PortPilot Pro Main Post

Uses

• Identify chargers. Predict compatibility.
• Measure charging speed and voltage. Verify charger rating. Choose fastest charge method
• Measure USB battery packs' capacity and efficiency.
• Block data transfer
• Connect/disconnect the USB port without unplugging
• Emulate other chargers. Improve charging speed. Charge other devices.
• Programmable fuse
• Measure impedance of power source
• Measure battery % charged. I just noticed this one. Some devices don't tell you how complete charging is, which is a pity because the device knows - it just doesn't tell you. With the PPP, you can easily tell by looking at the current.

Wishes

It would be nice to have these additional functions. Not sure if they're possible or not.

• Switch emulation type without needing a computer - blocking data already does this, to some degree
• Set up a timer to start/end charging
• Change reporting speed of software - currently it reports at about 10 times/second, and it's not consistent
• On the impedance display - e.g. 0.6Ohm, it looks like 0.60

There's currently a bug in the firmware that resets the energy transferred after 64000 mWs when logging data to a computer. I wonder how high the other counters can count up to? I've measured up to 34 hours and 32 mWh on the display, so at least that much.

Emulation

Emulation capability of PortPilot Pro was added in PortPilotCmd Beta 0.0.4. There's no indication on the Pro when it's emulating. I wish it could change emulation state without a computer. Emulation seems to block data. I guess it's unavoidable since some chargers short the data pins.
Reset emulation state: Emulation state is lost when:

• Disconnecting both input and auxiliary USB ports (i.e. turning it off and on again), OR
• Blocking then allowing data

Previous Posts

Measuring USB Voltage And Current
PortPilot Pro Packaging

Noosy Visible Flashing Cable

The first flashing cable I saw was by Dexim. I would have bought that one, except it has bad reviews on Amazon. I thought the no-brand ones couldn't be better. I hadn't heard of Noosy before, except to buy their nano-micro-SIM adapter kit, so I gave it a try.

First, I thought it would be a waste to buy the Lightning connector version, since I can only use it with my iPhone. I decided to buy the micro USB version and the Apple micro USB adapter.

The packaging is quite big for a tiny adapter. It only comes mounted on cardboard. I wish they gave a case or something.

Besides being lighted and having moving lights, the lights actually have a function. The speed of the lights corresponds to the charging current. So you can use the cable to compare chargers! You can also use it to troubleshoot or estimate how charged your phone is. The packaging says there are 3 speeds, but I feel like I can see more. Note: this is an EL (electroluminescent) cable, which is different from LED cables. There are some LED cables that also light up, but the lights don't move. I think those are cheaper.

The cable came in an antistatic bag and a velcro cable-tie. You can see the Lightning adapter on the cable here. I took this picture with my LED light and I like the effect.

How bright is it? It's not very bright. In indoor lighting, you have to pay attention to see it. But in the dark, it looks good:

Close-up (hard to take because it needs fast shutter speed to capture the motion):

I've actually used it to compare charging speeds of my Lenovo G580 laptop's USB port, and the Apple USB adapter that came with my iPhone, and the USB adapter charges faster!

This video also helped me learn how to rotate and resize videos in Premiere, and add titles.

Update 25 Sep 13
Ok it's true. The lights were flickering for a short while and now they don't work anymore. I only used it for less than 2 months. NOT RECOMMENDED.

Update 6 Nov 13

I noticed a black spot on the cable and thought it was a piece of dirt at first. On closer look, I noticed it seemed to be within the cable itself. It looks like the EL wire has shorted at this point. The USB function seems to be ok. I thought EL wire could just be cut and still work?

Comparison Of Innergie mMini AC15

Bought in Singapore: Model: ADP-15VH AB Input: 100-240V-0.6A 50-60Hz Output: 5V 3A, 2.1A Max for each USB

Bought in US: Model: ADP-15VH AA Input: 100-240~0.6A 50-60Hz Output: 5V 3A, 2.1A Max for each USB

The US version has Chinese translations of each term (AC Adapter, Model, ...). Otherwise seems the same. The "AA" and "AB" in the model name seems to refer to the type of plug.

Measuring USB Voltage And Current

I've always wanted to measure the voltage and current when charging something over USB.

• See which is the fastest power source
• Check if power supplied meets claims
• See how compatible chargers and devices are

This should be relatively easy to do with a multimeter, but I wasn't comfortable messing with USB cables. I couldn't find any ready-made devices to do this (unlike, say, for measuring power from wall sockets).

Well, I found the PortPilot, a crowdfunded project on Indiegogo. It's got male and female USB ports, so you connect it inline with your USB cable, and it shows you how much current is flowing and what kind of charger you have. The pro version even measures exact voltage and current.

I ordered the pro version immediately, and I look forward to reviewing it (and all my USB power sources).

USB Charging Explained

I found this review on Amazon for the Innergie mMini AC15 that has the best explanation for the standards and protocols used in USB charging so far.

I took a screenshot of the review in case it gets lost. But I don't want to plagiarise it, so I'm not copying the text out. To find the original review, search for "so how does the innergie mmini handle so many different types of devices".

In short, there are 3 standards used:

1. USB Battery Charging Specification 1.2
2. Chinese Telecom Standard YD/T 1591-2009
3. Divider Mode (used in Apple devices)

Looks like to charge all devices, a charger/battery has to somehow comply to all 3 at the same time. I know some chargers take the easy way out and have one port just for Apple devices, but the Innergie mMini AC15 and Sony CP-A2L somehow manage to do it on all their ports.

iHustler by Chaosoul

iHustler is a device to let you charge your iDevices using any USB power supply. Many cheap USB chargers and hubs have power, but not the intelligence to let the device know it can charge. I think what the iHustler does is provide authentication, or short some pins to trick the device. The interesting thing is, they have different versions for iPhone and Samsung devices. Why can't they make one for both? I suspect they're using a simple trick (shorting pins), which varies depending on device. It also claims to be able to charge iPads, but I wonder how it handles USB ports that won't supply enough power.

I got it for $5, looks like it's selling for >$10 online!

It works! My Belkin hub was unable to charge before, now it can charge my iPhone without a computer!

This is what the back looks like:

Looks like this is a useful thing to carry around, in case you find a USB port that won't charge your iPhone.

iPad

• USB hub alone: no response
• Computer: Not charging
• USB hub + iHustler: Charging (but not sure how fast)

Problems

• It seems to prevent data transfer. That could be another feature, actually.

Also, I'm trying to compile a chart of what charges what. The white boxes are untested. There are different types of "charging" though. Normal charging is 0.5 A, fast charging is 1 A and tablets are 2 A. I'm looking for a way to measure what the charging current is.

Update 18 Dec 13
I tested it with my PortPilot Pro and it identifies as Apple 1A, but it has a high impedance of 0.6 Ohm:

It really works, and even speeds up charging. When directly connected to the computer, the iPhone charges at 500 mA, but the iHustler increases current to 700 mA. It doesn't do anything for the iPhone's included adapter, though.

Update 24 Dec 14
I'm in the market for another one of these, and they're surprisingly hard to find. One reason is there's no proper name for this type of device. You can search for charge/charger/charging accelerator/booster/rapid/quick/fast, but you'll have to weed out the normal cables that claim fast charging. (A proper such device will block data) It's unexpected that these aren't more common, because they're very simple, I think just short the data pins or put some resistance between them. There's only one seller on eBay selling the iHustler. Another product I found is by PortaPow.

I thought there were also lots of projects for these on Kickstarter, but these are all I could find:

Legion Meter: Actually like the PortPilot Pro, it's meant to measure the charging current and voltage. But it can also emulate different charger types. The advantage over the PPP is it can do so without a computer - it has a switch on the side. The PPP needs a computer to change the emulation type.

LockedUSB Adapter

DouBBleTime: Might have some durability issues. Also, looks like they don't have a proper Apple authentication chip, so it doesn't work with new iPhones/iOS.

USB Meter Pro

Smart USB (canceled)

Commercial products:
iHustler by Chaosoul
PortaPow on eBay
Juice-Jack Defender
SyncStop / USB Condom
Wocol Charge Booster (listed on Qoo10 as usb quick charge adaptor upgrade slow speed of charging)

Update 13 Apr 15
I got the PortaPow from eBay. It's pretty reasonably priced - 5 GBP including shipping, and I got it in about 10 days. I got the Apple (2A) version. It indeed identifies as Apple 2A:

They have another, smarter, auto identifying version that I have on the way. Oh they're selling on Amazon (fulfilled by Amazon too). They seem to specialise in USB charging. All my supposedly smart chargers - 2 Ankers, the Wocol above, Innergie mMini AC15 and this PortaPow - I don't know how to check if they're really changing their charger identity, because I suspect they're seeing my PortPilot Pro and changing based on it, so they always appear as DCP.

Also, these commercial charge adapters are very easy to find on Amazon. Here's a few examples:

Because of Amazon's suggestions, once you find one, it's easy to find them all.

Innergie 15W And EG Accessories USB Chargers

Innergie mMini AC15 15W Dual USB Adapter

This was actually my first Innergie product. I thought it was quite good, that's why I bought their 3-in-1 cable.

I was looking for multi-USB chargers, and this was the most powerful I could find. It's only 15W (3A) and only has 2 USB ports though.

• Charges everything I've thrown at it so far. Specifically, iPhone, iPad and Casio Exilim EX-ZR200 camera. The Exilim is surprisingly picky! I wish I could try the Samsung Galaxy Tab, I heard those were picky too.
• Most powerful adapter I've seen
• At $35, it's a bit expensive. But it's cheaper than other branded adapters, like Belkin, and more powerful too.
• There might be cheaper 15W adapters on eBay (try searching for yoopoo 15W), but this seems safer with over-current, over-temperature and other protections. Most importantly (and I have not seen this feature on an unbranded adapter yet) the 2 ports on this are equal. You can plug devices into either port. Other adapters have 1 port for Apple and 1 for Samsung, or a 1A and a 2A port. With this, you don't have to bother.
• The only thing I don't like is, the US version is shorter (doesn't have the grey part with CE). I got a US one and you can see the differences below. If you're traveling, you'll be using a travel adapter anyway, so the US version is more compact.

Power measurements using my Arlec meter:

• Nothing plugged in - 0 W
• iPhone - 7 W
• iPad - 12 W
• iPhone + iPad - 17 W 

EG Accessories ADC320H-TU 2A adapter

• Quite cheap, only $15, the next more expensive model I saw was $18.
• Charges: iPhone, iPad, but not my Exilim camera.

Power measurements:

• Nothing plugged in - 0 W
• iPhone - 6 W
• iPad - 11 W

Sony CP-A2L USB Portable Power Supply

Looks like Sony's getting into the business of (portable, rechargeable, Li-ion battery packs). Reasons I got one:

• iPhone battery life seems to be shortening. Using it for a whole day out leaves uncomfortably little battery
• Might have to charge other iPhones
• Along with an iPad
• Useful on holiday

Reasons I got this specific one:

• 2 USB ports
• Cheap (it was on offer)

Tech specs:
Capacity: 3.6V, 4000 mAh = 14.4 Wh (yes, I know voltage isn't constant so this is an overestimate)
Charging time: 5 hours
Weight: 44.5g (meaasured, AC adapter, stated 45g). 146.7g (measured, battery pack, stated 145g)

Hardware

 When you first open the box, this is what you see. The top box contains the manuals and power cable.

First - what's the top white box? That's the AC adapter. It's 100-240V to 4.1V. I'm not sure how this design is better, except it doesn't use proprietary cables.

Charging

• 5 hours is a bit long to charge
• AC adapter got worryingly hot at first, then cooled off. I think it charges faster when there's less power remaining, so the adapter gets hotter.
• Adapter also makes a sound during charging
• Cannot use USB ports while charging! It would have been nice for this to double as an AC-USB adapter as well. I guess they don't want to encourage people to leave this charging (the instructions say to turn off the power when full)

• The connection on the battery pack is on a circuit board. It's hidden behind the green door. I'm worried something may touch the contacts and short the battery.
• Hey, what about using USB connectors to charge? That way, the adapter can double as a USB power supply.

Use

• Can charge iPad and iPhone at the same time! Yes, it has the intelligence to charge the iPad.
• Turns off automatically if you unplug the device. Supposed to turn off if the device is full as well (untested) 
• Reminder: iPhone 4 battery capacity = 5.25 WH, iPad 2 = 25 WH, so this should be able to charge 2 iPhone 4, but can't fully charge an iPad 2

Indicator light
This is my hierarchy of indicator lights, from best to worst:

1. Shows amount charged when charging and time left to charge. Indicates (not shuts off) when full. (MacBook)
2. Shows amount charged when charging. Indicates when full. (iOS devices, Kensington battery pack)
3. Shows amount charged when charging. Shuts off indicator when full.
4. Shows when charging (not amount). Indicates when full. (Kindle, Oral-B toothbrush, Nikon D50 charger)
5. Shows when charging. Shuts off when full.
6. ???

The CP-A2L is at 5, which is the bare minimum of charging indicators.

Compared to Energizer XP4001

The Energizer XP4001 is the most suitable to compare this product with, since both are 4000 mAh and can charge 2 devices at once. In fact, I was considering this before I got the CP-A2L.

• Although both are 4000 mAh, the XP4001 is at 5 V while the CP-A2L is at 3.6 V. This means the XP4001 has 20 Wh, or 139% the capacity of the CP-A2L. You could also say the CP-A2L has 72% the capacity of the XP4001. I wonder if Sony reduced the voltage to increase the mAh, since that's what people compare?
• XP4001 recharge time is 4 hours
• XP4001 is 150 g
• XP4001 output up to 1.5 A
• XP4001 includes tips for a few devices and coiled cables, which should be easier to use on-the-go. The tips are useful since several devices don't come with USB charging cables.
• XP4001 is $80 at the cheapest, CP-A2L half the price at $40.
• XP4001 uses the standard adapter where the bulk is at the plug and there's a thin cable to the device. This might not last as long if the cable frays.
• Both claimed rechargeable for 500 cycles
• XP4001 has 3 year warranty, CP-A2L says it has a warranty but doesn't specify how long
• XP4001 may have more safety mechanisms. At least they both have temperature protection.
• XP4001 may come charged (CP-A2L does not)

Update 7 Jan 12

I was thinking about how I use this, and I think the thing I'll look for in my next battery pack is charging speed. If you're on the go, you may only have a few minutes to charge your batteries. It would be nice to get as much power as you can.

Update 28 Jun 13
After using this for a while, I noticed it doesn't charge devices as fast as other battery packs. I suspect it can only output 0.5 A on each USB port, which is considered low. It also has the double problems of using a proprietary power supply and charging slowly (only 1 A charge current and 4.1 V). I mean, if you're going to charge slowly, at least use a USB supply so I don't have to bring an extra adapter. If you need a special adapter to do what every battery pack does, what's the point? As a result I do not recommend this battery pack.

More charging discoveries

Continued from Belkin 4 port USB hub / more iPhone charging experiences

I noticed a few more things about charging the iPad:

• charges with my MBP
• only charges when I plug it in first, if I plug in my iPhone first, my iPad doesn't charge!
• didn't charge when I plugged it into a HP desktop

I found this article by Apple, which explains everything:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4049

• some Apple computers and displays can supply up to 1100 mA (the normal is 500 mA)
• but they only supply this much to the first device that requests it

Looks like the iPad needs at least 1100 mA to charge, and with only 500 mA it displays "not charging" and only charges when sleeping.

Belkin 4 port USB hub / more iPhone charging experiences

I wanted something to charge several USB devices at once, and adaptors only go up to 2, so I tried a USB hub instead. I got a Belkin hub, which has 4 ports and is powered (meaning it comes with its own power adaptor).

The good news is, yes, it supplies power if you just plug in the adaptor and don't connect it to a computer. I can charge my Kindle and LED message board.

(Not a picture of the board charging, just to show you what it is) The bad news is, it doesn't charge the iPhone/iPad (without a computer)! This is a summary of the situation:
iPhone: charges only if computer and power adaptor connected
iPad: does not charge at all
The hub doesn't have any indicator lights, which is disappointing for such an expensive hub. The Logitech powered USB hub had individual lights for each port.

After searching online, I found the situation is as I expected: the hub needs some "intelligence" for the iPhone to charge, just like the iPod Touch.
http://nttup.wordpress.com/2008/06/07/usb-device-charging-un-mystified/
In short, the device asks the hub, "hey, can you supply 500mA?", and the hub has to reply for the charging to go. The good thing is, it isn't an Apple thing, they're just following the USB rules here. A solution would be to modify the hub: http://carlhutzler.com/blog/2009/07/28/usb-hub-as-an-ipodiphone-charger/ but this would disable data transfer, and I'm not going to do that to my new hub. Another solution would be to modify the cable, and in fact I saw a charging cable on ThinkGeek that probably does that. It's quite expensive though, and I'd rather buy a wall adaptor.

With so many people wanting to charge their devices, it's odd no company has made and advertised a USB hub that can charge without a computer. I also wonder about the many USB charging devices, like the power sockets with built in USB ports, if they can supply 500mA?

Summary of USB chargers:
Dumb - charges: Kindle. Probably because it only needs 100mA.

• Belkin USB hub (without computer)
• No brand USB adaptor

Intermediate - charges: iPod Touch, iPhone, NOT iPad

• Belkin USB hub, with power and computer
•  Belkin adaptor
• Kensington charging dock with mini battery pack

 (Not sure if the last 2 can charge the iPad, so putting them here)

Ultimate - charges iPad and everything else (so far)

• MacBook Pro USB port
• iPod power adaptor (the one that comes with iPhone and Apple's universal travel kit)
• iPad charger
• Taiyo travel charger

The last one is a curiousity.

The front says "Taiyo TH-252 USB". I bought it because it was a travel adaptor and had 2 USB charging ports, so I only needed to bring this while traveling. It happily charges my iPhone and iPad, which now I know to be no mean feat! At first I thought this was a simple charger, and the devices weren't picky. The main problem with this adaptor is it seems loose in the socket - if you push it in, it springs back a little. The same with plugs in its own socket. However, I think its charging capabilities more than make up for this.

iPod Touch chargers

The iPod Touch is picky when it comes to charging. It seems to require some intelligence, besides a simple 5V. If you're buying a charger, it's best to buy from a reputable store. Many chargers on eBay won't charge it.

I have some difficulty buying a charger for my iPod Touch. It seems it won't accept just any USB charger. I've tried it on 2 AC-USB chargers and they didn't work. I tried my friend's Touch 3G and it didn't work either, so it's not the chargers (they can charge my Kindle).
That's why I gave up on buying online - it's much cheaper, but it takes weeks to arrive then you find out it doesn't work. I bought this Belkin charger from JB HiFi for A$25.

It comes with a charge-only cable. Is it cheaper to make than a normal cable? This cable might come in useful if you want to charge but not to sync, such as if the computer has a virus.

It's still cheaper than the Apple charger, which costs A$39. I wonder if the iPhone is as picky when it comes to charging?