Jump to content
IGNORED

ColecoPlug (Colecovision USB power supply) can be preordered!


EvilDragon17

Recommended Posts

As a guy watching this thread from the proverbial bleachers, I find this USB cable stuff to be rather confusing.

 

Not exactly a good incentive to buy this ColecoPlug thingy... :ponder:

It really isn't as difficult as the thread makes it seems. Generally speaking a USB-A to USB-C cables are easily found on Amazon or Walmart among other places and then you just need a power brick/block that accepts it. Or a USB-C to USB-C cable that hooks to a power brick. Can also find USB AC adpaters now (like what the Nintendo Switch uses).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not sure why there's so much confusion about the USB cable.. Anybody with a newer android phone already has several of these male, USB type A to type C cables laying around. If not, they're available just about anywhere, very cheap nowadays. A picture speaks a thousand words, see attachment below.

post-37932-0-31951000-1545272235_thumb.jpg

I see from the 1st post, any of my existing fast-charging usb phone adapters (charge head or whatever you prefer to call it) could be used.. Assuming it meets minimum amperage requirements, with all mine outputting 2 Amps.

 

Anyways, I'm definitely looking forward to trying it out and have already pre-ordered one from the website. I'll definitely order at least one more afterwards too, whenever console5 restocks it again. It's always nice to have a backup or to be able to power up a spare CV. If all goes well, I'll probably remove my internal power supply mod and use this exclusively. It'll certainly lighten it up some anyway. ;)

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

USB-C devices are more complicated for engineers when compared to standard power supplies that do not have handshaking communications issues. For example, I like the specs on this 65 watt USB-C power supply that has both Energy Efficiency Level VI and is also UL listed for $16.99 with free shipping. This 65 watt USB-C power adapter can output 0 volts, 5 volts, 9 volts, 12 volts, 15 volts, and 20 volts at up to 3.25amps. That is 5 different voltages that can be outputted over USB-C by the adapter (only one voltage requested can be sent at a time). The connected USB-C device over the data lines on the USB-C cable tells the power adapter to send either 5 volts DC, 9 volts DC, 12 volts DC, 15 volts DC, or 20 volts DC over the cable. Zero voltage is sent over the cable by the USB-C charger if the device does not request a voltage.

 

Now this ColecoPlug adapter that people are pre-ordering must have been designed to always request 5 volts DC from the USB-C power supply/charger when handshaking. Technically it’s possible to make USB-C cables with a miniature circuit board in the cable that requests what voltage is needed, however so far it’s always been the USB-C device that is connected to the cable that requests the proper DC voltage that the device needs and not the cable itself. So the ColecoPlug adapter instead of requesting 12 volts DC from the USB-C power supply and then down converting the voltage to 5 volts DC and -5 volts DC for the other pins, is instead requesting 5 volts DC from the USB-C power supply and then up converting with capacitors the 12 volts DC that is needed. I realize older models of USB-C power supply/chargers do not offer 5 different voltages and only send 5 volts DC, so that must be the reason why 5 volts DC was used on the ColecoPlug instead of 12 volts DC.

Edited by HDTV1080P
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ahh, no, there are also dumb USB-C ports without any protocol. Those simply expect 5V power, without any handshake. That's what we did here (including a full USB-C controller would've increased the cost a lot).

 

That's why I mentioned that some quick-charge power supplies don't work. Some of them provide 5V if they are connected to a dumb device, but not all of them do that. So some quick-chargers don't work.

 

These quick-chargers are expensive anyways - and here you can use any cheap power supply for 2 - 5 EUR and it'll work.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ahh, no, there are also dumb USB-C ports without any protocol. Those simply expect 5V power, without any handshake. That's what we did here (including a full USB-C controller would've increased the cost a lot).

 

That's why I mentioned that some quick-charge power supplies don't work. Some of them provide 5V if they are connected to a dumb device, but not all of them do that. So some quick-chargers don't work.

 

These quick-chargers are expensive anyways - and here you can use any cheap power supply for 2 - 5 EUR and it'll work.

However a USB-C charger needs to stop charging a battery when the battery on a electronic device is fully charged. If there are some USB-C chargers/adapters that 100% of the time output 5 volts DC and never receive a data signal to go to zero voltage, then the connected device would need to automacally disconnect the electrical circuit when the battery is fully charged.

 

Then it sounds like only USB-C chargers that offer only 5 volts DC well work since they are always on. Most multi-voltage USB-C chargers will not work with your ColecoPlug since the ColecoPlug well never tell the adapter to go from zero voltage to 5 volts DC.

Edited by HDTV1080P
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The power supply never stops the charging - the battery controller is handling all that, and it's in the device.

Otherwise, all devices would overcharge and could catch fire if you use a dumb charger to charge, and that doesn't happen.

But the reason why some chargers with 5 different voltages do not work, is because the charger outputs 0 volts until the connected device requests a voltage level. There are advantages to having a charger that outputs 5 volts, 9 volts, 12 volts, 15 volts and 20 volts. One charger could be used for several different computers. And then the adapter on the USB-C cable for one computer system could request 12 volts, 9 volts for a different computer system, etc.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

 

Then it sounds like only USB-C chargers that offer only 5 volts DC well work since they are always on. Most multi-voltage USB-C chargers will not work with your ColecoPlug since the ColecoPlug well never tell the adapter to go from zero voltage to 5 volts DC.

No, that's not the case. A proper fast charger / quickcharger (for example, the ones that come with Samsung phones) work like normal USB power supplies and provide 5V unless the device requests the higher voltage.

 

Of course, that's not necessarily the case with all of them (I know the ones from the GPD Win don't work), but AFAIK it's even part of the Qualcomm fast charge specs, so all these will work.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

But the reason why some chargers with 5 different voltages do not work, is because the charger outputs 0 volts until the connected device requests a voltage level. There are advantages to having a charger that outputs 5 volts, 9 volts, 12 volts, 15 volts and 20 volts. One charger could be used for several different computers. And then the adapter on the USB-C cable for one computer system could request 12 volts, 9 volts for a different computer system, etc.

As posted in my previous post, only chargers that don't follow the official specs do that.

The proper ones have a fallback and provide 5V power (which is safe for any existing USB device) unless the device requests a different voltage.

 

So a good and proper charger is backward compatible - but that can't be said for all the cheap chinese ones (even a lot of normal chinese USB plugs are out of specs, sometimes only providing 4.5V... that's why we made a second revision of the ColUSB Plug that converts anything between 4 and 20V to a stable 5V first)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

No, that's not the case. A proper fast charger / quickcharger (for example, the ones that come with Samsung phones) work like normal USB power supplies and provide 5V unless the device requests the higher voltage.

 

Of course, that's not necessarily the case with all of them (I know the ones from the GPD Win don't work), but AFAIK it's even part of the Qualcomm fast charge specs, so all these will work.

So in your experience the ones that do not work, it must be because they are not offering 5 volts, and instead sending 0 voltage. It makes since that some of these adapters would output zero voltage if no connection is detected. Why else would they not work? It has to be becuase the voltage is dropped from 5 to zero. The plug is the same size.

Edited by HDTV1080P
Link to comment
Share on other sites

As posted in my previous post, only chargers that don't follow the official specs do that.

The proper ones have a fallback and provide 5V power (which is safe for any existing USB device) unless the device requests a different voltage.

 

So a good and proper charger is backward compatible - but that can't be said for all the cheap chinese ones (even a lot of normal chinese USB plugs are out of specs, sometimes only providing 4.5V... that's why we made a second revision of the ColUSB Plug that converts anything between 4 and 20V to a stable 5V first)

So the latest ColecoPlug being released well convert any DC voltage between 4 -20 to 5 volts DC. That is amazing. I guess you did that in case a USB-C charger malfunctions and outputs 20 volts DC instead of 5 volts DC.

Edited by HDTV1080P
Link to comment
Share on other sites

So the latest ColecoPlug being released well convert any DC voltage between 4 -20 to 5 volts DC. That is amazing. I guess you did that in case a USB-C charger malfunctions and outputs 20 volts DC instead of 5 volts DC.

Not really, but that's the input range of the voltage converter which brings it to 5V.

You can't find one that has an input voltage of 4 - 6V or similar.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please email me some tracking information. Haven’t get package yet. I got some link that say shipped and completed but nothing else.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

If you've chosen Fedex as delivery service, you should've received a tracking mail directly from them.

If it's Warenpost, you should receive a tracking number sometime today, though tracking probably won't work before Monday here (Warenpost is shipping via normal postal service, so tracking works but not as good as you know it from normal couriers).

 

So if you haven't received any tracking until tonight, do contact me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So in your experience the ones that do not work, it must be because they are not offering 5 volts, and instead sending 0 voltage. It makes since that some of these adapters would output zero voltage if no connection is detected. Why else would they not work? It has to be becuase the voltage is dropped from 5 to zero. The plug is the same size.

That's correct, but these are then not following official specs then, as official specs say they should provide 5V if no communication between it and the device.

It's not uncommon for cheap products to not follow the specs properly.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's correct, but these are then not following official specs then, as official specs say they should provide 5V if no communication between it and the device.

It's not uncommon for cheap products to not follow the specs properly.

Perhaps the specs for USB-C chargers changed again. I have seen some high-end models with all the fancy worldwide safety certifications only output zero voltage unless the connected device requests 5 volts DC or higher. This might have something to do with the DOE mandated energy efficiency level VI requirement in the United States on all external power adapters manufactured or imported into the United States starting in February of 2016. Outputting zero voltage when the product is not being used is much more efficient then outputting 5 volts or higher 24 x 7.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It was mentioned earlier that the ColecoPlug is not UL listed which is an optional safety certification for the USA. However in this thread it has been mentioned that the ColecoPlug is CE safety approved for Europe and FCC approved. If that is true then why is the CE and FCC logo not appearing on the product specs on the official website and also why not list the CE and FCC logo on the retail box and/or plastic case of the ColecoPlug? That is a selling advantage to advertise the product as CE and FCC approved. Also all external DC adapters that get CE and FCC approval have the symbol placed somewhere on the product.

Edited by HDTV1080P
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Perhaps the specs for USB-C chargers changed again. I have seen some high-end models with all the fancy worldwide safety certifications only output zero voltage unless the connected device requests 5 volts DC or higher. This might have something to do with the DOE mandated energy efficiency level VI requirement in the United States on all external power adapters manufactured or imported into the United States starting in February of 2016. Outputting zero voltage when the product is not being used is much more efficient then outputting 5 volts or higher 24 x 7.

 

Well, if you get an USB-C Power supply that says it's USB-PD or USB 3.1, then they might not have the fallback, as it only needs to support USB-PD and USB3.1 then.

They made a real mess out of USB-C, to be honest.

 

It was mentioned earlier that the ColecoPlug is not UL listed which is an optional safety certification for the USA. However in this thread it has been mentioned that the ColecoPlug is CE safety approved for Europe and FCC approved. If that is true then why is the CE and FCC logo not appearing on the product specs on the official website and also why not list the CE and FCC logo on the retail box and/or plastic case of the ColecoPlug? That is a selling advantage to advertise the product as CE and FCC approved. Also all external DC adapters that get CE and FCC approval have the symbol placed somewhere on the product.

 

UL doesn't make sense. It's not needed and costs a lot of money, so unless you think customers want to pay 100 USD+ for this adaptor, it's totally overkill. As you mention: It's optional and not needed. It makes sense for products that are being sold in millions of quantities, but not for something like that. You're free to donate a UL certification, if you like :D

 

Why should I put CE and FCC on the product page? I don't have these for ANY products in my shop, and Amazon or any other online shops also don't list CE / FCC. Probably because it's not even allowed to sell them without these, these are mandatory.

And why do you think the logos are not on the box or the product? They are both on the retail box as well as on the product AND the DoCs are included in the packaging as well.

Please don't assume anything you don't even know.

 

Besides, the ColUSB is not a DC adapter, it's a simple low-voltage power converter.

Yes, DC adapters can potentially be dangerous because these operate with 110 / 220V.

In Germany, these need additional safety tests and certifications, which are very expensive. That's the reason we designed a power converter and not a DC adapter. A low-voltage device operating at 5V without any battery included is NOT dangerous and doesn't need these safety tests.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...