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Most tablets only have a single Micro USB port that is used to charge the tablet, or can be used to plug in regular USB devices like a keyboard/mouse using USB OTG. I would like to charge/power my tablet AND be able to connect to USB devices at the same time.

Will an adapter like this be able to do that? If so, does the tablet need to support a certain protocol? Specifically, I'd like to know if anyone has succesfully used it on a Dell Venue 8 Pro or other windows 8.1 tablet.

Update: From Wikipedia, USB OTG can support the following

  • A charger and either no device or an A-device that is not asserting VBUS (not providing power) are attached. The OTG device is allowed to charge and initiate SRP but not connect.[6]
  • A charger and an A-device that is asserting VBUS (is providing power) are attached. The OTG device is allowed to charge and connect but not initiate SRP.[6]
  • A charger and a B-device are attached. The OTG device is allowed to charge and enter host mode.[6]

But this wording is very unclear, and the citation is broken. If "OTG Decice" is the tablet, and "B-device" is the peripheral, then the last point would seem to indicate that the tablet could charge and act as a USB host to the peripherals at the same time.

Knio
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5 Answers5

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I am not sure which question you are asking so I am going to answer the one that has an answer other than "It depends on the tablet in question"

You mention the Dell venue 8 Pro in your question. For that tablet Dell sells an adapter that does exactly what you want. It's called Dell MicroUSB Dongle For Data and Charging (470-ABES), "Dell Micro USB Dongle for Data and Charging" should bring it up on google.

You can also go the cheaper route and buy several cables and make your own. I don't see it as really worth the savings especially seeing the way too high gauge of wire common in cheap USB cables which cuts down charging speed significantly. How to use USB devices with your Dell Venue 8 Pro and charge it at the same time on Todd Klindt's SharePoint Admin Blog goes into this in greater detail but what it boils down to is when a cable is first plugged in the Venue checks to see if the data pins are shorted. If they are it allows it to charge. If not then it treats it as data. The key is that it only checks once. If by some miracle the data wires come unshorted and hook themselves to a data device the Venue will happily talk to said data device. Or usb to DVI video card. Or whatever.

Seth
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birdman3131
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From your Wikipedia link I find this.

These permit the device to work with USB Accessory Charger Adapters that allows the OTG device to be attached to both a charger and another device simultaneously.

This means a phone or tablet that supports this is able to charge and support a connection to a USB device. The question is if a given phone or tablet supports this. The specification sheet or manual should set this straight.

MacGuffin
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You link will NOT work. The charge port is for supplying additional current needed for the device. (i.e. portable harddisk)

But something like this will charge and provide power to usb drive at the same time.

enter image description here

Bilo
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Somewhat related to this topic. I use a RCA viking pro. It has a micro USB for charging and a USB 2.0 for external USB devices like thumb drives.

Larry G 54
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I'm pretty sure the product you link will Not work to power and use peripheral usb devices at the same time. There is at least one other product that claims to work with the Windows Dell Venue - search Youtube for +port to see one type. I believe it's the specification that blocks this from "just working" and the power has to be in place before the usb add ons can be used.

codecats
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