The process appears to contradict claims two accessory makers made to The Verge that the dock check uses encryption with a dedicated chip, as, in this case, copied identity data and fixed replies were sufficient.
Getting TV mode to work would have already been an accomplishment worth celebrating, but the modder took it further: the picture over HDMI was washed out with HDR turned on, and it was simply a matter of narrowing down the cause. The end theory was a mistake in how the hub’s AVI InfoFrame signaled BT.709, the standard dynamic range color space, instead of HDR’s wider BT.2020.
The theory was confirmed by a 108-byte patch to the RTD2142’s firmware, flashed with flashrom over I2C carried on the DisplayPort AUX channel through the same USB-C cable, which marks the signal as BT.2020 whenever HDR is in use. One third-party dock’s firmware contains a debug string, “switch2 color space patch,” which suggests this is a known issue. HDR through the hub’s own DisplayPort port is still washed out.
Modder finishes nine-year Xbox 360 voltage glitch mod with a $4 microcontroller, cracks the console open
Nintendo Switch 2 sales dropped by 41% from last year due to console's price increase
Separately, the hub’s firmware has no variable refresh rate (VRR) support, but because the patched hub identifies as the official dock, the console now offers VRR. However, turning VRR on froze the DisplayPort picture, and HDMI remained at 60 Hz. In a separate Linux test, with the hub patched to advertise Adaptive-Sync and an EDID override in place, the screen went black as soon as the frame rate varied, so the feature was left off.
The modder’s post shares no code, patch files, or repository, although the method is well-explained. The USB ports and Ethernet weren't tested rigorously, and the post does not say which Switch 2 system version was used. The modder also doesn’t understand many of Nintendo’s commands, so the hub’s version replies are copies of the official dock’s, and unrecognized commands still get the hub’s stock reply.
That’s important because Nintendo’s system update 21.0.0 left some third-party docks charging but with no video output. While vendors provided updated firmware as a fix, the modder’s ad hoc solution has no vendor behind it, so would-be modders could end up on their own.
Download the Tom's Hardware app for up-to-the-minute updates on iOS and Android . Also follow Tom's Hardware on Google News , or add us as a preferred source , to get our latest news, analysis, & reviews in your feeds.
Shane Downing Social Links Navigation Contributing Writer Shane Downing is a Contributing Writer for Tom’s Hardware, covering consumer storage, PC hardware, and AI.
GrapTops I love to see this. Hopefully we can get some improvements on a wider scale with the new information. Just an HDR fix would make me happy. Reply
digideth Code is now public https://github.com/mkopec/switch2-hub-patcher Reply
Key considerations
- Investor positioning can change fast
- Volatility remains possible near catalysts
- Macro rates and liquidity can dominate flows
Reference reading
- https://www.tomshardware.com/video-games/nintendo/SPONSORED_LINK_URL
- https://www.tomshardware.com/video-games/nintendo/hobbyist-turns-usd45-usb-c-hub-into-a-working-nintendo-switch-2-dock-by-patching-its-firmware-consoles-proprietary-handshake-needs-about-540-bytes-of-code-to-answer#main
- https://futureplc.com/privacy-policy/
- From Chips to Skills, NVIDIA and Korea Expand Sovereign AI Collaboration
- The Wizard of Open Weights: Chris Alexiuk Makes AI Easy With Open Models
- ‘Broken and shattered’ Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang surrendered during resignation meeting, report claims
- Vera Delivers the Best of Both Worlds: Highest Throughput and Fastest Agents
- AMD shares how it can retain 95% of server performance with just half the DRAM, sidestepping memory shortages with MEXT
Informational only. No financial advice. Do your own research.