Hardware How difficult is building a dock?

[Nazosan]

So I'm not a fan of the dock. I'm not really having any of the problems many people are having like scratching (well, I took steps to ensure it would never happen) but I really hate dealing with that dock. The solution seems fairly obvious: open it up and take out the components. What I'd like to have is something where I just plug a cable into the bottom of the Switch which I can then just lay flat on a table. The tricky part is mostly that USB connector. From the images I've seen it's on a pretty flimsy ribbon cable I think.

In particular, I'm wondering just what the USB connector needs. I have an old USB type C cable I bought for a 2-in-1 that turned out to be unable to charge from USB type C (yeah, the irony of even having that sort of connector then is palpable. It does mean there's one more USB host port I can use via a type C host connector, but there's zero benefit of it being type C instead of MicroUSB like the other that I can tell.) However, it likely doesn't officially support some of the latest stuff. What I'd really like to do is to minimally modify things here. I originally had an idea of taking the components out and sticking them in a simple project enclosure (this thing seems to be smaller than a Raspberry Pi actually, so that part should be easy) but then I had an even better idea: just having a USB cable running out through a small hole in the original dock.


Right now I'm just not sure if I'm brave enough to do this yet. I'd hope third party docks will show up eventually, but initial ones are likely to be spotty and unsafe. Buying a first party dock right now is basically impossible. I think I saw one locally, but the price was off the scale ridiculous given that it's mostly just a USB hub and HDMI output. I'm not even seeing them available on Amazon and the like (the closes thing I found was a ridiculously overpriced metal bracket that snaps around the dock to screw it into the wall so you can mount the system up on a wall. There are surely better ways to do this at that price and it's not a dock, just the metal bracket.) So I'll admit modifying mine makes me a bit leery. I'd definitely like to know just how much it would take to actually do it before I even thought of messing with it.

 

[Pippin666]

Myself, I would remove the dock components and build a replacement with LEGO blocks. If I can buy one for cheap, I would try that.

Pip'

 

[Jiehfeng]

Here you go: https://imgur.com/r/NintendoSwitch/Dbe6H

 

[osaka35]

So I'm not a fan of the dock.

Well, here's someone who modded their n64 into a dock:
http://www.trustedreviews.com/news/this-genius-hacked-an-n64-into-a-working-switch-dock

I can't find any instances of current usb to hdmi tech that's working, unfortunately.

You can use a usb c male to usb c female to create a different setup and then just hook it up to the current base. I've heard of people doing that.

 

[TheCyberQuake]

You could just plug in a usb c extension cable from the dock to the switch

 

[Saiyan Lusitano]

I've made some adjustments to the silicone case I received and it feels just about right but it doesn't fit on the dock. Shame. I might just buy one of those USB-C cables though I don't know exactly which one it is.

EDIT: Think it's this one - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/20CM-USB-...ata-Chager-Sync-Extension-Cable-/262632676556 although, it looks really short so better to look for an alternative.

 

[Nazosan]

I don't want to build one from scratch. I'm assuming Nintendo is using proprietary methods here that likely won't just work with simply anything. I want to adapt existing hardware that I know will just simply work.

Here you go: https://imgur.com/r/NintendoSwitch/Dbe6H

I don't want "a new dock from the old." I'm not currently having any troubles with my current dock except that it's a royal hassle to actually use. What I want is something where I can just lay the Switch out flat (with room for air movement obviously) and plug something into the bottom. Basically equivalent to how you might manually charge it with the type-c cable if you didn't use the dock, only instead of just a cable there's a box with a USB wire coming out from said box and I plug that in. I thought about it more and I feel like it's actually a better idea just to keep the dock mostly as-is though and simply have a cable coming out of it with nothing more than a small hole being drilled as far as changing the actual case. This comes to my real question: if I were to just solder in a USB cable to where the dock's own USB connector integrates, what exactly does it need? Does it have more wires than a type-a to type-c cable like this would have for example? Does it depart from official specifications and add an extra pin or two somewhere?

EDIT: Think it's this one - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/20CM-USB-...ata-Chager-Sync-Extension-Cable-/262632676556 although, it looks really short so better to look for an alternative.

Now this is really really interesting. I assumed I'd have to solder something in. If an extension cord like this actually works it would solve the problem with no warranty voiding modifications even needed! Though this one is awfully short at a mere 20cm... (Bear in mind a decent amount of length will be lost just going 90 degrees from the connector and then through the rest of the casing of the dock. I'm guessing it works out to roughly 10cm being used just from that.) I'm sure longer extension cables exist though. The real question, then, is would this work for all that it needs to function and what exactly is required from such an extension cable to make it work?

If that method could work though it would solve this problem so beautifully and cleanly it's not even funny... I really like the idea of this though. Has anyone really looked into just what that dock connector to the switch involves? All those things like the link above mostly just take the existing hardware exactly as-is and simply recase it.

 

[TheCyberQuake]

I don't want to build one from scratch. I'm assuming Nintendo is using proprietary methods here that likely won't just work with simply anything. I want to adapt existing hardware that I know will just simply work.

I don't want "a new dock from the old." I'm not currently having any troubles with my current dock except that it's a royal hassle to actually use. What I want is something where I can just lay the Switch out flat (with room for air movement obviously) and plug something into the bottom. Basically equivalent to how you might manually charge it with the type-c cable if you didn't use the dock, only instead of just a cable there's a box with a USB wire coming out from said box and I plug that in. I thought about it more and I feel like it's actually a better idea just to keep the dock mostly as-is though and simply have a cable coming out of it with nothing more than a small hole being drilled as far as changing the actual case. This comes to my real question: if I were to just solder in a USB cable to where the dock's own USB connector integrates, what exactly does it need? Does it have more wires than a type-a to type-c cable like this would have for example? Does it depart from official specifications and add an extra pin or two somewhere?


Now this is really really interesting. I assumed I'd have to solder something in. If an extension cord like this actually works it would solve the problem with no warranty voiding modifications even needed! Though this one is awfully short at a mere 20cm... (Bear in mind a decent amount of length will be lost just going 90 degrees from the connector and then through the rest of the casing of the dock. I'm guessing it works out to roughly 10cm being used just from that.) I'm sure longer extension cables exist though. The real question, then, is would this work for all that it needs to function and what exactly is required from such an extension cable to make it work?

If that method could work though it would solve this problem so beautifully and cleanly it's not even funny... I really like the idea of this though. Has anyone really looked into just what that dock connector to the switch involves? All those things like the link above mostly just take the existing hardware exactly as-is and simply recase it.

Did you miss my post above giving that exact idea? And it's been proven to work by multiple people.

 

[Saiyan Lusitano]

I've checked on Aliexpress and they're also selling for only 20cm long. I don't get it, why aren't there longer ones for sale?

Really, it's extremely short!

A user on Reddit got ahold of a bigger one:

 

[Nazosan]

I suppose that person never linked to it?

Did you miss my post above giving that exact idea? And it's been proven to work by multiple people.

I missed the part where you said it has worked for people (EDIT: still don't see you mentioning specifically it actually being known to work) and just quoted the most convenient post for the idea itself. This leaves the question of: are there specific requirements of exactly what this cable must provide?


Really I'd like to get one on Amazon (US.) I have Prime so it would be orders of magnitude faster than shipping from China/etc for starters, but also if it goes horribly wrong at the very minimum I can actually ship it back and get another or something. Before I start searching I'd rather be sure it doesn't have to meet certain specifications or something though.

EDIT: Did do a quick search. There are definitely Prime eligible options that are quite long. For instance: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M3OHPD7/

 

[Saiyan Lusitano]

https://www.reddit.com/r/NintendoSw...c_extension_cables_work_with_the_switch_dock/

And as for the specific cable, it appears to be this one: https://www.amazon.com/CableCreation-10Gbps-Extension-Nintendo-Macbook/dp/B01FM4ZSD2/

It ain't cheap but the reviews praise it and the built quality looks to be high.

 

[Nazosan]

Interesting. I half expected them to say it would require whatever is needed for that Apple multimedia adapter or whatever it was called that so many say do not work. I wish they had a working link, but I see they posted the wrong link so it had to be removed (too bad they didn't fix it.) At least we do have a brand name to work with here. I half expected it to have to require something such as I think USB type C now offers a 15Gbps connection possible. (Price-wise, I guess it's about standard for type C cables and the like though.) I may have to give it a try anyway, but I am still not overflowing with cash, so I'll at least wait to see if anyone might have any more ideas on any requirements it may have first. Still, this seems very promising indeed as a nice clean solution to the whole problem. EDIT: Oh, further down someone posted the exact title of it and he confirmed it was the right one. Hmm. I guess I'll take a chance and try this then. Wish me lots of luck!

 

[Saiyan Lusitano]

I don't mind putting my Switch in the dock as it has a sturdy screen protector but the silicone case that I finally got around to tweak it is just a bummer to remove and then re-apply again. Meh.. guess for the time being I'll just play in portable mode, and one advantage of always being in portable mode, you can take it anywhere around the house and it works!

... Unlike the Wii U.

 

[Nazosan]

I added an edit. Further down the thread someone posted the exact title of the product on Amazon then he confirmed it was the right one and it does indeed seem to match. I'm going to bite the bullet and try this. Wish me lots of luck. At half of a meter it should be the perfect balance between good length to work with without adding any significant resistance to the lines.

I end up having to use console mode for games like Zelda. It just doesn't feel as comfortable to me in portable mode. However, games like Voez have to be played in portable mode. I think long term I may go more portable than console, but I definitely want to minimize the effort of going back and forth and with this I can just plug in a cable on my charging table.

 

[Baoulettes]

Here you go: https://imgur.com/r/NintendoSwitch/Dbe6H

any more information about this one?
You've made it? also do you plan about selling it ?

 

[Saiyan Lusitano]

The Amazon CreationCable has a review that mentions it works 100% and with a photo of it too.

Review:

As you may/may not know, the Nintendo Switch has a plastic screen, and the dock isn't particularly gentle on the screen when sliding it in there.

Solution? This cable. This also makes things simpler for those of us that don't have the room to remove and insert the Switch when there's a short shelf involved.

Stuffed into the dock (and then wedged for stability with a cloth), I can report and confirm great success!

Bear in mind this is with NO USB accessories attached - so down the line we'll have to see what happens. There should not be an issue, since power travels from the Nintendo AC adapter to the dock to power USB accessories, and that's it. The cable to the Switch should not be a factor (even if it were a factor!).

Playing Fast Racing RMX with the Switch DOCKED: Power draw maxed out at 16.8 Watts while charging Switch simultaneously.

Playing Fast Racing RMX with the Switch connected via female-to-male USB C cable: Power draw maxed out at 16.8 Watts while charging Switch simultaneously.

I can't speak for Zelda since I haven't opened it yet, but the numbers for this test were identical on my Kill-A-Watt meter, no matter how it was connected.

Now, I'm not a power expert, neither do I claim to be. I can just provide my own info, and here - a picture to show the setup! You can see the dock is lit green, with the cable going into the Switch.

Now, both in the dock and connected via a cable - charging is SLOW when playing a game, but this is to be expected, apparently, - according to Anandtech's power tests. So the male-to-female setup is NOT at a disadvantage at this point, and is a super simple workaround. It also helps with those of us (like me) that have no room to shove the Switch in the dock without pulling it out of the shelf.

So there you go!

On the plus side, too, because the Switch is out in the open when docked, you may notice better JoyCon connectivity. YAY for positive side-effects!

5 stars out of 5. A very-well built cable, and super handy for Switch owners for numerous reasons!

We can see he's very pleased with it, for sure.

 

[YourHero]

I was considering either gutting this dock to add an intake fan on the back, or exhaust on the front. I could totally do an exhaust on the front to pull more heat away.

 

[Nazosan]

As far as modifications like that go, wouldn't you want to just simply remove the front? But you know that the Switch already has active cooling don't you?

 

[TheCyberQuake]

I suppose that person never linked to it?


I missed the part where you said it has worked for people (EDIT: still don't see you mentioning specifically it actually being known to work)

I wouldn't have suggested it unless I knew it worked.