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greatscottgadgets
HackRF One: Replace micro-USB with USB type C
What feature would you like to see and why?
Can someone update the HackRF One to use a USB-c connector instead of a microUSB? The pinout and everything else can stay the same (no interface updates, etc), I just need it to have the USB-c connector.
Thanks for your consideration.
What feature would you like to see and why?
Can someone update the HackRF One to use a USB-c connector instead of a microUSB? The pinout and everything else can stay the same (no interface updates, etc), I just need it to have the USB-c connector.
Thanks for your consideration.
It's a very good idea, I thought the same thing, technically it's possible for charging, but wouldn't there be a problem for data transmission?
What feature would you like to see and why?
Can someone update the HackRF One to use a USB-c connector instead of a microUSB? The pinout and everything else can stay the same (no interface updates, etc), I just need it to have the USB-c connector.
Thanks for your consideration.
It's a very good idea, I thought the same thing, technically it's possible for charging, but wouldn't there be a problem for data transmission?
@M0rn1ng574r No, there shouldn't be a problem, USB-c is backwards compatible with the USB 2.0 interface.
You would just need to remove the micro USB connector, replace it with a USB-c one, and then reroute the 4 standard USB pins: VBUS, GND, D+ and D-. The other pins can just be set to low (I think, not 100% sure, but they can be unused).
It's a very good idea, I thought the same thing, technically it's possible for charging, but wouldn't there be a problem for data transmission?
Changing connector to USB-C would be a very simple and very appreciated improvement. Let's face it, USB-C gained wide acceptance everywhere and in 2024 it is really time to move forward. Anyone who says that adapter can be used clearly misses the point.
Note that with some more improvements this may allow for higher power supply voltage and higher output power. Ofc, probably this would not be a small change. In any case, more current can be drawn.
Data transfer speed increase is an option but it is not required since USB-C is backwards compatible. Probably this would be a major change anyway which would require MPU upgrade.
USB-C is not a simple change to the board. As you've mentioned, there is a difference in power supply. That change alone would require a lot more engineering work than substituting one type of USB connector for another. If you want to understand the depth of changes required I recommend doing a deep dive into the different USB spec documents: https://usb.org/documents
@straithe I explained this in my original comment above.. the goal of this feature request was really just to replace the connector itself. You can use the USB-c connector with the legacy USB 2.0 interface. Moving to the USB 3.0+ interface would, as you pointed out, require engineering work, but simply switching the connector type would just be a part replacement. All you would have to do is add a second set of V, G, D+, D- pin routes.
@straithe The change required to use full USB-C power delivery (PD) potential in sink mode, that is, ability to negotiate higher voltage and/or higher current is not a small change, likely additional chip like TPS25730 or TPS25751 would be required to avoid dealing with CC lines directly and all the non-trivial UCPD logic/communication.
However, the above is just an option and I am not saying it is a desired option. The desired modification is just a simple USB socket type change which is much easier to implement, would require just two 5.1k CC1/CC2 pull-down resistors with parallel 330pF capacitors for compliance and overshoot protection circuit (5.1V TVS diode and RC snubber). To be super safe, half of the LS24062RQ23 chip could be used for additional over voltage/over current protection. I think that is all what would be needed.
https://github.com/ICantMakeThings/hackrf/blob/master/hardware/hackrf-one/hackrf-one.kicad_pcb here, i also made a issue with USB-c @raleighlittles
We know that it would be possible to change the connector to USB-C, but there are some practical issues with doing so from a production and business point of view.
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We ship HackRF One with an injection molded enclosure, which has an opening sized for the smaller USB Micro-B connector. If we changed the board to use USB-C, we'd need to remake the mold tooling, which is expensive. We’d need to manufacture new enclosures, and discard all our existing stock of enclosures.
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There are many enclosures offered by other manufacturers, including all those designed for the various Portapack add-ons. Changing the connector type would break compatibility with those enclosures.
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Currently all revisions of HackRF One are equivalent and have the same SKU. This keeps things simple for stock keeping, returns, users integrating the device into other systems, etc. A connector swap would mean that newer and older units would no longer be interchangeable, which would add a lot of unnecessary complication to operations for GSG, our resellers, and end users.
It's hard to justify the upheaval of this change, when the USB-C connector doesn't offer any functional advantage for a USB 2.0 device. It's not going to get you faster speeds, or different power capabilities, or any other benefits except reversibility. We know some folks prefer all their things to be USB-C so that they can use their USB-C cables everywhere, but we also have a lot of users with a lot of Micro-B cables. We can't please everyone.
As such, we’re not planning to make this change. If you really want a HackRF with a USB-C connector, you're welcome to design and build your own. All our hardware is open source, so that everyone is free to make changes and remix our designs in ways that suit them better.
What feature would you like to see and why?
Can someone update the HackRF One to use a USB-c connector instead of a microUSB? The pinout and everything else can stay the same (no interface updates, etc), I just need it to have the USB-c connector. Thanks for your consideration.
It's a very good idea, I thought the same thing, technically it's possible for charging, but wouldn't there be a problem for data transmission?
I have tried this with a few usb-c breakout's it works for a moment but will get "SV#4" crash or total disconnection for no reason. I think its the way the USB clock is being generated IDK.
