I don't own a single vanilla USB cable..

Wej · 1 Dec 2011 at 13:39

What gives? (to use an Americanism)

I needed this morning to connect my media player (a small, black, standalone box thing) to my laptop (a larger, shiny thing with a keyboard) to delete something off the internal hard drive that is causing problems. No problem I thought - apparently you can use one of the two USB sockets on the player and this, when connected to a PC, becomes an external HD.

Fine I thought, I'll go to my box of infinite cables (tm) and grab one...

Ok, they're all tangled, no big deal, I'll sort them out while I'm at it..

/time passes

/time passes

The result?

5 USB extender cables (why???? who uses these???)
2 USB hub extender cables (makes slightly more sense than above)
3 USB to mini-USB cables
4 USB to micro-USB cables
2 USB to (nokia?) cables
3 USB to (other random phones) cables
2 USB webcames (thought they were cables, but camera attached to other end!)
3 USB to... no idea, looks like a PS2 connector (mouse/keyboard adapter)
2 Firewire cables

Why have I not got USB to USB? How can I have 5 extender cables but no actual cable? Why can I not, using some combination of the above cables make a standard USB cable? Does nothing come with plain USB anymore?

Can anyone answer any of these questions?

Memphis · 1 Dec 2011 at 13:41

You can't make money with universal compatibility.

Max Powers · 1 Dec 2011 at 13:41

I can lend you one?

Dj_Jestar · 1 Dec 2011 at 13:51

USB. The not so universal serial bus.

Wej · 1 Dec 2011 at 13:51

Max Powers said:
I can lend you one?

I would love you too, but I'll buy one after work tonight. What is confusing me is why I haven't already got one.

As for universal compatibility, this is my standard twice monthly work rant. Universal power cables and universal data cables. I *dream* of it...

Dj_Jestar · 1 Dec 2011 at 13:53

Wireless power/data connectivity is where it's at

cheechm · 1 Dec 2011 at 13:54

USB A to USB A isn't that common is it?

Wej · 1 Dec 2011 at 13:56

cheechm said:
USB A to USB A isn't that common is it?

Isn't it? Surely it should be the de facto standard? And if not, if we're going down the micro-usb or mini-usb, why not change PC ports to reflect that?

nydryl · 1 Dec 2011 at 13:56

Got any chocolate?

Wej · 1 Dec 2011 at 13:57

nydryl said:
Got any chocolate?

No, but if I can use it in place of a USB to USB cable then the corner shop does

Frapple · 1 Dec 2011 at 13:58

Wej said:
Isn't it? Surely it should be the de facto standard? And if not, if we're going down the micro-usb or mini-usb, why not change PC ports to reflect that?

Not at all USB A -> B is far more common for peripherals.

cheechm · 1 Dec 2011 at 13:59

USB A to USB B is what is common. There's too many basically.

Wej · 1 Dec 2011 at 14:03

Well I have what looks like around 10 USB devices after a quick scan...

1 custom (HTC phone)
7 Type A -> Mini-A or Mini-B
2 Type A -> Micro-B

paradigm · 1 Dec 2011 at 14:20

Solution A:

Take two unused USB extension cables and lop the ends off.

Take two useful ends and twist/solder/crimp wires together to make one straight through A-A cable. Insulate individual cables with sellotape/electricians tape, then bound entire joint in tape.

Done.

Solution B:

Whinge on an internet forum about not owning a rather rare cable.

Proceed to Solution A.

Dj_Jestar · 1 Dec 2011 at 14:23

paradigm said:
Solution A:

Take two unused USB extension cables and lop the ends off.

Take two useful ends and twist/solder/crimp wires together to make one straight through A-A cable. Insulate individual cables with sellotape/electricians tape, then bound entire joint in tape.

Done.

Solution B:

Whinge on an internet forum about not owning a rather rare cable.

Proceed to Solution A.

You forgot the best solution.. buy a cable. Which the OP is doing, after whinging on t'internet.

paradigm · 1 Dec 2011 at 14:35

Dj_Jestar said:
You forgot the best solution.. buy a cable. Which the OP is doing, after whinging on t'internet.

How's that the "best" solution? It costs money.

Making your own will be a) cheaper, and b) quicker.

Myshra · 1 Dec 2011 at 14:55

cheechm said:
USB A to USB A isn't that common is it?

USB A to A is non-standard, think it's to avoid some kind of circuit power problem.

Cosimo · 1 Dec 2011 at 14:58

nydryl said:
Got any chocolate?

Just finished mine.

paradigm · 1 Dec 2011 at 15:01

Myshra said:
USB A to A is non-standard, think it's to avoid some kind of circuit power problem.

The reason A to A is rare is because typically USB "A" sockets are reserved for use on USB host devices and NOT on peripherals (both devices in the OP are host devices, ie devices that can manage other USB devices).

Some hosts however can be both a host AND a peripheral, such as the one in the OP (where it can be set as an external disk), but rather than add a dedicated peripheral (USB type "B" socket), the type "A" can work as both.

So really, when this was said;

Wej said:
Isn't it? Surely it should be the de facto standard? And if not, if we're going down the micro-usb or mini-usb, why not change PC ports to reflect that?

The actual response should have stated that any device designed to act as a peripheral should have a type B plug on it, rather than PCs should change.

Wej · 1 Dec 2011 at 15:01

paradigm said:
Solution A:

Solution B:

Whinge on an internet forum about not owning a rather rare cable.

Proceed to Solution A.

Hmmm, wasn't supposed to be a whinge, more an observation that I don't have what I thought was a really common cable. But apparently it isn't common, and I was whinging rather than pointing out how nuts the whole cabling thing is

Oh well. And yes, I could easily hack some cables and make a new one, but that wasn't my point. I was sort of trying to stimulate discussion OH NEVER MIND I'LL SHUT UP!!!