I just love the "U" in usb...

<Rant>
I was just sorting out my cable mess, and came to realize i had to keep 6 usb cables handy to be able to connect the various parapnenilia (sp?) to my computer...

Granted 3 of those are for cameras and phones, but, How universal is that????

I start to long for the times when all you had to choose from was a serial cable and a printer cable...

</Rant>

 

Are all 6 different plugs? Are all 6 required at once?

I have two USB cables attached to device, one mini-b and one b.

 

There are only really 3 different standards for USB connections- USB, USB-B and Mini USB. Granted I don't see the point in USB-B (maybe someone else could explain) but mini usb has its pratical applications- I just wish more phone manufacturers would adopt it instead of propietary connections. My Razr had mini usb which means I can use the old chargers on my XDA Orbit, which makes everything a lot easier.

<A88>

 

USB B is mainly used on external devices that won't be moved, like hard drives, printers and so on.

I use bluetooth for most devices now.

 

USB A is the connector that plugs into the host computer. All USB stuff should have that.

USB B is the square one that plugs into the device. It has to be different to the other end because you don't want people plugging two hosts together. USB mini B is just that: a smaller plug for the device end.

If you have any cables using things other than that, they're not USB cables, they're proprietary. Blame the manufacturers.

ch424

 

1.) you have that cable for your printer
2.) the regular one
3.) the mini one

And in my case,
4.)Olympus decided to change the plug on the cable for my camera (when they came with the new, Uber mega pixel model), from the mini usb to their one (hardly different) plug.
5.) Pda: has it's own funny plug
6.) Phone has another one again

Note: No i dont have to use all the cables on the same device. Where is universal, when the standard starts with 3 different plugs?

I'm not trying to blame anyone, just stroke me as funny... is all.
Ans why do they do it anyways??? Is the cable market that big?

 

My guess is that they can rule out funny cables from CS calls.
That's probably way off though.

 

The standard actually has four different plugs (AFAIK):

USB-A = Host

USB-B = Client

Mini A = Downsized plug for little hosts

Mini B = Downsized plug for little clients

The reason theyre all different is so that you dont plug two hosts directly into each other and so that you cant use extensions (I know theyre everywhere but the standard specificaly prohibits them). If its not one of these then its not officialy usb.

I think USB OTG made some changes too ( added the mini A plug I think)

Moriquendi

 

Yeah I hate that crap. My printer is USB-B and my camara is mini USB, so is my PDA. Sadly however my stupid phone is some other proprietry trash which I had to order off ebay - very annoying =\

 

The explanation is probably that the 'Universal' refers to the bus, not the connection type. It's just another way of saying 'you can plug pretty much anything into me, just don't expect them all to use the same connectors.' Whilst it would be nice, most companies like to 'improve' on standards and create their own, more flexible alternatives. Take an iPod connector for example- whilst carrying out the typical USB functions it can also output analogue video and audio as well as accept expansion devices.

<A88>