4 ms·

Isn't this exactly what USB-C docks are for? I've seen plenty of those devices, where you have a female USB-C socket to connect a charger to, a range of other

by xg15 2y ago

Isn't this exactly what USB-C docks are for? I've seen plenty of those devices, where you have a female USB-C socket to connect a charger to, a range of other female USB-C, USB-A and other ports for peripherals and a short cable with a male USB-C plug to connect to a laptop. If everything works, the dock will act as a power source for both the peripherals and the laptop, but will act like a hub on the data lines, with the laptop being the host. I wonder if it would work just the same if you connected a phone instead of a laptop to the "host" cable.

bluGill 2y ago
That is what a dock is for. OP wants a simple and cheap cable instead which isn't really possible in the generic sense (though it might work in some limited way) I've connected my phone to the host cable of a dock before and everything worked. (I didn't try the HDMI output, but sound on the dock just worked)
- MarkusWandel 2y ago
  The docks we have around here at work all use Displaylink chips. So it would work if the phone had the (software) Displaylink driver, no Displayport video capability required on the USB-C port. But I'm guessing that's unlikely.
- kevin_thibedeau 2y ago
  This is known as a USB Accessory Charging Adapter of which a dock is one form but the old Battery Charging standard also anticipated it being in the form of a cabled adapter: Battery Charging 1.2: > An Accessory Charger Adaptor (ACA) is an adaptor which allows a single USB port to be attached to both a charger and another device at the same time. Figure 3-1 shows the various configurations covered. The third one indicates the intent of having an adapter with data pass through to an accessory while powering from a third port fed by an external USB supply. These exist today as USB-C splitters.
MarkusWandel 2y ago
Hmmm, it occurred to me, I'm sitting in front of a laptop connected to a (power delivery) USB-C dock. So unplugged the laptop and plugged the cable into my phone instead (very basic, Moto G Play 2023). What happened? Almost nothing! The phone reported an audio output device, but did not charge, and the keyboard and mouse plugged into the dock did not get recognized either. Not encouraging.
- MarkusWandel 2y ago
  Well, the Kensington dock at work did not work (for delivering power to the phone and letting keyboard and mouse be used) - in fact it did none of those things. But ordered this cheapie from Ali: https://vi.aliexpress.com/item/1005007015739540.html https://vi.aliexpress.com/item/1005007015739540.html which does claim to work with various smartphones. We'll see.
  - xg15 2y ago
    Would be interested to know that as well. Good luck!
    - MarkusWandel 2y ago
      Dunno if anyone stil sees this but.. the gadget came from Ali. Phone doesn't charge through it. However, my work laptop does. If this thing is plugged in between its USB-C dock and the laptop, it is powered, but the dock is not otherwise seen. So the USB-C socket is a full power delivery passthrough but that's all it is. The USB-A port does work; a mouse plugged into it is seen by the laptop. Didn't test the HDMI output. For the phone: Useless. Obviously this phone does not do USB-PD. It just expects the power adapter to deliver 5V. So a limitation with this phone; I'll never be able to simultaneously power it and also get an OTG USB connection.

by xg15 2y ago

bluGill 2y ago

That is what a dock is for. OP wants a simple and cheap cable instead which isn't really possible in the generic sense (though it might work in some limited way) I've connected my phone to the host cable of a dock before and everything worked. (I didn't try the HDMI output, but sound on the dock just worked)

MarkusWandel 2y ago
The docks we have around here at work all use Displaylink chips. So it would work if the phone had the (software) Displaylink driver, no Displayport video capability required on the USB-C port. But I'm guessing that's unlikely.
kevin_thibedeau 2y ago
This is known as a USB Accessory Charging Adapter of which a dock is one form but the old Battery Charging standard also anticipated it being in the form of a cabled adapter: Battery Charging 1.2: > An Accessory Charger Adaptor (ACA) is an adaptor which allows a single USB port to be attached to both a charger and another device at the same time. Figure 3-1 shows the various configurations covered. The third one indicates the intent of having an adapter with data pass through to an accessory while powering from a third port fed by an external USB supply. These exist today as USB-C splitters.

MarkusWandel 2y ago

Hmmm, it occurred to me, I'm sitting in front of a laptop connected to a (power delivery) USB-C dock. So unplugged the laptop and plugged the cable into my phone instead (very basic, Moto G Play 2023). What happened? Almost nothing! The phone reported an audio output device, but did not charge, and the keyboard and mouse plugged into the dock did not get recognized either. Not encouraging.

MarkusWandel 2y ago
Well, the Kensington dock at work did not work (for delivering power to the phone and letting keyboard and mouse be used) - in fact it did none of those things. But ordered this cheapie from Ali: https://vi.aliexpress.com/item/1005007015739540.html https://vi.aliexpress.com/item/1005007015739540.html which does claim to work with various smartphones. We'll see.
- xg15 2y ago
  Would be interested to know that as well. Good luck!
  - MarkusWandel 2y ago
    Dunno if anyone stil sees this but.. the gadget came from Ali. Phone doesn't charge through it. However, my work laptop does. If this thing is plugged in between its USB-C dock and the laptop, it is powered, but the dock is not otherwise seen. So the USB-C socket is a full power delivery passthrough but that's all it is. The USB-A port does work; a mouse plugged into it is seen by the laptop. Didn't test the HDMI output. For the phone: Useless. Obviously this phone does not do USB-PD. It just expects the power adapter to deliver 5V. So a limitation with this phone; I'll never be able to simultaneously power it and also get an OTG USB connection.