About HTC's mini-USB plug design

Nagual · #1 (**permalink**) 12-03-2008, 10:04 PM

Curious...I could provide pic examples but I think you'll know what I mean when I say that the USB cable provided with the TP, plus the socket on the bottom of the unit are a curious "beveled" shape that seem to only be on the HTC Touch Pro. The car mini-USB charger I got, plus the BT unit I have, both have a kind of symmetrical accordion-"crimped" mini-USB plug and socket, and I assume that design is much more common.

Matter of fact I was scared that somehow HTC had made a proprietary design so that none of the other chargers would work with it--happily that's not the case and the Motorola car charger I ordered fits and works fine.

But why would HTC do this for their mini-USB plug design? Just to scare us?

**amw1972** · #2 (**permalink**) 12-03-2008, 10:08 PM

Not to scare...that is a proprietary mini usb connection. Think that Motorola Car Charger was made specifically for HTC devices.

igotgame · #3 (**permalink**) 12-03-2008, 10:11 PM

Mini USB works just fine on the HTC Touch Pro.

They just tried to be fancy and make their own proprietary plug...but mini usb works just fine in it.

Nagual · #4 (**permalink**) 12-03-2008, 10:13 PM

Couldn't be, amw--this model works on many different brands of phone and nothing in the description when I bought it said "HTC." The pins and slot inside the plug and housing appear the same, the fit is perfect and snug enough and it actually does charge. It's just that the housing shape is different I think. On the left below is the Moto/standard/common design which my charger has. For the TP design, all you have to do is look at the socket or at your included mini-USB cable. And yet they get along fine...

**[sammich]** · #5 (**permalink**) 12-03-2008, 10:17 PM

It is proprietary, but it was built so standard 5pin USB cables would work.

HTC makes the ports this way so they can add extended in/out functionality if needed. i.e. video-out.

Nagual · #6 (**permalink**) 12-03-2008, 10:23 PM

Very interesting, saumaun. What an education I get here.

**[sammich]** · #7 (**permalink**) 12-03-2008, 10:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nagual

Very interesting, saumaun. What an education I get here.

I'm on a roll... I've answered 2 of your questions in a row

**guitardoc64** · #8 (**permalink**) 12-03-2008, 10:32 PM

To further expand on that the HTC USB is an 11 pin design to allow them to add the extra connections for headphones/headsets/AV out to the same port. First featured on the Tilt I believe, this USB connector is also found on the Touch(6900) and Mogul (6800) and many of the newer devices from HTC. Apart from the additional connections, It functions as a standard mini USB so it can still work with the same cables and chargers.