XBOX ONE Kinect PC mod...wouldn't this send 12v back into my USB port?

[Ichinisan]

I plan to mod the XBOX One Kinect sensor I just acquired to use with my PC as a 3D scanner. It has a proprietary connector that carries USB 3.0 and 12v power. Microsoft very recently discontinued the PC connection kit, so I'll have to modify this thing. Looks like lots of people have done it. When you disassemble the Kinect, the end of the cable inside the sensor is just a USB 3.0 type-B connector (with a big rubber grommet that keeps it captive). All guides online tell me to solder 2 leads for 12v power directly to the USB 3.0 type-B jack (the through-hole connections under the circuit board).

My concern is this: Would that feed 12v back through the standard USB 3.0 A-B cable to the USB jack on my computer? It seems like a bad idea.

 

[Mr Evil]

Assuming you're looking at the same diagram that I just found, it looks like the Kinect only uses the standard four pins for USB connectivity (data+, data-, 5V, 0V), with 12V on another pin. So, as long as you only use a normal USB2 cable which only has four pins, then there is no way for the 12V to be fed back into the computer.

 

[Ichinisan]

Assuming you're looking at the same diagram that I just found, it looks like the Kinect only uses the standard four pins for USB connectivity (data+, data-, 5V, 0V), with 12V on another pin. So, as long as you only use a normal USB2 cable which only has four pins, then there is no way for the 12V to be fed back into the computer.

Well that's the old XBOX 360 Kinect. I think the new one actually requires USB 3.0 connectivity and is very sensitive to the PC's performance.