USB "half plugs"

[richaron]

Hey guys, I'm curious as to what those little "half" USB plugs are called. Those ones for tiny devices which look like 4 pins on a bit of plastic & slide into a regular (type a) USB port, but without the (when looking end on) rectangular outer piece. I assume this outer bit is conductive, and perhaps an important part, but I'm having issues finding actual specs...

My curiosity has been raised by the purchase of a new ultrabook from [insert big online store] and the whacky behavior of one of the USB ports. Port tightness & spookyness asside, the error is reproducible with these "half" plugs & cheap [insert major brand name] flash drives.

Note: this is just one port, & all devices work in other computers. All devices also work in said port with a USB hub attached. And this is a replacement unit, apparently original has been sent back to manufacturer.

 

[piasabird]

Pictures or links to a product page might help. Try downloading a manual.

HDMI, Thunderbolt, DisplayPort ???

Maybe they are just making it a different shape. I am thinking USB is 2 wires for power and 2 wires for data.

Might try uninstalling the device in device manager, unplugging it and plugging it back in. Apple might be a little diff.

 

[richaron]

Thanks buddy, but I was looking for info on USB specs in general & gave my story to flesh out why. Just think of it of a single port acting a way I've never seen, no manuals necessary.

I've got to know a few of the tech dudes by name while I humoured them them with 1st/2nd level support. Trust me it's not user error or software; multiple BIOS/chipset drivers, OS updates & reinstalls, plus gut instinct building PC's for a while (pls shame me and prove me wrong, but not with random guesses).

 

[Gunbuster]

I don't know if the housing-less USB connectors have a name. I would call them "USB connector for small memory stick devices that look cool but possibly are not 100% compliant with USB spec."

 

[Gunbuster]

Also to clarify do you mean a drive like this: http://www.hocklai.com/2007/01/30/review-kingmax-super-stick-2gb/

 

[richaron]

Also to clarify do you mean a drive like this: http://www.hocklai.com/2007/01/30/review-kingmax-super-stick-2gb/

Yeah that's the one (device not recognised). Though not only mass storage devices, I've got a Bluetooth adapter which looks like that but doesn't power up (LED).

I'm asking about "half" plugs because the error is consistent, but also happens with some regular looking flash drives & cables to my phone (MTP). No problems with most stuff.

 

[sm625]

The shell serves no purposes other than emissions, and it helps with fitting. But all you really need is +5V, GND, and the two data lines.

 

[richaron]

The shell serves no purposes other than emissions, and it helps with fitting. But all you really need is +5V, GND, and the two data lines.

Thanks, if the shell is only there for support then that explains something. And I should have mentioned this is a USB 3.0 port (everything works on all other 3.0 ports I own).

So I have:
1) Tight 3.0 port plugging in/out (I can suspend entire PC from a flash drive).
2) Even with 1 there's a lot of side-side play, with 2.0 MTP device constantly connecting/disconnecting with play.
3) All 2.0 devices without supportive "shell" (and some with) do not work.

So it's obvious this particular port is weird. And I could easily believe USB devices without this "shell" are out of spec, but is the port also? What is spec?

Edit: Answered myself, "moderate force" is part of specs. But I would be happy if someone in the know can weigh in.

 

[piasabird]

looks like USB 2 but they did not make a standard connector.

Might try looking at this wikki page:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Serial_Bus

I think everything will wear out eventually if you plug and unplug it a lot.