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G4 Broken USB Port

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Even though I have taken extreme care of my G4. The USB port has become unusable. So I purchased a charging cradle to power it up.

I tried to program some info into the pager but apparently the charges cradle does not support this.

Am I SOL in terms of programming with a broken port?or is there another way?

Paying $2xx plus shipping for a usb port seems high considering that the stress point is very weak.

Any tips?
 

lwvmobile

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Might try your luck at one of those Cell Phone repair shops, I imagine they have to replace and solder new microUSB ports onto phones all the time. Not sure if your G4 has a soldered on USB port, or if its modular.
 

wmlovell

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I saw where somebody else has a similar problem and tried a different USB cord to find that the cord was the problem instead. I'm thinking you already considered this but still throwing it out there.
 

feta92

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What firmware are you running? It might be the firmware and not the USB, I had a similar issue, thinking USB was damaged when it was the firmware I wa running, which was covered by warranty.
 
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Even though I have taken extreme care of my G4. The USB port has become unusable. So I purchased a charging cradle to power it up.

I tried to program some info into the pager but apparently the charges cradle does not support this.

Am I SOL in terms of programming with a broken port?or is there another way?

Paying $2xx plus shipping for a usb port seems high considering that the stress point is very weak.

Any tips?
I had the same problem with one of my G5's. Mine is still under warranty so the company worked quickly and replaced my USB port for free.
 

wwhitby

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I saw where somebody else has a similar problem and tried a different USB cord to find that the cord was the problem instead. I'm thinking you already considered this but still throwing it out there.

I've run into that exact problem with cellphones and other electronics that use a micro USB cable. A new cable seems to work better
 
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I've run into that exact problem with cellphones and other electronics that use a micro USB cable. A new cable seems to work better
My case was different. I had my whole USB console misplaced over time causing bad wire connections .
 

hummin24

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Mine stopped working with multiple cables...so I sent it in for repair. They sent it back stating it was working fine and that all they had to do was have PPS read it on a computer. Its worth a shot to plug it into your programming computer and see if it will read BEFORE sending it in.
 
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Thanks for the tips guys.

My usb has literally crumbled apart from the inside.

This pager is about 6 years old. So definitely out of warranty.
 
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I think they quoted me like $200. I think that's a little high for like 30 minutes worth of work. Soldering is the "work".

I'm going to see about taking the board to a cell place. Have them do the soldering.
 

NebraskaCoder

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Well, good luck and make sure the cell repair shop is comfortable with a device like this! $200 won't be anything if it gets destroyed.
 

bob550

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This thread is a good sales pitch for the desktop charger. Then, you only need the USB port for programming. A good future option would be over-the-air programming via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, then relegate the cable to your parts drawer.
 
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This thread is a good sales pitch for the desktop charger. Then, you only need the USB port for programming. A good future option would be over-the-air programming via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, then relegate the cable to your parts drawer.


Totally agree with you..

Unication could even sell them as a package deal. Buying a cradle will save you the headaches im dealing with. That leaves the usb port intact for programing only.
 

blackbelter

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Totally agree with you..

Unication could even sell them as a package deal. Buying a cradle will save you the headaches im dealing with. That leaves the usb port intact for programing only.
Thats exactly why I invested on an amp charger and use the pager as a base as well with an amazing and powerful sounds.
 

maus92

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This thread is a good sales pitch for the desktop charger. Then, you only need the USB port for programming. A good future option would be over-the-air programming via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, then relegate the cable to your parts drawer.
The drop in charger was the first accessory I purchased. Mini USB ports are not mission critical level hardware.
 

IAmSixNine

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Plus when you start to get 2 or 3 or 4 of these units having drop in chargers really speeds up the process of charging them. And by speeds up i mean not having to plug them in individually. Just drop in and bam charging.
 
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