Hi All

I have an MP3 Player with an internal battery. To charge it up I remove
the end cover from the MP3 Player and plug it into a USB port on my PC.


It is not always convenient to get to a PC to charge the thing up so I
was wondering does anyone make a mains powered charger like you have
for a mobile phone but with a USB port on the end? It would make life
simpler!

EC wrote:
snip
A question about whether Mains Powered USB Chargers for MP3 players
existed.

I am sure I saw this question asked a while ago and the answer was it
couldn't be done because the beast was getting more than just volts
down the line.

However having had a quick Google I can't find those posts now. I have
seen that some MP3 players come with mains chargers.

Also these sites .....

http://www.mp3players.co.uk/site/uk/...s_charger.html

http://www.microdirect.co.uk/Product...78&GroupID=378

List products which seem to be what the OP is looking for. However
there isn't much detail.

Maybe someone else has the definitive answer.

"EC" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi All

I have an MP3 Player with an internal battery. To charge it up I remove
the end cover from the MP3 Player and plug it into a USB port on my PC.


It is not always convenient to get to a PC to charge the thing up so I
was wondering does anyone make a mains powered charger like you have
for a mobile phone but with a USB port on the end? It would make life
simpler!


Does this look like what you want?
http://www.mp3players.co.uk/site/uk/...s_charger.html
WM

Thanks both, but they seem to be for particular models. Why I dont know
as surely a USB port is a USB port?

"EC" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi All

I have an MP3 Player with an internal battery. To charge it up I remove
the end cover from the MP3 Player and plug it into a USB port on my PC.


It is not always convenient to get to a PC to charge the thing up so I
was wondering does anyone make a mains powered charger like you have
for a mobile phone but with a USB port on the end? It would make life
simpler!


Or even http://www.mobilefun.co.uk/product/5901.htm
WM

Ahh, now that looks worth a go at =A312.95!

Cheers wattie

EC wrote:
Ahh, now that looks worth a go at =A312.95!

Cheers wattie

There is also someone on ebay selling usb mains chargers for i-pods at
=A39.99. Didn't check out the shipping charges though.

On 28 Jun 2005 00:48:02 -0700, "EC"
wrote:

Hi All

I have an MP3 Player with an internal battery. To charge it up I remove
the end cover from the MP3 Player and plug it into a USB port on my PC.


It is not always convenient to get to a PC to charge the thing up so I
was wondering does anyone make a mains powered charger like you have
for a mobile phone but with a USB port on the end? It would make life
simpler!

Hi,

Try a USB hub with a power supply but not connected to the host PC. If
it OK charges then any powered USB hub will do, though a 2.0 hub
should cost about £10-£12 and the hub itself could come in handy
sometime.

cheers,
Pete.

In article , Pete C
writes
On 28 Jun 2005 00:48:02 -0700, "EC"
wrote:

Hi All

I have an MP3 Player with an internal battery. To charge it up I remove
the end cover from the MP3 Player and plug it into a USB port on my PC.


It is not always convenient to get to a PC to charge the thing up so I
was wondering does anyone make a mains powered charger like you have
for a mobile phone but with a USB port on the end? It would make life
simpler!

Hi,

Try a USB hub with a power supply but not connected to the host PC. If
it OK charges then any powered USB hub will do, though a 2.0 hub
should cost about £10-£12 and the hub itself could come in handy
sometime.

I don't think that would work if not connected through to the PC, USB
hosts are not supposed to supply power unless the slave device asks for
it.
--
Tim Mitchell

Tim said, "USB hosts are not supposed to supply power unless the slave
device asks for it."

As most usb devices are powered off the host, they would need power first
before being able to request it ! The powered hub idea should work fine. You
can also get a device that plugs into a car lighter socket which has a usb
plug on the back which is meant for charging pda's.

--
Pete Cross

"Tim Mitchell" wrote in message
...
In article , Pete C
writes
On 28 Jun 2005 00:48:02 -0700, "EC"
wrote:

Hi All

I have an MP3 Player with an internal battery. To charge it up I remove
the end cover from the MP3 Player and plug it into a USB port on my PC.


It is not always convenient to get to a PC to charge the thing up so I
was wondering does anyone make a mains powered charger like you have
for a mobile phone but with a USB port on the end? It would make life
simpler!

Hi,

Try a USB hub with a power supply but not connected to the host PC. If
it OK charges then any powered USB hub will do, though a 2.0 hub
should cost about £10-£12 and the hub itself could come in handy
sometime.

I don't think that would work if not connected through to the PC, USB
hosts are not supposed to supply power unless the slave device asks for
it.
--
Tim Mitchell

In article , Pete Cross writes
Tim said, "USB hosts are not supposed to supply power unless the slave
device asks for it."

As most usb devices are powered off the host, they would need power first
before being able to request it ! The powered hub idea should work fine. You
can also get a device that plugs into a car lighter socket which has a usb
plug on the back which is meant for charging pda's.


Yes that's true... I'm sure I've read it in the USB spec somewhere...
--
Tim Mitchell

Tim Mitchell wrote:
In article , Pete Cross writes

Tim said, "USB hosts are not supposed to supply power unless the slave
device asks for it."

As most usb devices are powered off the host, they would need power first
before being able to request it ! The powered hub idea should work
fine. You
can also get a device that plugs into a car lighter socket which has a
usb
plug on the back which is meant for charging pda's.


Yes that's true... I'm sure I've read it in the USB spec somewhere...

You can get (IIRC - it could well be less) 50mA until you enumerate.
Then (if you ask for it) you can get 500mA. HOWEVER many PCs aren't
this strict and will give a lot more. Laptops are normally more strict
to conserve battery life. Hubs vary in their behaviour IME.

Chris

--
Spamtrap in use
To email replace 127.0.0.1 with blueyonder dot co dot uk

Chris Hodges wrote:
Tim Mitchell wrote:
In article , Pete Cross writes

Tim said, "USB hosts are not supposed to supply power unless the slave
device asks for it."

As most usb devices are powered off the host, they would need power first
before being able to request it ! The powered hub idea should work
fine. You
snip
Yes that's true... I'm sure I've read it in the USB spec somewhere...

You can get (IIRC - it could well be less) 50mA until you enumerate.
I thought it was 5mA, anyway...
Then (if you ask for it) you can get 500mA. HOWEVER many PCs aren't
this strict and will give a lot more. Laptops are normally more strict
to conserve battery life. Hubs vary in their behaviour IME.

Some devices are even conservative, and won't simply charge from a USB
port, without an active host controller to tell them that they can use
'high power' mode.

Which practically means it needs connected to a PC.

Hi,

This is the kind of thing:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=67869&item=6781283 513&rd=1

The spare ports could be used for a phone charger etc.

There are smaller hubs that are not much bigger than a large postage
stamp.

cheers,
Pete.

Pete C wrote:
Hi,

This is the kind of thing:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=67869&item=6781283 513&rd=1

The spare ports could be used for a phone charger etc.

There are smaller hubs that are not much bigger than a large postage
stamp.

AIUI, the power control is done from the root hub, not the leafs.
So, some very conservative devices won't work from a standalone hub.
IIRC it was a sony camera that wouldn't charge from a USB port not connected
to a PC.
http://www.ebuyer.com/ has powered hubs cheaply too, IIRC a fiver+2.95 postage.

On 29 Jun 2005 11:00:51 GMT, Ian Stirling
wrote:

AIUI, the power control is done from the root hub, not the leafs.
So, some very conservative devices won't work from a standalone hub.
IIRC it was a sony camera that wouldn't charge from a USB port not connected
to a PC.

Hehe, that's sony for you, either their love of non standard ways or
get you to use their pricier kit. Just cos' it's not charging doesn't
mean it's not powered.

AFAIK a USB port can't deny power unless it's overloaded, to do
otherwise would complicate things with no benefit.

cheers,
Pete.

Pete C wrote:
On 29 Jun 2005 11:00:51 GMT, Ian Stirling
wrote:

AIUI, the power control is done from the root hub, not the leafs.
So, some very conservative devices won't work from a standalone hub.
IIRC it was a sony camera that wouldn't charge from a USB port not connected
to a PC.

Hehe, that's sony for you, either their love of non standard ways or
get you to use their pricier kit. Just cos' it's not charging doesn't
mean it's not powered.

Actually, their kit is doing the right thing, it's just it'd be nice
to be able to switch it to doing the wrong thing.

AFAIK a USB port can't deny power unless it's overloaded, to do
otherwise would complicate things with no benefit.

Not quite true.
Plugging in a 'dumb' peripheral that draws 0.5A, without bothering
to enumerate, while doing a backup to a USB HD, or doing a long sound
recording, would both be bad.

On 30 Jun 2005 11:29:25 GMT, Ian Stirling
wrote:

Hehe, that's sony for you, either their love of non standard ways or
get you to use their pricier kit. Just cos' it's not charging doesn't
mean it's not powered.

Actually, their kit is doing the right thing, it's just it'd be nice
to be able to switch it to doing the wrong thing.

I don't see how needing a connected PC for the charger to work
benefits the user in any way.

AFAIK a USB port can't deny power unless it's overloaded, to do
otherwise would complicate things with no benefit.

Not quite true.
Plugging in a 'dumb' peripheral that draws 0.5A, without bothering
to enumerate, while doing a backup to a USB HD, or doing a long sound
recording, would both be bad.

I think we'll just have to agree to disagree on that one

cheers,
Pete.

Pete C wrote:
On 30 Jun 2005 11:29:25 GMT, Ian Stirling
wrote:

Hehe, that's sony for you, either their love of non standard ways or
get you to use their pricier kit. Just cos' it's not charging doesn't
mean it's not powered.

Actually, their kit is doing the right thing, it's just it'd be nice
to be able to switch it to doing the wrong thing.

I don't see how needing a connected PC for the charger to work
benefits the user in any way.

It's intended to plug into a USB port, not a portable charger.
It's not unreasonable in that case to comply with all of the specifications
for that port, and indeed is good practice.

AFAIK a USB port can't deny power unless it's overloaded, to do
otherwise would complicate things with no benefit.

Not quite true.
Plugging in a 'dumb' peripheral that draws 0.5A, without bothering
to enumerate, while doing a backup to a USB HD, or doing a long sound
recording, would both be bad.

I think we'll just have to agree to disagree on that one

EC wrote:
Hi All

I have an MP3 Player with an internal battery. To charge it up I remove
the end cover from the MP3 Player and plug it into a USB port on my PC.


It is not always convenient to get to a PC to charge the thing up so I
was wondering does anyone make a mains powered charger like you have
for a mobile phone but with a USB port on the end? It would make life
simpler!


Use a cheap & portable mains powered USB Hub perhaps? I have a tiny 4
port one I bought in Singapore 18 months ago. Very handy.

H