@yakkoTDI Ah, but which of the multitude of USB-C ports and cables and devices is it? There are so many more ways to have a mismatch with USB-C than there were before. Essentially, just saying “it’s USB-C” says next to nothing about the supported options within that lack-of-standard, and essentially nobody marks the cables to say what they’re capable of carrying.
@mycya4me And micro will often will outperform its own nominal specifications, too. For all that micro is justifiably despised, it was at least relatively reliable in what it could do. The C that replaced it has become a dark and twisty little tangle of standards, none marked and all different. I’ve actually got a couple of “charge via USB-C” things that will not charge using any USB-C cable except the one supplied with the device. And then there’s the one that will charge with most C-to-C cables, but only from certain types of wallwart.
USB-C was this shiny thing that was supposed to solve all the problems, but instead it added more in many instances.
@mycya4me@werehatrack several devices sold here needed a USB-A to USB-C cable as supplied, from a dumb 5V charger.
“Proper” USB-C (if there is such a thing) often needs a negotiation between the two ends, “how much power you want today, my friend?” So some dumb devices sold here, despite having the right connector, just say “Whuut?” And don’t charge.
If in doubt, use the dumb cable that came with it, and an equally dumb charger, and it will often “fix” your new broken device.
@mycya4me@pmarin@werehatrack I literally learned this a couple hours ago, the hard way. (I guess I’m one of those learning-by-doing types.)
After many minutes of trying to get my mom’s blood pressure monitor to work with a USB-C cable, I tried the A-to-C charging cable from her hearing aids, and that worked. So I figured I had a dodgy USB-C cable.
Tried half a dozen other USB-C cables of various kinds, including flipping Thunderbolt, and none of them worked. What the hell.
Checked the cables with my USB cable tester, and noticed that the A-to-C cable lights up the VBUS lines, but pure C cables do not. That led to googling, which led me to Reddit, where I learned about this negotiation step. The 5V line is always hot in the old USB-A ports, which is why they can get away with skipping that negotiation step by putting an A-to-C cable in the box.
Jesus flippity-floppity Christ, where did these companies get their engineers? My old high school?
@mycya4me@TheFLP@werehatrack I hear railroads are very profitable these days but not sure they compensate crews appropriately and with adequate safe rest time.
As for the USB powering issue, I recall seeing that the basic power input chips act just we say (give me 5V or give me death!). The chips probably cost a few cents each and there are millions of them out there and continue to be used in cheap designs. (Often sold here… huh?)
@mycya4me@TheFLP@werehatrack I would have loved to be a locomotive engineer. Probably since age 6. Notwithstanding the issue I mentioned where maybe not treated well by big corporate forces.
But yeah the beauty of traveling on long roads and don’t even have to steer! Maybe 10000hp under you depending on how many units. Sound of those diesels… so satisfying!
@pmarin My father actually fired on the B&O in the steam era. But even then, unless you were in the passenger service where timetables and schedules were known weeks in advance, you had no control over your life; you might get a 10 or 12 hour run today with a layover and 6 hours the following day but starting well after Noon, and that would be relatively decent by comparison to other days. Freight moved when there was freight, and it was like being on the extra board all the time. He bailed out just before he’d have taken the exams to move up to Engineer, and went to work for USPO (as it was back then). Finally, he had a real working schedule with only occasional demands to work overtime - and those got OT pay.
@f00l@pmarin@werehatrack well for me I just throw all those extra USB (what ever) in to a Bin.
I have a rack with one of each on it. That way when I have a device that need to be charged I go to the rack NOT to get the correct cable!
FYI the European standards group has made a ruling that USB C is the standard for devices that are powered that way.
My grandad was a roundhouse foreman back in the 1920’s thru 1950’s. They never paid him what he should have gotten because he left school before he finished the 6th grade. (1800’s)
After that he lied about his age and joined the navy. Fought in a few wars. Went around the world twice before he was 25. Sailed on sailing vessels as well as powered warships.
He figured out he could fix anything and do the navy trained him to do just that. Which is how he got hired by the railroads once he mustered out.
Altho he never got proper pay he did have a job and a pension during the Great Depression.
He was also the derailment specialist for Texas and 4 surrounding states. He had a special dedicated train for that. Whenever a train derailed in his territory they would startup his train and off he and the other specialists and crew would go to the accident site.
This was all long before hazmat. They just got to the accident site and fixed whatever the encountered as best as they were able to.
I was so dumb as a kid that I never sat and listened to his stories. I so regret that now. He must have had incredible tales.
But he was a very unassuming guy and everyone else went to college etc. I think he felt outclassed maybe?
But he was the one who had class.
Pity I was too stupid to realize how great he was and what fantastic experiences he had.
Being a Geeky Nerd & have worked in the Computer Hardware repair for over 20+ years.
I have seen my share of Cables.
I remember a time when ever you got a new Cell phone you would have to replace all your chargers. then Apple set a standard the “Lighting” the world fussed, then adopted the USB “C” as the standard, then Fussed that Apple was on their own standard. Demanded that Apple used USB “C”
You mean their second standard. The 30 pin connector was first from Apple. I do give them credit for not changing all the time like some companies did.
@mycya4me@yakkoTDI Let us not forget their unrequited love affair with 1394, and the days when many of their 30-pin connector cables only worked properly with that flavor of (uncommon) port at the other end.
@mycya4me@werehatrack@yakkoTDI “FireWire” version of 1394 had high-speed (for the time) data transfer for external drives and digital cameras. Better and more consistent than USB2 at the time. Also like most things it helped to be in the Apple world and was used on Pro MacBooks at the time.
@yakkoTDI 1st it was the 30 pin connector that power the iTunes device, then they moved to the Lighting. (at that time everyone else had a different style cable) They fussed that Apple had a weird cable, that is when the European standards group has made a ruling that USB C is the standard, So Apple also adopted the USB C for the iPhones & the iPads.
Never. She even states it clearly, USB-C is just the shape.
@yakkoTDI Ah, but which of the multitude of USB-C ports and cables and devices is it? There are so many more ways to have a mismatch with USB-C than there were before. Essentially, just saying “it’s USB-C” says next to nothing about the supported options within that lack-of-standard, and essentially nobody marks the cables to say what they’re capable of carrying.
@werehatrack The lack of a clear labeling system on the cables and sometimes ports is my biggest complaint about USB-C.
You have micro USB that look somewhat like USB C.
@mycya4me And micro will often will outperform its own nominal specifications, too. For all that micro is justifiably despised, it was at least relatively reliable in what it could do. The C that replaced it has become a dark and twisty little tangle of standards, none marked and all different. I’ve actually got a couple of “charge via USB-C” things that will not charge using any USB-C cable except the one supplied with the device. And then there’s the one that will charge with most C-to-C cables, but only from certain types of wallwart.
USB-C was this shiny thing that was supposed to solve all the problems, but instead it added more in many instances.
@mycya4me @werehatrack several devices sold here needed a USB-A to USB-C cable as supplied, from a dumb 5V charger.
“Proper” USB-C (if there is such a thing) often needs a negotiation between the two ends, “how much power you want today, my friend?” So some dumb devices sold here, despite having the right connector, just say “Whuut?” And don’t charge.
If in doubt, use the dumb cable that came with it, and an equally dumb charger, and it will often “fix” your new broken device.
@mycya4me @pmarin @werehatrack I literally learned this a couple hours ago, the hard way. (I guess I’m one of those learning-by-doing types.)
After many minutes of trying to get my mom’s blood pressure monitor to work with a USB-C cable, I tried the A-to-C charging cable from her hearing aids, and that worked. So I figured I had a dodgy USB-C cable.
Tried half a dozen other USB-C cables of various kinds, including flipping Thunderbolt, and none of them worked. What the hell.
Checked the cables with my USB cable tester, and noticed that the A-to-C cable lights up the VBUS lines, but pure C cables do not. That led to googling, which led me to Reddit, where I learned about this negotiation step. The 5V line is always hot in the old USB-A ports, which is why they can get away with skipping that negotiation step by putting an A-to-C cable in the box.
Jesus flippity-floppity Christ, where did these companies get their engineers? My old high school?
@mycya4me @pmarin @TheFLP Possibly they hired them from a bankrupt railroad under the assumption that “hey, engineers is engineers, amirite?”
@mycya4me @TheFLP @werehatrack I hear railroads are very profitable these days but not sure they compensate crews appropriately and with adequate safe rest time.
As for the USB powering issue, I recall seeing that the basic power input chips act just we say (give me 5V or give me death!). The chips probably cost a few cents each and there are millions of them out there and continue to be used in cheap designs. (Often sold here… huh?)
@mycya4me @TheFLP @werehatrack I would have loved to be a locomotive engineer. Probably since age 6. Notwithstanding the issue I mentioned where maybe not treated well by big corporate forces.
But yeah the beauty of traveling on long roads and don’t even have to steer! Maybe 10000hp under you depending on how many units. Sound of those diesels… so satisfying!
@pmarin My father actually fired on the B&O in the steam era. But even then, unless you were in the passenger service where timetables and schedules were known weeks in advance, you had no control over your life; you might get a 10 or 12 hour run today with a layover and 6 hours the following day but starting well after Noon, and that would be relatively decent by comparison to other days. Freight moved when there was freight, and it was like being on the extra board all the time. He bailed out just before he’d have taken the exams to move up to Engineer, and went to work for USPO (as it was back then). Finally, he had a real working schedule with only occasional demands to work overtime - and those got OT pay.
@mycya4me @pmarin @werehatrack
So … which among my hundreds of USB-C cables came with this particular device?
Huh.
@f00l @pmarin @werehatrack well for me I just throw all those extra USB (what ever) in to a Bin.
I have a rack with one of each on it. That way when I have a device that need to be charged I go to the rack NOT to get the correct cable!
FYI the European standards group has made a ruling that USB C is the standard for devices that are powered that way.
@pmarin @werehatrack
My grandad was a roundhouse foreman back in the 1920’s thru 1950’s. They never paid him what he should have gotten because he left school before he finished the 6th grade. (1800’s)
After that he lied about his age and joined the navy. Fought in a few wars. Went around the world twice before he was 25. Sailed on sailing vessels as well as powered warships.
He figured out he could fix anything and do the navy trained him to do just that. Which is how he got hired by the railroads once he mustered out.
Altho he never got proper pay he did have a job and a pension during the Great Depression.
He was also the derailment specialist for Texas and 4 surrounding states. He had a special dedicated train for that. Whenever a train derailed in his territory they would startup his train and off he and the other specialists and crew would go to the accident site.
This was all long before hazmat. They just got to the accident site and fixed whatever the encountered as best as they were able to.
I was so dumb as a kid that I never sat and listened to his stories. I so regret that now. He must have had incredible tales.
But he was a very unassuming guy and everyone else went to college etc. I think he felt outclassed maybe?
But he was the one who had class.
Pity I was too stupid to realize how great he was and what fantastic experiences he had.
Being a Geeky Nerd & have worked in the Computer Hardware repair for over 20+ years.
I have seen my share of Cables.
I remember a time when ever you got a new Cell phone you would have to replace all your chargers. then Apple set a standard the “Lighting” the world fussed, then adopted the USB “C” as the standard, then Fussed that Apple was on their own standard. Demanded that Apple used USB “C”
@mycya4me
You mean their second standard. The 30 pin connector was first from Apple. I do give them credit for not changing all the time like some companies did.
@mycya4me @yakkoTDI Let us not forget their unrequited love affair with 1394, and the days when many of their 30-pin connector cables only worked properly with that flavor of (uncommon) port at the other end.
@mycya4me @werehatrack Firewire was not that uncommon. USB was just cheaper.
@mycya4me @werehatrack @yakkoTDI “FireWire” version of 1394 had high-speed (for the time) data transfer for external drives and digital cameras. Better and more consistent than USB2 at the time. Also like most things it helped to be in the Apple world and was used on Pro MacBooks at the time.
@pmarin @werehatrack @yakkoTDI I use Mac products so I has a few Firewire items!
@yakkoTDI 1st it was the 30 pin connector that power the iTunes device, then they moved to the Lighting. (at that time everyone else had a different style cable) They fussed that Apple had a weird cable, that is when the European standards group has made a ruling that USB C is the standard, So Apple also adopted the USB C for the iPhones & the iPads.