My launch data Vita is six years old. Most gadgets of a similar age would have long since been lost in the draws of time or the attic or fate. However, the Vita soldiers on, perfect screen, not a scratch or dead pixel. There are a couple of tiny dings around the edging but otherwise pristine, and the battery (somehow) still offers a good two-to-three hours of life.
However, the charging port or lead are proving a touch wonky with strange lives and rules of their own. And I'm not alone, on forums one of the most common queries seems to be charging issues.
So, here are some tips to breathe life into a Vita that's running out of juice. Vita 2000 users can use any USB lead, but for Vita OLED owners, things are a little trickier. Here's what to do when the red charging light doesn't come on.
- When using your charger, if the red charging light doesn't come on, unplug the USB lead from the charger block end and plug it back in. That starts mine charging every time.
- It also can't hurt to replug in the mains power lead or try a different one if issues persist.
- When using a PC to charge the Vita, try different USB ports, one of mine charges the Vita, even if the PC is turned off. The other two show no sign of helping out at all. You will need to tick the "Enable USB Power Supply" box in Settings to do this.
- If there's no joy with that, get a wooden toothpick and gently clean around the contacts on the Vita's power connector to remove any collected dust.
- Replace your power lead, especially if the cord is fraying. Cheap ones are easy to find online and I found that my replacement had a firmer fit.
- If your Vita power brick is dead, you can use an iPhone or Android charging plug, no need to but a replacement.
- Naturally, any Lithium Ion battery will eventually start to fail. These can be replaced with a little screwdriver wizardry. There are plenty of videos on YouTube.
- The worst case scenario is if the Vita port breaks, either a pin or connector fails. That can be replaced with a replacement part, but soldering skills are required. Or you can buy the part and most mobile repair places will do it.
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