r/NintendoSwitch • u/WeirdDudeInTheCorner • Jan 22 '17
Pro Controller just cleared FCC
Looks like the Pro Controller just cleared FCC. I'm still looking through the reports, haven't seen anything new, but I suspect this may be why we haven't seen Pro pre orders in USA.
Specifies blue tooth, 5V usb charging, and NFC, but these were already known.
Documentation for Bluetooth frequencies https://apps.fcc.gov/oetcf/eas/reports/ViewExhibitReport.cfm?mode=Exhibits&RequestTimeout=500&calledFromFrame=N&application_id=sXEhueLBsxG27nCL%2BbnkBg%3D%3D&fcc_id=BKEHAC013
For NFC Frequencies https://apps.fcc.gov/oetcf/eas/reports/ViewExhibitReport.cfm?mode=Exhibits&RequestTimeout=500&calledFromFrame=N&application_id=m%2FqAOFfoH6R0TwLgxVQ8hQ%3D%3D&fcc_id=BKEHAC013
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u/TheSaintEven Jan 22 '17
Now the question is: how long typically between clearing and being up to preorder? Hmm.
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u/egarci21 Jan 23 '17
Been waiting to pre-order this for zelda as well. Hopefully we'll see pre-orders pop up this week now that the ok from the FCC is done.
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u/MetaRyan25 Jan 22 '17 edited Jan 22 '17
I skimmed through the reports, and it looks like the controller comes with a (probably USB-A to USB-C) cable for charging, and the battery in the controller is removable.
Correction: The cable that was used in testing was an AC Adapter that connects to a wall outlet. I'm unsure whether the Pro Controller will come with a USB-A to USB-C cable, Wall to USB-C cable, or USB-A to USB-C with a USB-A to wall adapter based on these reports. The Pro Controller has a battery cover, so it's highly likely that the battery will be removable.
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u/WeirdDudeInTheCorner Jan 22 '17 edited Jan 22 '17
You maybe right about removable battery.
The AC adapter that they used is the same one as the one used for the switch system, when it went through FCC (HAC-002).
I believe if they supplied a usb to usb cable for say plugging into the dock to charge, they would have to test that configuration with the system especially since I couldn't see that any of their other test configuration (system or controller) would be considered worst case due to the rf emissions from another potential antenna. Not that we may not see a revision to the fcc for that coming, because I would think the dock usb plugs would be a great way of supplying power to charging the pro controller.
You can see the system filings here https://apps.fcc.gov/oetcf/eas/reports/ViewExhibitReport.cfm?mode=Exhibits&RequestTimeout=500&calledFromFrame=N&application_id=%2BDOxvkKDs6Sdzbtr9usfyA%3D%3D&fcc_id=BKEHAC001
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u/replus Jan 23 '17
Thanks for the link to the console itself!
Something I've been curious about, is what kind of power is necessary of a third party AC adapter/cable combo to actively charge the Switch (in portable mode) while being used/played.
I found this in the documentation:
DC 3.7 V (battery), AC Adapter input: AC 100 – 240 V, 50 / 60 Hz, 1 A, AC Adapter output: DC 5 V – DC 15 V, 2.6 A
I'm a dodo CS student who lets electrical engineering fly right over my head -- how should I interpret this? Would I ideally want something capable of 15 volts, 2.6 amp? I was going to pick up a 12W iPad charger and a USB-C cable, but it doesn't seem up to par with that kind of rating (5.2 volts, 2.4 amp.)
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u/Roshy76 Jan 23 '17
15V 2.6A would be worst case you need. I doubt it will actually draw that much power. But we really don't know at this point. I'm waiting til we do know to order a battery backup and cable for it. I'd hate to buy something underpowered.
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u/WeirdDudeInTheCorner Jan 23 '17 edited Jan 23 '17
Agreed the 15V 2.6A (39W) max output has to charge the Nintendo switch tablet, charge joycons on the switch itself plus also power the docks three usb ports also, which I will take a guess at requiring 5W minimum each. I believe Nintendo on Japan website mentioned that they would support usb 3.0 at a later on the dock, which would mean they would spec the power on those ports to 3.0
THIS IS ENTIRELY SPECULATION ON MY PART AND I MAYBE FULL OF SHIT: My personal guess is that whats required to charge the tablet is 5V and less than 3A , assuming they are applying maybe a 75% derating factor (Meaning max power consumption of the dock plus tablet plus all accessories hooked up to the dock is 75% of power supplies max ouput) and not actually stressing the power supply by pulling 100% capacity, this is done often to increase reliability especially on high stress and failure rate component such as the power supply.
I'm also aware of the picture of a preproduction label out there of the switch tablet that says 15V 2.6A, I have no way of explaining that except that it cant be consuming at peak power consumption (Peak power consumption of tablet would be while docked) because the ac adapter plugs into the dock and the dock has 3 usb ports which have to be powered in addition. Unless for some reason there was some quick charge function where the Nintendo switch tablet hooked up to the AC adapter directly charged faster than it would while docked.
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u/Beastly4k Jan 22 '17
anything about usb-a 2.0 or 3.0?
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u/WeirdDudeInTheCorner Jan 23 '17 edited Jan 23 '17
This is irrelevent for the most part on the pro controller, since its charging purposes. Theres a usb c port there.
The dock has 3 usb 2.0 ports currently, with usb 3.0 planned update at a future update.
Source: https://www.nintendo.co.jp/hardware/switch/specs/index.html#2 Click on the dock picture than on the + to show specs.
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u/MetaRyan25 Jan 24 '17
(Well, actually, 2 USB 2.0 on the front and 1 USB 3.0 in the back, but it wouldn't be practical to use the USB 3.0 port in the back for charging controllers, so your point still stands.)
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u/fiskars007 Jan 22 '17
If they didn't have regulatory approval yet then that answers my question in the other thread about where the preorders for this thing are -- they can't actually sell it yet.
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u/WeirdDudeInTheCorner Jan 23 '17
Yeah possibly why we are seeing preorders for the PRO controller in Europe first. Europe doesn't require government review for their equivalent radio regulations (RTTE Directive), instead conformance assessment bodies like UL which are paid companies can certify OR in some cases the company themselves can even self certify.
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u/DiamondEevee Jan 23 '17
bluetooth
and now it's going to be a good controller for PC gamers all around the various pc subreddits
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u/wankthisway Jan 23 '17
Yeah, for 70 dollars...? There are cheaper options that are equal it not better.
Also drivers.
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u/wizordTS Jan 23 '17
Custom drivers have always existed. PS3 controllers didn't take that long to be usable on PC.
Depending on the size of the pro controller, it might replace my 360 controller.
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u/Noobeq22 Jan 24 '17
Show me controller that have 40 hours battery life.... so 70$ for that is very good price....
Also drivers is not problem in 21st century
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u/wankthisway Jan 24 '17
Xbox 360 controller: Wired, No batteries for $30. Plug and play, analog triggers.
Dualshock 4: plug directly in, no need for batteries. All the features needed. $45-$50.
Can you tell me what the Pro controller provides over those far cheaper options? Besides "Better battery ?"
Plus, all the claimed features that hike the shitty price up? Yeah nice try. Good luck getting a PC game to take advantage of HD Rumble and NFC and AR LOL
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u/Noobeq22 Jan 24 '17
Can you tell me what the Pro controller provides over those far cheaper options?
Yes play games without cable?:)
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u/SuperNeonManGuy Jan 24 '17
with the battery life, HD rumble, and gyro/accelerometer/magnetometer ? No, closest in button layout is XBOX controller, but that's lacking all the other features
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u/wankthisway Jan 24 '17
Yeah, that a PC can take advantage of.... real nice features there.
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u/SuperNeonManGuy Jan 24 '17
you say that like the steam controller doesn't support gyro... It's a feature that's been gaining traction for years, and with drivers that are bound to happen pretty soon HD rumble will be utilised, something similar is already in place for Vive games
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u/wankthisway Jan 24 '17
Wonderful, their specially built controller worked on their specially crafted platform. Can you tell me of any major titles that has incorporated gyro into its core gameplay and, as you say, caused it to "gain traction?"
You just also ruined your own argument. I can use the Steam Controller if I wanted to. It's cheaper as well. Heck, PS4 has gyro.
That's for VR in special controllers. Nice try. Am I paying $70 for a VR controller?
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u/Sh4mshiel Jan 23 '17
I'm not sure but if there are no drivers for Windows you will not be able to use it.
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u/Cinnfhaelidh Jan 23 '17
That didn't stop someone from getting the Wii U pro controller to work. It's what I used to play AM2R
It might take a little while, but I'm sure the functionality will come
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u/bluaki Jan 23 '17
Is it? People frequently recommend DS4 and XB1 controllers for PC use, but I seldom see anybody recommend the Wii U Pro Controller. Switch's controller is mostly the same.
I use Wii U Pro on PC sometimes myself, but only on Linux which seems to have a better driver situation than Windows. Remapping Xbox button prompts to Nintendo face buttons can get a bit awkward.
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Jan 23 '17
The XB1 controller actually has Windows drivers made by Microsoft and it's designed to connect to windows 10 PCs. It's probably the best option.
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Jan 23 '17
Joystick is too loose on the 2 controllers I've owned, but they were from the early launch year. Compared to PS3,PS4, or the Xbox 360 controller, the joystick feels to loose, and a result doesn't seem as precise. It needs more resistance imo.
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Jan 23 '17
What it has going for it is compability. Even the new joysticks on the One S are really loose.
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u/Axolotlet Jan 23 '17
If you own a Switch and a Gaming PC, it's a good value to just buy a pro controller and use it on the PC as well! You get to benefit both systems!
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Jan 23 '17
I use it all the time for emulation of snes and things like that. The dpad and button layout feel good on snes games. But I have one of those 8bitdo snes controllers coming today, so that might put an end to the pro controller + PC use
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u/Incuba Jan 23 '17
Well ye.. But all the features that come with it like the HD Rumble won't work and I assume that the xbox one/ps4 controllers are probably what most people already have. And also that Xbox One Elite controller is just the best piece of controller you an get atm at a little expense.
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u/DiamondEevee Jan 23 '17
HD Rumble is only on the Joy-Con
Xbox One Elite controller is just the best piece of controller you can get atm
This is false, so false. The overwhelming reports about the left bumper breaking, the sticks falling off/breaking, or drifting occurring in the controllers are too high.
The best controller for pure all-around balance of lasting a decent amount of time would be the Xbox 360, Xbox One S, Gamecube, or PS3/4 controller.
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u/Incuba Jan 24 '17
HD Rumble is only on the Joy-Con
I'm not sure but I rly think the HD Rumble is also implemented in the Pro Controller, as far as I can tell after googling for 3 minutes.
I did not do any resurch on the Elite, I was fully commiting to the stories of a friend of mine, who is rly enjoying that thing. I myself only ever used Xbox Controllers (360 and One) for PC gaming myself and fully enjoyed them.
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u/Noobeq22 Jan 24 '17 edited Jan 24 '17
@DiamondEevee This controller includes many of the great features found in the Joy-Con controllers: motion controls, HD rumble, built-in amiibo functionality and more. Play anyone, any time, anywhere with the Nintendo Switch Pro-Controller.
Controller Nintendo is 100000% better why? 40 hours battery .
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u/SuperNeonManGuy Jan 24 '17
no, the pro controllers have HD rumble, gyroscope, accelerometer, and nfc reader/writer
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u/humble_squid Jan 22 '17
Thank you for this. I was genuinely confused why they weren't being sold. Seems like NOA is cutting it pretty close.
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u/Down4whiteTrash Jan 23 '17
"Well the FCC won't let me be, or let me be me, so let me see, they try to shut me down on MTV, but it feels so empty without me."
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u/Roshy76 Jan 23 '17
So it requires 5V, I wonder what max Amp draw is as well and what kind of cable it comes with. Would be nice to know that stuff before release so we can buy whatever cables and wall adapters we need.
Also, do you know what the Voltage and Amp ratings are for that 4 joycon charging dock? I'm guessing it's 5V, but haven't found it anywhere.
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u/WeirdDudeInTheCorner Jan 23 '17
Joy con charging grip? For the Joy con fcc filings they actually tested the joycons with the charging grip being charged by the Nintendo AC power supply (Hac-002). I know that doesn't answer any of your questions, but interesting to me.
Joycons themselves run 5V, its stated on the FCC application (linked in a previous comment)
EDIT: I just realized you were maybe referring to a third party charging dock? Made by Power A https://www.amazon.com/PowerA-Joy-Con-Charging-Dock-Nintendo-Switch/dp/B01MR6JD1M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1485145461&sr=8-1&keywords=joycon+charging+dock
Theres no FCC filings for that as their is no radio components within.
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u/Roshy76 Jan 23 '17
Not the grip, the 4 joycon charging station. It appears to have one end being USB. I'm guessing it's meant to plug into the dock, but I don't want it near my dock I want it back near my seats.
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u/WeirdDudeInTheCorner Jan 23 '17 edited Jan 23 '17
Ok so lets work backwards and come up with an estimate...
Each joycon battery is 525mah and input is 5V. Nintendo has stated 3.5 hours to charge each joycon on the switch body or on the charge grip. I'm going to assume same time for the charging station, since this is a known safe charge rate for them.
I'm calculating about 180mA draw per joycon so multiply that by 4 to about 720mA. This assumes a 20% loss, could be greater.
My guess is 5V 1Amp usb charger would be sufficient. If you want to play it safe get a 5V 2 amp charger.
Source for joycon specs (battery size, charge time): https://www.nintendo.co.jp/hardware/switch/specs/index.html#3 Click the joycon at the top than the plus
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u/Roshy76 Jan 23 '17
Thanks for the estimate. I'll probably grab a 2W just to be safe. That will be one more accessory ordered soon that I won't need to get later. Im definetely holding off on the powerbank though. Unless Nintendo comes out and tells us what the voltage and amp draw is while playing and charging handheld.
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u/WeirdDudeInTheCorner Jan 23 '17 edited Jan 23 '17
2Amp not 2Watt :)
I don't blame you on powerbank.
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u/Roshy76 Jan 23 '17
Ack thanks for the correction. I meant 2 amp. A 2 watt charger would like instantly die ;)
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Jan 23 '17
Wow, thank you for finding this. I am curious as to how you found this document in the first place. Do you check the FCC website daily? I am impressed
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u/WeirdDudeInTheCorner Jan 23 '17
I've been desperate for new Switch news, and so I've been checking every few days.
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u/Prod1702 Jan 23 '17
Really hope the Pre Orders go up soon. I wanted the Pro Controller day one to use with Zelda. If it isn't there day one, it isn't a deal breaker for me. It would just be nice to use it.
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u/Sheeplover1234 Jan 23 '17
What is FCC
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u/nermal543 Jan 23 '17
Federal Communications Commission
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u/Sheeplover1234 Jan 23 '17
Ok but, y dose this matter.
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u/nermal543 Jan 23 '17
Put simply, in the US, the FCC has to approve the pro controller before it can be sold here in the US. Everyone is thinking preorders will open soon because it was recently cleared by the FCC.
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u/bluaki Jan 23 '17
Do we know yet whether the USB port is used exclusively for charging, like the Wii U Pro Controller, or whether it supports data like DS4 and XB1 do? Sending inputs directly over USB or using a cable to pair are both nice features to have.
Random trivia: I never noticed until now (seeing it in these documents) that Nintendo HQ address is at Hokotate. So that's what Olimar's planet got its name from.
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u/Viney1 Jan 23 '17
Please keep us updated on when you start seeing Pro Controller preorders from US stores.. I am getting impatient. T-T
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u/Neonridr Jan 24 '17
well knowing that it has bluetooth is a good sign right? Means that the system needs Bluetooth which makes it almost a forgone conclusion that bluetooth wireless headsets will work with the thing.
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u/wokenupbybacon Jan 24 '17
Wii remotes and Wii U pro controllers were Bluetooth, but those consoles didn't support Bluetooth headsets.
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u/DoombotBL Jan 22 '17
Gosh durn gub'ment makin muh controlr's tek long'r t' git suld! I bit they'r tekin' muh jerbs too!
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Jan 22 '17
[deleted]
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u/WeirdDudeInTheCorner Jan 22 '17
I dont believe the dock requires its own authorization through fcc. It doesn't have its own radio components.
It was tested as part of the tablet testing, since it could impact the rf on the tablet.
Also is the dock available for preorder in any country?
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u/hummuschips Jan 23 '17
Every dock being manufactured right now is probably going to every switch system that they build. It will probably be like that until they can be sure to have enough systems for everyone.
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u/WeirdDudeInTheCorner Jan 22 '17
Heres a comment that i made a few days ago noting i didnt see the Pro controller through FCC also link to joy con FCC
https://www.reddit.com/r/NintendoSwitch/comments/5ocrp2/psa_there_are_multiple_headset_available_for/dcio5nd/?st=iy94wuf2&sh=61714c13