Homemade otg cable for a smartphone. Assembly diagram of an OTG flash drive from a regular USB, wiring and pinout secrets of the OTG cable. What devices support OTG cable

Almost any manipulator is connected to a computer using a special USB cable, thereby turning into an information input device. This allows you to create an entire ecosystem of various devices, but what if you need to trivially connect a keyboard to a tablet or smartphone?

For this, there are otg cables, which in fact are simply cleverly named adapters between micro-usb and usb. Allowing you to connect mice to the same smartphones and use them freely with the help of additional software and drivers, without restrictions. Such a cable for connecting external manipulators costs from a couple of dollars to a dozen, depending on the manufacturer, the quality and number of devices connected at a time. AND main question our man in the street: how to make such a device yourself, so as not to waste money? Fortunately, for this, an old charger and an unnecessary connector, as well as pliers and electrical tape, are enough.

In fact, such a device does not have any complex microcircuits or adapters, all controller configuration takes place due to the internal software of the tablet or phone, therefore it is just a cable with input and output that can be made in 10 minutes. And yet, how to make an otg cable with your own hands if you only have an old smartphone charger? Why do you need to connect external manipulators to mobile devices at all, and how to deal with differences in the current strength of devices? And what do you need to know about OTG before using it?

Application methods

Before picking up a soldering iron, it is worth understanding why you need such a cable at all? After all, there are a lot of keyboards for the same tablet, specially created and designed for ease of use, not to mention gamepads and mice. Is this really a common adapter for those who cannot afford such a "zoo" of information input devices? In fact, it is much more universal device, because micro-usb is used in the same powerbank, and the phone or tablet itself with a sufficiently powerful battery becomes a separate device for recharging. So, you find yourself in a situation where the laptop is almost discharged, but the phone has 100 percent, here otg support will come in handy.

Yes, batteries for 2-4 thousand mah not long enough. But if we are talking about urgently responding to a letter or sending a project to the authorities, the time is already ticking by seconds. In addition, the opposite situation is possible, and with the help of such adapters, you can always give part of the charge to a friend with a discharged smartphone. But before you start to celebrate cutting off the nearest old charger, make sure you have a soldering iron and a tin. In fact, the same OTG can be called usb-c cable- micro-usb, which is a must for the owners of new technology from Apple.

How to find out if your device supports OTG cable

And now you have a pinout and a heated soldering iron in front of you, but it remains to check the last point, but is your device even capable of supporting such connections that allow you to transfer the battery charge? Or connect third-party manipulators to it? It depends purely on the version of the android and partly on the modules sewn into the accessory, but to simplify your life, there are many testing programs that allow you to determine in a matter of minutes whether the phone is suitable for these purposes. As mentioned, if this is not the case, try updating the firmware version and downloading the driver for the required accessory and you will be happy.

What tools will be needed

Those who did not miss work lessons at school already have a rough idea of necessary tools to create a cable. We only need to cut off the input and output of different charges and connect to each other using soldering, and then electrical tape, so take:

1. Nippers or pliers, and be very careful here. Any extra spikes impair the speed of communication between devices, increasing the resistance and decreasing the amperage, respectively.
2. A knife or all the same pliers to strip the insulation, besides, you should not remove it completely, as some craftsmen do, a small piece of bare wire is enough, so you will reduce the chance of breaking the chain.
3. Soldering iron. It doesn't matter if you have a Soviet device in your hands or a modern soldering iron with automatic shutdown when touching living matter. Remember the safety rules, keep it right. With some skill, you can also use a wood burning device. But it will take a little longer and leave traces of oxidation on it.

There are several tricks that will allow you to do without a soldering iron, which every Soviet child knows about. It is enough to use any filament or a sufficiently thick copper wire, and heat it up separately, while isolating it from direct contact with the skin. But if you have never even held a soldering iron in your hands, it is better not to risk doing it yourself without the help of a specialist.

Remember that the appliance cools down for a few minutes after use and try to prevent rosin and tin from getting on the table, especially if it is made of flammable materials. Try not to burn yourself, you can buy special protective gloves for this.

Soldering

To begin with, a homemade cable should be cut according to the prepared scheme. Measure the required length and do not try to make it as long as possible, this can lead to inconvenience in use. Then strip the wire from the insulation, do not remove too much, this way you will increase the stability of the connection and reduce the chance of occurrence of "fractures" in the solder. Yes and spend a large number of tin does not follow. The neater and more inconspicuous the connection, the greater the strength of the adapter and the charge transfer rate, and when the current strength is measured in 1 A, there is no need for excess resistance.

After soldering and making sure that the metal is frozen, rewind the bare wire with electrical tape, again - a hundred layers will in no way affect the strength of the structure, so excessive fanaticism should be avoided here.

Examination

Having installed all the necessary software and drivers on the phone, try the adapter, if it does not work, check the current with an ammeter. Is there a current? Then the problem is already directly in the smartphone, try testing your homemade product on another accessory or on a different firmware version!

Video instruction

Complete with numerous smartphones or tablets based on Android, you can find an accessory called an OTG cable, but many users cannot figure out what it is and how to use an OTG cable, as well as what additional features it gives to your device. In fact, it can be extremely useful, especially if you want to use your device in conjunction with additional equipment. It is necessary to understand why this adapter is useful and how it can be used.

Purpose of the OTG adapter

So, what is an OTG USB cable? It is a special cable (adapter), on one end of which there is a full-type USB port, and on the other - mini or micro USB. A full USB port is used to connect to peripheral devices such as computer mouse, keyboard, flash drive and other devices. The second end connects to a smartphone or tablet running on Android OS. After connecting to all devices, a message appears on the display of the Android device that the peripheral equipment is ready for use (provided that you connected everything correctly, and the tablet or smartphone supports work with the adapter at the software and hardware level). All devices connected to a mobile gadget receive power from it, except when they are connected directly to the electrical network.

If you have special devices, tools and skills, you can make an OTG cable yourself. The essence of this process is to close the last two contacts, which are contained inside the connector.

What can be connected via OTG USB cable?

How to use OTG on a tablet or smartphone - there are quite a few opportunities for its operation, it is necessary to note the most common among them:

1. Connection hard disk or external storage(flush).
2. Connection peripheral devices like a mouse or keyboard.
3. Connecting to a mobile printer device.
4. Fast file transfer.
5. Demonstration of media files from a smartphone or tablet on a large screen.

When an external storage device is connected to the gadget, the message "Preparing USB storage" appears on the display of the device. After the device is ready for use, you can view all the files that are stored on the drive or disk using an ordinary file manager... Remember to use the function before disconnecting the drive. safe extraction... It provides an opportunity to avoid damage to files stored on the drive, and other troubles (the same function is available on a stationary PC or laptop).

Using a mouse on an Android tablet is very simple: one click selects objects, two - launch programs and applications. Computer mouse greatly simplifies operation mobile gadget... If we talk about the keyboard, then it provides the ability to quickly type text, thereby turning a tablet device into a kind of netbook. With OTG cable, you don't have to search alternative ways connecting all this peripheral equipment. The same goes for webcams and other devices. Before connecting a printer to your device, be prepared for the fact that the OTG USB cable technology is available only in relation to the newest and most common equipment. In addition to the cable, you will need to download and install from Google play special application, which will help you to connect the printer, as well as simplify its operation. If everything is done correctly, you can print a photo or text documents directly from your phone.

To appreciate the fast transfer of files using an adapter, imagine that you need to transfer data from a tablet to a flash drive (an ordinary USB flash drive). The traditional method involves dropping files from a gadget to a computer, and then from a computer to a USB flash drive. Thanks to OTG, you can perform a fast transfer from Android directly to a flash drive, it only takes a few minutes.

It is much more convenient and pleasant to watch videos, films, photos on a large screen, for example, a TV. If you have a modern TV model at your disposal, then you can organize the demonstration of media files from a tablet or smartphone on the TV screen, and the OTG cable connection will help you with this. To do this, simply connect the two devices with a cable. In this case, the TV will play the role of a projector.

What devices support OTG cable?

It is believed that any equipment that is equipped with a USB port is capable of working with an OTG cable, but in reality the situation is a little more complicated. The easiest way is to connect an ordinary USB flash drive with a capacity of up to 32 GB to an Android device. It is more difficult to use a hard drive that will be powered by the device as it lacks power. If the drive is powered from the mains, no problems will arise.

Also, difficulties do not arise when connecting the following devices:

• mice;
• keyboards;
• game joystick;
• steering wheel;
• cameras;
• computer speakers
• card reader.

Moreover, several peripheral devices can be connected to a smartphone or tablet at the same time, but for this you have to acquire a USB hub (splitter) equipped with several ports. The more equipment connected, the faster the battery will drain.

OTG-enabled smartphones and tablets tend to be mid-range or flagship devices. Many developers do not provide users with such a function in order to save on the installation of the corresponding software or to reduce battery power consumption.

Conclusion

Now you know how to use the USB OTG cable, what it is intended for, and what difficulties you may encounter when trying to connect this or that device to your Android smartphone / tablet. This adapter can be a really useful companion for work, education and entertainment. Even if OTG was not included in the kit, but it is supported by the gadget, you can purchase a cable at any store.

V technical characteristics tablets and smartphones often talk about OTG support. But what kind of beast is this and how to use this technology? Read how to use an OTG cable and why you need it.

This article will tell you everything about OTG. You will learn about when this technology appeared, how it differs from the usual USB connection, as well as the methods of using the OTG cable. A few words will be said about the independent creation of such a wire - in fact, there is nothing difficult about it.

OTG cable. A bit of history

We are all accustomed to the fact that laptops, all-in-ones and desktop computers have a lot of USB connectors. They may be USB 2.0 or USB 3.0, but either way they will be full size. That is why it is not difficult to connect a flash drive or various peripherals to a computer.

For a while tablet computers on Android base were very plump. As a result, there was room for a full-size port on their hull. For example, such an element was present on the tablet Acer Iconia Tab A500... But then technology developed to such an extent that the full-size connector had to be forgotten. But at the same time from operating system Android support connecting flash drives and some third party devices has not gone anywhere. How did the creators of smartphones and tablets have to act? They invented OTG ("On-The-Go") technology.

How the OTG cable works

OTG technology means using the micro-USB port not only for connection charger and synchronization with your computer. Supporting technology tablets and smartphones supply a certain amount of electricity to this connector, which is enough to power other devices. As a result, you can connect an OTG cable to the micro-USB, and connect to it, for example, a keyboard, a computer mouse or a traditional flash drive.

When is it useful? For example, you can use either a DSLR camera. That being said, you want to publish pictures or videos to social network... In this case, you can connect your equipment to your smartphone via an OTG adapter, copy required files and then publish them using the operating system and the corresponding application. Roughly speaking, a tablet or smartphone with OTG technology is becoming much more functional. But don't forget what it is. Manufacturers of game wheels and any other specific equipment, sharpened exclusively for computers based on Windows or Mac OS, do not write drivers for it. Even connecting via the OTG cable of an MFP will often allow you to use only a basic function - printing a document stored in the smartphone's memory.

What is an OTG cable?

The OTG cable adapter is a small cord. At one end there is a micro-USB male plug. At the other end there is a female USB socket. However, this product is not an ordinary adapter. No, USB OTG technology implies closed 4th and 5th pins. If they are not, Android simply will not recognize the device that you connect to it.

Most often, the cable length of the adapter does not exceed 10 cm. Some adapters do not include wires at all - they are a monolithic structure. This is very convenient when connecting a USB flash drive - it will not dangle in the air.

Do all devices have OTG support?

It should be noted that both devices must have support for OTG technology. That is, both the smartphone and the peripherals connected to it. Most often this technology is incorporated in the USB 2.0 specification, therefore computer mice, keyboards, card readers and other similar devices connect to a tablet or smartphone without any problems. And there is nothing to say about flash drives - only some very ancient models can not be determined by the device.

But with tablets and smartphones, everything is much more complicated. The Android operating system has similar support since almost the third version. But this is at the software level. But at the hardware level, such support is not always implemented. If the technology is not included in the specifications of the device, then connecting the OTG cable will do nothing - purchasing it will be a waste of money.

Let's check which Android devices we have on hand have OTG support as an example:

• LG Nexus 4 8Gb - does not support;
• Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition - supports;
• Micromax Q4101 BOLT Warrior 1 Plus - do not support;
• Samsung Galaxy A5 (2016) - Supports.

Such are the different results on devices released in completely different years.

How do I check for OTG support?

Usually, the technology support or lack of it is written in the detailed technical specifications. For example, this may be indicated on the page of your device in Yandex.Market. But it is better to go to the official website of the manufacturer - there you will find such information with a greater degree of probability.

If you don't want to crawl on different sites, then small applications will come to the rescue. On Google Play, you can find a lot of programs that test a smartphone or tablet for OTG support. Here are links to just a couple of the most popular ones:

• USB OTG Check Compatibilite - shows a message about the presence or absence of support immediately after launch;
• USB OTG Checker - at first it shows ads, after which it requires pressing the "Check Device OS on USB OTG" button.

How is OTG technology used most often?

OTG support is never superfluous. Most often, it comes to the rescue in the event that the device does not have a slot for microSD cards, while his own memory is extremely small. In this case, the user does not have the opportunity to throw a movie or some other very heavy material onto the device. But you can download it to a USB stick. Then this flash drive is connected to a smartphone via an OTG cable, after which you can watch the movie contained on it. You just need to take into account the modest capabilities of the micro-USB port - it is better not to try to watch a movie in an extremely high quality, the weight of which reaches 10-15 GB or more.

Another popular use of technology is to connect a gamepad. The Android operating system does not understand all gamepads, but many do. For example, some smartphones and tablets can be connected to a DualShock 3 from a third PlayStation, greatly facilitating the gameplay.

If you need to print something, an OTG adapter also comes to the rescue. Of course, only if your printer does not support wireless transmission data, which is much simpler.

Another popular reason for using an OTG cable is described earlier. It consists in the need to view material created with a camcorder or photo camera, when there is no computer at hand or it is simply too lazy to turn it on.

There are special USB-to-Ethernet adapters on sale. It allows you to connect an Internet cable to the device. But in the conditions of the massive proliferation of Wi-Fi, it is difficult to come up with a situation when such an opportunity is needed. Unless your router's Wi-Fi module may fail - then you connect the tablet to it using an OTG cable and an appropriate adapter.

No one will argue with the fact that typing is most convenient using a full-fledged keyboard. Some of these devices work with Bluetooth assistance, and they are originally designed to be paired with a smartphone or tablet. But the wired model is much cheaper! It is for its connection that you will have to get an OTG adapter.

You can also connect a USB hub to a portable device. Or a splitter, as it is also called. So you can connect several devices to one connector at once - say, a mouse, keyboard and card reader.

These are just the most common reasons for using an OTG lanyard. Some people find it in a completely non-trivial application.

Can you make an OTG cable yourself?

Now some chinese smartphones supplied with an OTG adapter. Also, promotions are regularly held in Chinese online stores, during which, along with almost any smartphone, you can order an OTG cable for only $ 0.01. You can buy it separately - it usually does not cost a lot of money. And it is not necessary for this to use an online store - such an accessory may well be sold somewhere near your home.

Where to buy cheap?

If the OTG cable is required urgently, then it can be made from improvised means. In particular, you will need:

• A regular USB extension cable for a computer;
• Male micro-USB cable (supplied with any smartphone);
• Insulating tape;
• Soldering iron and accessories.

Here we will not talk in detail about the process of creating an adapter. While reading the text, you still run the risk of not understanding something. Then you will complain that the device does not see the OTG cable. And all from the fact that somewhere a tiny mistake was made. Therefore, we advise you to search for relevant tutorials on YouTube, repeating the author's steps step by step. Here we will only mention that you need to remember to connect the fourth pin to the fifth at the micro-USB connector. The counting of contacts goes from left to right, if you put the connector with the beveled edges up.

Summarizing

Now you understand what exactly is the essence of OTG technology. In short, it expands the functionality of a tablet or smartphone, allowing you to connect a USB flash drive or any peripherals to it. With such an adapter, you can transfer pictures from a DSLR or mirrorless camera to a smartphone while outdoors or in a car. With it, you can watch a movie, even if the device has very little built-in memory, there is no slot for a microSD card, and there is no wireless access to the global web.

And you probably already got hold of an OTG adapter? Do you use it? Or has he been collecting dust in a computer desk drawer for a long time?

If you have a smartphone or tablet based on the operating room Android systems then you might want to use it as a host for some amateur radio electronics like an Arduino board.

This requires more than just a USB cable, but an On-The-Go (OTG) USB. You can buy one at a radio store or order online, but if you are too lazy to go shopping or do not want to wait for a parcel, you can make such a USB OTG cable with your own hands, since it is quite simple.

First, you will need two USB cables as donors. One of them should be type A with female connector and the other type micro B with male connector. When you're done, you will have a cable that connects to your phone on one side and a standard USB cable on the other side.

But first, cut these two donor cables so that you expose the red, black, white, and green wires running inside these cables. Strip the insulation off the ends of these wires. Color-match the wires of one cable and the other and solder them to each other. Insulate the soldered joints from each other using heat shrink tubing, electrical tape, or hot glue. Be sure to cover them with a sheath, which is a bare, stranded wire that surrounds the four colored wires.

After you've soldered the two cables together, wrap the connection with electrical tape for electrical and strain relief. Since many Android phones are USB OTG devices, that is, they can act as a USB host or slave, you still need your phone to only act as a host in this case. You can verify this with a dedicated sensitive pin in the micro B connector. When this pin is connected to ground, the USB OTG device connected to the cable goes into host mode. If the pin remains in its normal disconnected state, the USB OTG device will remain in slave mode.

Now carefully open the micro B connector cover and solder pins 4 and 5 together. Once this is done, reassemble the micro B connector by placing a cover on it and securing it with electrical tape or glue to secure it.

To make sure everything is working as it should, test your DIY cable by connecting one end to your Android phone or tablet and the other to your Arduino. If everything is installed correctly, then the Arduino should turn on as it will be powered. If this does not happen, then disconnect both ends of the cable and check for a short circuit or an open. Keep in mind that you will not be able to test the data transfer capability until you write the appropriate programs for your phone and Arduino.

Forgot to upload an important file to a flash drive or tablet? Or do you want to type faster on your smartphone? If so, then this is a guide on how to make a do-it-yourself OTG cable for you.

Step 1: You will need

• The first thing you need for the OTG cable is a standard USB input and microUSB output. You can buy them very inexpensively at your nearest store.
• You will also need very thin insulated copper wire.
• Take scissors and cut 4 equal lengths of wire. I cut 10cm, but you decide how long you want.
• And cut another very small piece of wire that will help us convert our cable to OTG cable.

Step 2: wiring and soldering

• Peel the ends of your wires and apply a small amount of solder to solder them to the connector more easily
• Here simple circuit USB cable that shows the correct pin order and standard colors for each pin.
• The standard USB connector has 4 pins. Red and black are input voltage and ground, green and brown are data + and data -.
• I didn't have a green house, so I use yellow instead.
• After you finish soldering, slide the heated braid over the connector, making sure it is tight.
• Now solder the other ends of the wires to the microUSB connector. I made another diagram of how you should connect the wires for USB to work in OTG mode.
• Many people wonder why microUSB has 5 pins instead of 4. Actually, the auxiliary pin is usually not connected, but if you solder it to the ground pin, the phone will switch to host mode and will be able to read USB flash drives, webcams, mice and keyboards.
• Remember to put on the braid before soldering. This completes the main work.
• The cable is weak, you need to strengthen it.
• You can use duct tape, but it's best to wrap everything with one large heated braid.
• I tried to do this with an old cable, but it turned out to be quite difficult, in addition, some cables do not have an additional contact, especially the chargers.

Step 3: What you can do with the OTG cable

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Now I will show you several options for using the OTG cord.

Here I have a keyboard that works very well on my Nexus 5. I can type 2-3x faster than the onscreen keyboard.

The mouse works great, but I personally haven't found any practical use for it.

For me, the most important advantage of the OTZ cable is that you can put a file from your phone on a USB stick or HDD... To do this, you need to root and install the Stickmount app, which will allow you to connect your drive using a micro USB OTG cable. Stickmount on Google play: