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EU reaches deal to make USB-C a common charger for most electronic devices

engadget.com

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Re: EU reaches deal to make USB-C a common charger for most electronic devices

#551

Post by johnwalkr »

stewx wrote: post #11
maccard wrote: post #7

The problem with USB-C is that you can't just pick up a device cable and power brick and expect them to work together. As an example, my Apple 96W USB-C charger doesn't charge my nintendo switch. The cable that came with my phone doesn't charge said fully Mac when used with the 96w charger. There is no indication of incompatibility between these devices until you realise they don't work. This is going back to the dc…

The issue with the Nintendo Switch is that Nintendo designed their own faulty USB-C charging implementation rather than merely using the reference design. It's not a failure of the spec, it's a failure to adhere to the spec. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16706803

It may not be fully compliant to the spec but it does always charge in my experience. It will charge eventually from most any usb-c charger, including Apple's. But, a docked switch requires 15V and not all chargers will provide it, or maybe they just don't provide it to the off-spec switch. Similar story with the HDMI output of the dock. It took a bit of research to buy a charger and HDMI adapter that work with both my switch and macbook, but it was possible and it's nice for travel.

Re: EU reaches deal to make USB-C a common charger for most electronic devices

#552

Post by ProZsolt »

basisword wrote: post #449
edent wrote: post #25

What's interesting is that nearly all of my recent electronics purchases have used USB-C. Headphones, thermal printer, neck-cooler, rechargable screwdriver - all USB-C. What's weird are the few things which don't. Amazon Alexa use a barrel charger. Brand new HP printer has the old square style USB plug. Pulse Oximeter user micro-USB. So C is certainly getting there. Appearing in cheap and expensive products. And, I'm…

>> What's interesting is that nearly all of my recent electronics purchases have used USB-C. I've started noticing this recently. It's taken longer than I thought but the only devices remaining I have that I need to search for cables for are my iPhone/Apple Watch/old iPod. Everything else, including laptops, I usually have a USB-C charger already plugged in and ready to go no matter what room I'm in. It makes sense t…

I usually try to buy devices with detachable IEC 60320[1] mains cable. So when I move to a different country I only need to change the cables and not the devices.

[1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEC_60320

Re: EU reaches deal to make USB-C a common charger for most electronic devices

#553

Post by 10x-dev »

leadingthenet wrote: post #506
bloppe wrote: post #485

A lot of people saying "USB-C cables aren't even compatible with each other!" (Nintendo switch etc.) Guess what: that's exactly the problem this regulation is intended to solve. Fake USB-C cables like Nintendo's that have the right shape but do not adhere to spec should gradually disappear along with lightning cables. The regulation actually says that cables can no longer be bundled with the devices themselves, so Ni…

> Let's say the USB consortium releases USB-D with input from Apple, Google, and many other stakeholders [...] If you have to make such an argument, you've already lost. Innovation, particularly disruptive and / or breakthrough innovation, does not happen by committee, no matter how many times over history people tried deluding themselves into thinking that it does. So no, it's not fine.

I'm ok if my life doesn't get disrupted every 2 years with a new type of incompatible connection between my devices.

Maybe we could put all that innovation and consumer inconvenience into resolving climate change.

Re: EU reaches deal to make USB-C a common charger for most electronic devices

#554

Post by closetohome »

Majestic121 wrote: post #539
kansface wrote: post #466

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You shouldn’t use a lower wattage charger so it goes.

I have seen it in some forums as well, but do you have any explanation links about why that may be ? I have trouble finding relevant information that is not some random dude on a forum speaking very confidently one way or another without much data to back it up, and I don't see why that would cause any harm other than charging more slowly, eventually to the point of discharging if you consume a lot of power (which is…

I assume it's just people being impatient. Using a lower powered charger is arguably better for battery longevity.

Re: EU reaches deal to make USB-C a common charger for most electronic devices

#555

Post by Game_Ender »

LordDragonfang wrote: post #531
vineyardmike wrote: post #503

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> If there's a better standard in the future the law can be changed, they didn't put this in the constitution. Who will build the spec and research and then lobby Europe to change the law when no device uses it? The marketing of saying “this new spec is better… throw out EVERYTHING” won’t happen. What will happen is that the hot mess of a market that is the Asian market will grow and change and develop… and throw out…

>Who will build the spec and research and then lobby Europe to change the law when no device uses it? The marketing of saying “this new spec is better… throw out EVERYTHING” won’t happen. Except that's basically what happened with USB-C. Micro-B was the standard for the EU, USB-C was developed and got approved, and now it's replacing micro-b as the standard.

USB-C was developed partly because lightning should how much better a reversible multipurpose cable could be. The argument is that without the ability for one player to innovate with a new port we not have the same quality of USB-C port we have now.

Re: EU reaches deal to make USB-C a common charger for most electronic devices

#556

Post by baq »

tediousdemise wrote: post #545
bloppe wrote: post #485

A lot of people saying "USB-C cables aren't even compatible with each other!" (Nintendo switch etc.) Guess what: that's exactly the problem this regulation is intended to solve. Fake USB-C cables like Nintendo's that have the right shape but do not adhere to spec should gradually disappear along with lightning cables. The regulation actually says that cables can no longer be bundled with the devices themselves, so Ni…

It's kind of sad to me that Apple doesn't make Lightning an open standard. In all my years, I haven't had a single Lightning connector fail on me. The solid metal where the contacts reside is just too robust to wear out or get damaged (unless you somehow step on it the right way or let it corrode). USB-C connectors, on the other hand, seems to loosen after a rather small number mates and de-mates, leading people to u…

The cables though… they used to be a joke. I’ve wrapped mine with electrical tape near ends so they last longer.

Re: EU reaches deal to make USB-C a common charger for most electronic devices

#557

Post by IvanK_net »

I wish EU standardizes a single electric socket for all EU countries. Germany, France, Switzerland and Italy - each has a different socket (although German and French are very similar to each other).

More here: https://www.plugsocketmuseum.nl/EuropePlugsSockets.html

Re: EU reaches deal to make USB-C a common charger for most electronic devices

#558

Post by markstos »

The USB-C spec has 24 pins, making it considerably more complex than USB-A connections, which 4 pins. Only 4 of those 24 pins are used for power delivery.

If all you need from the USB-C connection is charging, is OK to implement a 4 pin connection to keep the design simpler and cheaper?

Re: EU reaches deal to make USB-C a common charger for most electronic devices

#559

Post by pkulak »

Aerroon wrote: post #427
pkulak wrote: post #426

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you own a tablet and a laptop, by chance? Maybe have 3 other family members, each with some combination of said three devices? That can quickly become a lot of household chargers if they are all different.

But the problem will still be exactly the same, because not all USB-C cables are created equal. We've basically set in stone a standard that is so varied that the standardization means nothing. And that's before you get into any component actually wearing out and giving you degraded performance on the device or cable.

That hasn't been my experience. I have a bunch of 30w USB-C chargers that charge everything in my house. They are built in to my wall outlets and support (at least) 5v, 9v and 15v. I don't know where you're getting this idea that the standard is "so varied that the standardization means nothing". Those three profiles are enough for me. If I buy a 100W laptop, I may need one more charger, but that's just because I chose not to pay to have 100W available everywhere. It seems reasonable that a tiny phone charger won't work so great on a gaming laptop.

EDIT: Guess I'm not allowed to reply to sagarm? That's annoying. But yeah, it's the Leviton one. I love it. Cleans up so many ugly wall warts.

Re: EU reaches deal to make USB-C a common charger for most electronic devices

#560

Post by notJim »

leadingthenet wrote: post #506
bloppe wrote: post #485

A lot of people saying "USB-C cables aren't even compatible with each other!" (Nintendo switch etc.) Guess what: that's exactly the problem this regulation is intended to solve. Fake USB-C cables like Nintendo's that have the right shape but do not adhere to spec should gradually disappear along with lightning cables. The regulation actually says that cables can no longer be bundled with the devices themselves, so Ni…

> Let's say the USB consortium releases USB-D with input from Apple, Google, and many other stakeholders [...] If you have to make such an argument, you've already lost. Innovation, particularly disruptive and / or breakthrough innovation, does not happen by committee, no matter how many times over history people tried deluding themselves into thinking that it does. So no, it's not fine.

It's very strange to read this comment on article about USB, which has been developed by committee from the beginning. To me it seems quite innovative, and arguably disruptive to have a single standard for all these things. Maybe USB doesn't clear your personal bar, but then why worry about this at all?
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