USB-C was supposed to simplify our lives, but instead it’s a total mess

Post by lambada » Thu, Oct 01, 2020, 3:34 PM UTC

derefr wrote: post #163

reader_mode wrote: post #122

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>Because it could have happened just as well with any other plug. It could have been a non-conforming micro-USB charging port. But if you have a standard aren't you supposed to enforce stuff like this ? Precisely to avoid the confusion and protect your standard.

The USB Consortium’s licensing strategy is to restrict what people can label with the USB logo, by holding trademark over that logo. You then have to work out an arrangement with them, in order for your hardware to proclaim itself as USB-compatible by using the logo. This is their “in” to ensure you’re doing USB correctly. The Nintendo charging port is not labelled with a USB logo. It’s fundamentally not a USB-C port…

Post by Chris2048 » Thu, Oct 01, 2020, 3:35 PM UTC

rolobio wrote: post #260

vr46 wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Aha - you may find that your Switch CANNOT in fact share a charge - Nintendo's port is not necessarily safe to use with anything but its supplied charger. And I've just learned this lesson with a $60 bill from Nintendo repair after the port went pop and couldn't charge the device. I only have reputable chargers in the house from Apple and one from Anker aside from the Nintendo's own. All my apple kit works fine off t…

From my research a few years ago, this is caused by the Switch asking the charger for 20V, but it actually expects 15V. The Nintendo charger obeys this hidden rule, but any other charger will happily provide 20V. I think the difference between a 20V and 15V charge isn't significant enough to blow the Switch up the first time you use it, but, over time it will blow up.

Post by addicted » Thu, Oct 01, 2020, 3:36 PM UTC

jolux wrote: post #136

reader_mode wrote: post #122

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>Because it could have happened just as well with any other plug. It could have been a non-conforming micro-USB charging port. But if you have a standard aren't you supposed to enforce stuff like this ? Precisely to avoid the confusion and protect your standard.

“Enforce” how?

Post by falcolas » Thu, Oct 01, 2020, 3:37 PM UTC

shadowgovt wrote: post #131

freeone3000 wrote: post #125

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So now we're in a world where the cables have different functionality, but you can't tell them apart. So you have to keep the cable with the device it came with and you lose the benefit of having the single connnector format entirely!

Key thing is in all three cases, the same cables work. The end nodes vary in capability, but it's nice I don't have to fish out my crescent-ended connector to differentiate from my flat-ended connector because I needed a higher transfer rate. One stack of USB-C cables lets me connect all my devices together. Whether they make sense connected together is up to me.

Post by jk700 » Thu, Oct 01, 2020, 3:38 PM UTC

sq_ wrote: post #196

billpg wrote: post #178

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Are those people who buy cheap cables in the wrong? Maybe I do need to buy those gold-plated cables.

I wouldn't say that they're in the wrong, but I would expect people to have some expectations about the quality, durability, and capabilities of a super cheap cable. Overall, I don't think it's entirely unfair to expect people to pay $10-15 for a quality cable, especially since these modern cables are often expected to carry significant amounts of power.