Everyone knows that any electronic device can be connected to a computer using a standard USB cable. Thus, using a laptop or personal computer, you can connect various devices to each other, such as printers, cameras, smartphones and data storage devices (flash drives and external hard drives).
What is OTG?
Is there a way to do without a computer? Easily, a lot of adapters under the general name OTG cable have appeared on the market for a long time. Their cost varies from a few dollars to a dozen or even two. However, their difference from simple data cables is so insignificant that you can easily make an OTG cable with your own hands. For example, from the remnants of old connectors, cables and adapters.
So, first we need to decide why we need an OTG cable. You may need to power another device with a battery when there is no power nearby, for example, when traveling or hiking, but this optionnot the most efficient. We need to immediately decide whether we will constantly connect two specific devices to each other or is it better to make a universal OTG cable with our own hands to use any USB devices, like a store-bought one. It's also best to check right away if your device is capable of supporting such connections.
Tools & Safety
When working with cables you will need:
- knife for stripping insulation;
- wire cutters or side cutters (remember the saying: "measure 7 times - cut 1"), excess solder on the cable will degrade the quality of communication between devices and increase the resistance in general, which will affect the loss of data or the impossibility of charging due to the resistance of the conductor;
- soldering iron, solder and flux; at the end of the article we will consider how you can do without this device.
When working with a soldering iron, remember the safety measures. This device is dangerous due to its high temperature not only during operation, but also for several minutes after turning it off. Protect the table top from molten tin or rosin. Keep exposed skin away from hot parts of the soldering iron.
What's what?
First of all, it is worth sorting out which pins in plugs and sockets are needed for what, since in mini- and micro-versions there is 1 pin more than in universal serial bus connectors. So, the first pin is marked as standardred insulation inside the wire, designed to supply voltage. The second and third pins, marked with white and green insulation, are for data transmission. The fourth black pin is zero or ground, working in tandem with the first supply wire. In mini- and micro-USB, such functions are assigned to the fifth, last pin, and the fourth is a marking or identifier. It is designed to provide connection information to the device and is not connected anywhere in the data cables.
The simplest option
First of all, let's consider the connection between two specific devices, for example, a tablet computer and a camera. Since they both have 5-pin sockets, be it micro or mini USB, you just need to carefully solder the corresponding wires together. 2 unnecessary data cables with suitable plugs will do. You need to cut them and strip the wires from insulation, and then connect them according to color differentiation, that is, black to black, yellow to yellow, and so on. Each connection must be isolated from the others with hot glue or at least electrical tape. When connecting such a cable to devices, a dialog menu will appear on the screens, where you will need to select which of the devices will be the main one in this mini-network. It is possible to forcibly designate the main and secondary device in the cable itself. To do this, in the plug of the main device, you need to connect the 4th and 5th contacts, and in the other plug, the 4th contact simply does not connect to any. Thus, the device will automatically detect itselfthe main one in the connection, since the marker contact will show the connection, while on the second device it will be “empty”.
For a variety of devices
Let's consider how to make a universal OTG cable with your own hands. In addition to a micro or mini USB plug, depending on the device, we need a USB connector. You can take it from old motherboards, cut it off from a USB extension cable, or disassemble a USB splitter (the so-called USB hub). The latter option is preferable, as it will allow you to connect several peripherals to the main device at once, like to a computer. The connection sequence is the same as above, the main device is forcibly indicated on the device plug in the same way, connecting the 4th and 5th pins. The figures clearly show the connection diagram of the pins in the connectors and plugs.
With power connection
Some devices are characterized by increased power consumption, which leads to a rapid discharge of the battery of the main gadget, be it a smartphone or tablet. In this case, you can improve the OTG cable with your own hands by adding a power cable with a USB plug for the network adapter. To do this, you can use the remnants of the data cable from which the micro or mini USB plug was previously cut. The connection is made on two current-carrying contacts, black and red, ignoring the data wires. It must be remembered that over long distances, the resistance of the wire, reinforced by solder joints, will reduce the voltage and current strength, so the uselong lengths of cables will most likely not allow you to achieve a stable connection between devices. Use approximately 20-30 cm of cable for each plug and socket to avoid breaks and interruptions in the connection.
Finally, I would like to mention how to assemble an OTG cable with your own hands without a soldering iron. The assembly principle is the same as described above, however, the wire connections are made in several other ways. Here are two of them:
- Solder paste contains solder powder and flux and does not require the use of a soldering iron. This paste is applied to the parts to be joined and heated with a regular lighter.
- There are compounds without the use of high temperatures at all. The so-called adhesive locks are connectors for low-current systems with a special contact that cuts into the wires using a clamping device, for example, pliers.
Whatever you decide to do with your own hands, remember that cutting cables is not a warranty case and such cables cannot be replaced.
