Extra AC charger for the eReader? - Page 2

jwhayn · 08-05-2007, 03:01 PM

Rememeber that the USB charger is only a 5V source -- feeding the chager cable. By using the charger end of the cable (such as http://cgi.ebay.com/SONY-PSP-2-IN-1-...QQcmdZViewItem), the reader is not being charged through the USB port itself. Look at the cable and you will immediately understand.

HarryT · 08-06-2007, 12:40 AM

OK, right, that's what I said before

. A cable which plugs into the charger socket of the Reader, such as the one you illustrate, will indeed work.

nerys · 08-31-2007, 03:07 AM

well then your not charging from USB your charging from a 5.2v source INTO the 5.2v JACK (ie psp plug) we are talking about using the Mini A plug.

Yeah anything PSP will charge this (my Creative Vision also uses the same power supply :-) nice

ALSO for around $22 if you shop carefully you can get one of those lithium battery packs ofr ebay while its no where NEAR the rated 9800mah (runs my camcorder for about an hour so its about 1.1amp) its wonderful as a emergency charger for the reader. Plugs right in.

Azayzel · 08-31-2007, 02:58 PM

Yeah, I was going to suggest using one of the *dumb* USB chargers I've seen that's become so popular. I actually picked one up just in case I needed to charge something that only came with a USB cable (I have a Cube MP3 player that's pretty small, but only came with a friggin USB-to-headphone jack that needs to be charged this way). Haven't tried it with the Reader, but I may just to test it out. Why would it need to register a PC with Connect software to be able to accept power? Is this some limitation imposed by the underlying OS? Kinda strange, not to mention they would've had to coded it in there during dev, course Sony's done worse things.

RWood · 08-31-2007, 04:00 PM

The Reader is not recognized by Windows as a storage device (you cannot just transfer files to and from it through Windows Explorer, if you want to do that outside of Connect you need libprs500.)

It will charge on a Mac USB plug without a driver (good thing since there is no Sony supplied Mac driver or software, again, try libprs500.)

It is perhaps just one of those mysteries of the universe.

Patricia · 08-31-2007, 05:29 PM

I've even managed to charge my reader using a Freeloader solar-powered charger.

NatCh · 08-31-2007, 05:31 PM

Nice.

nerys · 08-31-2007, 07:01 PM

the reason is actually pretty simply I think. In some cases either the USB port does not supply "dumb power" IE the computer shuts down the port unless it recognizes something plugged into it.

OR the device itself does not charge unless IT detects a connection is there and ignores dumb connections.

Azayzel · 09-01-2007, 12:09 PM

Hah! I didn't think of it in that context; i.e., it's the PC not charging the Reader instead of the Reader not accepting juice. So given that, then you should be able to charge it using a stand-alone *dumb* charger. Considering that Patricia reports charging it via a solar USB charger, then the el-cheapo $5 USB charger will work.

Thanks Nerys, I guess sometimes I need to think outside of the box (though this time it was inside the box!

).

HarryT · 09-01-2007, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Azayzel

So given that, then you should be able to charge it using a stand-alone *dumb* charger. Considering that Patricia reports charging it via a solar USB charger, then the el-cheapo $5 USB charger will work.

Try it. I'm 99% sure you'll find that it won't work. Certainly doesn't work with any of my "dumb" chargers.

nerys · 09-01-2007, 12:30 PM

HarryT it works fine. in fact its how I have been charging my reader for the past 6 months. I lost the AC charger a long time ago. My cord has a USB Plug on one end and a "psp" plug on the other end. Charges up just fine on the computer and on the "dumb" charges I have all over the place. I have AC and DC version (AC plug with a USB port on it and 12v plug with a USB port on it)

On a charger like this its impossible for it NOT to work as long as the voltage etc.. is correct. there are only 2 conductors no "signal" wire so there is no way for the reader to make a determination as to what is sending the juice. if its the right juice it just accepts it. ie the sony charger is a "dumb charger" it just puts out 5.2v +tip 1amp power.

How you derive that power is not relevant so long as its correctly formatted power.

On another note I just put a meter to all my USB ports and they do put out constant power regardless of whats plugged into them.

On further reading it seems to depend on the DEVICE circuitry. ie there are 2 ways to "charge" via USB it seems. you can shunt the positive and negative from the USB pin outs to the charging jack (ie dumb charge) in which case plugging it in will work on either the barrel plug or the mini a usb plug.

OR you can route the power through a separate circuit in the device. in this case THAT circuit will need to "turn on" to do its job. this is a case where it may be required to have the sony software (only for the miniA jack not the barrel jack) since that circuit may need "conditions" to turn on such as a valid computer connection.

This is possible in the case of the reader since when FULLY dead the USB port my not provide enough amps to charge the device (90% of them will) but to play it safe this extra circuit would be designed to not accept the voltage if the amps are too low to not risk damaging the Lithium cells.

Every dumb charger I have seen puts out over 1amp which is why they all work fine. Plus there going through the Barrel Plug.

NOW if you took a MINI A plug into that dumb charger into the reader it MIGHT not work - I have never tried. I will try it later on and let you all know. but if you use PSP USB plug (get the one with JUST the barrel plug some have the barrel and MINIA) it will work just fine from any DUMB usb charger.

Again BARREL plug should work fine (I use over a half dozen of them all work) USB JACK (ie the MINI A port on the Reader) that might not work.

Chris Taylor
http://www.nerys.com/

HarryT · 09-01-2007, 12:36 PM

Chris,

We're talking slightly at cross purposes.

Anything that plugs into the Reader's charger connector and supplies 5v-ish is going to work fine, I agree.

What I was talking about it plugging a cable from a dumb USB charger into the Reader's USB connector - ie, using the USB cable supplied with the Reader. That will not charge the Reader from a dumb charger.

08-05-2007, 03:01 PM	#16
jwhayn Enthusiast Posts: 42 Karma: 2685 Join Date: Aug 2004 Device: Kindle Voyage	It works Rememeber that the USB charger is only a 5V source -- feeding the chager cable. By using the charger end of the cable (such as http://cgi.ebay.com/SONY-PSP-2-IN-1-...QQcmdZViewItem), the reader is not being charged through the USB port itself. Look at the cable and you will immediately understand.

09-01-2007, 12:30 PM	#26
nerys Addict Posts: 243 Karma: 48 Join Date: Dec 2006 Device: PRS 500 - REB 1200	HarryT it works fine. in fact its how I have been charging my reader for the past 6 months. I lost the AC charger a long time ago. My cord has a USB Plug on one end and a "psp" plug on the other end. Charges up just fine on the computer and on the "dumb" charges I have all over the place. I have AC and DC version (AC plug with a USB port on it and 12v plug with a USB port on it) On a charger like this its impossible for it NOT to work as long as the voltage etc.. is correct. there are only 2 conductors no "signal" wire so there is no way for the reader to make a determination as to what is sending the juice. if its the right juice it just accepts it. ie the sony charger is a "dumb charger" it just puts out 5.2v +tip 1amp power. How you derive that power is not relevant so long as its correctly formatted power. On another note I just put a meter to all my USB ports and they do put out constant power regardless of whats plugged into them. On further reading it seems to depend on the DEVICE circuitry. ie there are 2 ways to "charge" via USB it seems. you can shunt the positive and negative from the USB pin outs to the charging jack (ie dumb charge) in which case plugging it in will work on either the barrel plug or the mini a usb plug. OR you can route the power through a separate circuit in the device. in this case THAT circuit will need to "turn on" to do its job. this is a case where it may be required to have the sony software (only for the miniA jack not the barrel jack) since that circuit may need "conditions" to turn on such as a valid computer connection. This is possible in the case of the reader since when FULLY dead the USB port my not provide enough amps to charge the device (90% of them will) but to play it safe this extra circuit would be designed to not accept the voltage if the amps are too low to not risk damaging the Lithium cells. Every dumb charger I have seen puts out over 1amp which is why they all work fine. Plus there going through the Barrel Plug. NOW if you took a MINI A plug into that dumb charger into the reader it MIGHT not work - I have never tried. I will try it later on and let you all know. but if you use PSP USB plug (get the one with JUST the barrel plug some have the barrel and MINIA) it will work just fine from any DUMB usb charger. Again BARREL plug should work fine (I use over a half dozen of them all work) USB JACK (ie the MINI A port on the Reader) that might not work. Chris Taylor http://www.nerys.com/ Last edited by nerys; 09-01-2007 at 12:33 PM.

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08-06-2007, 12:40 AM	#17
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	OK, right, that's what I said before . A cable which plugs into the charger socket of the Reader, such as the one you illustrate, will indeed work.

08-31-2007, 03:07 AM	#18
nerys Addict Posts: 243 Karma: 48 Join Date: Dec 2006 Device: PRS 500 - REB 1200	well then your not charging from USB your charging from a 5.2v source INTO the 5.2v JACK (ie psp plug) we are talking about using the Mini A plug. Yeah anything PSP will charge this (my Creative Vision also uses the same power supply :-) nice ALSO for around $22 if you shop carefully you can get one of those lithium battery packs ofr ebay while its no where NEAR the rated 9800mah (runs my camcorder for about an hour so its about 1.1amp) its wonderful as a emergency charger for the reader. Plugs right in.

08-31-2007, 02:58 PM	#19
Azayzel Cache Ninja! Posts: 643 Karma: 1002300 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Tokyo, Japan Device: PRS-500, HTC Shift, iPod Touch, iPaq 4150, TC1100, Panasonic WordsGear	Yeah, I was going to suggest using one of the dumb USB chargers I've seen that's become so popular. I actually picked one up just in case I needed to charge something that only came with a USB cable (I have a Cube MP3 player that's pretty small, but only came with a friggin USB-to-headphone jack that needs to be charged this way). Haven't tried it with the Reader, but I may just to test it out. Why would it need to register a PC with Connect software to be able to accept power? Is this some limitation imposed by the underlying OS? Kinda strange, not to mention they would've had to coded it in there during dev, course Sony's done worse things.

08-31-2007, 04:00 PM	#20
RWood Technogeezer Posts: 7,233 Karma: 1601464 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Virginia, USA Device: Sony PRS-500	The Reader is not recognized by Windows as a storage device (you cannot just transfer files to and from it through Windows Explorer, if you want to do that outside of Connect you need libprs500.) It will charge on a Mac USB plug without a driver (good thing since there is no Sony supplied Mac driver or software, again, try libprs500.) It is perhaps just one of those mysteries of the universe.

08-31-2007, 05:29 PM	#21
Patricia Reader Posts: 11,504 Karma: 8720163 Join Date: May 2007 Location: South Wales, UK Device: Sony PRS-500, PRS-505, Asus EEEpc 4G	I've even managed to charge my reader using a Freeloader solar-powered charger.

08-31-2007, 05:31 PM	#22
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	Nice.

08-31-2007, 07:01 PM	#23
nerys Addict Posts: 243 Karma: 48 Join Date: Dec 2006 Device: PRS 500 - REB 1200	the reason is actually pretty simply I think. In some cases either the USB port does not supply "dumb power" IE the computer shuts down the port unless it recognizes something plugged into it. OR the device itself does not charge unless IT detects a connection is there and ignores dumb connections.

09-01-2007, 12:09 PM	#24
Azayzel Cache Ninja! Posts: 643 Karma: 1002300 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Tokyo, Japan Device: PRS-500, HTC Shift, iPod Touch, iPaq 4150, TC1100, Panasonic WordsGear	Hah! I didn't think of it in that context; i.e., it's the PC not charging the Reader instead of the Reader not accepting juice. So given that, then you should be able to charge it using a stand-alone dumb charger. Considering that Patricia reports charging it via a solar USB charger, then the el-cheapo $5 USB charger will work. Thanks Nerys, I guess sometimes I need to think outside of the box (though this time it was inside the box! ).

09-01-2007, 12:36 PM	#27
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Chris, We're talking slightly at cross purposes. Anything that plugs into the Reader's charger connector and supplies 5v-ish is going to work fine, I agree. What I was talking about it plugging a cable from a dumb USB charger into the Reader's USB connector - ie, using the USB cable supplied with the Reader. That will not charge the Reader from a dumb charger.

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