Astro A50 Base Station Not Turning On? (Easy Troubleshooting)
ASTRO A50 base station not turning on, and you’re wondering why? Well, continue reading!
The ASTRO A50 base station is an excellent way to keep your headset charged by positioning the headphones on the station for charging.
Well, none of this works if your station is not turning on, so in this guide we’ll review all the possibilities why this happens and help you fix the issue.
When the ASTRO A50 base station is not turning on, verify that it’s connected to a PC or console and that the machine is not sleeping.
Additionally, switch to a different USB port, change the station’s mode, or replace the USB cable.
Let’s learn more about why your ASTRO A50 base station is not working…
Why Won’t My ASTRO A50 Base Station Turn On?
There are quite a few different possibilities as to why your base station is not powering on, even when plugged in correctly.
So, before troubleshooting it’s best to review all the possible causes:
That’s it. Let’s get into troubleshooting, shall we?
How to Fix When ASTRO A50 Base Station Not Turning On?
Tip: We strongly recommend attempting the solutions chronologically!
1. Don’t Plug the Base to Outlet
The ASTRO A50 base station is designed to be connected to a PC/laptop or a console such as Xbox or PlayStation 4/5.
So, if you’ve connected your ASTRO A50 base station to a USB power adapter, and then into the 220V power outlet, the device won’t turn on, nor charge your A50’s.
The ASTRO A50 base station connects to a computer or console via a two-sided USB cable and should work in both 2.0 and 3.0 USB ports.
You can easily recognize whether your ASTRO A50 base station is working by looking at the LEDs on the front and whether they are lit up.
If, however, your ASTRO A50 is connected to a PC or console, but the lights won’t turn on, continue reading…
2. Wake Up your PC or Console
If your ASTRO A50 base station is not turning on, one of the primary reasons why could be because your PC or console is in sleep mode.
According to the system settings, to preserve power, some devices may disable their USB ports while in sleep mode, hence even if your ASTRO A50 station is connected, it might not power on.
- So, if you’re using a computer, wake up the PC and go to the Desktop.
- If you’re using a PlayStation 4/5 or Xbox, simply go to the main screen.
In other words, make sure that the machine used for connecting the ASTRO A50 base is not sleeping and actively working.
Quick Tip: We recommend performing a power cycle on the machine!
3. Switch to a Different USB Port
Well, if your ASTRO A50 station is not turning on, it’s not excluded that the USB port that you’re using to connect the base is not working.
Typically, a computer machine or a console involves more than one USB port, so the best thing to try is to connect your station to another USB port.
- If you’re using a PC, there should be at least 2 USB ports on the front of the case and about 2 or 3 more USB ports on the back.
- If you’re using a console, you can find at least 1 USB port on the front and two more on the back of the device (Xbox or PlayStation).
We recommend trying to switch between 2–3 different ports while checking if your A50 station is working.
In case the base won’t turn on any of the USB ports on your machine, perhaps there is another issue that requires your attention.
Let’s keep unwrapping possibilities!
4. Change the Base Station Mode
As mentioned, the ASTRO A50 base station is designed to be connected to the USB port of a PC or console, with the correct mode selected.
Well, on your ASTRO A50 base station, there is a switch button that cycles between the PC and Xbox modes.
So, the reason why the base station is not turning on could be due to incorrect mode, based on whether the device is plugged into a PC or console.
So, respectively, set the station’s mode to the accurate device that it’s connected to, and check if it’s working.
Note: If you’re using a PlayStation to connect your ASTRO A50 base, set the mode to “Xbox”.
5. Configure your PC USB Options
If you’re using a computer for connecting your ASTRO A50 base station, there is an option that actively disables the USB ports, if no activity is detected.
Since your ASTRO A50 base station is not a keyboard or mouse, the PC might not be detecting the device’s activity, and suspending it.
To solve the problem, you must configure the USB power options on your Windows computer!
Here’s how to disable the USB selective suspend setting:
- First, click on the Start Menu from the Taskbar.
- Then, type “power” and click “Edit power plan.”
- Then, click “Change advanced power settings.”
- When the prompt opens, reveal the USB settings.
- Click on the “USB selective suspend settings”.
- Finally, verify that the option is set to “Disabled.”
Whenever you’re ready, reboot your PC, reconnect the ASTRO A50 base station to the USB port, and check whether the device is now turning on.
If not, then continue reading the guide!
Note: Skip this step if your ASTRO A50 base station is connected to a console and not a PC!
6. Clean the Base’s Charging Port
So, another reason why the ASTRO A50 base station is not turning on could be due to an issue with the USB input port.
We speak of the port labeled “CHARGE” next to the mode’s switch and when this port is obstructed, clogged, or defective, your ASTRO A50 base station won’t turn.
So, cleaning may be the only optimal solution for you!
Here’s how to clean the USB port on your ASTRO A50 base station:
- Acquire a toothpick and an old toothbrush.
- Using the toothpick, scrub all the dust built up.
- With the toothbrush remove the obstructions.
- Shine a light into the port to verify that it’s clean.
- Also, inspect the connector of your USB cable.
- Clean the connector as well, if dirty or clogged.
When ready, reconnect the USB cable to the A50 base station tightly, and check whether the device will now turn on.
If not, sadly, your ASTRO A50 base station may not be working or the charging equipment is due for replacement…
7. Replace the USB Charging Cable
It’s not excluded that your ASTRO A50 base station is not turning on because the USB charging cable is defective or worn out.
Luckily, with your ASTRO A50 station, you don’t need the original cable for the base to work, so any other USB-to-USB cable will do well in supplying your device.
If you have a replacement USB cable, feel free to test now and justify whether the ASTRO A50 base station will work.
In case the base station won’t turn on even with a proven-to-work USB cable, then the problem could be related to your machine (PC or console), so let’s learn more!
Connect Base Station to Different Devices!
One of the final steps to attempt, which will further localize the problem with your A50 station, is to connect the base to a different machine.
If you have another console, PC, or laptop, turn on the device, connect the base to an available USB port, and test whether it will finally power on.
If not, your ASTRO A50 base station may be facing hardware-related problems, so we strongly recommend checking the warranty.
You can also contact ASTRO Customer Service for help!
Quick Recap
Hence, when your ASTRO A50 base station not turning on, verify that your PC/console is not in sleep mode, and switch to a different USB port.
Also, set the station to the correct mode, and if necessary, replace the USB cable.
We hope this guide was helpful so follow us for more ASTRO A50 troubleshooting!
Finn Wheatley, a Master’s graduate in Computer Science from UCL, London, honed his skills at small data science consultancies. There, he helped large corporations enhance their data capabilities by deploying cutting-edge machine learning analytics and resolving technical hurdles.