I don't have any sort of MP3 player and I'd like to use my Sony Reader to listen to music or audio books in my car. While I am completely satisifed at how long the battery lasts between charges when reading books, it seems that playing audio burns through the battery much quicker. As such, when I use the Sony Reader in my car, I'd like to plug it into the cigarette lighter. Sony sells an accessory (Car FM Stereo Transmitter DCC-FMT50U) that will allegedly both transmit the signal from the Sony Reader to a selectible FM frequency to play over the car's speakers and allow the Sony Reader to be charged. The charging comes via a USB connection on the device. The specification for the device states that its output is 5.0 VDC at a maximum of 500 mAmps. The AC device that comes with the Sony Reader states that its output is 5.2 VDC at a maximum of 2000 mAmps. Also, this cigarette lighter device is not specifically listed as compatible with the Sony Reader.

I'm not worried about the difference in amperage output, but does anyone know whether the difference in voltage (5.0 VDC vs. 5.2 VDC) represents a problem? I'm thinking that because the connection to the cigarette lighter device is via a USB connection, it should be OK.

But if anyone has a better understanding of this, I really appreciate your thoughts.

Hi ncinpa, welcome here on this forum.

I'm afraid it won't work since the USB charging needs a real PC. Just putting 5 volts on the USB won't work. See here (http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8847) for more info.

From the Sony Style site:
The USB charging device only works with the following models: NW-A1200 series, NW-E500 series, NW-E300 series, NW-E000 series.

If the PSP home charger will work with it then the car version should also work of it..

Also most FM transmitters a basically JUNK! Tried a few and finaly went and installed a AUX adapter on my Matrix.

Also most FM transmitters a basically JUNK! Tried a few and finaly went and installed a AUX adapter on my Matrix.

I use a Griffin "iTrip" with my iPod which works extremely well. Unfortunately it's an iPod-specific one (it plugs into the iPod's docking port, not the headphone socket) so it can't be used with the Reader. Just wanted to make the point, though, that definitely not all are "junk" :grin:.

Not that I doubted any of you in the least, but the reply I received from Sony pretty much backs up what each of you have been saying.

Response from Sony: "You can charge the battery pack of the Sony PRS-500 Portable Reader only by connecting it to an AC outlet or to a computer via USB. You cannot connect it to the DCC-FMT50U Car Stereo Transmitter or DCCE345 Car Multi-Voltage DC Adaptor to charge the battery pack."

So maybe a very complicated way around this is to use my computer as a portable charging device.

OK, now my next question concerns the waveform of the AC voltage. Typically inverters that plug into a cigarette lighter don't produce a true AC wave form. Would the lack of a true AC wave form (as in an inverted wave form from a DC to AC inverter plugged into a cigarette lighter) cause problems for either the AC power supply or the Reader?

I keep a converter (lighter plug to wall plug) under the seat of my car for when I need to charge my laptop on long trips. It works no different than any other wall plug. Bought it at Radio Shack. Why not use that? If you have a second lighter plug in the back or in the hand rest you can hide everything in there. All you will need is an extra wall charger for the road.

That's the 'inverter' he's talking about, Stingo, inversion is what happens to swap DC to AC. What he's wondering about is if the AC waveform that comes out of it (which is somewhat different than the true AC one that comes out of the wall), will make any difference in charging the Reader. I don't know enough about waveforms as they interact with transformers and power supplies to answer it, I doubt I ever did, actually. The Engineering Technology program I went through wasn't real big on theory, and that's where the answer is going to have to come from. :shrug:

Is there an actual double-E in the house? :grin:

Except for some darn expensive one they either run a pure square wave or a multi step wave. The one built in the Matrix is square.

If I get a chance will pop the jack I put on the PSP car adapter off and put one that will fit the SR and see if it can charge the Sony. May take a bit to run down the battries in the Sony. ^_^

If I get a chance will pop the jack I put on the PSP car adapter off and put one that will fit the SR and see if it can charge the Sony. May take a bit to run down the battries in the Sony. ^_^The DC in jack on the PSP is the same as the one on the Reader (you can use a normal PSP power supply to charge the Reader just fine) -- if you're charging your PSP in the car, the same supply should charge the Reader too....

Let see think it was Best Buy and around 27 or 24 for it. Some of the other charges just dont pump out the amps.

Just check... Unloaded it pumps out around 5.3 volts.

When I go out later today. Will grab a RatShack adapter { put a universal head just for this reasion! } and will see if it charges.

Wish these people would put right angle plugs on the wall warts!

Not surprisingly, this is the response I received from Sony:

"We're sorry, but connecting the AC recharger that comes with the Sony Reader into a DC to AC converter that plugs into a cigarette lighter may damage the AC charger and the reader itself. We do not recommend it.
Wishing you a Happy Holiday Season!"

Sony isn't going to recommend anything that isn't 100% fool proof. But I think I'll just pass on trying to recharge the Reader in the car until additional information is received.

Ok... Figure a pix or in this case a video is worth a 1000 words! ^_^

Note I had hack off the plug of the PSP car Adapter to put on a changable jack to charge or run my Cowon A2. But its the same adapter you get from Sony to run a PSP in a car...

The video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUK8NHKuoNs

Some stills... Will have a few more later..
http://nightwing.smugmug.com/gallery/2212789/1/115198778

OOPS:: Sony part number is PSP 180
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=7154072&productCategoryId=pcmcat54200050027&type=product&tab=1&id=1110264894356

Forgot one last thing... Charging through the power jack will take 4 hours instead of the 6 through the USB port...

This should work? A generic USB charger. Plus, you could use it for other devices as well:

http://www.amazon.com/Universal-MP3-Car-Charger-Adapters/dp/B000A0LEBO/sr=8-1/qid=1166552325/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/103-4964040-7897436?ie=UTF8&s=electronics

-G

No, we've already been through this :grin:. Unfortunately a "dumb" USB charger will not charge the Reader. It won't even charge on a PC's USB port unless the PC has the "Connect" software installed.

Just use the car adapter for the Sony PSP. About 25 or so if you shop around.

Instead of 6 hours to charge will charge in 4.

I purchased the PSP car adapter and used it for the first time on a long driving trip over the Christmas holidays. It seemed to work fine. I tested both it (the PSP car adapter) and the AC power supply that came with the Reader and both put out the same voltage (about 5.3 VDC.) The way I got the connection from inside the plug was to wrap a length of solder wire around the end of one multimeter lead and this "extension" could touch inside the plug. Then I could just touch the other lead to the outside of the plug.

The DC in jack on the PSP is the same as the one on the Reader (you can use a normal PSP power supply to charge the Reader just fine) -- if you're charging your PSP in the car, the same supply should charge the Reader too....

So if the Reader and the PSP can use the same charger, I should be able to just buy a PSP tip for my iGo (www.igo.com) charger. They don't list the Reader on there list.

Don't have a Reader yet, but will probably by the new year :)

I'd expect it would work just fine. As for the Reader not being on their list, well that's not too surprising with a relatively new piece of hardware. :shrug:

Just verified when I could not find the main charger. Used the car PSP adapter. Got it unstuck so to speak. and did check. The little red led did light!

Not surprisingly, this is the response I received from Sony:

"We're sorry, but connecting the AC recharger that comes with the Sony Reader into a DC to AC converter that plugs into a cigarette lighter may damage the AC charger and the reader itself. We do not recommend it.
Wishing you a Happy Holiday Season!"

Sony isn't going to recommend anything that isn't 100% fool proof. But I think I'll just pass on trying to recharge the Reader in the car until additional information is received.

I use an inverter all the time to recharge camera batteries on vacations. None of the companies recommend them, but it has never caused me problems.

No one wants to take responsibility "just in case" something goes wrong, and I'm no different, but here's what I understand, being an electrical engineer.

AC out of the wall has a nicely curved waveform. AC out of an inverter has a mostly square waveform (slightly curved sides, flat top). Square vs. curved can have the same peak voltage, or the same RMS voltage (RMS is sort of like a math-guy's average), but not both. A square wave with the same RMS voltage as a curved one will have a lower peak voltage - and since RMS voltage is what's important for power calculations, I'm thinking inverters would shoot for the same RMS voltage. So it doesn't seem like you'd fry your equipment due to a higher peak voltage, since it's likely lower.

Ironically, your charger is basically the opposite of your inverter... it takes the high AC voltage, steps it down, and "rectifies" it - ie, converts it to DC. Same as all those camera battery chargers (3 different cameras in the family, groan) I've run on my inverter for hours at a time for the last couple of years on road trips.