My entire platform for president is to make it a felony to put a USB-C connector on a device that can only charge from a USB-A power supply.
Post
Replies:
0
@mattblaze Last week I had to buy a pair of these hybrid charging cables. I hear this is to save installing a single resistor. I think the cables cost more than a resistor...
Where is the EU when we need them?
@mattblaze You mean the wall wart has a female A connector & thus the cable is male A to male C?
@20002ist Right. They ship a device with a USB-C connector and a USB-C to USB-A cable, and warn you only their cable works.
@mattblaze
Have you tested if it works with a normal USB C?
Maybe somebody added the resistors but did not tell the manual writer
@carstenfranke @20002ist Yes, of course I did. How else would I know to complain about it not working with USB-C? Do you think I'm just making this up?
@mattblaze
No, no, not at all, I thought this was based on the manual and original configuration. I have a lot of people in my live who carefully study manuals and would not dare to do the engineer thing: let's see what happens...
@mattblaze As in “don’t use a USB-C charger & cable because the former will damage the device/void the warranty/cause all life as you know it to stop instantaneously and every molecule in your body to explode at the speed of light”? Yeah, that’s seriously brain-damaged.
@20002ist No, it just doesn't do anything when you use a USB-C supply.
@mattblaze OK, I will sign your petition to yeet those responsible into the sun.
@mattblaze @20002ist USB-A to USB-C cables aren't uncommon, especially for charging. But "only their cable works" is bizarre.
@SteveBellovin @20002ist Yes, I understand you can get the cables. I have cables.
The problem is that if I see a USB-C connector, I should reasonably expect to be able to charge it with a USB-C charger.
@mattblaze @20002ist Yup! (We're in this unpleasant transition period, where every vendor wants to standardize on USB-C (and of course there's the EU regulation), but most people have only or primarily USB-A. Heck, I can't even find a USB-C hub to match the one I use for my (many) USB-A devices: 7 USB-A connectivity ports plus 3 charge-only ports.
@SteveBellovin @20002ist The underlying issue is devices that were designed for an older USB-mini or -micro connector that gets swapped right before production for USB-C, without adding the resistors to the circuit. USB-C doesn't supply 5V to an open circuit the way USB-A does.
@mattblaze @SteveBellovin @20002ist I have a bunch of devices around the house with this exact situation and it’s so infuriating. I would rather they just be anything other than USB-C so that I can know at quick glance it needs its own special cable instead of thinking it’s a true modern device.
@mattblaze @SteveBellovin @20002ist wait does that mean USB C to µB cables have the cc resistor built-in to the cable to work?
@SteveBellovin @20002ist I have also seen an even more horrendous version of this where not only do you need a USB-A cable and charger, but the USB-C connector only works if you plug it in in one (random) orientation.
@mattblaze @20002ist That's to replicate the USB-A experience of trying to plug a cable in, where you have to try three times…
@mattblaze @SteveBellovin haha we have discussed this
I bought a cheap A-to-C converter plug that does this. Insane-making.
@mattblaze But Matt, those two resistors would bankrupt so many companies, the US would go into a great recession!
@mattblaze To save a tenth of a cent for a pull-up resistor?
@robpike I guess it adds up.
@mattblaze @robpike hey now. It’s TWO resistors!
I'm talking to you, Philips rechargeable worklight.
