Making an USB power/data Y split cable for PiKVM

If you want to support me / amt921
Thanks for watching! github.com/pikvm
github.com/pikvm/docs
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[@fg3ify]

Thank you for making this video. It will help me a lot. Also don’t say sorry for your English, you are perfectly understandable.

[@amt9216]

You are welcome! :)

[@TecH3PanDa]

@@amt9216 Yeah wanted to comment that aswell.. I mean sure you have a T H I C C accent and sometimes words take a moment to appear in your mind, but you are communicating quite well! No worries and thanks for the tutorial

[@voiceoftreason1760]

Thanks! Good idea to use a tie rip to secure the mechanical stress. btw there is a diagram of the connections that have to be made on the bottom of the github page a bit hidden in some expandable context menu (DIY v2)

[@wiraaditama86]

thanks for the video! I will soon setup my home server with a pi kvm to manage it but i can't find the correct usb and power splitter so i will just do it this way instead!

[@Trstn12]

Thank you for making this! Worked perfectly, my only question is how to deal with voltage being fed into USB 3.0 of the host PC? With this cable when we unplug our PC (that runs off of 12v normally) it continues to stay powered on via the USB port. We can continue everything normally including the PiKVM until we unplug this USB adapter. Would adding a diode in line with the cable help with this? (Or eliminating the +5 rail to the host PC altogether)

[@amt9216]

You are welcome! About USB, if device want to increase power from source from 5V to 9-12-20V, it need to support power delivery standard. In RPi 4 PD is broken. Host for unknown device produced just 5V no more. We are recommend to break 5V line from RPi to HOST for situation "power up usb from RPI" or "not enough power form HOST" or "no power from HOST while power-off".

[@Trstn12]

@@amt9216 thank you! We will give it a try :)

[@askbox]

Спасибо!

[@shifthackz]

Приветствую, спасибо за подробное видео, все четко и по делу! Но у меня возник вопрос, будет ли работать такая же схема если "вклиниться" в USB-A >> USB-C кабель, вместо USB-A >> microUSB кабеля как у Вас на видео, чтоб не использовать переходник micro-USB female >> USB-C male при подключении к Raspberry Pi 4 ?

[@amt9216]

Привет! У меня на тот момент просто был micro кабель. Разумеется лучше использовать type-c кабель. Если со стороны источника питания и хост компьютера USB A (что предпочтительно) то всё в порядке. То есть с одного конца в малину type-c, два других тип А. Если хочется type-c со всех трёх сторон, то со стороны хоста или источника питания чтобы соответствовать стандарту PD потребуется устанавливать резисторы которые активируют порт. Так что лучше как в инструкции :)

[@sausagewizard3305]

How did you mount the HDMI card on that case? I was looking at the same one, but it doesn't have holes to place risers into. Did you drill through it yourself?

[@amt9216]

A little bit drilled, and tap M3 threads.

[@linuxcompdaylogs8419]

Привет. Проект pi-kvm - супер. А такой кабель у китайцев нельзя найти, только вручную делать? Я долгое время думал как мне обойти проблему отключения питания на карте видео захвата. И тут наткнулся на эту схемку и меня осенило как же это было просто! А сначала думалось, что придётся что-то напаивать на саму плату захвата. И ещё интересно, какой используешь паяльник и какие кусачки?

[@amt9216]

Привет. Не знаю, есть какието сплиттеры на печатных платах. В чате народ что-то скидывал. Паяльник TS-100, кусачки какието с али за 100рублей (говно а не кусачки).

[@linuxcompdaylogs8419]

@@amt9216 Спасибо.

[@TukiShineKafu]

Hey, Thanks for the Video, but i didn't unterstand how do u make the Cable Connection can u post or share here as a Picture from Diagram ?

[@amt9216]

The video explains it directly, and from where you followed the link to this video contains full instructions and diagrams.

[@succubiuseisspin3707]

Hi, I’ve got a power supply for my RPi4 with USB-C cable that is fixed to it. Would it be possible to use a separate USB-A male-to-male cable for mouse/keyboard/iso-mount and connect the server to a differend USB-A port of the RPi? Mabee if I cut the red power-line of that USB cable? cheers

[@amt9216]

USB OTG must be connected to USB Type C on Raspberry Pi 4.

[@succubiuseisspin3707]

@@amt9216 Ah, ok! Thanks for your reply! So no way around the custom splitter-cable. Most of them on amazon are designed to power a HDD from two USB ports so usually the power line is connected at all three ends. I think the easiest way would be to get such a cable, cut it open and severe the power line at the end that will be plugged into server?

[@amt9216]

@@succubiuseisspin3707 www.tindie.com/products/8086net/usb-cpwr-splitter/

[@succubiuseisspin3707]

@@amt9216 Thanks man! Found out that Tindie ships for a very reasonable price to Germany. After two weeks I got it in the mail! I also ordered a 15cm USB-C to USB-C to connect it to the RPi4 and a 1,5m USB-C to USB-A cable to connect it to the server - works like a charm! Thanks again!

[@piterbrown1503]

For understanding if i use two usb type c cable would not work right?

[@amt9216]

USB Type-C power delivery standard requires CC pins circuitry, on the recipient side you need for example add 5.1kOhm resistor from each CC pin to ground for enabling power (5V 3A in this case) from source to recipient. I don't sure for 100%, but it seems - host side where you suppose to connect OTG device also did't start USB communication without power transfer. Better to use something like this "USB-C/PWR Splitter" from "tindie", or you need to add resistors to both - "to host" and "to power" cables in place where are you making soldering.

[@nestortangkeko8068]

Instead of the Y cable, can i use an usb-to-usb cable w/ VCC wire cut-off , then plug it on the usb port of the pi4 & the server? This way i dont have to do anything to the power supply cable of pi4.

[@amt9216]

But you need to apply external power to GPIO pins.

[@nestortangkeko8068]

@@amt9216 , i don’t have my pi4 device yet, but from what i know from researching, doesn’t power to GPIO comes from the usb-c power adapter? Please correct me, if my understanding is incorrect. TIA.

[@amt9216]

@@nestortangkeko8068 And how you want to do not use y- cable for OTG and use power adapter in same moment?

[@kmarakov]

Во первых, спасибо за видео. Во вторых, имея несколько usb-c разъемов, я спаял разветвитель. В одну сторону идет питание, в другую только data+ и data-. И компьютер говорит что устройство usb не опознано. В чем может быть проблема? В продаже есть готовые платы, на них стоят резисторы на каких-то линиях. Я не понимаю зачем.

[@amt9216]

Спасибо! USB type C должен следовать стандарту PD - power delivery. Если TypeC коннектор идёт в ПК, то бывает надо сообщить компьютеру о том что есть потребитель питания, для этого ставят резисторы 5.1кОм на линии CC1 CC2. Еще может быть цвета не те в проводах. Если еще не разобрались, лучше посетить наш дискорд и с фотографиями продолжить обсуждение.