bitbox features a USB-C port which provides the following functions:
- Power input (USB-C PD)
- Power output (USB-C PD)
- USB Gigabit Ethernet
Power Input / Output (USB-C Power Delivery)
bitbox utilizes a high quality Texas Instruments USB-C PD controller for power management. It will accept any USB-C (5v) or USB-C PD (up to 20v) power source.
When provided power via the 2-pin Lemo 0B port adjacent to the USB-C port, bitbox can provide up to 7.5W (1.5A @ 5V, PD or non-PD) of charging via the USB-C port. It is limited due to heat dissipation and enough to keep a phone or an iPad mini charged all day while using the bitbox. The bitbox is not intended nor designed to be a fast charger.
USB-C Ethernet
bitbox provides USB-C Ethernet connectivity using an ASIX AX88179A chipset. This chip is connected to the internal ethernet switch on the bitbox board and can communicate with anything connected to the network.
This chipset can operate in two modes, we refer to them as A Mode and X Mode. Boards are shipped by default in A mode and can be changed via submitting a support ticket. A Mode runs the standard AX88179A firmware and X Mode runs a custom Bit Part compatibility firmware.
Later board revisions feature a switch on the PCB to change between modes, please contact us if you have questions about which board revision you have.
A Mode: Driverless compatibility with MacOS, iPad OS, Android, Windows 10/11, Linux and Red Digital Cinema.
X Mode: Driverless compatibility with, Sony FX6, Canon C80, and other embedded devices generally unsupported in A mode. Please contact us if you have a compatibility question, we are working on a more complete list.
X mode is also compatible with MacOS, Windows, and Linux but requires a driver available here.
USB-C Ethernet With iOS / iPadOS
bitbox has plug-and-play support with iOS and iPadOS. All that is required is a USB-C cable.
bitbox will appear in the Settings menu as an Ethernet adapter with the format bitbox XXXXX (where XXXXX is the serial number of the bitbox).
Once connected, you can configure your networking settings in the Ethernet section of the Settings app.
If your bitbox does not appear in iOS or MacOS, please check this article for troubleshooting steps.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use both the USB-C Ethernet port and the Ethernet port at the same time?
Yes. They are connected by a layer 2 network switch on the bitbox board.
I read that the AX99179A is not compatible with the Sony FX6, is this true?
Yes, that is generally true as stated in this support article by Skaarhoj. Our X Mode firmware solves this issue and fixes FX6 compatibility.
Why use this chipset which requires a special firmware?
In short, there’s no better chip for driverless compatibility with almost every other device used in our industry.
If I have an older board revision, can I still use X Mode firmware?
Yes, though updating the firmware currently requires connecting to a Windows computer. In this case, if you often work with devices requiring X Mode firmware, we recommend choosing one or two radios for flashing.
What if I have a Lightning based device?
Yes, it is possible. Please see this article.
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