Using the iPod charger - Page 2

Xenophon · 12-04-2006, 07:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BobVA

Worse than that, actually. It has to be a PC WITH the Reader software installed on it. If you plug the Reader into a computer without the Reader drivers installed on it the charge light won't come on - at least according to my extensive testing of one other computer

I'm not sure why this restriction is in place (it's even fussier than my iPod about what it takes for USB charging) but at least they put in a dedicated charger jack.

Cheers,
Bob

Bob:

My reader charges fine when connected to the USB port on my Mac -- and the Mac most certainly does not have the reader software installed on it(*). I haven't tried using my "USB charger" yet.

(*) BOO to Sony for not bothering with Mac software on original shipment.

Dean

ptully · 12-05-2006, 04:48 PM

I am able to charge my reader via my blackberry charger (wall to usb - usb same size as blackberry - VERY convinient on the go).

BobVA · 12-05-2006, 09:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xenophon

Bob:

My reader charges fine when connected to the USB port on my Mac -- and the Mac most certainly does not have the reader software installed on it(*). I haven't tried using my "USB charger" yet.

(*) BOO to Sony for not bothering with Mac software on original shipment.

Dean

Interesting! Thanks for posting. I'll have to try a few more PC's and see what happens. The other one I tried has Win2K on it - wonder if one with XP would work? It recognized it as a "Sony Reader", but it wouldn't charge.

Could you confirm that the charge light (the little red LED above the power switch) comes on when you connect to the usb port? Or are you concluding that it's charging because the battery meter goes up? (If it charges without the light coming on, that would be interesting, too.)

ptulley - could you check to see if you're getting a charge light as well? (If I hook up my Treo USB charger to the Reader, I don't get the light, but it works fine if I connect it to the Reader's charger port.)

Cheers,
Bob

Xenophon · 12-06-2006, 10:12 AM

Quote:

Could you confirm that the charge light (the little red LED above the power switch) comes on when you connect to the usb port? Or are you concluding that it's charging because the battery meter goes up? (If it charges without the light coming on, that would be interesting, too.)

Yes, the red LED charge light came on while the Reader was connected to my Mac via USB. The Reader's screen also went into "Connected" mode.

Xenophon

William Moates · 12-06-2006, 06:26 PM

I was able to get the same result on my Mac: red LED, and "USB connected" status on the Reader.

BobVA · 12-06-2006, 07:20 PM

Cool - thanks. Gives me an idea for a little fiddling at the workbench.

Cheers,
Bob

Nightwing · 12-07-2006, 01:45 AM

Did prove today that the car adapter for a PSP will work on the reader.

Does anyone need a link to one of those inverter circuits to change 3v to 5v.

Sponge_Bath · 12-07-2006, 03:01 AM

Thanks to those who were gutsy enough to try out the Pod charger.
It just seemed like a good idea when I saw my Pod and Reader next to each other on my desk.

Cheers

HarryT · 12-07-2006, 07:56 AM

The iPod charger itself seems to be "non standard" in some way in that my iPod will only charge via the "official" charger, not via any of the several other USB chargers and mains adaptors I have.

William Moates · 12-07-2006, 06:55 PM

I'd sure like to see some pics of the charger, maybe even some "action shots". Does it use the same connector as my USB cable, or does it plug in where the cradle plugs in?

vitualis · 12-08-2006, 05:58 PM

The Sony Reader can also be charged with the standard HP "iPAQ" charger.

Booky McGee · 12-21-2006, 05:16 AM

Re: PSP charger

Quote:

Originally Posted by NatCh

Yup, it'll work fine, that's one of the undocumented tips they gave us at the Bloggers' Day thing back in September.

They make a variety of USB charge/sync cables for PSP. I picked up a nice retractable one on clearance cheap at Target months ago. Now that I make that connection, do you think I could find that cable? Of course not.

ptully · 12-23-2006, 01:40 PM

BobVA - sorry it's been so long to get back to you. These dang reader battery's just take forever to run out! Anyways, i let the battery go all the way down to almost nothing. Plugged in my blackberry USB charger overnight (looked like it was charging - but no red LED comes on). Checked the next morning, and it DID NOT actually charge it. So you are correct in that it only just changed the screen so that it looked like it was plugged in, but it did NOT actually charge.

Thanks for making me check, because i would have just brought along one charger traveling - would really suck to discover that it didn't charge on a trip!

Ancalu · 12-27-2006, 05:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dotmike

I'm wondering if the Sony PSP charger would work?

The PSP charger outputs 5V. The Sony Reader charger outputs 5.2V. Otherwise they look identical.

However, I'm not going to try (yet), as I never ever need to charge the Reader. The trickle it gets from adding new books has kept it near full charge ever since I've had it.

Page turning consumes very little power - I think it can go 7000 pages on a charge - and I don't play MP3s on it.

Hi All.

The other day, I made a mistake and after charging the Reader I realized that i have made the charge with my PSP charger, instead of the Reader one.

So,to all..no problem.You can charge your Reader with PSP charger without any problem.

BYE!

scotty1024 · 12-27-2006, 05:36 PM

There are a variety of games out there for USB charging that involve hooking resistors between pins on the charger. Motorola/Blackberry use this trick to indicate how much power the charger can provide, regular USB will only source .5 amp but Motorola/Blackberry have super chargers that source 1.5 amps.

I don't know if the Sony Reader can take advantage of those super USB chargers.

The USB charging Blackberry's require the Blackberry Desktop software to be installed for them to charge. On the Mac they won't charge until you install the Pocket Mac software...

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12-05-2006, 04:48 PM	#17
ptully Junior Member Posts: 8 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2006 Device: PRS-500	I am able to charge my reader via my blackberry charger (wall to usb - usb same size as blackberry - VERY convinient on the go).

12-06-2006, 06:26 PM	#20
William Moates Zealot Posts: 107 Karma: 35 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Greensboro, NC Device: Sony Librie / Sony Clie / Sony Reader	I was able to get the same result on my Mac: red LED, and "USB connected" status on the Reader.

12-06-2006, 07:20 PM	#21
BobVA Addict Posts: 230 Karma: 1500 Join Date: Oct 2006 Device: Kobo Clara, Sony PRS950, T1, T2, T3	Cool - thanks. Gives me an idea for a little fiddling at the workbench. Cheers, Bob

12-07-2006, 01:45 AM	#22
Nightwing Addict Posts: 303 Karma: 541 Join Date: Oct 2006 Device: Cowon A2 Dell x3i, Sony Reader & Eee PC!	Did prove today that the car adapter for a PSP will work on the reader. Does anyone need a link to one of those inverter circuits to change 3v to 5v.

12-07-2006, 03:01 AM	#23
Sponge_Bath Member Posts: 12 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2006 Device: Sony PRS-500	Thanks to those who were gutsy enough to try out the Pod charger. It just seemed like a good idea when I saw my Pod and Reader next to each other on my desk. Cheers

12-07-2006, 07:56 AM	#24
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	The iPod charger itself seems to be "non standard" in some way in that my iPod will only charge via the "official" charger, not via any of the several other USB chargers and mains adaptors I have.

12-07-2006, 06:55 PM	#25
William Moates Zealot Posts: 107 Karma: 35 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Greensboro, NC Device: Sony Librie / Sony Clie / Sony Reader	I'd sure like to see some pics of the charger, maybe even some "action shots". Does it use the same connector as my USB cable, or does it plug in where the cradle plugs in?

12-08-2006, 05:58 PM	#26
vitualis Member Posts: 16 Karma: 42 Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Sydney, Australia Device: ETEN M600, HP rx3715, Sony Reader	The Sony Reader can also be charged with the standard HP "iPAQ" charger.

12-23-2006, 01:40 PM	#28
ptully Junior Member Posts: 8 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2006 Device: PRS-500	BobVA - sorry it's been so long to get back to you. These dang reader battery's just take forever to run out! Anyways, i let the battery go all the way down to almost nothing. Plugged in my blackberry USB charger overnight (looked like it was charging - but no red LED comes on). Checked the next morning, and it DID NOT actually charge it. So you are correct in that it only just changed the screen so that it looked like it was plugged in, but it did NOT actually charge. Thanks for making me check, because i would have just brought along one charger traveling - would really suck to discover that it didn't charge on a trip!

12-27-2006, 05:36 PM	#30
scotty1024 Banned Posts: 1,300 Karma: 1479 Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Peoples Republic of Washington Device: Reader / iPhone / Librie / Kindle	There are a variety of games out there for USB charging that involve hooking resistors between pins on the charger. Motorola/Blackberry use this trick to indicate how much power the charger can provide, regular USB will only source .5 amp but Motorola/Blackberry have super chargers that source 1.5 amps. I don't know if the Sony Reader can take advantage of those super USB chargers. The USB charging Blackberry's require the Blackberry Desktop software to be installed for them to charge. On the Mac they won't charge until you install the Pocket Mac software...

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