I have never seen Purism market the Librem 13 v3 or v4 (let alone the earlier models) as having a USB C port that can be used to charge the battery. Furthermore if this was true, why were people modifying their laptops to add a USB C PD port? Happy to be proven wrong here.
Apples and oranges. If you think you can move the gas can fill lid on your car arbitrarily to the driver head light, then I guess I can see how you would come to that conclusion.
But replacing a barrel jack with a USB C PD port is not the same thing. The power elements of the board and the converter are all right where the barrel connector is. Putting the new port there is convenient because of this. I promise you, no one thought they should remove the barrel port and then put a USB C PD port on the other side of the computer. Having to run a new trace on the board, or jerry rig the limited space with wires soldered to the board. Let alone the implications of running a power line across elements not designed for it, etc. (or as was suggested in this thread, if they did, probably don’t consider the implications, or know much about PCB design, etc.) This isn’t play dough. These things are made in very specific ways for very specific reasons.
Can you please explain, with an actual example, how the USB C PD port is not usable for you because of its location? Because honestly, to me it seems, that you are in fact, missing the very point you are trying to point out. Your use case, which you have yet to fully explain, seems to be the exception. I wouldn’t even be talking on this thread if you would have explained this at the onset of this thread.
And man I don’t want to argue with you. You mangle your laptop however you please. I think I’m done with this thread.
I mean, I’m holding my Librem 13 in my hands and I’m looking at the USB-C port right now, so…
I promise you, no one thought they should remove the barrel port and then put a USB C PD port on the other side of the computer.
The barrel jack is on the other side of the computer from the USB-C port on the Librem 13.
On the Librem 14, since they’re on the same side, I cannot plug in the laptop easily when the wall outlet is on the other side. I have broken two different barrel jacks lately because they are both on the left side and I had them plugged in to an outlet on the right side, causing them to break.
If you think you can move the gas can fill lid on your car arbitrarily to the driver head light, then I guess I can see how you would come to that conclusion.
In short, you can provide no logical rational basis for needing to tear your laptop apart, based on the reasoning found in this thread.
Simmer down and consider how your needs and uses are not the only consideration in the design of the product.
You created a thread to complain about port placement, and based your argument on your use case. I don’t think I’m off base casually saying to simmer down.
FYI these four quotes are from your last four posts… Every single comment you have made to me in this thread has had some sort of ad hominem attached to it.
Sorry, I respect your opinion and your use case, but I’m not interested in a conversation with someone who reacts this way just because I disagree with them. This is after I asked you politely to stop once already. It is perfectly fine to disagree with someone, but if you’re going to question their intelligence with every post don’t be surprised if they decide to ignore you. Have a nice day.
You can’t read what I write and respond appropriately. A usb c port is not a usb c pd port.
Also your use case seems tragic if and only if you didn’t know that you can buy longer cables, extension cord, or surge protector with a longer cord.
No I don’t get your use case at all. It simply sounds ridiculous. (which I’ve tried subtly to point out and hoped you would come to the final conclusion on your own.)
Doesn’t mean I’m against you having a problem or even starting this thread.
Anyways you clearly know what you’re doing. Have fun ripping open your librem.
Thanks, I’m aware of the difference. I’m a bit confused though, why did you say
why would you have to tear it apart when it comes with USB-PD?
if it does not come with USB-PD? Based on that and the responses of some other users saying it already comes with USB-PD, I assumed it did. Perhaps I misunderstood you.
So even if the USB-C port were moved to the opposite side again, the Librem 14v2 still wouldn’t (yet) support USB-PD, is that correct?
Moving the port isn’t an option because that’s where the port is on the reference design on which the Librem 14 is based. Adding USB-PD to the USB-C port on the reference design added a non-trivial cost, but one we felt was worth it. Moving any ports would incur significant NRE costs for a full redesign, and would be pointless as there’s no functional limitation in its current location.
I always break the wires in the power cable right at the point where it plugs into every laptop that I have ever owned. I have had to solder together broken wires at least half a dozen times (particularly with Lenovo charge cables). It is such a problem that I now wrap the last couple inches of wire in many layers of electrical tape to prevent the wire from bending right at the point where it plugs into the laptap. It looks ugly, but it solved the problem for me of breaking the charging cables.
USB-C cables look far more fragile than normal charge cables and are probably more likely to break, but they are also easier to replace, since they are a standardized part that you can buy anywhere. I wouldn’t even try to resolder the wires in a USB-C cable.
you should always FACT check what the community here says … we are still only people and we can forget or miss-type etc.
never take a “fortunately for you i am MIGHTY” seriously UNLESS it’s coming from Thor himslef
never take a “fortunately for you i am MIGHTY” seriously UNLESS it’s coming from Thor himslef
Haha, I’ve noticed that especially the people who pretend to be thor often have the least qualifications for their claims as well. Point taken.
USB-C cables look far more fragile than normal charge cables and are probably more likely to break, but they are also easier to replace, since they are a standardized part that you can buy anywhere. I wouldn’t even try to resolder the wires in a USB-C cable.
My $200 Lenovo laptop’s USB-C cable has never needed a replacement. I’m on my third barrel jack cable for my $1500 Legion. Granted, the USB-C laptop was designed for “schools” or something so the cable was probably made more rugged than the typical phone charger, but the point is, not all are made alike. If you are rough with your power cables you also have the option of buying a higher quality charger from a different company.
@leetaur when I was talking about the other ports around it, I was also referring to the fact that both the USB-C and barrel jacks will be on the same side. Meaning no matter which cable I choose-- USB-C or barrel jack-- it will come out the left. At my desk, the wall outlet is on the right. Just one example… that’s actually the exact reason why I go through so many barrel jacks for my Legions too, because although the Legion’s barrel jack comes out the back it has to bend at a 90 degree angle to get to the wall. The Librem 14, as is, would have the same problem. The Librem 14 with one power jack on each side, instead of two side-by-side, would not.
I cannot say I know or have reliable answer (for every usage scenario) to your question(s) but perhaps we might have soon some kind of understandable solution (if not offered up to now), on why regular power jack socket is (or perhaps isn’t) important, if we put it in relation to DisplayLink USB Type-C graphics firmware upgrade. Or because I wish/like to learn something from subject matter experts within this thread by putting your question(s) in context (practice) of using Coreboot.
@gurk, I’m sorry not providing to you, Linux and Librem user, at least one relevant answer, but I’m not getting one here either (except that this USB-C™ 3.1 Gen 2 upgrade, not even 100% sure / need to guess myself as well, wasn’t expensive).
I don’t think there are any remaining technical issues with using USB-PD on the Librem 14, although with the Librem 13 and 15 USB-PD was indeed not available.
At this point though the reason seems to be the cost of moving the USB-PD port around or adding a new one.
Might be (indeed) and perhaps I wasn’t asking directly, but two of my points (that I would like to learn something about) were:
someone will not be able to recharge L14 battery if it ends up with 0% and
someone won’t be able to upgrade Coreboot to newer version on L14
by using USB-C PD only (without using 19V barrel jack power charger).
Just my guess (if not question) here why L14 developer Team decided that having barrel jack is nice and necessary feature with L14/Linux combo (as I was not talking about second USB-C PD at all, neither asked for additional opinions on the main subject from @gurk). Until things (two charging ports) are ready to be used I’m sorry if I misinformed anyone by trying to understand why 19V barrel jack is necessary (and not why second USB-C port is missing).
@mladen, I understood it as typo already (on Charging via USB C port? subject from early 2016 when openly thinking over something wasn’t judged as hard, perhaps). In meanwhile, it is just about USB Type-C® port on Librem 14 and unrelated to any nice to have feature discussed on this respectful forum before. My question is just simple one: Is it about that the USB Type-C® on L14 might be used for everything (without barrel jack power charger)? Would it be possible to know more, up front, about how it supports scalable power and performance to future-proof your solution (as another question)?
Thank You for confirming that L13 and L15 use USB 3.0 ports! As said somewhere here I’m not expert and certainly my questions aren’t either.
not a typo per se, because the USB forum is absolutely out of their mind with their (re)naming.
USB 3.0, USB 3.1 Gen 1, and USB 3.2 Gen 1 are all the exact same thing.
you do not need to use the BJ plug on the L14 at all, you can use USB-C PD to charge/power it at the same rate as the BJ plug would (~20v/3.5A).
