Over the past two weeks, I’ve sought to uncover why the Nintendo Change 2 didn’t work with a number of USB-C equipment that labored completely high-quality with different units, including third-party docks and some of the best-reviewed webcams. However in the present day, I’ve first-hand affirmation that present devices can work — so long as their producers situation the fitting firmware updates, and so long as Nintendo doesn’t break compatibility from right here on out.
You shouldn’t essentially want to purchase a brand-new gadget to plug a TV or video glasses into your Nintendo Change 2. Three producers have already confirmed that firmware updates are sufficient for now, and hopefully extra will observe!
The prevailing devices I simply efficiently examined are: the AverMedia Elite Go GC313 Professional and AverMedia Core Go GC313 compact charger docks, the Elgato Facecam MK.2 webcam, and the Viture Professional Cellular Dock for the corporate’s AR glasses.
None of them labored with the Nintendo Change 2 at launch, however every now has firmware updates accessible, and I used to be capable of get all of them working in my own residence — and perhaps, set a number of extra issues straight about Change 2 compatibility.
The gadget: Elgato Facecam MK2
The story: Elgato was one of many very first firms to vow it could replace some non-working webcams to work with the Change 2, and provided its own theories to The Verge on why they didn’t work on day one. The corporate received’t formally launch its firmware updates for the Facecam MK2 and Facecam Neo until the top of July, however it despatched us an early copy so I may present you video proof!
Right here, observe together with me as I set up and check it for the very first time:
(Sorry, I’m not allowed to share the early firmware replace recordsdata.)
What we realized: Elgato initially claimed the first purpose its cameras didn’t work was that the Nintendo Change 2 requires cameras to promote a low-resolution 480p video mode, even when that’s not the mode the Change 2 winds up utilizing. Positive sufficient: the USBView tool exhibits me that the Facecam MK2 now makes 480p the default video streaming mode {that a} USB host machine (just like the Change 2) will see earlier than anything.
Additionally: Keep in mind when Ugreen advised us that cameras wouldn’t work with Change 2 in the event that they used the HID (human interface machine) protocol? Weirdly, it appears Elgato truly added some HID references in its football firmware. Here’s the diff if you wish to peek.
Photograph by Sean Hollister / The Verge
The devices: AverMedia Elite Go GC313 Pro and AverMedia Core Go GC313
The story: I’d by no means even heard of those 100W GaN compact charging docks, the $130 GC313 Professional and the $90 GC313 — however it now seems they’re the primary and solely moveable docks for the Change 2! (The Professional additionally doubles as a 1080p60 USB seize card, for those who’re questioning in regards to the worth delta.) The corporate has a whole page dedicated to Switch 2 compatibility firmware updates, largely for its video seize units, but additionally these moveable docks, in addition to a more traditional standing dock for those who don’t thoughts plugging your Change in upside-down.
What we realized: The firmware replace was fast to put in and the HDMI connection completely works — most likely as a result of AverMedia’s dock is now utilizing the very same proprietary instructions that we see Nintendo’s official dock utilizing. (Once again, I pulled out a USB-C PD analyzer to verify. Earlier than the replace, AverMedia’s dock didn’t converse Nintendo’s language and was rapidly rejected; after the replace, it did.)
AverMedia’s dock didn’t work fairly as reliably because the official dock in my early checks. It doesn’t all the time join the primary time I plug it in, and there’s additionally a brief delay. Additionally observe: the GC313 solely appears to assist vanilla 4K60 output with no HDR or VRR.
As you’ll learn beneath, video glasses maker Viture has a firmware replace that makes its devices appropriate with Change 2 — however takes away compatibility with the unique Nintendo Change. However I examined the AverMedia dock working with each generations of Change, and Viture says it’ll do the identical in future.
Picture: Viture
The gadget: Viture Pro Mobile Dock
The story: This $130 dock is a battery pack that may energy your handheld or cellphone, whereas routing its video to Viture’s USB-C video glasses or a USB-C monitor. (The HDMI port is for enter, not output to a TV.) With a firmware update, it positive factors assist for Change 2, however breaks assist for the unique Change except you downgrade afterwards. A future replace will assist each, although, Viture spokesperson Emily Wang tells The Verge.
What we realized: Viture shipped me its dock pre-updated, so I didn’t check before-and-after. However with the replace, it completely works — after a little bit of a delay, which appears to stem from some miscommunication between Viture’s devices and the Change 2, if I’m studying the USB-C PD site visitors proper. However after that miscommunication, I can see the Viture dock sends the very same proprietary instructions as Nintendo’s official dock.
One of many issues we’d heard early on is that Change 2 docking stations want to supply 20 volts of energy for the Change 2 to kick into TV mode — despite the fact that the hand-held solely truly makes use of 15 volts. However the Viture dock solely advertises a most of 15 volts at 1.34 amps (20 watts in complete), and but Viture acquired video output working anyhow.
We all know these third-party docks are working with the Change 2 as of in the present day, and we anticipate extra are on the best way.
(One I didn’t get to check is this Hagabis, which inserts your entire HDMI adapter right into a cable as an alternative of a dock — beware that the firmware update solely official works with the 8K model which is black, not white or purple and blue and retains going out of inventory.)
However we don’t know if Nintendo will transfer to dam these equipment with firmware updates of its personal. At the moment, it seems that every of those docks can idiot the Change 2 into considering they’re the official dock by emulating its instructions, however a number of producers admit that would result in a sport of cat-and-mouse the place they must situation new firmware updates to maintain up with Nintendo.
“Much like what Antank shared with you, it’s true that we may have to supply firmware updates if Nintendo adjustments its protocol specs,” Viture tells The Verge.