Re: A portable GPS should use standard mini-USB power (but which ones do)?

Question

Hi there Dana,I see we need to separate USB DATA from USB POWER.All GPS Owners Manuals & all the reviews I found seem to be clear on USBdata transfer, and some seem to be somewhat clear on USB charging, but noneseem to be clear on USB operation!I suggest future modern portable electronics reviewers ask basic questions:a. Does the portable unit CHARGE using standard (5v/500ma) mini-USB?b. Does the portable unit OPERATE using standard mini-USB?c. Does the portable unit transfer DATA using standard mini-USB?We'd all benefit from the answers. There is no downside to having thiscritical information for all portable electronic devices in the future.My goal is a single AC + DC + PC suppy & cable for my cellphone, mp3player, earbud, camera, and handheld GPS! I won't buy anything that's notstandard USB for charging, operation, and data!sarah

Dale DePriest · Accepted Answer

Sarah, It seems you will not buy anything needing more than 500 mA which includes a lot of devices including just about any of the devices with backlighted color screens and hard drivers. Someday perhaps power requirements will be lower but for now you will only be able to buy very simple units.

Dale

sarah bennett · Answer

Hi there Dale,I understand what you're saying. But let's remember our Blackberry"mini-usb" charger outputs 750ma c.c. so I think the "practical" upperlimit at least 50% higher than the "official" USB 2.0 spec already.I've had no problems charging my blackberry from the PC, from the AC, orfrom the DC adapters. Still, don't you think these three yes/no questions are of use to users ina GPS review?a. Does the GPS CHARGE via mini-USB connector?b. Does the GPS OPERATE off the mini-USB power?c. Does the GPS transfer DATA through the mini-USB port?susan

sarah bennett · Answer

Hi Terran,THIS IS A GREAT MOD!If removing the 'data' pin from the mini-USB cable works to tell the GPSit's POWER and not DATA, that's fantastic! It would all of a sudden makethe Garmin nuvi units usable for my purposes!Being a herd animal, I wonder aloud ... Has anyone ever done the USB-data-to-Power-only mod successfully for GPS units such as the Garmin Nuvi's?sarahPS THis is what the usenet is all about! This is a GREAT idea!

sarah bennett · Answer

This is great news. It's probably why our Blackberrys work just fine eventhough their AC + DC mini-USB adapters put out 750ma.sarah

Lionel · Answer

Not for the users, certainly.Hm. Sounds like the perfect solution would be a powered hub, modifiedwith a switch for each socket that you could use to switch off thedata lines & the 5V current limiter.--    W  "Some people are alive only because it is illegal to kill them." . | ,. w ,        |/  |/              Perna condita delenda est---^----^---------------------------------------------------------------

Dale DePriest · Answer

The questions are ok, but may not be as valuable as you think. For example a GPS might charge via the USB connector when hooked to a pc and still not charge when hooked to a separate 12 Volt adapter. (This is the case for iPods for example) It may also charge so slowly that it is not useful or charge but only when the unit is off.

Dale

Re: A portable GPS should use standard mini-USB power (but which ones do)?

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