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Nintendo Switch 2 Dock USB-C Compatibility

lttlabs.com

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Re: Nintendo Switch 2 Dock USB-C Compatibility

#161

Post by burnte »

alex_f_k wrote: post #18

From lttlabs: > The inability for most docks to support the Switch 2 may not be malicious from Nintendo. It might just be a poor or lazy implementation of the USB-C specification From the verge [0], 2 months ago: > When I analyze the conversation between the Nintendo Switch 2 and its dock, I can see the two devices begin speaking in Nintendo’s own flavor of “vendor defined” language early in the conversation, before…

> > The inability for most docks to support the Switch 2 may not be malicious from Nintendo. It might just be a poor or lazy implementation of the USB-C specification > I'm pretty sure lttl's conclusion is plain wrong.

They stated it MAY be lazy, it MAY be intentional. They declined to state a singular conclusion so I 'm not sure how they're wrong. I think maybe you feel they're saying it's not, but they're actually saying "we don't have conclusive proof either way, but we could see either being true given Nintendo's history of laziness at some times and maliciousness at other times."

Re: Nintendo Switch 2 Dock USB-C Compatibility

#162

Post by pathartl »

Eater_of_food wrote: post #80
SifJar wrote: post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> doing it their way gets rid of all of the ambiguity involved with USB C At that point, why use USB-C for the dock connection at all? Just use a proprietary connector if you're not going to follow the standards. Having a separate USB-C port for charging should satisfy e.g. the EU regulations requiring that, I think. (Assuming that is the reason they used USB-C in the first place)

Presumably, sticking with USB lowers costs. Just buy mass-produced ports rather than invest in tooling to build a bespoke port.

They already produce custom designed ports in order to add some tolerance to make it easier to dock the device.

Re: Nintendo Switch 2 Dock USB-C Compatibility

#163

Post by burnte »

ChrisGreenHeur wrote: post #91
whatevaa wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They had to tip toe around this to avoid lawsuits. In practice, they made it quite clear they think this is on purpose.

I'm not so sure nintendo would sue someone over wrong details on specifics of usb-c implementations.

Nintendo literally uses people for playing their games in ways they don't like, regardless of if the user has actually broken any laws. They'll sue over people posting videos about games!

Re: Nintendo Switch 2 Dock USB-C Compatibility

#164

Post by burnte »

KeplerBoy wrote: post #42
alex_f_k wrote: post #18

From lttlabs: > The inability for most docks to support the Switch 2 may not be malicious from Nintendo. It might just be a poor or lazy implementation of the USB-C specification From the verge [0], 2 months ago: > When I analyze the conversation between the Nintendo Switch 2 and its dock, I can see the two devices begin speaking in Nintendo’s own flavor of “vendor defined” language early in the conversation, before…

Seems Nintendo has good reasons not to support it with 3rd party devices: Their own dock has active cooling, so with generic dongles the switch wouldn't be able to enter the docked performance mode (or have to throttle down pretty soon) and would have to output a blurry mess to 4k screens. Not a great user experience.

There's never a good reason for a vendor to lock you in. There isn't a single problem that is actually solved that way. It is 100% always a money lock in tool and literally never about safety or security. Users using your product in ways you do not like is not a valid reason to do block them or sue them.

Re: Nintendo Switch 2 Dock USB-C Compatibility

#165

Post by mmis1000 »

szatkus wrote: post #115
yuiegi wrote: post #33

Back in COVID times, when I had all the time in the world, my Switch got bricked after I charged it using my laptop charger. Nintendo refused to honor its warranty, citing some mumbo jumbo about proprietary USB-C hardware. Fortunately, we have pretty good consumer protection laws here in Australia By the end of an entire two month saga, they sent me a brand new Switch. I always did think it was odd that a USB-C cable…

Switch 2 seems to be more up to standard. I was able to charge it with a normal phone charger and also the Switch 2 charger seems to work with everything else unlike the one for Switch 1. Fortunately I never bricked anything with that, but it just never worked with anything other than the console.

Also notice, some charger will disable part of the supported voltages when there are more than one device connected. Mine apparently drops 12v when there are other device connected (thus prevented switch 1 from charging)

Re: Nintendo Switch 2 Dock USB-C Compatibility

#166

Post by gia_ferrari »

ShellfishMeme wrote: post #65
wickedsight wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's not that strange. USB-C is a plug, not everyone who implements the plug also implements it correctly. Some chargers with a USB-C Plug might just send a fixed voltage over the cable, rather then implementing the protocols. I'm not saying that's the case for you, but USB-C is a minefield and I've seen some weird things happen with USB-C plugs.

I've once received a USB-C charger with a portable breast milk warmer device that outputted 18V at 2A without doing PD negotiation. That fried another device when I plugged it in. This is non compliant in the EU, but when I reported it to the responsible authorities, they didn't feel like doing anything about it. We are talking about a charger that can fry any device and potentially cause a fire, coming with a produc…

I recently bought a really cheap Android Auto screen for my car. It had a USB-C power input. Suspicious, I opened up the supplied cigarette power adapter. The USB power pins were hooked straight to the car battery rail. On most vehicles that's connected straight back to the alternator. Hilarious. I wonder how many people fried their phones because they thought "oh, I forgot my charging cable, but I can borrow my nav screen's for a bit"...

Re: Nintendo Switch 2 Dock USB-C Compatibility

#167

Post by reactordev »

frosted-flakes wrote: post #160
reactordev wrote: post #156

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The Switch v1, not the v2 OLED. The 3DS had their own memory card “format”

The 3DS family of devices used standard SD and micro SD cards.

The games, not the expansion. You could throw any microsd card into your 3DS to get more storage. I’m talking about the memory card the games are written on.

Re: Nintendo Switch 2 Dock USB-C Compatibility

#168

Post by alpaca128 »

iamtedd wrote: post #128
alpaca128 wrote: post #110

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's true and I agree this is valuable for the audience, but still it is not necessary. Most successful tech reviewers put out good content without these resources.

"Good" content without data is unsubstantiated content. Data to provide evidence of performance objectively evaluates products, benefiting everyone. For example, show me who has been verifying the quality and performance claims of computer power supplies without equipment such as LTT labs. If you want to be reductive about it - technology and their gadgets are valuable for the audience, but not strictly necessary.

The original point in this thread was that the lab isn't necessary for LTT to produce their content as they successfully appeal to a large audience either way. Which is obviously true, given the lab did not exist for most of the channel's lifetime and growth.

You argue that it's beneficial for informing the consumer. It is, but no one here disagreed with that.

Re: Nintendo Switch 2 Dock USB-C Compatibility

#169

Post by red369 »

stephen_g wrote: post #26
red369 wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I was really excited when I learned that unplugging the cable, waiting some short period of time and plugging it back in, triggers a power-role swap. I've only tried it out on one occasion, and I'm not clear on the delay, or whether both ends need to be disconnected or only one. I was a little surprised it isn't talked about more.

Is that for a specific device? For standard dual-role USB-C devices they do a negotiation that is partially based on chance which power role they land on (but they can have policy that strongly prefers one role over the other).

Whatever I read made me think it was some sort of standard.

You know more about this than me, so now I think what I stated about unplugging and re-plugging is likely incorrect advice, one step above "turn the cable around" which I think also works enough of the time that people keep trying it and repeating it as a method.

Re: Nintendo Switch 2 Dock USB-C Compatibility

#170

Post by GuB-42 »

masfoobar wrote: post #73

With the behaviour Nintendo has been 'in the last few years' - I no longer will purchase Nintendo consoles. We purchased a Switch and the kids have enjoyed many games on it. After reading other comments on here, I am surprised my Switch has not been bricked - and I am not doing anything dodgy at all. As for the Switch 2. I was showing the announcement videos with the kids - they did not look excited for it. As for me…

> Sure we might not have Mario Kart World or Zelda or other Nintendo specific titles

Well, that's why people buy Nintendo consoles. You don't buy a Switch 2, you buy the device needed to play Mario Kart and Zelda, whatever it is.

In general, consoles are defined by their games, they are not general purpose machines and everything is to be seen from this angle. Hardwares specs don't matter, what matter is how well the games you want to play run. It is even more so with Nintendo as they have generally less powerful hardware with some of the best games as exclusive licenses.

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