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USB Type-C is still a mess

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Re: USB Type-C is still a mess

#131

Post by odiroot »

sebazzz wrote: post #15
MBCook wrote: post #7

“Why doesn’t Apple just get rid of Lightning and use USB-C on their iPhones!” This is why. Ignoring the momentum Lightning had from being a few years older, this is a great reason not to switch. Sadly I know this has become a big problem for people on the new Macs. Plug a USB-C hub in? Now that port doesn’t do Thunderbolt or Display Port. How do you know that? Trial and error. Very un-Appley.

In my experience the connector from Apple is far more reliable than USB C. USB C is a rounded flat rectangle with a piece of plastic in the center and pins between, which is small and can easily be damaged. Lightning on the other hand is a solid metal connector with the pins/contacts on the outside, which is much more sturdier. Lighting also does a nice "click" when connected.

I can confirm your suspicions. My Xperia X Compact is barely holding any USB-C cable now (after just 1.5 years of usage). And I went through 5 or 6 USB mini to USB-C adapters from Anker in the meantime.

At the same time my nearly 4 year old Samsung Galaxy is holding strong without any wiggle room on the USB port.

Re: USB Type-C is still a mess

#132

Post by dawnerd »

themagician wrote: post #116

Maybe it's just me, but I've had zero major issues with USB-C and can't imagine going back. I spent maybe $100 on new cables so I have one or two of everything. I only wish they had USB-C hubs so I could drop the USB Type-A connectors all together. I honestly find it much easier. The simplicity of just not having to flip he connector around 3 times every time you plug something in alone is worth it. It can be a littl…

There are some hubs out there but they're more designed for thunderbolt 3.

Re: USB Type-C is still a mess

#133

Post by ohazi »

Animats wrote: post #128

It's not just a 4-pin USB connector. It's a 24-pin connector with pins for USB, DisplayPort, Thunderbolt, Ethernet, and JTAG. Some of which may work. Do those 24 tiny pins hold up in use?

In my experience, yes, they hold up far better than Micro USB. The Type-C physical connector seems to be the one thing they actually managed to get right.

Re: USB Type-C is still a mess

#134

Post by MBCook »

pdpi wrote: post #102
MBCook wrote: post #80

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So put a USB-C hub (because that’s the connector, what else would you buy?) into your Mac. And you plug your display into that. And it has some USB-C and Thunderbolt stuff plugged in. It used to all work, but now with the hub in-line your Thunderbolt drive doesn’t work and your display doesn’t get a signal. The hub must be broken, right? So you buy a new one. Same problem. How is any normal person supposed to figure…

> So put a USB-C hub (because that’s the connector, what else would you buy?) into your Mac. This will eventually become a problem, definitely. Thankfully, it doesn't seem to be much of a problem right now because USB-C hubs are as common as hen's teeth (they're usually C to A, or C to a bazillion things)

Right. If the hub supports Thunderbolt that fixes TB and USB-C will keep working but you’d still lose passyhrough video unless it was designed for that too. And don’t forget power delivery.

Good USB-C hubs that support everything will be quite expensive. They’re basically limited Thunderbolt docks.

Re: USB Type-C is still a mess

#135

Post by dawnerd »

I love it, mentioned it the other day in the thread about MBP gripes. One cable to connect everything. Way better than the older days of plugging in power, usb, displayport cables (and ethernet if thats your thing).

Re: USB Type-C is still a mess

#136

Post by chx »

exmadscientist wrote: post #22

Speaking as someone in the industry who's worked on Type C-enabled gadgets, half the bloody problem is that the Type C products offered by the major semiconductor companies are _terrible_. For sake of a simple example, consider designing a rechargeable flashlight. For whatever reason, you'd like it to be rechargeable over a USB-C port. You also want the flashlight to charge as fast as possible from whatever power sou…

There's no innovation in this sector. It needed Apple to kick Ti's sorry ass to get us to Ti 83 even instead of the Ti 82. It says quite a lot every Thunderbolt enclosure uses this chip: there are no other USB PD controllers (USB PD is used to negotiate Alternate Modes).

Another example: you can buy a small and cheap USB C to DisplayPort adapter with power passthrough (< 20 USD). You can buy a (relatively) small and cheap USB C to dual DisplayPort MST hub (<50 USD). You can not buy a USB C to dual DisplayPort MST hub with power passthrough unless it's a full dock, huge in size and expensive (200 USD at least).

Re: USB Type-C is still a mess

#137

Post by reaperducer »

icebraining wrote: post #127
reaperducer wrote: post #114

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hasn't happened, to my knowledge. The MacBook has way more battery than she needs. (It's a home computer, not a work computer.) And she's a human bring, not a squirrel on crack, or a nerd caught in a social media feedback loop, so she never "needs" to look at her iPhoto library right now . She can wait 30 minutes for a partial charge to see pictures of her family or cats or whatever.

Is the condescension really warranted for a simple question?

Any condescension is your perception only; not my intent.

Re: USB Type-C is still a mess

#138

Post by digi_owl »

chimeracoder wrote: post #129
digi_owl wrote: post #104

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And the latter part have caught some people unaware, where a battery pack and a phone will ping pong who is charging who until both are dead.

> And the latter part have caught some people unaware, where a battery pack and a phone will ping pong who is charging who until both are dead. Or, if you're really unlucky, it'll attempt to charge your wall. No, I'm not joking: https://twitter.com/chimeracoder/status/941820122406064128

Ok, that's it. Murphy does not need to verified any more. And i need a really really stiff drink.

Re: USB Type-C is still a mess

#139

Post by organsnyder »

chimeracoder wrote: post #129
digi_owl wrote: post #104

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And the latter part have caught some people unaware, where a battery pack and a phone will ping pong who is charging who until both are dead.

> And the latter part have caught some people unaware, where a battery pack and a phone will ping pong who is charging who until both are dead. Or, if you're really unlucky, it'll attempt to charge your wall. No, I'm not joking: https://twitter.com/chimeracoder/status/941820122406064128

My phone has offered that option when I plug into the car. While the car could in theory benefit from the charge (it's a plug-in hybrid), I doubt the phone would be able to provide much of value.

Re: USB Type-C is still a mess

#140

Post by dijit »

icebraining wrote: post #127
reaperducer wrote: post #114

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hasn't happened, to my knowledge. The MacBook has way more battery than she needs. (It's a home computer, not a work computer.) And she's a human bring, not a squirrel on crack, or a nerd caught in a social media feedback loop, so she never "needs" to look at her iPhoto library right now . She can wait 30 minutes for a partial charge to see pictures of her family or cats or whatever.

Is the condescension really warranted for a simple question?

I didn't read it as being directed at you; just a statement of fact, not everyone is glued to technology like the average demographic on HN, it's weird to hear that someone can be unable to use their laptop immediately and they're comfortable with that.
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