Apparently we're on twitter too
Ok, please tell me I’m not the only one who’s been annoyed by that thing since the day I got my Vita.
You know how innovative hardware companies like Apple designed cables that almost plug themselves into the device, or stuff that can charge without even being plugged in, or, recently, data cables that can be plugged both ways without any issue?
Well, the Vita has such a great system, with one minor detail: it’s not actually a feature, it’s a design bug, oh, and obviously, one of the sides will not work. I heard this issue was fixed with recent models (not sure they fixed the cable or the units…). But, please, tell me, am I completely dumb, or is everybody else constantly running into the same issue?
A typical session will go like this:
- Plug in cable to PC and Vita
- Run the Content Manager
- Content Manager complains that I am not connected to any computer
- Check that the content Manager client runs fine on the PC
- Make sure that I didn’t mess up my OpenCMA install
- Check that the cable is actually plugged into the PC
- Reboot the console
- Try again…
- Realize the cable was plugged in the wrong way
- Yell some 4 letter-word, and promise myself I’ll write a blog entry about how a multi million dollars hardware company can’t even get a cable design right. Well, at least that one’s done.
Hopefully the video below will show you I’m not completely making that up… How wasn’t that tested?
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I just don’t have this issue, I got my Vita in June for my birthday and plugging the plug in upside down is a no go. It just WONT GO IN UPSIDE DOWN?!?! It really must be older units cause my unit stops the plug from being inserted the wrong way.
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odd. i have a first gen vita and haven’t ran into this issue because it doesn’t fit backwards. it may be the regions. ya never know.
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The first time I ever plugged my Vita up to the charger, it died because I had it in the Vita the wrong way. I totally agree!! Terrible design.
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um…other cable types have to be plugged in the right way. its not a big deal. it won’t even go in upside down. if you try to force it, it might damage the vita, the cable, or both.
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I watched the video and I laugh again xD It’s like me as each time i wanna plug this awesome USB cable
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Interestingly enough, it appears that it’s absolutely impossible to place the charger cable into the WHITE PS Vita backwards. I tried intentionally after seeing this and just couldn’t get it to fit in there.
I guess they figured out the possibility of doing this and fixed it when they started releasing the AC3 bundle.
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Agree, tried this on a white Miku vita and it doesnt fit.
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mine does AC3L white bundle.. but it was pretty obvious it didn’t feel right going in.
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Lol actually I haven’t plugged it in wrong yet ’cause I just look for the little logo first, but then again I can’t put it in wrong since I have the white Vita and I’d have to really force it in
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Hmm well there’s a reason why the dock exists, it helps to connect the vita on an easy way, its miserable 10 bucks and it comes with a line out direct, why suffer plugin the vita in the air.
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It doesn’t charge very well through the PS3 either
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I wonder if it would be possible to hard mod a Mini USB port on this thing like how you could mod an original xbox for using thumb drives on it.
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I have a release date vita (USA), and it really only fits one way. There are small guide tabs on the cable that fit with grooves on the vita itself. It probably COULD fit the other way if i forced it, but there is easily enough resistance to know “don’t do that”.. on my unit anyway.
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Come on, guys. It’s not hard. The cord doesn’t go in very easily when it’s upside down. Even in the video. At the end. He had to like, force it in. His hands shook as he was doing it.
Maybe I’m the only one in the word that DOESN’T have issues with this? >_> -
I use a dock so I run into no problems haha
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I never had a problem with this really– I always notice the “PS” logo on the top of the connector, so I don’t think I’ve ever put it in backwards. As far as I remember, anyway.
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i know!!! same with me
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never happens to me
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Holy crap Wololo. I came here for the Vita stuff, stayed here for the articles and Wagic. Thanks my friend.
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I got the 1st edition middle in america, I pulls the usb in and you have to put a little force to make out go in upside down
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Whaaaaat? is it possiable to plug it upside down? haven’t notice that yet
u must be use the CMA very often, so that the socket getting lose.and Thank u for ur effort for homebrew&anything on PSVITA
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I’ve never had that problem. Can’t plug the cable in upside down at all in mine.
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I hav a first edition vita and i do that all the time. Its quite annoying actually
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Clearley the guy in the video is a dumbass, just insert the cable with the ps symbol facing up it really isn’t that hard…hope this guy damages his vita’s charging port and when he breaks it he’ll be regretting doing this to the vita, just sayin
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I agree with you,
the video speaks to itself…
sometimes wololo is a dumbass…
he should know the reason why sony put its logo on only 1 side of the cable.
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Check the logo dude… You’re the only one having that problem I believe or you’re always plugging your PS Vita in the dark
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ive also remembered one time that i have charge my vita when the light was turned off, i didnt realized that the cable was been inserted in the wrong way thus the vita was not charge by morning, lol
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feel for the logo. even a blind man can feel the logo!
“Charlie Brown voice”… GOOD GRIEF!!!
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Strange, I got my Vita on the US launch day (February 22nd), but the back of the USB cable has the corners and middle jutting out slightly to prevent it being plugged in backwards.
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My problem is that it is on the bloody bottom. I play when I lie down, alot. And if I charge as well I run the risk of ruining the cord, as they shouldn’t be bent. I think that is a serious flaw. Put it on top, or make the plug 90°.
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Is there any difference between different version? I wonder… I’m in north America.The Vita came out like few months late over here. Maybe they first lunched it in some countries with that kind of lack design? And fixed when in north America. Because the unit I got at the first released has no problem at all.
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I think this one’s only for older units. I got mine on October last year, it won’t allow me to plug it upside down.
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That’s why Apple introduce Thunder connector
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i would have to agree with wololo on this, it does seem to be able to plug in both ways, most of the connectors i know has only 1 way to be plugged in (hdmi, usb, et). this is a fail from Sony; they should have included a notch somewhere.my unit is from apr 2012
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The problem was only with Japanese first gen units. It was fixed by the NA release.
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Uhm no. I had the same problem a couple of times; I noticed it wasn’t charging and said “WTF” several times until I switched it so the logo was facing up. NA version.
My larger gripe is how EASILY the rubber sheathing splits; I had to get a new USB cord-section due to it splitting, als gripe-worthy: IT’S ON THE BOTTOM, and juts out really far, so I can’t charge it while playing in bed! >.<
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I preferred the USB connection on top of the PSP. I often use the PS Vita while its got the USB plugged in and its a little awkward. Just a small gripe really. Overall, I’m pleased with the design.
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haha, I always just make sure that the “ps” logo is facing up to avoid this problem
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I dont have this issue either, though the connector does look pretty shoddy, i guess i could force it in upside down, but so far ive not had that happen yet.
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Same problem here, this pisses me off so much too, but reading the previous comments it looks like a regional problem. I have a Japanese 3G Vita (like you do, probably) and the cable fits both sides. My friend has a brazillian model and the cable is blocked from fitting the wrong side
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Definitely depends on the regional type of connector…mine is only fitted one way….all in all, i have no problem with the cable ^_^
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Fortunately enough I don’t have this issue.
That does suck.My Vita model is a PCH-1006
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the the number 6 is a coutry code… my vita is an 1004, an dutch model… the 100 is the model type…
At the psp you can see this too, the 100* version was a fat, the 200* was a slim, the 300* was an psp slim&light.(*=your coutry code)
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when i got it out the box very first time having a vita in my hand i thought great the cable goes in both ways.
But soon worked out it only charges or connects to ps3/pc plugged in one way.
Now i look for the little playstation symbol on the connector before i shove it in.
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I want a good hack for the vita frostegater sucks i want dark_alex
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I still don’t uderstand why institutions like Sony use proprietary dock connections (like the Vita’s) only to directly connect it to USB??? Surly that makes no sense, why not just use a industry standard like mini or micro USB? Wouldn’t that make the overall production costs per unit cheap for the consumer as well?
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never had this issue
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My US Vita purchased last March has a keyed USB slot and cable, so I haven’t had an issue plugging it in. It very well may be, as a previous commenter said, region specific.
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you really have to force the plug in the hole to get it in upside down. it fits, but you should notice that it isn’t supposed to go this way.
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On my model it fits perfectly and I don’t feel any resistance whatsoever
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Same here, no friction/resistance whatsoever. It just fits perfectly in both ways. My Vita is a very early (1 week after launch date) EU device (bought in the Netherlands).
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hi i have a little question when i try to run snes emulator on vita black screen and nothing after intro is it because i have rom in smc format or should i have them in zip file??
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Mine can go upside down but with force.normally before using force i understand that I’m plugging it the wrong way.and just to be sure i look at the Sony logo.Actually i didn’t expect it from you.
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As it has been discussed several time, Launch JP models have a design flaw. I don’t have to force at all in order to plug it the wrong way. I also don’t want to have to think about it twice when I plug a cable.
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Are you guys serious about this shit? Mobile phones are doing this for ages, same with the PSP. Yet you complain about something you fail to do. Jeez, what a bunch of dorkheads
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Besides the lack of good titles, this is the 1 thing that’s been bothering me since day 1. I always put the plug in upside down. I wonder how this could have slipped through the quality check. I just hope my port will never break because of this crappy design error.
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I’ve never plugged it in wrong. It takes all of 1-2 seconds to see where the PS logo is on to plug it in correctly.
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i´m agree the worst of course
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Have already had to buy another for $17.99
ENOUGH SAID!
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