K4NT: Special USB Cable?

Robmonster · 12-20-2011, 09:50 AM

Does the Kindle 4 use a special USB cable at all?

I tried connecting it to two separate PC's recently with other generic Micro USB cables and it sent the Kindle into a loop of displaying the 'Connected to USB/Charging' screen and turning back on again. This was accompanied by the usual noises that Windows puts out to signify a USB device has been connected, then removed, then connected, then removed and so on ad infinitum.

I then used the USB cable that was supplied and it worked perfectly fine.

The cables attempted to use work for other devices with a Micro-USB port and the other end was plugging into a port directly on my PC, i.e. no USB hub.

Any ideas?

Rob

dionoea · 12-20-2011, 09:54 AM

It's just a regular USB A - micro USB cable. I've had cases (not kindle related) where some cheap USB cables wouldn't work with some hardware for bandwidth intensive operations.

Robmonster · 12-20-2011, 10:14 AM

Thanks for confirming. I have tried a few different cables, and the only one that worked was the original Kindle one. It sounds like my cables are on the cheap side!

dionoea · 12-20-2011, 10:59 AM

The only other cable I tried was the one I got with my Nexus One (android phone). It works fine.

HarryT · 12-20-2011, 11:45 AM

I'd guess that the cable you tried wasn't fully plugging in to the Kindle. You may find that some cables have a housing which prevents them fully plugging in. But it is a perfectly standard microUSB cable.

BeccaPrice · 12-20-2011, 04:46 PM

I've found with my K4 that I have to have the cord connected directly to the computer, not through a hub. Oddly, my K3 doesn't mind being connected through the hub.

Shopaholic · 12-20-2011, 05:23 PM

I've used my Sony, Blackberry & the Kindle USB cables with all of the above in various combinations and they worked fine.

1Bookworm · 12-20-2011, 11:05 PM

I made the same mistake. I found a USB cable and since it fitted the Kindle - I decided to use it not realising what huge mistake that was. I ended up wiping out nearly all my ebooks and I couldn't load any new books.

Rang Amazon and they helped restore the program and I was able reload my documents and books but it feels sluggish and slow when I try and open them.

I'm wandering whether I should reload the Kindle software 3.3 - will that fit the problem?

Thank you

12-20-2011, 09:50 AM	#1
Robmonster Wizard! Posts: 250 Karma: 548228 Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: UK Device: Paperwhite, Voyage + Oasis2	K4NT: Special USB Cable? Does the Kindle 4 use a special USB cable at all? I tried connecting it to two separate PC's recently with other generic Micro USB cables and it sent the Kindle into a loop of displaying the 'Connected to USB/Charging' screen and turning back on again. This was accompanied by the usual noises that Windows puts out to signify a USB device has been connected, then removed, then connected, then removed and so on ad infinitum. I then used the USB cable that was supplied and it worked perfectly fine. The cables attempted to use work for other devices with a Micro-USB port and the other end was plugging into a port directly on my PC, i.e. no USB hub. Any ideas? Rob

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12-20-2011, 09:54 AM	#2
dionoea Enthusiast Posts: 26 Karma: 300000 Join Date: Dec 2011 Device: kindle 4	It's just a regular USB A - micro USB cable. I've had cases (not kindle related) where some cheap USB cables wouldn't work with some hardware for bandwidth intensive operations.

12-20-2011, 10:14 AM	#3
Robmonster Wizard! Posts: 250 Karma: 548228 Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: UK Device: Paperwhite, Voyage + Oasis2	Thanks for confirming. I have tried a few different cables, and the only one that worked was the original Kindle one. It sounds like my cables are on the cheap side!

12-20-2011, 10:59 AM	#4
dionoea Enthusiast Posts: 26 Karma: 300000 Join Date: Dec 2011 Device: kindle 4	The only other cable I tried was the one I got with my Nexus One (android phone). It works fine.

12-20-2011, 11:45 AM	#5
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	I'd guess that the cable you tried wasn't fully plugging in to the Kindle. You may find that some cables have a housing which prevents them fully plugging in. But it is a perfectly standard microUSB cable.

12-20-2011, 04:46 PM	#6
BeccaPrice Wizard Posts: 2,145 Karma: 11174187 Join Date: Jan 2011 Device: Sony 350, K3-3G, K4SO, KPW	I've found with my K4 that I have to have the cord connected directly to the computer, not through a hub. Oddly, my K3 doesn't mind being connected through the hub.

12-20-2011, 05:23 PM	#7
Shopaholic Cockatoo Mom! Posts: 1,509 Karma: 1812695 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Ontario, Canada Device: PW4, Kobo: A1, Clara, Libra 2, iPad Pro 11, iPad Mini	I've used my Sony, Blackberry & the Kindle USB cables with all of the above in various combinations and they worked fine.

12-20-2011, 11:05 PM	#8
1Bookworm Enthusiast Posts: 35 Karma: 100 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: blackberry, laptop, Kindle3	I made the same mistake. I found a USB cable and since it fitted the Kindle - I decided to use it not realising what huge mistake that was. I ended up wiping out nearly all my ebooks and I couldn't load any new books. Rang Amazon and they helped restore the program and I was able reload my documents and books but it feels sluggish and slow when I try and open them. I'm wandering whether I should reload the Kindle software 3.3 - will that fit the problem? Thank you

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