Hi all,
I got fed up with waiting for something like this to be released, so I've decided to make my own, and thought I might as well share the process.
My requirements are:
- One handed operation
- Windscreen mount dock
- Works with my case
- Dock is always 'plugged in' and is left mounted in my car
- Car mode on the phone is triggered when using with the dock (I use Tasker to trigger a load of actions when my car dock is used, such as turning on Bluetooth, saving the current location when I remove the phone from the dock as a basic 'car finder' etc)
I started off with this dock, which I got ages ago as I just wanted something (even though it wasn't what I thought I would end up with). I got this phone almost the day it was launched, and so there wasn't a lot of choice at the time.
Samsung ECS-K200BE - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Samsung-Gal...4CPO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1360155480&sr=8-1
I then had to look for a short micro USB extension cable with a right-angled plug, which turned out to be extremely difficult to find for some reason! eBay delivered in the end (although it took over a month to arrive): http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Micro-USB..._USB_Cables_Hubs_Adapters&hash=item41642d957a
You can also get one that goes to a USB socket instead of a micro USB one, but you'll then lose the ability to trigger car mode later on, as USB has 4 pins only, and phone manufacturers tend to use the 5th pin in micro USB for this purpose.
I'm afraid I didn't take photos of the first couple of steps, but they are fairly simple.
The Micro USB plug has a couple of raised parts on the longer side of the D shape, which provide the 'click' as you plug the cables in, and ensure that cables don't just fall out easily by providing some resistance. You can see them on this image for example: http://www.cablewholesale.com/hires/10u2-03xxx.jpg I filed these off on my micro USB extension, as I want the phone to slide in and out the dock really easily, and the dock itself will hold the phone in position on the plug, so it's not a problem. I filed them down until the plug slid in and out the phone really easily with no resistance at all. Careful where the filings go, you don't want them shorting anything out!
I then put tape across the bottom of my phone (masking tape would do, but I used PVC electrical insulation tape since it's what I had to hand), cut a slot for the micro USB plug, put the whole thing in the dock, position it all to be as central as you can, and plug the micro USB plug into the phone through the cut in the tape.
I also removed the rubber protective piece from the bottom of the dock (it's a separate piece to the back) during this step to prevent glue getting all over it, but remember to leave a small gap for it if you do the same! I also used a penknife to cut some grooves into the sides of the gap that the plug pokes through, to help the glue have something to grip on to.
It's then just a case of using some 5 minute epoxy to hold everything in place - it will stop being runny after 5 minutes, but it will be a bit jelly like for a while after that. I did this bit in 2 stages - an initial glue to get the position fairly fixed, then while the glue was still a bit flexible I put a larger amount on around the sides and also between the outgoing cable and the dock to fix everything. I left the phone in for a few hours (I took it out after the first stage and put it back in again though to make sure I wasn't gluing the phone to the dock!), and had some pressure pushing the plug into the phone/dock assembly (with the phone held in tightly by the dock). You'll have to experiment with the best way to do this but I used tape initially, then when the glue had gone hard but flexible still, i rested the whole lot upright and balancing on the plug to push it in (keep glue away from the phone and only on the dock).
After a couple of hours (or maybe a few more) the glue should harden and go solid, holding everything in place.
And that's pretty much where I'm up to at the moment. The phone slides in and out very easily (I'm pretty happy with it, it's better than I expected), and connecting a charging cable to the extension proves that it works - the phone starts charging when I slide it into the dock, so not broken anything so far!
I'll attach a picture in the next post, as I can do that from my phone a lot easier than transferring it to this PC.
Re: Car Dock with integrated Micro USB Charging plug (ongoing project)
(Apologies for the side-view being blurry)
Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note II using Tapatalk 2
Next steps: I plan to put araldite epoxy over the whole plug to secure it and really make sure it isn't going anywhere. This takes a lot longer to set than the glue I've used so far, but the advantage of using the 5 minute epoxy first is that my phone doesn't have to be in the dock for this stage. Then I'll sand it smooth and spray it black, and work on the car mode triggering bit, which I'm going to make as a separate unit. The advantage of using the extension lead is that you can attach whatever accessory you want into the micro USB, audio splitter, charging, car mode or whatever. Or I'm sure you can find similar MHL extensions if you wanted to do that as well.
This is an interesting project. Thanks for sharing the idea. But do you really want to recharge your phone every time you use the dock? Would unnecessary recharging shorten the life of the battery?
Spare batteries are cheap. I'd rather have a phone that is charged more than one with a battery that will last longer. If I have to get a new battery for £10 or whatever I'm not too bothered! I already have 3 batteries for this phone. In addition, as part of a previous project, I have a switch in my car that controls the power output of the micro USB cable coming out of my dashboard so I could turn it off if necessary, and the dock would still trigger car mode when plugged in.
Been a while since I updated this - sorry!
Right, so at the end of the last post, I had basically filed the USB plug down so it didn't 'click' into place, and glued it in place using some fast epoxy. Next, I cut back quite a lot of the fast epoxy (it's not as good as the araldite that I'm going to put all over it, and it's only there to hold the plug in position while the araldite dries). I also cut some gouges into the surfaces around where I'm gluing to help the araldite adhere to the surfaces - it's worth sanding them with some fairly coarse paper too, though probably not that necessary, it'll be plenty strong enough.
After that I masked off the bottom of the cradle, but leaving the usb plug sticking through
Once this was done, I mixed up some Araldite epoxy resin. It has a resin and a hardener that you mix in a 2:1 ratio. I also added quite a lot of finely ground up wood fibres to the mix - if you have access to some, it improves the strength of the material, and also helps you mould it into a shape when you apply it, rather than have the glue run everywhere. You can always hold it in place with tape if not.
After it has dried (first photo), it sands quite well to the desired shape. I didn't want anything too fancy so just made some flats on it and left it at that (2nd and 3rd photos).
Finally I masked it off again, sprayed it matt black and re-fitted the rubber piece that goes at the bottom either side. Voila!
It's possible to spend a lot longer making this neat than I did, but my solution works perfectly for me. If I ever decide I want to make it neater I can easily sand the paint off, sand more glue (or add more on top), and repaint.
Some action photos:
None with the phone in yet as I was using the phone to take the pics - will have to remember my actual camera at some point if anyone is interested!
I used a 'rapstrap' to hold the cable to the stem of the cradle, keeping it hidden and out the way, and plugged in the cable from my car (emerges from a hole in the A pillar where it meets the dashboard - that's a separate mod to the car!). For the cable to switch things into smart dock / car mode / whatever mode I want, I'm going to making the cable described in this thread:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1321491
I have all the parts necessary, will have to see how up-to-scratch my precision soldering skills are! This way, I can swap out the cable for a different one that triggers a different mode if I want, or re-use the cable on another car dock in the future (either one I modified or not!)
Apologies for the rotation of the photos, it's the right way up on the originals... strange.
I should say as well - I've been using this for a couple of weeks now, and I'm glad I spent the effort. It works so much better than I expected! It's effortless to get the phone in and out. I thought there would be a lot more 'misses' when I tried to get the phone in, but it's gone in straight away almost every time - obviously there has been the odd 'miss'! The sides of the cradle do a good job guiding the phone in, as the phone is almost as wide as them, so it gets roughly centred anyway, then you just squeeze the sides of the dock in and the phone is gripped tightly - no chance of falling out. To release, it's just a button at the back of the dock then lift straight out with the same hand - pretty convenient.
I'd love to see other people's pics if they make one, or improve mine (probably not too hard to do!), or any other mods that do the same thing!
Car Dock with integrated Micro USB Charging plug (ongoing project)
Nice work mate
:good:
Re: Car Dock with integrated Micro USB Charging plug (ongoing project)
I think it looks great. Obviously a labor of love and I'm down with that. This holder could suffice for your next couple Sammy phones as long as the USB depth doesn't change much with different cases/devices. Overall I dig it
This looks like what I did for my S3 in August of last year, except I molded Sugru to keep everything together and for the base, I used a holster w/ the "wings" bent apart so I could just slide in from the top and pull it up and out when undocking. It works w/ a thin case (i usually just have a bumper around my phone).
I actually trimmed it a bit more after this picture was taken to make it cleaner and even cut the top half of the holster off to make it easier to grip the phone when pulling it out. Best thing is, it's so fast to pop it in or pull it off to undock it - I actually had the phone in the holster with the cable plugged in while the Sugru was setting so it lined up the cable perfectly.
Re: Car Dock with integrated Micro USB Charging plug (ongoing project)
Very nice! I cant seem to find one anywhere that fits the note 2 with microusb. Keep us updated
Sent from my SGH-I317 using xda premium
Thanks all for you kind comments! I'm just happy I have a good setup now. Once the cable disappears behind the dock, it disappears from the drivers point of view - it goes behind the dashboard where it's connected to a USB charging unit and a 3 way switch (can choose between charging on, off and on with ignition), all wired directly into the fuse box. Last step is the cable to put it into car mode or smart dock mode (not decided which to use yet), also with audio out - though I would likely not use that, since I use Bluetooth to the car anyway. Thought I might as well make the whole cable with that option since I was making one anyway! I may have a stab at that this weekend
how about using NFC for changing profile? You could attache NFC tag to your holder
Yep, that's also an option and would be very easy to do - but I have Tasker installed and use the car mode to trigger a load of actions, so probably won't be needing NFC for that.
Related
has anyone seen an xperia cradle for sale ? i prefer having my phone sitting in the cradle whilst at work so that i can see the calendar / appointments, etc.
i realise the fact that the mini usb port being on the side means that it's unlikely that the phone can be charged whilst it's in the cradle ...
has anyone spotted one ?
Haven't seen one. I'd also like this and it would be great if you could have an alarm clock similar to the new Blackberry Storm as seen in the link below.
http://blogs.eveningsun.com/AC/2008/10/blackberry_storm.html
I found a link to this one over at xperiax1.net
Cradle + extra battery charger
good spot !
really ugly though with the loose usb cable hanging out.
Has anyone seen something with a solid usb connector (i. e. side frame with connector on it to push the phone agains)?
I want something where I can just push/slide/drop/whatever the phone in with one hand and have it connected, and just pull it back out to get it back!
downloadtest82 said:
really ugly though with the loose usb cable hanging out.
Has anyone seen something with a solid usb connector (i. e. side frame with connector on it to push the phone agains)?
I want something where I can just push/slide/drop/whatever the phone in with one hand and have it connected, and just pull it back out to get it back!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I'm worried that with the position of the USB connector that it might not make cradle manufacturer's life easy for this phone. Is there president for a phone with a jack on the upper-side having a plug-and-charge cradle made for it?
I need to have a phone that can have a charge/stand that clicks right in.
i ended up buying the one in the link above. it's pretty lame if i'm honest but it's better than nothing ...
i can't see how any design is going to allow anyone to just grab the phone and remove it without having to wrestle with a connector at the side of the phone. annoyingly, there is only one input which (obviously) is the sync cable meaning that it's charged via my usb port rather than the mains (i.e it takes forever to charge ...)
we bought two of them, one is working one not. So we ordered directly by the manufacturer obo Hongkong and they arrieved yesterday. Both do not work! No connection to the PC! Error messages!
Hi guys,
I too was very suprised with the fact that I couldn't find any cradle which has a (as you call it) plug-in connection.
Enough reason for my to design and build one myself. I'm still in a very early stage of building, but I was wondering what would a cradle like that be worth for you guys, just to check if it would be furthwhile the make more than just one for myself.
They should just make a horizontal/landscape cradle that you slide out the keyboard and dock it like an UMPC. Honestly the vertical cradle looks hedious.
edit: just realized that's what the bb storm has. there you go.
mrdo said:
has anyone seen an xperia cradle for sale ? i prefer having my phone sitting in the cradle whilst at work so that i can see the calendar / appointments, etc.
i realise the fact that the mini usb port being on the side means that it's unlikely that the phone can be charged whilst it's in the cradle ...
has anyone spotted one ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://www.mobilefun.co.uk/product/17827.htm
Sorry for the repetition.
I'm with outie. The vertical docks look cheap and lame and don't show the X1 off to it's best, nor do they allow you to use phone the way it was intended.
We need a horizontal cradle that it can sit in with keyboard open like a real desk organiser. Hell, it even looks like Sony could have planned it that way by putting the sync connector on the bottom of the keyboard!
Got one directly from Brando (with spare battery). However it sucks ass. There are several kinds made by some OEM and it differs in number of ports. The Brando one has just one miniUSB input and the adapter just gives 1A. So you can only charge OR sync. So bit useless, as charging phone and battery through USB will take forever and charging phone and/or battery with that adapter would take also significantly longer, than the original CMU-20 and you cannot sync.
I saw one with two ports so you can sync and charge from your socket.. Wonder if mine can be opened and if it has also two ports, just hidden.
But hey, what do you want for 20USD?
Thing you’ll need:
Soldering Iron + Solder
18gauge wire
Add-A-Circuit
Spare fuse
Screwdriver
Pliers
Electrical tape
Belkin AirCast
Crack open the case. I used a pair of pliers and applied pressure to the case. When it started to crack at the seams, I just and used a flat head screwdriver to pry it open. Take off the cap from the spring and remove the wedges that stick out of the side.
The spring is the positive contact and the wire connected to the wedges is negative. I used some 18gauge wire for this step. I stripped the negative wire just enough to join about 6” of the 18gauge wire and topped it off with a loop crimp.
For the positive terminal I looped some bare wire around the spring and soldered it. I stripped the other side of the wire and joined it with the Add-A-Circuit and crimped it.
Now in your car, locate the fuse box for the interior of the car. since the add a circuit only works up to 10 amps, find a fuse that’s 10 amps that controls some accessory in the car that TURNS OFF when the is off. You wouldn’t want this to be turned on and drain you battery(albeit slowly). In my case I used the stereo fuse since it shuts off when the car is off and on when it is Now plop in the appropriate fuse(in my case, 10amps, since it has to match the fuse its being plugged into) and plug in your add-a-circuit.
That loop that’s on the negative end of the cable, find a metal bolt thats attached to the car somehow. In my case it was just off to the side of the panel I pryed off. Yours may be easier/harder to get to. Unscrew the bolt and slide the loop in and screw it back in. The easy part is done :S
You’ll want to decide where to put the microphone since that will dictate how hard the next step will be.
I decided to put the puck on the center of the dash. So I snaked the stereo wire from the center of the console to the fuse box and left enough slack to drag the wire back with he puck in attached. After that I just cleaned up the wires a bit by rolling them up.
I'll add pictures as soon as I upload them off my phone
any updates? I'm interested in seeing it.
thanks
good work but where the pics?
or you can just not use your phone in the car. or be like me and have a car with built in bluetooth !
Since I am passing on the Note 3, I decided that I needed a car mount for the year as I wait on the Note 4. Seeing how there aren't any ones where I could slide my phone in, I decided to make my own.
I took an iOttie car mount http://www.amazon.com/iOttie-HLCRIO...d=1382358203&sr=8-1&keywords=iottie+car+mount
and some Sugru http://www.amazon.com/Sugru-SBLK8-S...F8&qid=1382358283&sr=8-1&keywords=sugru+black
Taking a microUSB cable, I took off some of the sheathing to see if I can get a longer plug, but there's a plastic piece that keeps the phone from plugging in farther.. In any case I put my phone in my case and placed it in the iOttie.
I then plugged the cord in at the bottom to get the correct position of the plug. Finally, I used Sugru and molded the putty around as best I could. Used one and a half packets.
After letting it cure overnight, I pulled my phone out and the plug stayed in place. Placed the mount in my car and I have been using it for a few days. I slide the phone into the USB plug and push the phone against the older, which snaps the clamps in place. The plug and Sugru seem solid, but we'll see how long it lasts up to wear and tear of me pulling the phone out and plugging it in. So far, three days strong...
I just purchased a new Galaxy Tab 3, 7 inch to replace my aging Dell Streak 7 as a media server in my van. I like the Galaxy (I have the phone), and it was a natural fit.
Unfortunately, charging in the vehicle was problematic. I already had a nice Scosche 12v to USB charger which has 2.1 amp capacity. But the Galaxy wasn't having any.
Then I discovered that Samsung used a cheat: they shorted the data (Vcc+ and Vcc-) wires in their house-brand chargers (instead of the usual assortment of resistors).
So, a modification of an el-cheapo microUSB cable (at the larger, USB end-- this brand has snap-on covers) and I have me a dedicated charge-only cable for use with the Scosche (or any other generic, 2+ amp USB charging port). I could have put in a switch, but it was too much bother-- easy enough to disconnect the two data+ and data- cables-- in the standard USB plug (the larger end) these are the two in the middle, with the power being the outer pair. Then I twisted these together, a wee bit of solder, and carefully push this to one side, and snap the cover back into place. A quick test with a generic USB charger-- it works.
I got the cable via Amazon, it's of chinese make, and has a little reel in the center to shorten or lengthen the whole, for about $1.50. It's black, and has no maker's marks of any kind.
If you do go this way, the larger end is much easier to work on, than that tiny microUSB plug end. If your cable has a molded cover, you could remove it carefully with a box cutter or similar. Then use epoxy or hot-melt glue to replace the over-mold you removed, once you connect the two data wires. I would either solder them, or cover with a bit of tape (before gluing), as the glue could seep between them, ruining your connection.
Or you could slit the cable lengthwise, and join the white & green wires, leaving the ones going to the large end unconnected. Not as neat, but it'd certainly work.
If you decide to put in a switch? You'll need a double-pole, double-throw switch. Most of these have 6 terminals: like this: = = = with the center pair common to either end pairs, depending on which way the switch is thrown. Solder the white wire to one of the center pair, and the green to the other-- from the small (microUSB) end. Now connect the white from the large USB to one of the other pair, to the matching white one, and the green on the same side. On the opposite side, simply connect the pair of terminals with a short jumper. Now, when you flip the switch one way, it'll short the pair going to the microUSB plug, leaving the ones coming from the large USB plug unconnected. Flip the switch, and you'll restore as they were before. Epoxy or hot-melt glue to neaten everything up.
But that was too much work for me, a $1.50 cable dedicated to charging was fine for me-- I leave the OEM cable for when I need to transfer files from my PC.
Hi All,
I have always gone without a case. (I wear suits a lot and the bulk of a case distorts the suit), for extra grip and the rare drop, I put Tactical Grip Tape around the outer edges of the phone and for 20 years, it's worked perfectly.
I have always attached a metal plate to the back of the phone to attach to a Vent Magnet Clip for use in the car, plug it into the car using a cord for Connectivity/Charging and for 20 years, this procedure has been incredibly efficient and reliable regardless of which vehicle I'm using.
HOWEVER ... the back of the S21U has a finish that nothing sticks too! (I haven't tried Super-Glues - yet).
So I bought a bunch of Car Chargers that grip the phone.
Turns out - very, VERY few are built to accommodate the large Camera Bump on the back of the phone and the phone! This screws with the Wireless Charging, which won't work on the S21U - they've all been returned. .
Of the few that will work with the S21U - they're all clunky, rarely release the phone when they're supposed to, sometimes requiring two hands to forcibly pull the phone from it's grip - they too have all been returned.
In this small category of mounts that work with the S21U, some require manual attachment (manual attachment = no Wireless Charging), some have Auto-Sensing (which all come with Wireless Charging) and will grip the phone when the phone is placed between the grips. When they work ... they work well ... but the percentage of when they work is about 60% - the other 40% I have to manipulate the rig to activate and close/grip the phone.
BUT WAIT - THERE'S MORE ...
... Andriod Auto via Bluetooth is AWFUL on the new Ram Pickup Trucks and most vehicles.
On the other hand, if you plug it in ... it's quite good!
So ...
If I use the Auto Sensing/Grip with Wireless charging and plug the phone into the USB port - it's good, but the mounts are a disappointment nearly half the time ... nothing works as efficiently and effectively as a metal plate on the back of the phone attached to a Vent Clip Magnet with the phone connected to the car via a USB Port.
Now here's the question:
Has anyone successfully attached a metal plate directly to the back of the S21U?
If so, did you modify (remove the finish off the back) to adhere the metal plate, or did you use a SuperGlue or Epoxy?
PART 2: If you did, where did you mount the magnet on the back of the phone so you could still get Wireless Charging on a home Cradle? (... or did you just give up on Wireless Charging altogether as I've done with all my previous phones because like me, you believe Magnetic Mount in the car is better than any Wireless Charging.)
I know this is a novel-read for some of you ... but it's a real issue for me and I'm trying to find a solution to a frustrating problem and I've GOT TO BELIEVE I'm not alone with this issue.
Thanks for reading ... and thanks for any/all input and ideas.
Gregory
I don't have the Ultra, but I do use my Pixel with a magnetic mount in my car.
I bought my cmount https://www.proclipusa.com/. They have a custom mount for each vehicle, and then you buy a magnetic holder to go along with it. I placed the magnetic plate along the bottom edge of the phone inside the thinnest case that I could get. and it doesn't effect wireless charging.
I also have a magnetic cable that connects the phone to the car... so I exclusively use wireless charging for my phone.
Insertnamehere12 said:
I don't have the Ultra, but I do use my Pixel with a magnetic mount in my car.
I bought my cmount https://www.proclipusa.com/. They have a custom mount for each vehicle, and then you buy a magnetic holder to go along with it. I placed the magnetic plate along the bottom edge of the phone inside the thinnest case that I could get. and it doesn't effect wireless charging.
I also have a magnetic cable that connects the phone to the car... so I exclusively use wireless charging for my phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You Are A God ! ! !
I absolutely LOVE the clips they have!
So much better than any/all alternatives and those Automatic ones! This is exactly what I was looking for.
Thank you!
Gregory