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I'm a USB-C Maximalist

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Re: I'm a USB-C Maximalist

#181

Post by JoshTriplett »

chaosharmonic wrote: post #147
JoshTriplett wrote: post #127

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I'd much rather keep rechargeable AA(A)s on hand for that kind of stuff. https://www.amazon.com/s?k=rechargeable+aa+batteries+usb+c But in practice, I greatly prefer devices with integrated batteries, because they're more likely to be able to give me useful feedback about the battery level (e.g. a reliable low-battery indicator), rather than just winding down, or having a low-battery indicator with only a passing c…

I'm aware these aren't mutually exclusive. To me, the bigger benefit of not integrating them is that I can just rotate in freshly charged batteries anytime they die, and don't have to care about being within proximity of a charger. (I also find this important for gamepads, to the extent that I don't just opt to play wired.)

I do wish more devices supported hot-swappable rechargeable battery packs. My headset does that.

But in the absence of that, I'll take USB-C and the ability to charge while actively using. I find that useful even for wireless gamepads, because then I can attach them to a generic charger on one side of the room, and not run a cable across the room to the console/TV area, because the communication is still wireless and only the power isn't.

Re: I'm a USB-C Maximalist

#182

Post by qurren »

Gigachad wrote: post #153
qurren wrote: post #118

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's a cable, it should cost $2 at most.

40gbps is an insane data rate that requires shielding, precision, and testing. There is no way you are getting that for $2. That said, outside of connecting a laptop to your monitor, you don't need a 40gbps cable.

> 40gbps is an insane data rate that requires shielding, precision, and testing. There is no way you are getting that for $2.

I dunno, Cat8 is 40gbps and pretty cheap. DOCSIS 4.0 does 10Gbps on some really ancient cables. I'm sure Cat9 will do even better, at least the cat people and the doc people are trying harder than the USB people.

Unifi even has a PoE-over-coax solution. Add some Anker GaN shit and I'm sure it can be miniaturized.

> outside of connecting a laptop to your monitor

As soon as I need a "special" cable to connect a laptop to a monitor, we're effectively back to the 1990s-2000s when I needed a special monitor cable. There is no point to connector standardization if any cable can't do any function.

The whole point of this thread was "one type of cable for everything" and "grab any USB-C cable from your personal stash and they all work for every use case".

Re: I'm a USB-C Maximalist

#183

Post by OptionOfT »

mlindner wrote: post #105
cliglot wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yep, I will say it’s not as bad a old USB-mini connectors but I’ve soured on USB-C after too many of them have broken on me (among other issues this thread covers well) Some years ago I may have cheered on the pushes to get iPhones to use USB-C, but at this point I think lightning is a superior connector in that sense. I’ve almost never had one break off.

I agree. Lightning is such a better connector and one of the main reasons I still haven't replaced my phone. If lightning could've just been updated for higher bitrates it would have been so much better.

I went through lightning cables fast. Unsure why, maybe I sweat a lot, or keep my phone in humid places.

But every so many months I had to replace the cable because the 4th pin would be burned.

I don't have that issue with USB-C. But I do feel that the lightning receiver is less fragile over the USB-C one. Removing lint from a USB-C receiver is harder.

Re: I'm a USB-C Maximalist

#184

Post by sjs382 »

JoshTriplett wrote: post #127
chaosharmonic wrote: post #15

I too am a USB-C maximalist, but with a handful of differences from OP: - You lose me at "toothbrush." I don't want personal care items that have internal batteries at all , because they'll eventually die on me while the device itself (brush heads notwithstanding) is otherwise perfectly functional. I'd much rather keep rechargeable AA(A)s on hand for that kind of stuff. (I still haven't found a good electric razor fo…

> I'd much rather keep rechargeable AA(A)s on hand for that kind of stuff. https://www.amazon.com/s?k=rechargeable+aa+batteries+usb+c But in practice, I greatly prefer devices with integrated batteries, because they're more likely to be able to give me useful feedback about the battery level (e.g. a reliable low-battery indicator), rather than just winding down, or having a low-battery indicator with only a passing c…

I use these USB-C rechargeable batteries in my travel kit, too. I love the flexibility of being able to pickup some AA/AAAs, charge the ones that just died, or swap in the 2 spares I travel with.

Re: I'm a USB-C Maximalist

#185

Post by hokkos »

chaosharmonic wrote: post #15

I too am a USB-C maximalist, but with a handful of differences from OP: - You lose me at "toothbrush." I don't want personal care items that have internal batteries at all , because they'll eventually die on me while the device itself (brush heads notwithstanding) is otherwise perfectly functional. I'd much rather keep rechargeable AA(A)s on hand for that kind of stuff. (I still haven't found a good electric razor fo…

An electric toothbrush can never break: it can only become a toothbrush. You should never see an “Electric Toothbrush Temporarily Out of Order” sign, just “Electric Toothbrush Temporarily Manual.” Sorry for the exercise.

Re: I'm a USB-C Maximalist

#186

Post by qurren »

Aurornis wrote: post #136
qurren wrote: post #97

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I break about 1 USB-C plug a week. They are simply not designed well for real people who do real things in the world, including physical work, exercise, hiking, woodworking, biking, and the like. They are designed by someone in a corporate office who just never gets out to see the real world. Here's how the last few broke: * Phone with typical inadequate battery + external portable battery pack plugged in, shoved in…

> I break about 1 USB-C plug a week. They are simply not designed well for real people who do real things in the world, including physical work, exercise, hiking, woodworking, biking, and the like. They are designed by someone in a corporate office who just never gets out to see the real world. I do everything on your list. I also have young children who grab and play with things. Our household breaks 1 USB-C plug pe…

Fully ruggedized is in fact what I want and what I consider truly consumer grade.

> which is not something you're going to get on affordable consumer devices

Not true. 1990s connectors hardly ever broke for me. They were all super rugged. I've dropped several-kilogram objects onto VGA connectors, SCSI connectors, and DC barrel jacks and nothing ever happened.

Re: I'm a USB-C Maximalist

#187

Post by Dylan16807 »

qurren wrote: post #155
notatoad wrote: post #123

Earlier quoted context omitted.

okay, i mean, that's exactly what my original comment said: this is only a problem if you buy cheap cables.

It's also only a problem if they overcomplicate power delivery design such that you need expensive cables. They could have made it just DC +19V and GND over 14 gauge wire with a nice, outdoor-recreation-grade connector and called it a day.

USB power delivery doesn't need expensive cables. Basic 240W cables cost $3-4.

Re: I'm a USB-C Maximalist

#188

Post by hereme888 »

Telaneo wrote: post #174

It's been a joy to not need to bring 3 chargers along when I travel. I think the only thing we're missing to make the USB-C experience perfect is cable labelling. It's unreasonable to make every cable perform to the max spec, but if we could standardise on some labelling or colours for cables that are charging-only, 480 mbit (usb 2 speed), 5 Gbit (usb 3 speed), 10 GB (usb 3.1 speed), 20 GB (usb 3.2 speed), plus whate…

Wasn't there a push at some point to enforce some sort of spec labeling for USB-C cables? Or was that a fantasy in my head?

Re: I'm a USB-C Maximalist

#189

Post by rsoto2 »

Telaneo wrote: post #174

It's been a joy to not need to bring 3 chargers along when I travel. I think the only thing we're missing to make the USB-C experience perfect is cable labelling. It's unreasonable to make every cable perform to the max spec, but if we could standardise on some labelling or colours for cables that are charging-only, 480 mbit (usb 2 speed), 5 Gbit (usb 3 speed), 10 GB (usb 3.1 speed), 20 GB (usb 3.2 speed), plus whate…

The last part is a bigger issue for me. I can use my usb to charge most of my tech but when it comes to the exact cable that my interface needs to use I now have like 30 cables I have to try before I know which one was the correct one.

Re: I'm a USB-C Maximalist

#190

Post by hereme888 »

chaosharmonic wrote: post #15

I too am a USB-C maximalist, but with a handful of differences from OP: - You lose me at "toothbrush." I don't want personal care items that have internal batteries at all , because they'll eventually die on me while the device itself (brush heads notwithstanding) is otherwise perfectly functional. I'd much rather keep rechargeable AA(A)s on hand for that kind of stuff. (I still haven't found a good electric razor fo…

You're probably missing out on the feeling of really, really clean teeth. Regular brushing never gave me the feeling of ALL biofilm getting stripped from the enamels.
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