(Video) PS Vita’s USB, the worst design ever?
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?
easy…the ps logo goes to the front….it wont fit easely if plugged the other side…..
first edition of the psvita and never had this problem…it’s a big complain about something that only requires to check where is the logo on the cable…
Funny how so many people accept such an obvious flaw as if it was “ok”, from one of the biggest hardware manufacturers in the world. If Sony was a random Chinese company and this was some sort of cheap tablet, I wouldn’t complain.
I think the main reason I’m getting so many “why do you complain” comments is because the problem has been fixed for the US/EU release
Hey wol, i got a jap release just to get it before the australian release date.
Do you find that when you charge and play at the same time, the controls start tripping out and the vita starts doing random shit?
Or is that just mine?
@wololo I got a EU Vita, it’s not a launch model and I had this problem with it.
@derek That doesn’t make the slot and plug any less badly designed, if if fits the wrong way it’s badly designed end of story, the fact that the logo is there to guide you doesn’t make it ok for the plug to be incorrectly plugged in, if I wrecked my PSVita and they blamed me for not noticing the logo I would flip out! It would be like if I bought one of those baby toys with the shapes and the holes and some shaped would fit in the wrong holes, you just don’t DO that!
wololo, I got a european vita and it happens for me as well
didn’t knew this wasn’t on the EU/US release…and you’re right
That’s just plain stupidity. I have the launch day Vita and not once have I ever encountered this problem. It clearly only goes in one way.
The opposite side appears forced and could possibly damage the connectors!
Launch day in what country?
Well, I bought mine on launch in Australia, and mine works the exact same way.
Does anybody know where to find ps vita isos or roms?
You can find some at walmart.com
he lies.
Nah, it’s the truth. They’re packaged in these cartridges and, in most cases, you only get one iso per cartridge.
Has anybody try going into C:\Users\”username”\Documents\PS Vita\APP\3f029c9f3b43f84d and dragging that file for putting it up online. instead using ISO.
Just to say in my older comment that it worked for me.
Ok just to confirm that this only for digital downloads.
I never read the manual so I never knew about the logo thing.
I am a bit delicate in handling my new gadgets so I look at the plug before inserting it every time(like what you do with a USB cables).
I believe it really is a flaw in the design. Memory cards etc. also have visual indicators but I believe they will never get in the wrong way. I will prolly get an OCD if I have to make sure about those things every time too.
http://www.4shared.com/rar/0Fkc_NHp/PCSE00055.html
I have a question .. but you couldn’t create an app (with a leak) with playstation Mobile Development Program. And then through this application hack the ps vita ??
p.s
sorry for my English
No I could not create an app. Here watch this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2V1sAeNrP4
Hey don’t read n1nurt4 in through the Comment Box
has anyone noticed that uno is STILL on us psn?
http://goo.gl/ABT7H
blogpost maybe?
Hey, guess what? My vita has been shipped off again… this time due to either the power port or the internal battery I’m guessing the battery , thing can be charged for 16 hours and have about half charge that lasts 30 minutes… NYKON battery grip won’t charge it fast enough. Second one I’ve had so a 8 month lifespan with no way of opening it up to change it means its going to be 120 per service call after the first year..
btW, i tried 2 diffrent usb cables ( frontwards and back):->
USB power suply off/on
Plugged to pc/ps3/power
NKYON battery grip
Format system.
Oh well, I guess i’ll get another NEW one and get to set it up as well…. just better have 2.02 on it :->
I have two launch day 3G vita’s, and I *tried* plugging in the USB cable upside down. Doesn’t fit. You people are clearly shoving it in with excessive force and breaking it!
Launch day NTSC-U, USA model!
No, we’re not, look into your slot, is it a perfect rectangle with the pins in the middle, if so, refer to your plug and see that it’s a PERFECT rectangle, there’s some grooves on the plug, but not on the slot, there’s NOTHING preventing the plug from being put in it reversed. At least not on my PSVita there isn’t.
i cant even plug in the USB cable backwards… i dont know if sony revised the vita (i have the white one from the ac3 bundle) but there are 3 grooves on the plug where i can only plug it in one way (the correct way)
same here
FUCKING RIGHT!
This shit is annoying as hell, I HATE it with a passion. First time it happened I panicked and thought I might’ve broken the cable slot, because I didn’t notice it was going in wrong until half-way in and then it got slightly stuck, luckily I pulled it out without any damage, but can you imagine if I would’ve broken my Vita’s ONLY WAY TO CHARGE because of this horrible design???? I mean, USB slots can’t be damaged if it’s turned the wrong way, in fact, unless you try to hammer it in it’s not going to damage the slot. The OLD iPod docks ( I have no experience with the new ones), have the slot in such a way that if you try to put it in backwards it’s exactly like the USB, what happens is that the plastic parts on the slot and the plug just bump into each other, no damage possible (unless of course, you try to hammer it in!). This could’ve been easily solved by two plastic prongs that bump into the plug unless it’s turned the right way, there isn’t even really a need for a two way system. I love the Vita’s design, it’s actually really well designed, how the heck did they fail a simple plug so badly?
I got a PS vita at launch in Japan and this happens to me all the time.
I don´t think so, actually it seems the best for me…
lol i do this all the time it sucks when u do it to charge it just to find out the next day its still dead and u cant take it out with u…. -_-
proprietaty usb designs ftw? nope
Got mine from eBay, zero problems so far
Ive never plugged it in upside down before. BUT I do hate how the plug is on the bottom of the unit. I want it up on the top, so I can plug it in and play at the same time. With the plug on the bottom, either the cord is bent in a 180 degree angle, or the cord is running between my legs. To me, that is the worst part of the design.
I hate the fact that when the battery runs out, you cant just plug in and keep playing. rather, you need to first charge the thing for a few minutes…
ive never put it backwards. the logo makes it very difficult to put in wrong imo. never checked on my japanese vita as i just use the same u.s launch cable
Initially I don’t think this can be done but as with all little connectors surrounded by thin flexible metal shields. over time the shield loosens allowing the hack job key grooves to fit where they shouldn’t.
1st moron that says I forced it gets the dunce award because I fix computers for a living & know better. Had this been a standard mini or micro USB connector we’d not be having this conversation. Hell if they had at least key notched a solid corner it’d be better than this kludge.
Hey, don’t track mud in through the kitchen.