Database Develop

USB port variations: loose & not connecting? (pics added!)

I've scoured this forum, but can't find a similar problem. Perhaps someone can be of assistance:
My Tilt RLoDed after 3 months. The replacement unit wouldn't place or receive calls. I'm on my third Tilt (second refurb unit), and I figured out why this one was returned too:
The USB port is "loose." I connected to the computer initially and synced, but then I heard the Windows USB disconnect sound... followed quickly by the reconnect sound. I immediately thought, "loose connection!"
Sure enough, the plug wiggles within the port. The port isn't wiggling in the phone, just the plug in the port - as if the port were slightly too big or the plug slightly too small.

Just to add a little info:
My first and second Tilts both fit the plug more snugly. Tighter. Grippier. They wiggled a little, but not nearly like this most recent one does. And of course they never disconnected and reconnected as a result.
But why? Turns out the ports are different! I hadn't sent my second one back yet, so I compared them. In the pic below, the bottom port is like my first and second Tilts (snug fit), and the top port is my third (current) Tilt with the loose connection.
Why the difference? Does anyone else have this problem?
I can't think of anything to do but order my *fourth* Tilt.
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yo bro, it's me again.
Well I have to agree with you. It looks like it's due to a change in the port. I have the second one and it's snug.
Honestly ( your gonna hate this ). But if I were you, I'd just exchange the device again. Don't settle for second best or good enough on a device whose retail price is over $550. Remember, for $550 we can buy an inexpensive laptop or a cheapy car.

Yep, I too have the lower picture as my port and it's snug with car charger and usb cable for PC.

Thanks y'all. And thanks for reminding me about the price tag.
Off to spend some QT on the phone with ATT.

Just got my replacement tilt for the "bad usb" port problem. Mine would sync
ok, but, would ONLY charge on the AC charger, not the car charger.
I noticed on your pictures that the bottom of the USB connector did the same
thing as mine did. Where the metal is formed at the bottom, has pulled open
and you can see a noticeable gap. Also on mine, you can see the right side
of the middle section of the connector it pushed down a bit.

Shove some paper is the gap, that'll stop the wiggle.

how do your tilt's port get so messed up? haha, i cant comprehend how it can get to that stage.

JEEZUS man those pictures were NSFW. I had to shield my tilt's virgin screen from those pictures.

NguyenHuu said:
how do your tilt's port get so messed up? haha, i cant comprehend how it can get to that stage.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, I shouldn't feel the need to defend myself, but I do.
My first Tilt I owned for three months without a USB problem - probably looked a lot like the second picture posted by p51d007 - a good port.
The second Tilt I had is the bottom one on my post. It was shipped to me as a refurb and I had it in my possession for a whopping 48 hours. If the metal on the port was slightly separated, it was definitely like that when I got it.
The third Tilt I have is another refurb. I've had it since last Friday, and will be sending it back this Friday when they send me my fourth Tilt. It's USB plug isn't in bad condition per se, it's just a different design and way too loose.
So there it is. I take care of my stuff.
PS - Love the avatar, p51d007! You a B-52 pilot?

No, my dad was in SAC in the 50's
drokkon said:
PS - Love the avatar, p51d007! You a B-52 pilot?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Still off-topic...
p51d007 said:
No, my dad was in SAC in the 50's
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nice - my dad flew F-111's and 16's in the 80's and 90's. I think he must have been under SAC in the 111 - it was nuke-capable.

My dad was a "boomer". KC-97 refueling operator. He got out of the Air Force when the B-52's were coming online. He did get to refuel B-47's though.
Biggest plane he saw was the B-36 Peacemaker. Said when one took off, landed or flew over, it would make your teeth rattle

In post #2 the first pic is the new USB port by HTC its on the Polaris, Touch Slide and looks like the newer Kaisers, mines got the 2nd port which is the old port which is also on the Touch. THe top one does'nt break too easy

aksd said:
In post #2 the first pic is the new USB port by HTC its on the Polaris, Touch Slide and looks like the newer Kaisers, mines got the 2nd port which is the old port which is also on the Touch. THe top one does'nt break too easy
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well I prefer the old one then. I guess I should be happy that they sent me a "newer" refurb, but even if it doesn't break as easily as the old one, the USB port is too loose, causing disconnects and reconnects.
Thanks for that info though!!!

drokkon said:
Well I prefer the old one then. I guess I should be happy that they sent me a "newer" refurb, but even if it doesn't break as easily as the old one, the USB port is too loose, causing disconnects and reconnects.
Thanks for that info though!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Basically its not your USB port thats shaking but the port being too big for the mini USB plug on your charger, what you can do is add a bit of celotape as packing on the top face and bottom face of the charger plug, should sort things out.

aksd said:
Basically its not your USB port thats shaking but the port being too big for the mini USB plug on your charger, what you can do is add a bit of celotape as packing on the top face and bottom face of the charger plug, should sort things out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Right - that's what I meant to say. But if it's a standardized port... what's going on?
As someone so eloquently put it earlier, don't settle for "good enough" on a $500 piece of equipment. I really wouldn't want to put the tape on multiple chargers anyway, and then run into problems when I have other mini-USB devices that I can't charge with them.
*shrug*

drokkon said:
Right - that's what I meant to say. But if it's a standardized port... what's going on?
As someone so eloquently put it earlier, don't settle for "good enough" on a $500 piece of equipment. I really wouldn't want to put the tape on multiple chargers anyway, and then run into problems when I have other mini-USB devices that I can't charge with them.
*shrug*
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I did notice the HTC earphones fit snuggly though, no shake, my HTC charger fits ok too, but the motorola one shakes a bit. We'll I see your point, but any phone I've bought to date has required a bit of tape somewhere or the other. ANd having worked in the cellphone service industry for a bit, I see what happens behind the scenes and trust me its not pretty , I'd rather fix my phone myself rather than give it to the service center unless its a major issue. We'll thats just me

aksd said:
I did notice the HTC earphones fit snuggly though, no shake, my HTC charger fits ok too, but the motorola one shakes a bit. We'll I see your point, but any phone I've bought to date has required a bit of tape somewhere or the other. ANd having worked in the cellphone service industry for a bit, I see what happens behind the scenes and trust me its not pretty , I'd rather fix my phone myself rather than give it to the service center unless its a major issue. We'll thats just me
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well you sound much more experienced than I! Both my stock charger and stock USB plug fit loosely into this new port, and I get another phone tomorrow anyway, but I'll definitely keep that in mind.

Close-ups are amazing!
p51d007- Sorry to be off topic but I have to ask. How did you take those close-ups? They are so good. Please tell me what camera, settings, lighting you used. Thanks. And sorry for jacking the thread.

Car Mount Setup (Pic included)

My car mount arrived from Amazon today and I must say that I'm impressed. Very solid and doesn't feel flimsy at all. Going to rig up a mount for my Verizon 4G Mifi so that I have Wifi on the go! LOL
Drove around for a big and it wasn't in my field of view at all....probably because I'm tall and sit above the mount. This is in a Toyota Matrix, which isn't a big car to begin with, and it looks great.
Going to be easier now to get my Waze on LOL
This is the one that I bought:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004M8ST36/
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How deep are the arms on the part that holds the tablet. I'm looking at that one for using both my N7 and Nook Color. I'd like to keep the cases on if at all possible.

It comes with different length arms to accommodate various depths. I tried it with the case that I use and it worked fine.

I want one!
Sent from my Asus Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk 2

Does anyone know if mounting them on windshield is illegal in California? I keep reading different reports..

Very nice!

Not a good idea to keep any cellphone or tablet in the sun, your battery will suffer! Just get a Garmin or something for navigation.
Long live the One X

You can only mount your GPS to the windshield on the driver’s side in the lower 5″ corner of the windshield, or the lower 7″ corner on the passenger side in California, You can however block a 5″x5″ section of your windshield for a toll transponder. When it comes to collecting money California says screw safety.

veliksam said:
Not a good idea to keep any cellphone or tablet in the sun, your battery will suffer! Just get a Garmin or something for navigation.
Long live the One X
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have a nice Garmin Nuvi with lifetime maps and traffic but it just doesn't beat Waze for navigation. Not really too worried about the sun killing my battery life........I dropped the CPU down the 860mhz on my way down to the inlaws and it was fine and cool to the touch after the hour long trip with my both the gps and WIFI on the entire time.

Prey521 said:
I have a nice Garmin Nuvi with lifetime maps and traffic but it just doesn't beat Waze for navigation. Not really too worried about the sun killing my battery life........I dropped the CPU down the 860mhz on my way down to the inlaws and it was fine and cool to the touch after the hour long trip with my both the gps and WIFI on the entire time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If it works for you then go for it :thumbup:
Sent from my Nexus 7

The big question for me is: what do you use to charge the tablet in navigation mode and does the charger output enough juice to actually charge the tablet?
I have a Galaxy Note, but even with only 5" screen, running it in navigation mode drain so much power that I am yet to see any charger that charges the phone. Most of the charger, even Samsung own dock, just slows down the discharge.

lanwarrior said:
The big question for me is: what do you use to charge the tablet in navigation mode and does the charger output enough juice to actually charge the tablet?
I have a Galaxy Note, but even with only 5" screen, running it in navigation mode drain so much power that I am yet to see any charger that charges the phone. Most of the charger, even Samsung own dock, just slows down the discharge.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah for my trip yesterday to the city I used the car charger from my phone. While it didn't charge it, the battery only depleted about 10% in the hour drive that it took us to get there. That's pretty impressive given that without the charger it probably would've lost over 50% know that same amount of time with the gps and WIFI chugging at the same time.
Today, since the Matrix has an actual power outlet on the dash, I took the little wall wart that I use to charge my blackberry Playbook at home and it charged the Nexus 7 just fine with gps and WIFI running.
I believe that I've seen 2amp micro usb car chargers which would charge the N7 with no problems.

Prey521 said:
I have a nice Garmin Nuvi with lifetime maps and traffic but it just doesn't beat Waze for navigation. Not really too worried about the sun killing my battery life........I dropped the CPU down the 860mhz on my way down to the inlaws and it was fine and cool to the touch after the hour long trip with my both the gps and WIFI on the entire time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What he means is that batteries don't last as long (e.g. they stop holding their charge) when they are exposed to heat over long periods of time. Batteries contain electrolytes which are acidic molecules that break down over time. Heat causes them to break down faster, cold causes them to break down slower. This is why people with smarts store their batteries inside of their refrigerators until they need them.
But that's not to worry so long as your car is air conditioned and you take the tablet with you when you leave (a good idea anyways since seeing a tablet up in the dash will probably make your car more likely to get broken into by a meth head after he is done stealing copper tubing.) Bonus points if your tablet has a case on the back, which will absorb the heat from the sun before your tablet itself does.

I have used Binder clips before to make docks that clip onto the AC vent, so it cools the device while i'm driving
mind you, they work for a phone, but i dont think it will work with a tablet.

After seeing your thread on this car dock, I ordered two for myself and one for my wife.
I received them today and though I would post a few pics. Great docks by the way. No shake at all. Very sturdy.
Short Neck:
Extended Neck:

This is the the same dock that I have been using for about 5 weeks.
It has been on one 2400 mile trip and a 700 mile one.
CAUTION - if you hit a very hard bump, the tablet can fly loose. It has happened to me 3 times.
The spring tension, though fairly tight, isn't tight enough in extreme cases.
Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk 2

rcatron said:
This is the the same dock that I have been using for about 5 weeks.
It has been on one 2400 mile trip and a 700 mile one.
CAUTION - if you hit a very hard bump, the tablet can fly loose. It has happened to me 3 times.
The spring tension, though fairly tight, isn't tight enough in extreme cases.
Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
what tablet were you using and what was the weight of said tablet?

Is there a car dock that uses the 4 charging pins yet?

Anyone have pics (short or long neck) compared to the original Galaxy Tab car dock? Trying to figure out which one to stick in my Jeep..

Rakeesh_j said:
What he means is that batteries don't last as long (e.g. they stop holding their charge) when they are exposed to heat over long periods of time. Batteries contain electrolytes which are acidic molecules that break down over time. Heat causes them to break down faster, cold causes them to break down slower. This is why people with smarts store their batteries inside of their refrigerators until they need them.
But that's not to worry so long as your car is air conditioned and you take the tablet with you when you leave (a good idea anyways since seeing a tablet up in the dash will probably make your car more likely to get broken into by a meth head after he is done stealing copper tubing.) Bonus points if your tablet has a case on the back, which will absorb the heat from the sun before your tablet itself does.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ya, I see what you mean now. And yes, I take it with me.....especially after some crack head down in NYC broke into my wife's minivan to grab her POS Garmin GPS that was worth maybe $50! Ugh, still mad about that LOL
Also, I do leave it in the case since I'm too lazy to remove the N7 from it to put it in the dock! HAHA

My Amateur Tablet In Dash Car Installation

I thought I'd share this here, in case anyone is interested, and to not go off topic in this thread in the Q&A section that was interested in some detail of my build.
I couldn't find an aftermarket stereo that was as customizable, or had as many features as I'd like. My car is a 02 Mitsubishi Lancer which also is designed for a single DIN stereo, which limited my selection as well. I decided a while back that I wanted to attempt a tablet dash install, and when the Nexus 7 came out, I decided it was time to start on this project.This was my first attempt working with fiberglass, bondo, vinyl wrap, and I'm sure a few other aspects of the project I'm missing.
I failed to take pictures at all steps, as it was trial and error for awhile anyways. Here are some photos of some of the process and a parts list.
Also my Home Screens I created for this very purpose.
Parts List:
Nexus 7
4 Channel Amplifier
Four Gauge Power & Ground Wires
Speaker Wire Cable
2 RCA Plug Cable
3.5mm Stereo Male to 2RCA Male Cable
1/Female to 2/Male Y Connector Cable x 2
RCA Volume Level Control
AC Power Inverter
Car-Cigarette-Lighter-Extension Socket
Radio Wiring Harness Adapter
RadioTrim Piece
Fiberglass Resin
Fiberglass Cloth
Bondo
3M Brushed Black Metal Vinyl Wrap
Ground Loop Isolator (Optional)
Semi Finished Final Product
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RadioTrim Piece found in a junkyard that I cut the innards out of and filled with fiberglass and bondo. My car dash originally looks something like this.
So I had to create something that would house a 7" tablet, and also relocate my temperature controls.
Radio Trim Piece covered with Adhesive Promoter and paint.
Nexus 7 without Radio Trim. Backing is a piece of pegboard cut to fit in dash.
Radio Trim without tablet
Volume Control Knob
Cadence 4-Channel 1000 Watt Amp
Power Inverter

Amazing.. so I'm assuming you tether off a hot spot of some sort?

crachel said:
Amazing.. so I'm assuming you tether off a hot spot of some sort?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you, yep, I still have the original Evo 4G for my phone. I just have a tasker shortcut to toggle a Portable Hotpsot. It's only 3G but its worked pretty well so far

looks nice! the work with the fibre glass is very good!
the only issue I have is the use of an inverter, couldnt you have got a in car usb adapter? as this would mean 1 less power conversion.

Assuming you're leaving the Nexus 7 in the dash, aren't you worried about the heat?

markp1989 said:
looks nice! the work with the fibre glass is very good!
the only issue I have is the use of an inverter, couldnt you have got a in car usb adapter? as this would mean 1 less power conversion.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, I was just going to use a USB adapter, but I tried the 3 I already owned, and none of them would register it was charging. I bought a 4th that I thought would do the job, and had the same problem. I'm sure its possible with the right charger, and I may end up switching it out later. I just ended up being impatient and went with the inverter lol.
jabsys said:
Assuming you're leaving the Nexus 7 in the dash, aren't you worried about the heat?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That is a concern. It's been in the car for maybe 24 hours now and no problems yet, but I plan on running out to my car to check it on my breaks and lunch tomorrow and probably throughout the work week to see how it holds up. If it becomes an issue I may need to take it out, if the car will be sitting for long stretches of time, or find another solution.
I saw a thread awhile back where someone else bought some sun shades to try and keep the temperature down inside the car. I guess we'll see how it holds up over the next few days.

Somebody put a nook color in a ...Wrangler I want to say? He didn't seem to have any trouble leaving it in there.
Yeah, here it is.

mateorod said:
Somebody put a nook color in a ...Wrangler I want to say? He didn't seem to have any trouble leaving it in there.
Yeah, here it is.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think his was on a dock. I know one guy had his in a smart car as well. Here.
Looks good though. I've thought about doing it in my car with my NC.

Nice job. Looks good.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app

Looks cool man

mateorod said:
Somebody put a nook color in a ...Wrangler I want to say? He didn't seem to have any trouble leaving it in there.
Yeah, here it is.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
biohazrd51 said:
I think his was on a dock. I know one guy had his in a smart car as well. Here.
Looks good though. I've thought about doing it in my car with my NC.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, good to hear others havent had overheating issues with similar installations.
I've been looking into this stuff for the last couple months now and I don't think I've seen either of those two builds, thanks.
I know this instructables build and too many random YouTube videos to list on different in-dash installs is what got me finally started in on this project.

You might want to consider some kind of retractable or removable cover. Couple of reasons. One...it can keep direct sunlight off the unit. That would probably be the biggest issue with this setup. Second, it would deter theft. Generally, a thief might not risk breaking into a car to guess what's behind curtain #1...if you know what I mean. However, seeing a full blown tablet in a home made setup (e.g. not built into the vehicle/easy to steal) might be too tempting for some crack head.
Mostly blocking indirect sunlight though...

had an acer a100 perm installed in my dash for several months even here in sunny florida i only got heat warnings when the sun was directly hitting the tablet, using a windshield shade when parked was sufficient to keep the heat warnings from coming on
i'm waiting for the pogo pin dock to be released before the nexus 7 gets a spot in the dashboard, i dont want a perm install again as i like using this tablet outside of the car too

ExploreMN said:
You might want to consider some kind of retractable or removable cover. Couple of reasons. One...it can keep direct sunlight off the unit. That would probably be the biggest issue with this setup. Second, it would deter theft. Generally, a thief might not risk breaking into a car to guess what's behind curtain #1...if you know what I mean. However, seeing a full blown tablet in a home made setup (e.g. not built into the vehicle/easy to steal) might be too tempting for some crack head.
Mostly blocking indirect sunlight though...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
b22ri22an said:
had an acer a100 perm installed in my dash for several months even here in sunny florida i only got heat warnings when the sun was directly hitting the tablet, using a windshield shade when parked was sufficient to keep the heat warnings from coming on
i'm waiting for the pogo pin dock to be released before the nexus 7 gets a spot in the dashboard, i dont want a perm install again as i like using this tablet outside of the car too
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the tips, and again its good to hear these reports of other tablet installs with minimal overheating issues. I checked on it today at lunch and it was hot to the touch, but functioning fine, i believe the temperature on the tablet read 134 F..... It was maybe 80 here outside in WI today. I think I'll definitely be investing in a windshield shade to be on the safe side at the very minimum.
I have a Transformer Prime for my other tablet and at this point I was going for a perma install look, although it isn't all too difficult to remove from the dash if needed.

ahavens17 said:
Thanks for the tips, and again its good to hear these reports of other tablet installs with minimal overheating issues. I checked on it today at lunch and it was hot to the touch, but functioning fine, i believe the temperature on the tablet read 134 F..... It was maybe 80 here outside in WI today. I think I'll definitely be investing in a windshield shade to be on the safe side at the very minimum.
I have a Transformer Prime for my other tablet and at this point I was going for a perma install look, although it isn't all too difficult to remove from the dash if needed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh AHeavens, you're a neighbor then. So you know we top the hundreds a few weeks every summer. So if a 80 degree day warms the tab to 135, imagine what one of our 105 days would do to it!
Not to mention our winters where it gets to -35 to -40!
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

Nice install! i've never had the courage to break out the bondo!
I've installed the Nexus 7 in my WRX too. The trick to getting USB charging to work via a cig adapter is to put a USB hub inline. I pulled apart a tomtop GPS charger and wired it into the factory stereo wiring then plugged a USB hub into it and then the N7 (and my Galaxy S3) into the hub and they both charge nicely.
Having trouble with the audio output though, it is horrible... it buzzes every time i touch the screen and it buzzes when wifi is active and it is just generally crap.
I would like to plug in a USB soundcard (DAC), something like the Fiio E10 but then i wouldn't be able to charge the tab while USB OTG is active.
I was hoping that the pogo pins on the side would allow charging whilst the USB dock connector could be used for OTG but it doesn't look like it will work since both the pogo pins and USB connector go to the same usb switch internally.
I might put up a thread on my WRX N7 install.
edit: here it is: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1819175
another edit: there seems to be a thread on the charging issues... i have also just found that my tab drains it's battery faster than it can charge it...
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1791717

The ultimate car install: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0o1zkqEuec&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app

I put my nexus 7 in my dash for 3 hours one day it turned off on me... I assume because it was too hot.
For now I remove it when I get to work and leave it in the car when I am home. I have no issues in the garage. Only problem is the place I mounted mine is a perfect fit and no room for the usb charging cable till I modify the hood but I am hoping for the pogo dock soon.
Sent from my Nexus 7

kangxi said:
The ultimate car install: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0o1zkqEuec&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nice!
How are they getting connected? Bluetooth, wifi tether, hotspot, ...?

when I get a car I would definitely spend the $250 bucks to have a really sexy media player in the dash

$5 Gear VR cooling solution for non-stop gaming...

Looking at two possible GVR cooling solutions for less than $5:
TEST RESULTS:
Metal Sponges - FAIL:
At first I thought the copper sponges were causing interference and stutter but I then realized I was using the wrong governor in Synapse. Once I fixed that the lag disappeared.
Unfortunately, although the copper became warm, it was not wicking off enough heat to prevent shutdown. I am thinking this is because there is not enough surface area of the copper in contact with the battery as you would have in an actual heatsync with 100% contact.
So, metallic sponges are a fail due to not enough surface contact. Interesting idea, doesn't work.
Chilled Hobby Ziplock Bags Full of Fake Ice Goo - SUCCESS!:
Ok, bought 4" x 3" plastic ziplock bags from the hobby section of Walmart. Also bought bag of Coleman Ice Goo. Filled baggy about 1/2 full (don't want it too thick) and triple bagged it alternating direction of the seal to protect against leaks. Chilled baggy until cold but not frozen (didn't want to fog lenses if too cold). Played various 3D games for about 1/2 an hour before I had to quit to do some other things. After 1/2 hour no heat warnings and battery was cool to the touch - so I'm assuming it was working.
The baggie was however only cool and no longer cold. I do not know if it would still cool the battery enough in that state but might due to the fact this is good and not just water. Will need a longer test for that. Regardless, easy enough to create multiple baggies for quick replacement without quitting your game.
So anyway, there it is, $5 cooling solution from your local Walmart. Hope it works for you.
** I do not claim using chillpacks to be an original idea, just a really cheap implementation of an idea lots of folks have discussed.
*** I placed this directly on the battery but if that makes you nervous I should think it would still work placed on the back cover - as a matter of fact it might stay cold longer that way and will be easier to switch out on the fly without your battery falling out. Make sure you don't overfill the baggie because with the cover on you will have a lot less room.
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I just read this online:
From a chemical standpoint, aluminum is a better thermal and electrical conductor than steel.
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I'll see if I can buy some at Lowe's.

mitchellvii said:
This may be a crazy idea but I'll put it out there. What if you were to take some loosely woven aluminum wool and stuff it between your Note 4 with the back cover off and the GVR cover? Would this provide enough of a heat sync to prevent overheating while gaming?
Super cheap and easy if it works. I'll try it and report back.
** I know nothing about electronics. Is this will short out my phone or something else terrible, please give me a heads up before I break things.
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I don't think you're gonna want to do that, because that aluminum wool can shed little "flecks" of aluminum just by squeezing/pulling it- just from the friction action within the wool. These little microscopic flecks can get into everywhere and everything. If they get inside electronics, they can create electrical bridges (shorts), and truly mess up your electronics. I'm not saying absolutely don't do it, I'm just sharing that it's something to be aware of. I don't like that stuff.

FauxForce said:
I don't think you're gonna want to do that, because that aluminum wool can shed little "flecks" of aluminum just by squeezing/pulling it- just from the friction action within the wool. These little microscopic flecks can get into everywhere and everything. If they get inside electronics, they can create electrical bridges (shorts), and truly mess up your electronics. I'm not saying absolutely don't do it, I'm just sharing that it's something to be aware of. I don't like that stuff.
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Thanks yes I also considered that. What I ended up getting was two small copper sponges from Walmart. I don't think these will shed as they are woven not wool.
I also picked up some of that ice substitute stuff and some 4 x 3 hobby zip lock bags. My idea is to chill the baggy full of goop then place it inside a cloth sunglass pouch and that between the N4 back cover and the GVR cover. Will report back.

Just a followup. I do recommend you go with a chilled pack as opposed to frozen for a couple reasons:
1) Frozen may not fit well as the liquid expands when it freezes.
2) Frozen will cause fogging.
3) I believe a nicely fridge chilled pack will last you about 30 to 40 minutes of gaming at which point you can swap in a new one without stopping.
Yes this is a bit of a cludgy inelegant solution but it is simple, cheap and it works without modding anything permanently.

Did you experience any problems with condensation when you used the ice pack?

aclays said:
Did you experience any problems with condensation when you used the ice pack?
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If the pack was frozen, yes. If only chilled well then no. YMMV.

mitchellvii said:
Looking at two possible GVR cooling solutions for less than $5:
TEST RESULTS:
Metal Sponges - FAIL:
At first I thought the copper sponges were causing interference and stutter but I then realized I was using the wrong governor in Synapse. Once I fixed that the lag disappeared.
Unfortunately, although the copper became warm, it was not wicking off enough heat to prevent shutdown. I am thinking this is because there is not enough surface area of the copper in contact with the battery as you would have in an actual heatsync with 100% contact.
So, metallic sponges are a fail due to not enough surface contact. Interesting idea, doesn't work.
Chilled Hobby Ziplock Bags Full of Fake Ice Goo - SUCCESS!:
Ok, bought 4" x 3" plastic ziplock bags from the hobby section of Walmart. Also bought bag of Coleman Ice Goo. Filled baggy about 1/2 full (don't want it too thick) and triple bagged it alternating direction of the seal to protect against leaks. Chilled baggy until cold but not frozen (didn't want to fog lenses if too cold). Played various 3D games for about 1/2 an hour before I had to quit to do some other things. After 1/2 hour no heat warnings and battery was cool to the touch - so I'm assuming it was working.
The baggie was however only cool and no longer cold. I do not know if it would still cool the battery enough in that state but might due to the fact this is good and not just water. Will need a longer test for that. Regardless, easy enough to create multiple baggies for quick replacement without quitting your game.
So anyway, there it is, $5 cooling solution from your local Walmart. Hope it works for you.
** I do not claim using chillpacks to be an original idea, just a really cheap implementation of an idea lots of folks have discussed.
*** I placed this directly on the battery but if that makes you nervous I should think it would still work placed on the back cover - as a matter of fact it might stay cold longer that way and will be easier to switch out on the fly without your battery falling out. Make sure you don't overfill the baggie because with the cover on you will have a lot less room.
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What governor do you use? I've noticed on Lollipop that there is stuttering using the interactive governor.

I have had no problems just yet. But also I have not used it for more than half hour.

Wow, interesting read.
I just got a Gear VR Innovator edition for Note 4. It overheats like crazy!
I was thinking of a way but I am glad I found this because at least I can use the freezy things while I work on what I had planned for cooling.
My plan... Ummm, is to make the battery remote. The note 4 fits in the gear vr without the back cover installed, so I am wanting to make some sort of remote battery tray, just to get all that heat AWAY from the phone.
If anyone has any cheap ideas on what to use to make a battery tray, and also the dummy battery that I would need to put in the phone, please chime in?
I was thinking I could do it all with cardboard(ugly style) or dremel out the parts from flat plastic. 3D printer would be nice... lol
Edit) This would be ideal. All I would have to do is pry it apart and solder 3 leads onto the board where the pins connect, then use the spare battery, with the leads blocked, or gutted, or some sort of homemade insert for the connection to the phone.
In my case, 25 bucks would be worth it. Both my kids, and I have Note 4's, so about 8 bucks per phone.. not bad. OOPS. I chose that link because I thought it would last a while, but I found many of these for 20-30 bucks elsewhere.
http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Galaxy-Battery-Charger-Replacement/dp/B00NQG2XNC
Found a knockoff here,, 10 bucks.. I am ordering this one for sure.
http://www.amazon.com/LEMFO®-Galaxy...id=1456774018&sr=1-18&keywords=note+4+charger

mitchellvii said:
Looking at two possible GVR cooling solutions for less than $5
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I use to see your post all the time on the Tab S forums. Do you still have it? Anyway I think it's crazy to have to go through so much to use a GVR without it overheating. I'm using mine with a S6. 5 to 10 minutes after using it, videos, games, pictures, doesn't matter, I get the need to cool down message. I tried all of the phone settings suggestions I could find to resolve the overheating and nothing works. I pre-ordered a S7 and should have it around next Friday. Hopefully I'll have better luck with the S7. If not I may try your solution or just sell it and wait for a reasonably priced PC VR to come out.

In my opinion the best of the cooling fan.

Moga controller + 80mm fan = perfect cooling solution.

Got this idea from another guy (steveelliss99) over at Oculus Forum then put my own spin on it. Pretty simple and can probably use parts you have laying around the house:
1) Need a Moga Controller to power the fan (or one that has full USB out power port).
2) 80mm case fan.
3) USB cable.
4) Wire connectors (crimp style).
5) Pliers.
6) Double sided velcro tape.
7) Extra battery back for N4 (I just stopped by Sprint store and said I lost mine. They had an extra in the back and gave it to me). If you use a case with your phone, you probably don't even need an extra back as you don't need one with the case on.
So anyway, they do make USB 80mm case fans but in case you don't have one and you have a normal one laying about, cut off the connector and expose the wires on only the red and black. Trim back any others. Do the same with a USB cable retaining the large male end. Using wire connectors (crimp style for snug connection since these wires are very thin), connect red to red and black to black. Once done wrap electrical tape around your entire connection.
Now cut 4 small velcro tape squares and place one on each corner of the 80 mm fan so that the air blows against the back on your N4 battery cover. Stick fan to cover.
Now just plug the USB cable into your Moga and game away. You can game for hours and phone will remain nice and cool with no warnings or shut downs.
** The guy at Oculus actually cut a hole in the GVR cover and attached his fan with screws. I didn't want to go that extreme so I did the velcro thing.
Here's a pic of my mod:
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Good luck. Here's the original Oculus Forum thread if you wish to see the other mod (hat tip to steveelliss99).
https://forums.oculus.com/viewtopic.php?f=62&t=20753

Been using this for a few days now and it continues to perform perfectly. Haven't had a single cool down warning and phone remains cool to the touch after long gaming sessions. Obviously better for the phone. I use the Samsung Flip Cover as my case so when I'm done using the GVR I simply pop the "fan back" off and the Flip Cover on and good to go.
Anyway, if you have the Moga Controller (got mine on sale at BestBuy for $24) this is a solution that really works.

Looks like only 60mm x 10mm will fit under hood.
Hard to tell without actually trying it, but looks like a 60mm x 10mm sleeved fan might barely fit under the GVR hood. If you went sleeveless would probably fit even better. Just a thin heavy duty mounting square in the middle to attach it. Would be close though.
http://www.frozencpu.com/products/6157/fan-328/Cooljag_Everflow_60mm_x_10mm_Fan_126010DL.html
http://www.frozencpu.com/products/1...lacement_Fan_-_Bury_Frame_-_EC6010M12S-B.html

Seems that no one sells a 10mm thick USB fan. If you don't like splicing wires you can get this adapter at Amazon, although for a piece of wire, $19 plus shipping seems crazy high.
http://www.amazon.com/FAN2USB-12V-USB-Converting-Adapter/dp/B00MNB40ZU/ref=pd_sxp_grid_pt_2_1

This thread is worthless without pictures of you wearing this ...

axewater said:
This thread is worthless without pictures of you wearing this ...
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But then everyone would be intimidated by my physical beauty and I'm hated enough as it is.
* You'll look only slightly dumber than you look wearing the damned thing anyway.

We won't see much of your face since you have an 8 foot fan hanging in front of it

axewater said:
We won't see much of your face since you have an 8 foot fan hanging in front of it
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Click to collapse
80mm. Only missed it by 7 3/4 feet.
As many have mentioned here my thought processes are not typical. While most users are concerned with how cool they look wearing their Gear VR, I'm motivated by not melting my $800 phone. Freaky.
If you got a 60mm x 10mm fan you could actually place it under the Gear VR cover and solve the problem "invisibly".

Was only kidding about the 8 feet obv.
I like that you are at least trying alternative solutions. But I seem to recall another thread somewhere saying that an external fan did not influence overheating time. Let me try and dig it up ...
---------- Post added at 07:54 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:49 AM ----------
Not sure where I thought I read that, but now I'm reading the opposite Many threads reporting that even a fan in the room helps.

I knew you were kidding bro. Yeah this solution wont make fashion week but it does work. Cool breeze is nice too.

This is working for me. I took a fan from my old Google tv. It has a cowl that forces the air down. Epoxied it to a rechargeable battery pack with Switch. Added Velcro to the battery pack and Gear VR cover. Air is forced down into opening of cover.

MotorcycleMike said:
This is working for me. I took a fan from my old Google tv. It has a cowl that forces the air down. Epoxied it to a rechargeable battery pack with Switch. Added Velcro to the battery pack and Gear VR cover. Air is forced down into opening of cover.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Cool. And I thought mine was fugly.

You guys did see my cooling fan and battery packs months ago right?

Which moga controller do i need? Amazon has the old basic one for less than 12 bucks. Does that one work?

JLine05 said:
Which moga controller do i need? Amazon has the old basic one for less than 12 bucks. Does that one work?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Get the moga pro so it has A and B switch. Less problems.

VR Headset Fan Mod
I used the 80mm fan with usb connection and bought a $5 2600mla power bank battery charger from ebay, I connected the battery to one of the VR head straps, works perfect and keeps my phone cool for hours, even screen casting and heavy gaming didn't get it hot, thanks so much for this mod idea. I have pics below on how the set up looks.