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I'm a USB-C Maximalist

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Re: I'm a USB-C Maximalist

#411

Post by vladvasiliu »

milch wrote: post #339
DimmieMan wrote: post #198

Earlier quoted context omitted.

HDMI and display port are in a similar boat. Putting the spec on the connector would be so much help. Even purchasing them is a nightmare these days because everything says ultra super duper fast supreme and then the fine print says it's actually just 3.0 (or doesn't say at all sometimes on online storefronts). Multiple time's I've found myself in the store flipping around the box like a rubics cube trying to find th…

And somehow just because the store says it's 48gpbs doesn't mean that's true either... I have a cable that is explicitly marked as 48gbps, 8k60, 4k120 compatible and yet it frequently ends up dropping the connection. Swapped to a different 48gbps cable and it works fine. Funny enough when I display the negotiated FRL speed it's only at like 27gbps, so should have plenty of headroom.

I think there are plenty of places that need to be up to spec and whose tolerances may add up.

I have a USB-C cable pretending to do 10 Gbps + 4K60 display port. I've used it to connect my HP laptops to my HP docking station. I have two similar laptops, 840 and 845 G8s, both with two USB-C ports each.

The 840 works as expected. The 845 only works if the cable is plugged in one specific way in one specific port. I now have a Lenovo laptop, also with two USB-C ports. I haven't tried DP-out with this computer, but Linux complains about there being issues when the dock is connected with this cable. On Windows, the whole USB stack sometimes goes foobar after a sleep/wake cycle. If, say, a mouse was initially connected, it'll keep working, but any new USB device won't, even the mouse if disconnected and reconnected. Shutting down Windows takes around 10 minutes and shows some driver issue at the end. Everything works after a reboot.

With a separate no-name docking station, everything works perfectly on the 845, but the 840 can't do 4k60 on it; it doesn't show up in the options. Haven't tried the Lenovo with this particular dock.

Both docks have DP alt mode, not DisplayLink or whatever other USB-attached GPU.

Re: I'm a USB-C Maximalist

#412

Post by TomWhitwell »

pixelesque wrote: post #387
Tharre wrote: post #277

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They skipped out on literally 2 resistors. That's it, that's all that is required for real USB-C charging.

Out of interest, is that all that's required for the power negotiation handshake? I would have expected more complexity?

Just two resistors to say ‘I am a device, give me 5V’ - you only need more negotiation = a chip - to get more than 5V

Re: I'm a USB-C Maximalist

#413

Post by imtringued »

nemomarx wrote: post #22
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…

Why haven't phones just moved to have two USB ports? A slight convenience when you want to charge it in that you don't have to turn it around, you can have USB headphones and also charge, you could use more accessories...

You shouldn't use your phone while charging, that's bad for the battery.

Re: I'm a USB-C Maximalist

#414

Post by imtringued »

qurren wrote: post #97
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 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'm not sure this is the brag you think it is... You should be happy you're breaking the plug.

Also "phone with typical inadequate battery". Just get a battery replacement and make sure you only use it between 60% and 80%. If you don't do that you're degrading the battery.

You might think "but now I only have 1/5 of the capacity" yeah and it will now last much longer than if you degraded the battery.

Re: I'm a USB-C Maximalist

#415

Post by swah »

crooked-v wrote: post #218
swah wrote: post #212

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why not buy only 100W power and data cables?

That would be USB4 cables. They do have the problem of being awkwardly thick and stiff if you're using them for a lot of things.

That tells me my 100W cables must be around half that power then! I have no thick tables other than the USB (Thunderbolt?) one from the Dell dock.

Re: I'm a USB-C Maximalist

#416

Post by fl0ki »

sudobash1 wrote: post #70
fl0ki wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Try the relatively recent Anker Prime cables, the ones that are both braided and soft. I haven't managed to break one yet, despite breaking several past Anker cables that also claimed to be durable.

I don't have a problem with USB C cables, and even if I did it wouldn't be a big deal. The cables are cheap compared to the devices they charge. It is broken USB-C ports that frustrate me about them, or ones with worn out clips.

I completely misunderstood your post, because I have the opposite problem, I've never broken a charge port but I've broken several cables.

Re: I'm a USB-C Maximalist

#417

Post by jlokier »

Y-bar wrote: post #410
netsharc wrote: post #409

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Huh I was going to say you may be talking about a differen thing, but I checked and they actually are C7/C8: https://ptcomputers.com.au/wp-content/uploads/without-power-... So in this universe Apple doesn't invent its own standards...

You might or might not be very surprised to learn they recently abandoned the C7/C8 https://www.macrumors.com/2026/04/02/apple-140w-power-adapte... Even the MacRumors commenters who are generally cheerleaders are scratching their heads about this one. And so do I.

Unless, as purplefox speculates:

> My guess is that's a fake one.

I've seen fake Apple chargers in local shops recently, with complete Apple packaging, "made by Apple in California" etc. and only detectable by close inspection of the details, specs not matching any Apple product, device info reported electronically that doesn't match any Apple specs, and the tiny inset writing not making sense when looked at under magnification. So that sounds plausible to me.

Re: I'm a USB-C Maximalist

#418

Post by cmiller1 »

linux_is_nice wrote: post #194
cricalix wrote: post #115

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sometimes it's not the cable. Sometimes it's the sodding device. I have some IP60-something speakers for the shower. Write up says USB-C power. Brilliant says I, I've got plenty of good ones I use for charging laptops and other USB-C form factor accepting devices. Sodding things only charge with their special USB-A to USB-C cable. They're in the bag labeled "cursed usb-c charge cables".

I do electronics professionally. This is likely because in order to save a bit on BOM costs, the device itself doesn't have the necessary pulldown resistors to signal to turn on VBUS. USB-A has always-on VBUS while USB-C doesn't. Because the spec allows for always-on VBUS in a USB-A to USB-C cable, some devices just assume that they're always being powered by one of those cables.

That is likely the case; cost savings, simplicity, etc. but the end result is USB-C does not "just work" for most consumers.

Re: I'm a USB-C Maximalist

#419

Post by marginalia_nu »

notatoad wrote: post #95
eigencoder wrote: post #5

I don't like USB-C because they all look the same on the outside, but they're not all the same on the inside. Especially my cheap consumer electronics. Sometimes they will charge, sometimes they won't charge, but all the cables look the same, and you don't tend to know in advance.

This is really only a problem if you buy cheap cables. Pick the baseline spec you want your USB cables to meet, and throw out all the ones that don’t. Problem solved. It’s still a minor frustration if you have to borrow a cable, but that’s solved by packing a cable, and by encouraging as many other people as possible to also throw out their cheap cables.

I have two different fast charging cables, for two different devices that charge fast with those cables, on those cables, but not if you swap them around. Thankfully they have different colors, so there's some hope of keeping track of which cable to use for which device.

Re: I'm a USB-C Maximalist

#420

Post by herodoturtle »

encrypted_bird wrote: post #297
hokkos wrote: post #185

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

RIP Mitch Hedburg

Love this comment For those of you that are wondering, Mitch Hedburg was a relatively famous stand-up comedian whose special went viral.

In said special was this classic:

“I like an escalator because an escalator can never break; it can only become stairs. There would never be an 'escalator temporarily out of order' sign, only 'escalator temporarily stairs. Sorry for the convenience.’”

RIP indeed.

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