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USB 4 version 2.0 released

I don't mind usb standards changing as long as they're fully backwards compatible. If it Just Works® I'll have what I always had, but will get better as my gear improves. The connectors piss me off more. I have two different connectors in active use, and potentially could have two more if I brought some of my old stuff out. It's annoying.
 
mikeymikec said:
Better known by the folks on imgur as USB 420 LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL
https://imgur.com/a/suLTayj

Seriously though, I wasn't even aware that there was a USB 4 v1. When the revolution comes and I'm the sole ruler of everything, I shall decree that there will only be one revision to USB every ten years.
Click to expand...
It will be ten years before you see full hardware support for the standard.
 
lxskllr said:
I don't mind usb standards changing as long as they're fully backwards compatible. If it Just Works® I'll have what I always had, but will get better as my gear improves. The connectors piss me off more. I have two different connectors in active use, and potentially could have two more if I brought some of my old stuff out. It's annoying.
Click to expand...

IMO the trouble with the connectors is all part and parcel of what appears to me to be a case of 'ready, fire, aim!' (and so part of the reason why we've gone from a new USB standard every ten years to every 2-3). I don't think I've ever seen USB micro and mini A connectors before, but I guess first gen stuff is a learning experience, however the whole business of releasing new connectors for USB 3.0 only to abandon them by USB 3.2 was completely insane, I've also have never seen a USB 3.0 type B in the wild either, and why on earth would we need a chunkier-than 2.0 B but with additional power? B-type is used for devices that have their own mains power, surely 3.0 micro-B sufficed?

Even though I personally dislike USB-C, if USB 2.0 had been superseded by USB 3.1 Gen 2 (+ USB-C) and simply called USB 3.0, it would have been a lot less messy.

The way things are going, I bet that by the time the world settles on USB-C (or has made significant strides towards it), I bet a USB-C mini/micro/whatever connector comes out of the woodwork because why not, along with another several more revised standards.

I shall label my post correctly:
the-simpsons-angry.gif


IronWing said:
It will be ten years before you see full hardware support for the standard.
Click to expand...

USB 3.0 was released in 2008 and within two years I was using boards with USB 3.0. In 2012 I bought my first USB 3.0 HDD. USB-C was released in 2017, and I'm pretty sure we saw USB-C hardware within two years easy.

The only reason I can think of that it would take ten years to see USB4 in the mainstream would be if the industry collectively said, "does anyone really need that though?". One complication though is that USB 4 allegedly does away with the traditional type A connector entirely.
 
Types.png


Micro-USB - (lower left) WAS the type used for most cell-phones.

Mini-USB - was used on many dashboard GPS models and digital cameras.

Micro B-USB - was common on many external HD's/enclosures.

USB3 type B (not pictured) - was most commonly used in drive-docks.


The USB "standards" guys ARE really a bunch of confused id10t's! 🙄

(everything should just use USB-C now)
 
Captante said:
Types.png


Micro-USB - (lower left) WAS the type used for most cell-phones.

Mini-USB - was used on many dashboard GPS models and digital cameras.

Micro B-USB - was common on many external HD's/enclosures.

USB3 type B (not pictured) - was most commonly used in drive-docks.


The USB "standards" guys ARE really a bunch of confused id10t's! 🙄

(everything should just use USB-C now)
Click to expand...
Mini USB was also common on phones for a couple years, and PS3 controllers. Phones switched to Micro-USB after that and that was when the hassles began...
 
Captante said:
Types.png


Micro-USB - (lower left) WAS the type used for most cell-phones.

Mini-USB - was used on many dashboard GPS models and digital cameras.

Micro B-USB - was common on many external HD's/enclosures.

USB3 type B (not pictured) - was most commonly used in drive-docks.


The USB "standards" guys ARE really a bunch of confused id10t's! 🙄

(everything should just use USB-C now)
Click to expand...

This image isn't completely correct. Top-centre is a USB-B female connector (ext lead?), top-right is usb 3.0 micro-B, bottom-left is micro-B (pre USB 3.0), bottom-centre is mini-B (pre-USB 3.0). I did post the wikipedia article for a reason, it has all this in 🙂
 
mikeymikec said:
This image isn't completely correct. Top-centre is a USB-B female connector (ext lead?), top-right is usb 3.0 micro-B, bottom-left is micro-B (pre USB 3.0), bottom-centre is mini-B (pre-USB 3.0). I did post the wikipedia article for a reason, it has all this in 🙂
Click to expand...


USB-B is AKA as a USB "printer" or "device" cable and is extremely common even today.

The "micro b" port is labeled "micro b" from what I can see and micro USB was in fact the primary port used on cell-phones for many years. (fortunately most had a much smaller plug-housing!)

I've owned multiple devices that used every one of those interfaces over the years going all the way back to the buggy mess that was USB 1.0.
 
Last edited:
Captante said:
USB-B is AKA as a USB "printer cable" and is extremely common even today. The "micro b" port is labeled "micro b" from what I can see?

I've owned multiple devices that used every one of those over the years going all the way back to the buggy mess that was USB 1.0.
Click to expand...
The printer cable also gets used for MIDI keyboards and synthesizers 😀
 
Captante said:
USB-B is AKA as a USB "printer" or "device" cable and is extremely common even today.
Click to expand...

Of course the printer connector is common, but what's in the image is the female end of the connector despite the fact that the rest of the connectors are all male 🙂
 
It looks like an adapter plug. I have a set somewhere. Lets you connect all your obsolete junk together :^D
 
mikeymikec said:
Of course the printer connector is common, but what's in the image is the female end of the connector despite the fact that the rest of the connectors are all male 🙂
Click to expand...

Correct.... that cable has a "type A" on the other end MOST of the time.

I have a couple that have a "mini" plug and one that's a "B to B" patch cable.... I can't even recall what it came with lol!

USB is a mess!
 
Captante said:
Correct.... that cable has a "type A" on the other end MOST of the time.

I have a couple that have a "mini" plug and one that's a "B to B" patch cable.... I can't even recall what it came with lol!

USB is a mess!
Click to expand...
ONE CONNECTOR TO RULE THEM ALL!

But we were all of us deceived 🙁
 
Mini and micro really piss me off. Look similar and I have a couple devices that still use mini and I never have one of the cables when I need it.
 
Captante said:
Types.png


Micro-USB - (lower left) WAS the type used for most cell-phones.

Mini-USB - was used on many dashboard GPS models and digital cameras.

Micro B-USB - was common on many external HD's/enclosures.

USB3 type B (not pictured) - was most commonly used in drive-docks.


The USB "standards" guys ARE really a bunch of confused id10t's! 🙄

(everything should just use USB-C now)
Click to expand...


IMO they should have skipped all those mini/micro ones and just went straight to USB-C. Would have been so much simpler. It seems for a while they kept coming up with new connectors, which was annoying since any time you bought a new device you couldn't use the same charger as last one.
 
Captante said:
Types.png


Micro-USB - (lower left) WAS the type used for most cell-phones.

Mini-USB - was used on many dashboard GPS models and digital cameras.

Micro B-USB - was common on many external HD's/enclosures.

USB3 type B (not pictured) - was most commonly used in drive-docks.


The USB "standards" guys ARE really a bunch of confused id10t's! 🙄

(everything should just use USB-C now)
Click to expand...

Yeah but that's the problem, there's like 50 kinds of USB-C now lol. Lately I've been converting all of my clients over to the 100w USB-C v3.1standard for laptop docking stations:


$280 gets you a lot for the money:

1. USB-C-powered laptops can be up to 100w (no separate power brick required, which is great because people forget their chargers all the time lol)
2. They can use up to 3x DP/HDMI screens (up to 4K/60hz)
3. Works on Windows & Mac
4. Has a front 20w USB-C charging port for phones & tablets
5. Has 4x USB 3.0, SD reader, Gigabit Ethernet, and analog audio in & out ports

I can setup a triple-monitor hoteling setup or wire up a conference room with flat-screens & projectors, and everything operates off a single USB-C plug for charging, video connections, wireless keyboards, mice, webcams on tripods, speakerphone setups, etc.! It's all plug & play!
 
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