DIRECTV’s Gemini Air device is a compact little miracle. It’s a streaming device not much larger than a flash drive. Today, that might not seem very miraculous, with Fire Sticks and Chromecasts being about the same size. But it’s a pretty cool thing nonetheless.
It’s also the first DIRECTV device to be powered by USB-C. DIRECTV has had other USB-powered devices before but they’ve always used the much-maligned MicroUSB connector. You know the one, it’s the only connector that you have to somehow turn upside down at least twice before it goes in right.
The Gemini Air comes with its own power supply which gives 5 volts and 1.5 amps max draw. It’s small enough to go anywhere you need it to go. But what if you want to use something else? There are a lot of chargers that offer multiple ports. You may want to use one. Or, you might want to power the device from the USB port on your TV so as to hide as many wires as possible. Here’s what you need to know.
It won’t work with most USB ports…
A typical USB port, whether it’s on your computer, TV, or phone charger, puts out 5 volts with a maximum draw of 1 amp. If you connect your Gemini Air to a typical USB port, you’ll get something on your TV like this:
It would seem that the first thing the Gemini Air tries to do when it starts up is draw more than 1 amp. If it can’t, it gives the image you see above. It won’t work until you connect a different charger.
…but you don’t have to actually use its power supply.
I’ve tested the Gemini Air with a variety of USB-C power supplies capable of putting out 2 amps or more. It powered up just fine with all of them. This includes an old iPad power supply and a charger with multiple ports. Over and over, there was no problem. So the image on the screen is, well, sort of a lie. I can see why they say you have to use DIRECTV’s power supply because it’s less confusing that way. It’s just not true.
The funny thing is that despite my best efforts, I was not able to get the Gemini Air to draw more than .7 amps any time after initial startup. This means that a typical “cube” power supply or a TV’s USB port, both of which generally put out 1 amp, should work just fine. I’m sure there’s some scenario where it really needs all that amperage, but I can’t find it.
How can you know that a port will work?
One easy way is to use this USB power tester. It’s available at Solid Signal. It will display the actual volts and amps going through it. Connect it to a USB port, then connect a device to one of its two USB ports. That’s all it takes.
When using this device, keep in mind that it’s showing actual draw in real time which is going to vary. With nothing plugged into it it’s not going to show any amperage going through it. If a device only needs 1 amp to function, that’s what this will display. If you have a device that you know will draw 1.5 amps or more (like a tablet or laptop) you can connect it to see how much it really does draw. If it draws 1.5 amps or more, the port will work for a Gemini Air.
