Re-charging batteries with the micro-USB cable?

[xbenjii]

So I noticed that it said batteries aren't mandatory and you can use a micro-USB cables to power the controller directly. If I had re-chargeable batteries, would I be able to re-charge them using the cable? Or is it for direct power only?

[Vepar]

It's direct power only, because if someone put normal disposable batteries in the controller, then connected the controller via USB and the controller would proceed to charge the disposable batteries, those batteries could potetntially damage the controller or worse. It's not safe to charge disposable batteries, and since having disposables in the controller is also an option (you don't need to use rechargables, although long term that's the better option), i think the controller doesn't have charging capabilities as a safety measure.

[Greeve]

i love the controller, but i wont buy it, until they change that! no batteries for me... thanks for the answer

[Vepar]

Originally posted by Greeve:

i love the controller, but i wont buy it, until they change that! no batteries for me... thanks for the answer

Well, they might not in a long time. :/

Internal batteries are way more expensive, and the controller's price wouldn't be able to compete with other controllers, and you can't just easily charge rechargeable AA's with the controller.

It might have the ability to recharge them, but unless they figure our how the controller would distinguish from disposable and rechargeable AA's, then they won't do that.

[Martiniser]

I have a mouse that can be used wirelessly or wired. It uses 2 AA batteries, and similar to the Steam controller, wired mode would not charge it (For pretty much the same reason Vepar said). I uses rechargable batteries and it used to bother me a bit, as the charger I used back then needs a wall socket.

But then I found a small battery charger that powers from USB port, and that solved most of the problems I have about using rechargable batteries in general. It may not be the fastest battery charger, but it is not slow (about 4 hr 30 min for 2x 2000 mAh battery). It can charge 2x AA or AAA batteries at the same time.

As far as computer gaming is concerned, I usually bring that charger and a pair of spare batteries in them. I also bring them along with me to work as well, as every so often you would come across a wireless microphone or presenter with dead batteries.

Increasingly, I found that a lot of electronics could be charged from USB - mobile phones, tablets (even some of those smaller windows tablet!), some small cameras etc... Having that battery charger means that one good USB wall charger is enough to power most of the stuff I use daily (Especially when I travel)

Try to see if this could be of help to you. For me, at least, I no longer have any complaints about computer accessories using AA or AAA. In fact, I have not bought or used any disposible AA or AAA batteries for more than a year now.

[Chapstick]

Originally posted by xbenjii:

So I noticed that it said batteries aren't mandatory and you can use a micro-USB cables to power the controller directly. If I had re-chargeable batteries, would I be able to re-charge them using the cable? Or is it for direct power only?

We don't know yet, but they haven't explicitly confirmed that it can charge them, to my knowledge, so I see it unlikely that they will.

Originally posted by Vepar:

Originally posted by Greeve:

i love the controller, but i wont buy it, until they change that! no batteries for me... thanks for the answer

... and you can't just easily charge rechargeable AA's with the controller.

It might have the ability to recharge them, but unless they figure our how the controller would distinguish from disposable and rechargeable AA's, then they won't do that.

Easy, a Steam pop-up asks whether you want to charge the batteries. My dictaphone is able to charge its batteries when plugged in via USB, but only once you confirm that it's okay to do so. Make default not to charge and you're golden.

[Vepar]

Originally posted by Chapstick:

Easy, a Steam pop-up asks whether you want to charge the batteries. My dictaphone is able to charge its batteries when plugged in via USB, but only once you confirm that it's okay to do so. Make default not to charge and you're golden.

Yeah, but how often do you use your dictaphone? For most gamers, they'll use their controller way more than you your dictaphone, and that pop up could be potentially very very annoying.

Now if there was a software or hardware switch (like my old portable CD player had), Charge - Do not charge, maybe it could work, but still, someone might forget, do the wrong thing and of course Valve would be responsible and getting sued when someone's controller blows up in their hads. It's just not worth it.

[Chapstick]

Originally posted by Vepar:

Originally posted by Chapstick:

Easy, a Steam pop-up asks whether you want to charge the batteries. My dictaphone is able to charge its batteries when plugged in via USB, but only once you confirm that it's okay to do so. Make default not to charge and you're golden.

Yeah, but how often do you use your dictaphone? For most gamers, they'll use their controller way more than you your dictaphone, and that pop up could be potentially very very annoying.

Now if there was a software or hardware switch (like my old portable CD player had), Charge - Do not charge, maybe it could work, but still, someone might forget, do the wrong thing and of course Valve would be responsible and getting sued when someone's controller blows up in their hads. It's just not worth it.

I use it to record/listen to lectures and classes, so nigh every day during term time, but that's besides the point.

Pop-up -> Press Steam button -> Select "Okay" -> Press Steam button
Optionally, check "Always perform this action (can be changed in Controller Settings at any time)", and if set to auto-charge have it pop-up with "Controller will begin charging in X seconds. Press Steam button to cancel" with an additional dialogue box. If the suing culture is so strong, then people will have to deal with telling it to charge, or let it default to not.

So it's super easy to implement, from a UI standpoint, and possible from a hardware standpoint, it's just a question of whether Valve has implemented it or not (I would guess not).

[Pila]

Yep, but for a product that can be used by uninformed peoples / childrens, that would be a very dangerous option.
Like your child taking your controller, the pop up shows, and he just choose YES, after all, why not charging the battery ? And the thing blows !
In that case, I would just have never bought this, safety first !

[Vepar]

Originally posted by bli Pila:

Yep, but for a product that can be used by uninformed peoples / childrens, that would be a very dangerous option.
Like your child taking your controller, the pop up shows, and he just choose YES, after all, why not charging the battery ? And the thing blows !
In that case, I would just have never bought this, safety first !

Yes, exactly this, and why would Valve put themselves in such a position?

In general, large companies don't do "maybe" stuff. If there's a chance something will go wrong, then they won't do it.

I know it's possible to do, but you know how people are, it won't be their fault, it'll be Valve's because they "put a dangerous feature" in their controller.

This will all be very ironic if the controller will end up having charging capabilities. :P

[ngw39]

Originally posted by Vepar:

It's direct power only, because if someone put normal disposable batteries in the controller, then connected the controller via USB and the controller would proceed to charge the disposable batteries, those batteries could potetntially damage the controller or worse. It's not safe to charge disposable batteries, and since having disposables in the controller is also an option (you don't need to use rechargables, although long term that's the better option), i think the controller doesn't have charging capabilities as a safety measure.

But I got an Xbox One...I found the Xbox One controller support both AA and Li-ion batteries. And the Xbox One controller can charge from micro-USB cable Li-ion batteries, and I plug the cable with AA batteries it just power only. Why Microsoft can do this, Valve can't?

[Vepar]

Originally posted by More:

But I got an Xbox One...I found the Xbox One controller support both AA and Li-ion batteries. And the Xbox One controller can charge from micro-USB cable Li-ion batteries, and I plug the cable with AA batteries it just power only. Why Microsoft can do this, Valve can't?

Bear in mind that the Steam controller has a very advanced trackpads in it with haptic feedback and a lot of other features as opposed to 2 analogs and buttons like the Xbox1 controleller has.

So that costs money, while the standard X1 design doesn't cost as much money. All X1 has is rumble. Steam controlelr has some very new tech in it.

Adding charging capabilities, internal Li-Ion batteries, or replaceable Li-ion batteries would ramp up the controller's price considerably... It's not that they can't do it, it's just that it's probably not a cheap option, an it would pump the controller's price too much.

[ngw39]

Originally posted by Vepar:

Originally posted by More:

But I got an Xbox One...I found the Xbox One controller support both AA and Li-ion batteries. And the Xbox One controller can charge from micro-USB cable Li-ion batteries, and I plug the cable with AA batteries it just power only. Why Microsoft can do this, Valve can't?

Bear in mind that the Steam controller has a very advanced trackpads in it with haptic feedback and a lot of other features as opposed to 2 analogs and buttons like the Xbox1 controleller has.

So that costs money, while the standard X1 design doesn't cost as much money. All X1 has is rumble. Steam controlelr has some very new tech in it.

Adding charging capabilities, internal Li-Ion batteries, or replaceable Li-ion batteries would ramp up the controller's price considerably... It's not that they can't do it, it's just that it's probably not a cheap option, an it would pump the controller's price too much.

I know Li-ion batteries are more expensive. My point is the Xbox One controller support both AA batteries and replaceable Li-ion batteries, and its replaceable Li-ion batteries can be charged directly from the micro-USB port on the controller. I don't know why Valve can't to this.

[Vepar]

Originally posted by More:

I know Li-ion batteries are more expensive. My point is the Xbox One controller support both AA batteries and replaceable Li-ion batteries, and its replaceable Li-ion batteries can be charged directly from the micro-USB port on the controller. I don't know why Valve can't to this.

Yes, and in order for the X1 to support this, the technology to do that needs to be incorporated into the controller.

Technology costs money, and Valve's controller has more tech in it than Xbox's controller ever will, so in order to stay competitive with the price, they probably decided to go for the cheaper option, and the only option that's not an inconvenience on anyone is AA batteries.

[Mina Miko]

To be honest, seeing the average IQ of a lot of people that comes to this forum, i wouldnt even touch the idea with a 10-foot pole xD

[Vepar]

Originally posted by Salem:

To be honest, seeing the average IQ of a lot of people that comes to this forum, i wouldnt even touch the idea with a 10-foot pole xD

Lol!

+1

True though. I mean do you really want to put such an option in the hands of people who are asking if the controller works on a PC?

I wouldn't...

They'd probably start recharging the batteries the controller comes with and blaming Valve that they didn't make it clear or whatever (despite, pretty much anything regarding the controller is very clear).