USB-C Hub or Nintendo Switch 2 Dock? Relax, It’s Both!
A hacker has successfully turned a USB-C hub into a functional dock for the Nintendo Switch 2, overcoming proprietary protocol barriers.
The official dock for the Nintendo Switch 2 is bulky and ill-suited for travel. [Nozomi] wanted a more portable solution and found that a standard USB-C hub with display capabilities could not simply be plugged into the console.
The hub could charge the device, indicating Power Delivery was functioning, but it would not output video to a TV. A network sniffer revealed that the hub was failing to complete the proprietary protocol required by the Switch 2.
By flashing the hub's firmware, [Nozomi] was able to bypass this protocol and enable TV mode. The setup successfully charges the console and displays video, but the experience is not flawless.
Technical Limitations
The initial hack resulted in washed-out High Dynamic Range (HDR) video. [Nozomi] determined this was due to a mismatched color space and required a patch for a different chip.
Another flash forces the right color tag for HDR TV, but there would have to be another patch for HDR DP.
The patch for the DisplayPort HDR feature does not exist yet. Additionally, the hack does not support Variable Refresh Rate (VRR).
Project Status
While the code for the necessary patches was not found, the successful demonstration of the hack is considered a significant step forward. It offers a potential alternative to the official dock for those who prefer a more compact setup.
