TX cahrging through USB

[picero]

Hello, I have a Palm Tx that is normaly charging from my desktop computer through USBsync cable I got in the package.
Now I want to use it in my car, so I bought an adapter from my cars cigarette lighter to USB. I connected my TX on adapter with the same USB cable, but the TX does not charge. I tried two adapters and both do not work. Do you have any idea how to solve this or what adapter do I need. I need it ASAP.
Regards,
Robert

[raspabalsa]

The USB cable provided with the TX can only charge from a computer USB port, and only if said computer has PalmDesktop installed. From what I've seen, the TX and the computer talk via the USB cable, and only then can the TX accept charge. This is why yours doesn't charge from the car lighter.

To solve this, I built a custom cable, splicing the TX adapter's tip to a USB connector. With this I can charge from any USB port (computer, car lighter, USB power pack, etc)

[Gregte]

Do you know that your car's cigarette lighter socket works?

[bytehead]

I've used a converter for an iPod, and it worked for my TX. I'd make sure the socket works (as Gregte says), and then I'd check the fuse in the converter (yes, it has one).

[wjc]

Same here. I use a 12v socket to usb converter in the car and just plug-in my palm or cheap cable with everything working.

I've even used different 12v tousb sockets and still it works.

Possibly a problem with your car socket or just a bad fitting. Try giving it a wiggle, poke and a jab. That may fix it.

[bytehead]

The USB cable provided with the TX can only charge from a computer USB port, and only if said computer has PalmDesktop installed.

You seem to be thinking about the Motorola V3, which required a special driver to enable charging it with the computer. And of course they don't offer it on their web site for free, you're expected to buy somebody's software package that has it (or look around the web for it, still not a first hit under Google that I recall).

It's a problem with Palm and 64-bit computers, they see enough to try to connect a device driver, but it won't work, and instead of just allowing it to charge (and possibly allow the Sun VM to grab it and work under 32-bit), it constantly disconnects the device.

I was planning on a 32-bit desktop at home to sync with, but that computer just turned itself off, and won't turn back on, so I now need to look at trying to get it running again. Or syncing with my wife's computer, but I know she won't let me touch it.

Come to think of it, I do have a laptop that I could running (good enough) to sync it.

[rdiheath]

Same here I use a cheap charge/sync usb cable that I got on ebay with the car power usb adapter and it works GREAT

[raspabalsa]

You seem to be thinking about the Motorola V3, which required a special driver to enable charging it with the computer. And of course they don't offer it on their web site for free, you're expected to buy somebody's software package that has it (or look around the web for it, still not a first hit under Google that I recall).
Actually, I was talking about my own TX, which has never, not once, charged via its USB cable (the original cable that came with the TX) from a computer that does not have PalmDesktop installed. All the computers I've tested are Windows XP Pro 32-bit. Also this TX and cable won't charge from car lighters and USB power packs. Because of this behavior I built the custom cable I mentioned above.

It's a problem with Palm and 64-bit computers, they see enough to try to connect a device driver, but it won't work, and instead of just allowing it to charge (and possibly allow the Sun VM to grab it and work under 32-bit), it constantly disconnects the device.
That's exactly what happens with my TX if connected to a XP 32-bit PC without PalmDesktop: the computer will chime the connection tone, immediately followed by the disconnection tone, and repeat over and over again endlessly.

Perhaps some TXs were shipped with different USB cables?

[Ken in Regina]

1. It's not the cable; it's Windows.

2. It's not Palm Desktop being installed; it's the fact that when you install Palm Desktop the appropriate driver gets installed.

Windows will always try to install drivers whenever you plug an unknown ("new") device into a USB port. That's just the way it is. If you want to be able to charge a Palm device on a computer without installing Palm Desktop, just install the Palm USB driver and you'll be fine.

...ken...

[raspabalsa]

1. If it is not the cable, then why my TX won't charge with it from car chargers and power packs?

2. If I understood correctly, bytehead above reports charging from computers without PalmDesktop (and possibly without drivers) installed. Again, my TX won't charge in these conditions.

Both of the above situations make me think there is more than one kind of cables, and they don't work in the same way. I'd like to know for sure, because in more than 2 years I've never been able to charge with this cable from car chargers and power packs, and all this time I've believed this is exactly the way things are supposed to be.

[Ken in Regina]

My apologies. You may be correct that there is more than one kind of USB cable for the T|X. I cannot say for certain. My comment was based on my experience. I bought my T|X from eBay. The USB cable it came with will not charge the TX under any circumstances. It is only a sync cable. On the T|X end of the cable, the connector does not have a portion to go into the charger socket of the T|X. I think this is the original Palm sync cable. The only way I could charge the T|X was with the AC adapter.

I have a USB cable from Gomadic that uses interchangable tips for other devices I have. Not long after I bought the T|X off eBay, I bought the T|X connector for this cable because the connector has the data contacts for sync and it also has a section on the connector that goes into the T|X power socket. So I can sync and charge from any computer and I can also charge from any AC or DC charger with a USB outlet on it.

The only limitation is that when I connect this cable to a computer that does not have Palm Desktop installed, the first thing Windows tries to do is install drivers for the T|X. That is because it is a fully functional sync cable as well as a charging cable. Windows sees a Palm device on the cable, does not see a Palm USB driver installed and so it starts the New Hardware wizard. This is annoying on computers I don't want Palm Desktop installed on so I don't do it any more. I just use the Gomadic USB cable with an AC or DC charger instead. It's less annoying.

I'm sorry that I confused your situation. I don't know if this information will help or not.

...ken...

[qwaszx]

I bought a sync cable,wall and car usb charger kit on ebay for less than three bucks. It's been used for two years now on a few things.