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How many kinds of USB-C to USB-C cables are there?

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Re: How many kinds of USB-C to USB-C cables are there?

#131

After buying a screen which has only a USB-C DP-Alt-Mode input, I was recently in the market for a matching cable. My only requirements were “it should be as long as possible, at least 2 meters” and “it needs to support DP-Alt-Mode”. Now I thought this would be easy, just ask Google what kind of cable I need, right...? Well... no. Not at all. I wasn’t able to find any information whatsoever what kind of USB-C cable i…

I didn't even know they made 2.0/C cables.

Re: How many kinds of USB-C to USB-C cables are there?

#132
post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's a bloody goddamned nightmare. For example, a brief review of my devices: >Phone A. Type-C port limited to USB 2 data speeds but supports HDMI out via DisplayLink. >Phone B. Type-C port that supports USB 3.1 speeds but doesn't do video out. >Tablet A. Type-C port that supports USB 3 speeds but only charges through a MicroUSB port. >Tablet B. Type-C port that supports USB 3 speeds and charging, but only charges at…

I don't see your point. Devices are free to support or not support whatever capabilities they want. Having a specific port is no guarantee that the device will use this or that capability offered over that port; mostly it's a guarantee it'll use at least one capability offered by that port. The problem with USB-C is that many of the cables don't do everything. Nobody else is complaining that the devices don't do ever…

I'd be complaining like fuck if I had a mobile device with a USB-C port that can't be used for charging. That's the most ridiculous thing I've heard all day.

Re: How many kinds of USB-C to USB-C cables are there?

#133

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's a bloody goddamned nightmare. For example, a brief review of my devices: >Phone A. Type-C port limited to USB 2 data speeds but supports HDMI out via DisplayLink. >Phone B. Type-C port that supports USB 3.1 speeds but doesn't do video out. >Tablet A. Type-C port that supports USB 3 speeds but only charges through a MicroUSB port. >Tablet B. Type-C port that supports USB 3 speeds and charging, but only charges at…

Nintendo mever advertises Switch as USB-C in any of their marketing though

I think the overall theme of this thread is that it used to be, if the cable fit in the hole it will probably work.

USB-C is the first time most people have run into their cable's shape not corresponding to the cable's capability

(folks trying to do 4k video with shitty HDMI cables excepted)

Re: How many kinds of USB-C to USB-C cables are there?

#135
post #125
post #85

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think one of the things that makes USB-C particularly problematic here is that "plug it in and find out" can be harmful to devices since devices can draw 100W of power through the port.

> since devices can draw 100W of power through the port Devices can only draw 100W of power, which is 5A at 20V, after negotiation; before negotiation (or if negotiation fails), only 5V is available, like in the older USB connector types.

Well that's the spec but I've personally had a Google Pixel melt its own charging port when plugged in with a cheap USBC cable off amazon.

Re: How many kinds of USB-C to USB-C cables are there?

#136

The standard absolutely needs to support the ability for computer and peripherals to detect what kind of cable is connected ... then we need consumer level implementation at the os to tell people when their cable is insufficient for the task they are trying to accomplish — with this, bring on all the cost saving measures for cables. Without it — fucking idiot standards committees can go rot in hell for the blight the…

> The standard absolutely needs to support the ability for computer and peripherals to detect what kind of cable is connected

The USB-C standard has always had that ability. There's a pair of pins on the connector dedicated to that.

On a basic USB-C to USB-C cable, the first pin of this pair is connected to the corresponding pin on the other end, and the second pin is left unconnected; on an USB-C to USB-B or USB-A cable, this first pin is connected through a resistor with a specific value to the VBUS or GND pin (which one depends on the connector type); and on a more advanced USB-C to USB-C cable, or on an adapter to something like DisplayPort, the second pin is also connected, to a chip which informs the computer about the cable's extra functionality (and also negotiates the alternate mode in case of an adapter).

The device on either end of the cable uses that pair of pins to: negotiate which end will initially be the "host" and which one will be the "peripheral"; detect when the cable is inverted; ask the cable about its capabilities; ask the other device to increase the power or change which device is supplying power; negotiate alternate modes like DisplayPort; and a few other functions. The only thing these pins aren't used to, as far as I know, is to distinguish between an USB 2.0 and a basic USB 3.0 cable; instead, the same method as the older USB-A or USB-B plug is used.

Re: How many kinds of USB-C to USB-C cables are there?

#137
Here are the types, with names provide by me, what they would be called if USB-IF was sane and friendly:

USB-C v2a3: USB 2.0 rated at 3A

USB-C v2a5: USB 2.0 rated at 5A

USB-C v3a3 and v3g1a3: USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5gbps) rated at 3A

USB-C v3a5 and v3g1a5: USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5gbps) rated at 5A

USB-C v3g2a3 USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10gbps) rated at 3A

USB-C v3g2a5: USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10gpbs) rated at 5A

Re: How many kinds of USB-C to USB-C cables are there?

#138

After buying a screen which has only a USB-C DP-Alt-Mode input, I was recently in the market for a matching cable. My only requirements were “it should be as long as possible, at least 2 meters” and “it needs to support DP-Alt-Mode”. Now I thought this would be easy, just ask Google what kind of cable I need, right...? Well... no. Not at all. I wasn’t able to find any information whatsoever what kind of USB-C cable i…

Wait a minute, USB-C Thunderbolt 3 cables are also USB-C to USB-C cables, aren't they? Why aren't they included in this article? I guess there's 6 kinds of USB-C to USB-C cables, except for all the other kinds of USB-C to USB-C cables. How many are there really?

Re: How many kinds of USB-C to USB-C cables are there?

#139

After buying a screen which has only a USB-C DP-Alt-Mode input, I was recently in the market for a matching cable. My only requirements were “it should be as long as possible, at least 2 meters” and “it needs to support DP-Alt-Mode”. Now I thought this would be easy, just ask Google what kind of cable I need, right...? Well... no. Not at all. I wasn’t able to find any information whatsoever what kind of USB-C cable i…

I generalize them for friends who ask and break them down into these variants:

* USB 3.1 (Type-C to Type-C) Charge Only * USB 3.1 (Type-C to Type-C) Charge and Data @5Gb * USB 3.1 (Type-C to Type-C) Charge and Data @10Gb * Thunderbolt 3 (Type-C to Type-C) Charge and Data @20Gb * Thunderbolt 3 (Type-C to Type-C) Charge and Data @40Gb

I believe 5/20Gb cables are generally rated at 65W and 10/40Gb cables at 100W. But like you've noted there's no standard labeling. So it's hard to find what you're looking for half the time.

It's just easiest to find Thunderbolt 3 cables since those are backwards compatible and if you buy the 40Gb ones you're going to be safer with regard to plugging both your laptop into a charger and your phone.

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