1. Poncherelly's Avatar
    Hello all, I'm like others and don't like the HDMI/USB at the bottom of my PB. What I want to do is create an adpater case that moves it to the side. I'm fine with the USB and HDMI, in fact have some ideas about what I want to do there, but I'm looking for wiring information on the PB charging dock (3 pins at the bottom of the PB). Does anyone have information on which pin does what? Once I have this informaiton, I'll build my prototype and share the look and functionality with this forum.

    Thanks in advance to anyone who can shed some light. Please feel free to ask questions if you have them also.

    Ponch!
    Last edited by Poncherelly; 11-04-11 at 09:54 AM. Reason: spelling change
    11-04-11 09:53 AM
  2. SlcCorrado's Avatar
    Sounds ambitious. Good luck

    Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com
    11-04-11 09:59 AM
  3. peter9477's Avatar
    ... I'm looking for wiring information on the PB charging dock (3 pins at the bottom of the PB). Does anyone have information on which pin does what? Once I have this informaiton, I'll build my prototype and share the look and functionality with this forum.
    I'm unclear why you would need to know which pin does what. Aren't you just talking about doing a "pass-through", so each of the three pins is extended out to the side of this new thingy you're building?

    In any case, is it enough to know that it's power, ground, power on the three? The magnetic charger is reversible, so the outer two pins appear effectively to work the same.

    (Response moved from other thread where you originally posted your question.)
    11-04-11 11:36 AM
  4. Poncherelly's Avatar
    I'm unclear why you would need to know which pin does what. Aren't you just talking about doing a "pass-through", so each of the three pins is extended out to the side of this new thingy you're building?

    In any case, is it enough to know that it's power, ground, power on the three? The magnetic charger is reversible, so the outer two pins appear effectively to work the same.

    (Response moved from other thread where you originally posted your question.)
    Power / Ground / Power is what I needed to hear Thanks! To your question, the USB and HDMI will extend out the sides yes ... I have a different plan for the 3PIN charger. With this bit of information, I'll be ordering my supplies and testing things out ... hopfully won't need to buy a new PlayBook after frying mine .

    //Also, you say it's magnetic ... I wonder if it's the same plug as the one on my mac ... I'll check that out also.
    ** Answer is no, the MAC has 4 pins

    I hope to be back in a few weeks with a successful prototype.
    Last edited by Poncherelly; 11-04-11 at 01:47 PM. Reason: update post
    KermEd likes this.
    11-04-11 01:45 PM
  5. peter9477's Avatar
    There is still a chance that although the outer two pins both have power, and the connector appears to function in either orientation, that one of the outer pins is "special".

    For one thing, we've had reports from some people that when they used the rapid charger, in one orientation it charged but didn't show a lightning bolt, while in the other orientation it both charged and showed the lightning bolt. (Or maybe it was that it showed the lightning bolt in both cases but didn't charge one way, don't recall.)

    For another thing, when I disassembled by cradle rapid charger, it was clear on the circuit board where the 3-pin connector is installed that the outer two pins are not merely connected directly together through the copper. One of them appear to go to one pin on a small chip of some kind, which has led me in the past to theorize that there may be a one-wire communications signal superimposed on the power for that one pin, and not on the other power pin. While my theory may be wrong, clearly the schematic diagram for the circuit would show *some* functional difference between the two outer pins, even if it's not essential to the normal operation of the device.
    11-04-11 02:41 PM
  6. FF22's Avatar
    Using the Rapid Charger, you can "get" a LIGHTNING BOLT (evidence of a CONNECTION of some kind) but it will not always charge.

    I'm testing now (some guru or other will show me if the battery is gaining power)...

    Ah, back, with the LIGHTNING BOLT I just lost 1% of charge. Went from 67% to 66%.

    I believe that it can be emulated by anyone - how it happens on my pb is that I have an otterbox case. It does not allow the magnetic plug to set correctly into the socket on the pb if the wire runs off to the right. It sits perfectly flush and correctly when the wire runs off to the left. When the wire goes right it sits at an off angle with the end where the wires exit HIGH. The case will not allow the plug to fit when the wire goes right. So the magnet is engaged but not properly seated. But the lightning bolt is active over the battery icon (top right). The bolt also shows when you tap the battery icon and you get the 3 button choices and the screen brightness slider.

    AND for final confirmation - Battery Guru shows "Charger type: CRADLE" so clearly the pb is sending/providing incorrect information if the magnetic plug is partially engaged. Lost another percent power with bolt showing.
    Last edited by F2; 11-04-11 at 06:57 PM.
    11-04-11 06:22 PM
  7. djenkins6's Avatar
    I have an otterbox, I'd buy your charging/hdmi/usb cradle gizmo that works with my otterbox.
    11-04-11 07:26 PM
  8. Poncherelly's Avatar
    Thanks peter9477 & F2! This is good information. It sounds like I'll need to do some testing to see if simply runningn power to each external and ground off the middle will generate a charge. I'm really hopeing it's that simple because I really don't want to buy a charging dock just to take it apart to repurosed the parts. That would me this project no longer cost effective.

    djenkins6, this new project will be designed to fit in to my BB leather case/stand BlackBerry PlayBook Convertible Case - CrackBerry Canada with some modifications (it's the one I have). I'm sure an otterbox could be modified as well however should anyone be interested in doing it.

    Hopefully I can build this thing and make it work ... I think many PB users would be interested ... weither they would want to modify thier cases however is another story.
    11-07-11 08:53 AM
  9. sjon888's Avatar
    Heres my experience, had a playbook for about 8 months and it broke wouldnt charge at all until finally it drained out.. i tried all trick n tips written here, stack charging blah blah blah.. nothing worked lol so i gave up threw my playbook away lol.... pass few days i really need a tablet for work so tried plugging it again nothing worked so i decided to do a charger that goes to the 3 pins!

    So here i go, tried building one grabbed a 12v 2amps ac-dc adaptor, tried switching negative positve wires to all combinations and found out that the positve wire goes to the center pin which i think is the power... the negative wire goes either the left or right pins which i think its either ground and maybe a data (-) ????? ... and the led finally blinked red and showed red battery symbol with a lighting bolt and started yellow blinks left it overnight 'til now it just blinks blinks wont power on lol ... so its possible batteries are broken wont accept charge or power management chip yey! how i love rim's playbook
    oh yeah u might be wondering why i havent send this to a service center or just buy a rapid charger uhhmmm i live in a 3rd world country with no support or retailer who sells rapid charger.. brilliant i spent $550 for an awsome tech equipment! weee! dont get me wrong i love the playbook help me alot at work

    (a 3rd party service center told me they'll send it to blackberry singapore have it fix for $345+++!!!)
    Last edited by sjon888; 08-03-12 at 10:23 PM.
    08-03-12 10:19 PM
  10. jpash549's Avatar
    The PB only goes on the deck charger one way of course. My rapid travel charger works either way but I'm in the habit lf keeping the wire to the left out of the way of the other two ports. Just a dumb question - can you measure a voltage on the pogo pins with a voltmeter. Interesting that the Nexus7 has the pogo pins on the long side also. Probably closer to the battery.
    Just realized this thread is very old. Assume that by this time OP has either abandoned what seems to me like a far out idea or has put together some kind of contraption. I am only submitting this post because of continued interest in diagnosis of charging problems.
    08-04-12 01:05 AM
  11. WasntEnough's Avatar
    lighting bolt and started yellow blinks left it overnight 'til now it just blinks blinks wont power on lol ... so its possible batteries are broken wont accept charge or power management chip yey! how i love rim's playbook
    When you say it blinks blinks, is that two red lights and then a pause, two red lights and then a pause? If it is, that means there is no operating system on your playbook so you will have to reload it.
    08-04-12 01:12 PM
  12. sjon888's Avatar
    nope its red then yelow, charging state... dont bother i already f*ucked up my playbook opened it dismantled and u know hahahaah
    jpash549 likes this.
    08-08-12 09:47 PM
  13. Cracklen's Avatar
    "Assume that by this time OP has either abandoned what seems to me like a far out idea or has put together some kind of contraption "

    Or their 'lab' suffered negatively from the side effects of massive arcing blue bolts of...

    Nite!
    08-09-12 12:37 AM
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