strung out
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What we need is a fresh start - a new standard with a unique connector which everyone can use for everything and which, to avoid confusion, isn't compatible with any existing connectors.
The USB "standard" is decending into chaos
- Thread starter Sunray
- Start date
two sheds
Least noticed poster 2007
Exactly - and it could be a serial bus and be called something like a Universal Serial BusWhat we need is a fresh start - a new standard with a unique connector which everyone can use for everything and which, to avoid confusion, isn't compatible with any existing connectors.
Brainaddict
slight system overdrive
The one that stumps me is that for charging my phone I can get cables with the right usb connectors but only a few of them work. There doesn't seem to be a name for the type of cable that my phone likes, so I can't deliberately shop for it. There's just 'works' and 'doesn't work' and I don't know until I've bought it. I've no idea where the fuck-up has come in, but 'universal' the cables are not.
teuchter
je suis teuchter
Well. I am looking at external SSDs. I can choose to pay a bit more for a faster one but there's no point in doing so if the speed it's limited by the cables that connect it to my computer. I have to check the cable from the enclosure to the computer and also what the computer can accept. And then maybe it turns out that the cable seems to be USB3.2.5.x 2nd gen and that seems to be fine but it has a USB-A plug and the computer has a USB-C socket so then I find a cable that's got a USB-C plug but it's USB3.2.x.4 2nd gen.5 and I have to work out if that's ok. And then I realise that as there's only two USB.3.7.m generation X sockets on the computer and I need also to be able to connect a USB3.0.4 peripheral and also a USB3.6.7 one I'm going to have to introduce a docking station into the mix and the docking station specs aren't clear about what applies to which sockets and then there's the cable for the docking station and maybe that's only got USB-A but then it's got something different again on the other end. And this is all going on while I'm trying to work out if that docking station has some other correct combination of specs, in my most recent case whether it's displaylink compatible and can I use the DVI socket at the same time as the VGA or the HDMI one and is only one supported natively and what is the maximum screen resolution and so on. And all of this multiplies into an enormous maze of possibilities, and then when I find something that seems to be right it turns out that it's not in stock until March. And so on and so on.
Here is a screenshot of just part of the notes I had to write yesterday evening:
farmerbarleymow
I'm Petee's spirit animal
Thanks - I've sometimes wondered what the cable for the external hard drives is called, and it look like the USB-micro-B. Could do with getting longer ones as the supplied ones are a bit short, so I can order some now.
two sheds
Least noticed poster 2007
even if you search for the make/model of your phone?
hitmouse
so defeated, thinks it's funny
Yeah, my WFH laptop is a Lenovo Thinkpad and when the charger died I reported it to our IT department, giving the model of the laptop as well as the unique asset number, and they still managed to order a replacement charger that wasn't compatible, because apparently you can't even have one consistent charger across a range of laptops made under the same brand name by the same company. (I think what I need and use is a USB-C and what they sent me was a USB-B, maybe?)
mauvais
on reddit or something
Once you understand what this horrible graphic is saying, it basically means that they nailed USB A and USB C interoperability, which is good because those are the main ones that anyone gives a shit about now.Fuck me what are people complaining about - it's all in this really simple diagram
View attachment 254954
Does That USB Plug Work With That USB Port? Here's the Answer
A compatibility chart for USB connectors, detailing which USB 3.2, USB 2.0, or USB 1.1 plugs are physically compatible with which USB receptacles.www.lifewire.com
souljacker
innit
Fuck me what are people complaining about - it's all in this really simple diagram
View attachment 254954
Does That USB Plug Work With That USB Port? Here's the Answer
A compatibility chart for USB connectors, detailing which USB 3.2, USB 2.0, or USB 1.1 plugs are physically compatible with which USB receptacles.
This is an odd chart. Why does anyone need to know that a USB-B won't plug into a USB-A receptacle? They don't look anything like each other. Of course they won't connect to each other.
souljacker
innit
I've never bought an external drive that didn't include the cable I needed. What drives are you looking at in particular?
two sheds
Least noticed poster 2007
Also Micro-B and Micro-AB/Micro-A/Micro-B ? (except for low-speed versions)
Although I still don't follow why there are so many physical types. I'd have hoped for one standard size and one micro size and that would have been it.
two sheds
Least noticed poster 2007
and a small picture at the top of each column wouldn't have done any harm.
mauvais
on reddit or something
So Micro-B used to be commonplace but you see it less and less now, replaced by C. Mini-B before that, but that's pretty much dead. Apart from standard A and B, I've never knowingly seen any of the rest in real life.
Brainaddict
slight system overdrive
I suppose if I got a branded cable it would be more likely to work. But it's a moto g6, not exactly a rare phone. Why do some cables work with it and some not? Why does there not appear to be a name for the type of cable that does work?
strung out
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My favourite cable has got to be the Micro-B Superspeed. No idea what it does or what I used it for, but I definitely remember marvelling at it, while also thinking what a stupid fucking plug it looked like when I found it in the bottom of a drawer recently
ATOMIC SUPLEX
Member Since: 1985 Post Count: 3
I was looking for one the other day. I had to connect a drive to usb rather than thunderbolt as I was already using the thunderbolt port. The only usb hole in the drive was this one. I knew I had used one before but don't think I ever bought one so no idea where it came from.
Turned out I didn't need my old iMac and actually needed my MacBook which has two thunderbolt inputs anyway. I'm going to go nuts when I finally have to upgrade from thunderbolt 2 .
teuchter
je suis teuchter
I have about 10,000,000 of those.
Saul Goodman
It's all good, man
Everything I own uses either micro or C, and every cable I own works in every device I own with a corresponding connector.
Maybe I just got lucky.
Maybe I just got lucky.
teuchter
je suis teuchter
It's not decided yet...but just as a semi random example, say I look at this
Sabrent 2.5-Inch SATA to USB 3.0 Tool-free External Hard Drive Enclosure [Optimized For SSD, Support UASP SATA III] Black (EC-UASP) - Sabrent
Buy Sabrent 2.5-Inch SATA to USB 3.0 Tool-free External Hard Drive Enclosure [Optimized For SSD, Support UASP SATA III] Black (EC-UASP) at Amazon.
www.amazon.co.uk
Well I can see in the photos that it has one of the old style USB plugs. And the listing describes it as "USB3.0".
But my mac has USB-C sockets (well, actually TB3 sockets). So, it seems I'd need to get a USB-A to USB-C cable. What type of cable? It turns out that it's not as straightforward as USB-A to USB-C USB3. Because it turns out that USB3.0 is the same as USB3.1 Gen 1, and also the same as USB3.2 Gen 1. My mac specs say the TB3 sockets are USB3.1 gen 2, which it turns out is the same thing as USB 3.2 gen 2.
So a USB 3.1 Gen2 cable (also known as USB 3.2 gen2) will match my mac but it seems to be a newer standard than the drive enclosure. Does that matter? Who knows. To be safe, looks like I should get a USB 3.0 cable, which might be referred to as USB 3.1 Gen 1 or USB 3.2 Gen 2 in any online listing I find. And I have to be careful not to get a USB 3.1 gen2 cable because that's actually a USB 3.2 Gen 2 cable. And what if the listing just says USB3? Does that mean USB3.0 or could it be any type?
What a mess.
Depends what you mean by “works”. I have plenty of things that appear like they are working but actually don’t charge the device if it is also on
NoXion
Craicy the Squirrel
USB-A, Micro and Mini are the only ones I've seen in the wild.
Also, I think a lot of people are blaming the USB standard, when it's the device manufacturer's fault for deviating from that standard.
Saul Goodman
It's all good, man
I mean it does exactly what it's supposed to do.
I think a lot of people are blaming the standard because they bought a 20p cable off ebay and expected it to work.
souljacker
innit
I think you are overthinking it. Just get a USB-A to USB-C cable that says it's usb3. Unless you REALLY need to transfer at 20Gbps you probably won't notice the 10Gbps difference. Your internal hard drive won't be able to keep up anyway. SATA is 3gbps or something.
Edit: In fact, that cable that is being supplied with the drive is non-standard anyway. USB-A to USB-A is strongly discouraged because people end up connecting two powered devices to each other and fry them both.
editor
hiraethified
Err, Android phones and Chromebooks have been all chargeable by the same USB-C cable for years. Apple should be learning from them, not the other way around.
souljacker
innit
Fixed it for you...
ATOMIC SUPLEX
Member Since: 1985 Post Count: 3
If you ever have one that you are not using and you are passing through Croydon give me a shout.
editor
hiraethified
Which Android phones that use USB-C chargers don't work with, err, USB-C chargers then?
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