Listening to your Clip while charging it using PC

Hi,
I would like to introduce two methods to charge your Clip using PC’s USB port, but with no data connection to the computer. Thanks to no connection:

  • the display isn’t constantly blinking (some people complained about OLED screens wearing out - this post is for you :slight_smile: )
  • you can listen to your player while charging - nice at work
    Of course, you won’t be able to access files on your Clip from the computer while charging this way :slight_smile:
    I used both methods, choose which suits you best and sorry for my too complicated english - it’s not my native langauge :slight_smile: Hope this will be useful - and it’s really easy to charge this way! :slight_smile:

First way - cover data pins on the USB plug with a piece of paper while connecting to PC

  1. Take a look at the USB plug on the picture:


2. Notice the four copper pins inside it? Two inner ones carry data, the two on the edges provide power to a device.
3. Simply cover two inner pins with a narrow piece of paper, wrap it on the edge of the plug so that you can hold the paper and plug together while inserting the plug. I hope you get what I mean, I’m not good at painting :smiley:
4. Insert the plug. Clip should charge, and shouldn’t be recognized by the computer :slight_smile:

Second way - disable USB controller your player is connected to (Windows example, somewhat more advanced that first method)

  1. Open up Device manager

  2. Choose “Show devices by connection” in “View” menu

  3. Locate your Sansa player in the tree, first find the PC node, then the PCI bus somewhere deeper, and below it, the USB controller you connect your Clip to (connect your Clip for this step). You should end up with something like on the following screenshot (sorry it’s Polish version):

  4. Disable the USB controller your Clip is connected to (right-click on it, then choose “Disable”). Reconnect the Clip. It should be charging and still playing :slight_smile: Reenable the controller if you wish to use it.
    Warning - if any other devices are connected to the same controller, they’ll stop working (e.g. the mouse on the screenshot). Choose another USB port for the Clip, or connect other devices to different ports, so that they won’t share the USB controller. As you can see on the picture - there are plenty of them, so you’ll hopefully manage to do it

The 1st method quicker and more double-O james bond status. bottom line… it’s easier than the 2nd.

Excellent tips and great presentation, Misiaque. Two thumbs up!

I especially like the second, “soft” method. Unfortunately it won’t work in my PC, because it’s too old and all its USB 2.0 ports are on the same controller. :stuck_out_tongue:

If you plug in the USB cable just barely into the clip  (small end) it will not connect and will charge and play music.  But you have to get it just at the right position.

Hey, thanks for these tips, good to know :).

The 1st method is really cool. It was far more easy to get the paper in place than I thought :).

And the method sansafix posted even works with the USb cable of the Fuze. It just has to lay on a flat surface so the cable won’t slip once it’s in the right position. But it’s a bit tricky imho.

Also a great method that works with my PC: When the PC is shut down, switch off the main power switch (the one at the power supply at the back of the PC), then switch it on again.
With my PC, without having to boot up, the USB ports are then energized already and can be used for charging while I can still listen to my music. I can even plug my PC speakers in to use my Fuze as a “stereo” :).

melchior.

Or you could just get a charger.  :wink:

I’ve heard that some USB hubs have the ability to shut “PC” off, which disables data but retains power, but I haven’t seen it.

First method works great! Thanks!

Agreement with PromisedPlanet: If you use a charger – such as one for various Motorola phones or Blackberries – then playback is still an option.  (I always have to remember to press Stop after plugging in so it doesn’t keep playing without headphones/speakers attached, heh.)