I get 25% off so may be worth it for me.
I thought I'd jump in here and explain why there's so many inconsistent stories regarding cables. Here's the real deal:
Android determines whether a charger is a computer (USB) or a wall charger (AC) by the status of the data pins in the USB connector. In USB, there are 4 pins. The center two pins are data pins. The outer pins supply power and ground. If the central pins are shorted together electrically, then Android devices consider that a wall charger, and will attempt to charge at a higher amperage. If they're not, then the device assumes it's tied to a computer, and charges at 500mA (the power put out by a computer's USB 2.0 port). This is why some 2A chargers will show as "Charging (USB)" on the battery screen, instead of "Charging (AC)," which is what you want. ( I said attempt before, because connecting a cable where the data pins are shorted to a computer won't increase the 500mA that your computer is supplying. Thus, the device will TRY to charge faster, but won't, because it's limited by the computer.)
iOS uses a different method for determining AC/USB, so any charger designed for iOS devices will charge your Android device at 500mA, regardless of the rated power. (That's why some multi-port USB chargers, with a 1A and 2A port will often charge better with the 1A port -- the 2A port tends to be designed for iPads.) Along these lines, there are two types of "Charge Only" cables: Those where the central pins are shorted (Android-compatible), and those where the central pins are missing or disconnected (electrically, that's called "open," which is the opposite of "shorted" -- and these are iOS-Compatible). Thus, using a "Charge Only" cable, can actually be a bad thing. In fact, most "charge only" cables are of the "open" type. So, to say that you should get a "charge only" cable is wrong, more often than not.
Unfortunately, when you're purchasing cables or chargers, they almost never say "Android Compatible." Instead, look at what it DOES say. If it says it's iOS compatible, or that it's designed to charge any iOS device, then it definitely won't charge your Android device at more than 500mA. Stay away! Look for it to say it's designed to charge a specific Android device, like a Samsung S5, or a Droid Maxx, or whatever. Compatibility with ANY Android device, means compatibility with ALL Android devices. (Assuming it's still a micro-USB connector.)
Cables sold by themselves are almost always Data cables. Cables sold with chargers are almost always "charge only" cables, and you need to go by the charger compatibility to determine the cable compatibility. The real test is to find a charger/cable combination that will show up as "Charging (AC)" on the battery screen. The original OEM pair that came with the device is best for this. Once you have that pair of known Android-Compatible components, you can swap out the cable OR charger (ONLY ONE AT A TIME!), and test it to see if it still reads "Charging (AC)," or "Charging (USB)." If it's the latter, then that charger or cable was designed for iOS devices, and won't really be useful with your Android device. If it's the former, then it becomes a known compatible item for further testing.
In summary. The power rating of a charger means absolutely nothing. A 2A charger for iOS will charge much slower than an a 1A charger designed for Android. Don't rely on that. Instead, rely on the device that the charger was designed for. If it says it's designed to charge an Android device (any Android device), then select that over any charger that even so much as mentions an iOS device. Better yet, look for chargers that support the Qualcomm Quick Charge 2.0 standard. That's the same as Moto's "Turbo Charger," and since that's an Android thing, it's guaranteed to be Android compatible, and much faster at charging your N6.
jt3 said:
I thought I'd jump in here and explain why there's so many inconsistent stories regarding cables. Here's the real deal:
Android determines whether a charger is a computer (USB) or a wall charger (AC) by the status of the data pins in the USB connector. In USB, there are 4 pins. The center two pins are data pins. The outer pins supply power and ground. If the central pins are shorted together electrically, then Android devices consider that a wall charger, and will attempt to charge at a higher amperage. If they're not, then the device assumes it's tied to a computer, and charges at 500mA (the power put out by a computer's USB 2.0 port). This is why some 2A chargers will show as "Charging (USB)" on the battery screen, instead of "Charging (AC)," which is what you want. ( I said attempt before, because connecting a cable where the data pins are shorted to a computer won't increase the 500mA that your computer is supplying. Thus, the device will TRY to charge faster, but won't, because it's limited by the computer.)
iOS uses a different method for determining AC/USB, so any charger designed for iOS devices will charge your Android device at 500mA, regardless of the rated power. (That's why some multi-port USB chargers, with a 1A and 2A port will often charge better with the 1A port -- the 2A port tends to be designed for iPads.) Along these lines, there are two types of "Charge Only" cables: Those where the central pins are shorted (Android-compatible), and those where the central pins are missing or disconnected (electrically, that's called "open," which is the opposite of "shorted" -- and these are iOS-Compatible). Thus, using a "Charge Only" cable, can actually be a bad thing. In fact, most "charge only" cables are of the "open" type. So, to say that you should get a "charge only" cable is wrong, more often than not.
Unfortunately, when you're purchasing cables or chargers, they almost never say "Android Compatible." Instead, look at what it DOES say. If it says it's iOS compatible, or that it's designed to charge any iOS device, then it definitely won't charge your Android device at more than 500mA. Stay away! Look for it to say it's designed to charge a specific Android device, like a Samsung S5, or a Droid Maxx, or whatever. Compatibility with ANY Android device, means compatibility with ALL Android devices. (Assuming it's still a micro-USB connector.)
Cables sold by themselves are almost always Data cables. Cables sold with chargers are almost always "charge only" cables, and you need to go by the charger compatibility to determine the cable compatibility. The real test is to find a charger/cable combination that will show up as "Charging (AC)" on the battery screen. The original OEM pair that came with the device is best for this. Once you have that pair of known Android-Compatible components, you can swap out the cable OR charger (ONLY ONE AT A TIME!), and test it to see if it still reads "Charging (AC)," or "Charging (USB)." If it's the latter, then that charger or cable was designed for iOS devices, and won't really be useful with your Android device. If it's the former, then it becomes a known compatible item for further testing.
In summary. The power rating of a charger means absolutely nothing. A 2A charger for iOS will charge much slower than an a 1A charger designed for Android. Don't rely on that. Instead, rely on the device that the charger was designed for. If it says it's designed to charge an Android device (any Android device), then select that over any charger that even so much as mentions an iOS device. Better yet, look for chargers that support the Qualcomm Quick Charge 2.0 standard. That's the same as Moto's "Turbo Charger," and since that's an Android thing, it's guaranteed to be Android compatible, and much faster at charging your N6.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
FYI. I ordered this and tried it today. Works like a charm in my vehicles built in USB port. Originally the USB by itself wouldn't charge.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00GC4AJOU/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?qid=1416764690&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SY200_QL40
I was going to pick this up which has the fastest charge using a 12v.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00P9UILUM/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1416764884&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SY200_QL40
Does anyone how much slower the USB adapter would charge vs the Powermod?

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