USB 2.0 Charger & Sync cable in one?

[vtrac]

I just got a new G3 15gb iPod, and I'm about to embark on a 7 month tour of Europe. I'll be carrying my Windows laptop with me, but it doesn't have firewire. I saw on ebay a USB 2.0 charger and sync cable in one... it claims to up the voltage somehow to charge an iPod. I would love to travel with just 1 cable instead of having a cable and an AC adapter, etc. Has anyone had experience with these things? Will it ruin my iPod battery?

While I'm on the subject of asking.. what do you guys think about the iSkin Evo2 case?

[AndyH]

3rd-generation iPods WILL NOT charge via USB, you need the special USB cable that Apple sells which has both a USB "pigtail" and a FireWire "pigtail". The USB end plugs into your computer for syncing, while the FireWire end plugs into the AC Adaptor and then into an AC outlet for charging. Only the new 4th-generation iPod and the iPod Mini can charge via a USB cable.

[jk2004]

Andy,
Could you confirm this USB charging capability for 4G iPod (not iPod Mini).

The following article says otherwise:

http://www.ipodlounge.com/reviews_more.php?id=4078_0_6_0_M

I had an incident that caused my iPod to discharge almost completely while connected to the USB port.

It was saying charging and the animated battery was blinking. But at the end it came up with an error saying that the bettery has run out.

I am also trying to figure out whether the 4G iPod can be charged using the USB cable.

jk

[shaz]

It will charge on a powered USB. Not all USB ports have the juice required (many laptops).
But to repeat this: All 4G ipods can be charged with the USB cable supplied with the iPod. I can not guarantee that third party usb cables support this.

[SpedInFargo]

I'm looking for the same thing - it sounds like the pigtail cable will do what I need.

JK2004 - I ran into the exact same thing with my IPOD on a recent trip (luckily I had packed along my charger). See this thread for my thoughts on the matter:


http://www.ipodlounge.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=47108


I believe the main problem for me is the fact that my PCMCIA card is essentially a non-powered hub.

I was able to charge on my wife's computer - although when I came back it didn't have the "charged" window up. I need to do some more comparisons between that and the AC charger.

[jk2004]

I have separate USB2.0 card (PCI) and a Powered USB 2.0 Hub.

I was using the powered USB hub when this incident happened. I was using the original USB cable that came with my iPod.

I want to try directly plugging in to the USB port and leaving it there. But the problem is that I need more time to let it drain fully and then to charge it again (using the AC charger) without disturbing my daily usage of the iPod. At the moment I do want to do it as my usage of the iPod is heavy.

jk

[shaz]

One tip: Connect it to the computer, then eject it from iTunes/Windows.. Then it will charge..

[shaz]

Originally posted by jk2004
I have separate USB2.0 card (PCI) and a Powered USB 2.0 Hub.

I was using the powered USB hub when this incident happened. I was using the original USB cable that came with my iPod.

I want to try directly plugging in to the USB port and leaving it there. But the problem is that I need more time to let it drain fully and then to charge it again (using the AC charger) without disturbing my daily usage of the iPod. At the moment I do want to do it as my usage of the iPod is heavy.

jk

You might be more helped by the combined USB/FW-wires charging with one, using the other.. :)

[jk2004]

I think I finally found the solution to all my problems (on Windows):

1. Enable disk mode never worked. The drive appears as Removable Disk but when I click on the drive get the pop up message "Please insert a disk in drive ...".

2. iPod does not charge via USB 2.0 cable.

Solution:

I killed the iTunesHelper.exe process and disabled it from automatically starting when the PC boots.

Now I can just plug the iPod (iTunes does not get started automatically) and use it as an Removable Drive.

When I need to update the iPod, just start iTunes. Even while iTunes is up and running I can access the Removable Drive (which I could not do before).

And now iPod gets charged from the USB port too.

jk