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Bensons reviews aren't really about capabilities. He's warning people against poorly designed A-to-C cables which identify as high-power sources, permitting the

by jsheard 11y ago

Bensons reviews aren't really about capabilities. He's warning people against poorly designed A-to-C cables which identify as high-power sources, permitting the USB-C device to draw up to 3A from a USB-A port which is only required to handle 0.5A. It's a sad state of affairs that so many cable manufacturers can't get a simple ID resistor right.

ethbro 11y ago
Can't the owner of the USB copyright mark revoke and sue them for using it in a non-standard implementation? If you don't follow the spec, and nobody punishes you, don't be surprised if more people follow suit...
- mkj 11y ago
  It's a trademark too, so if they don't enforce it then they'll lose it? Perhaps enforceability is already lost...
- gleenn 11y ago
  Many cables don't include the symbol because it is expensive to get and requires passing tests they might fail. Go look at your cables, I bet you'll find ones without it, even ones that came with more expensive products.
- rando289 11y ago
  It's trademark, not copyright. And... ya, maybe.
digi_owl 11y ago
Well the USB power specs are a unholy mess since 3.1 was introduced. You have your default 0.5A USB. Then you have the battery charging spec that goes up to about 2A (either negotiated in 0.1A increments, or in bulk via a data pin short at the supply end). Then you have your C port spec that defines C to A or B, via a resistor in the wire. And no less than two tiers of C to C via two other resistors. And then you have the power delivery spec. It builds on the Battery charging spec by allowing voltage to go up to 20V depending on the wire, and will work with any port (A, B or C). Basically what is happening is that various wires are being made according to the C spec, but using a C to C resistor where they should be using a C to A/B resistor. I suspect the confusion stems from both the Battery Charging spec and the C port spec use resistors. One of them in the wire, the other in the port, to signal that the device can draw more than 0.5A. Why any of that is even there when a C port have way more pins than any A or B port can deliver, and thus it should be bleedingly obvious that you are not dealing with a C to C wire, is beyond my comprehension.
- Klathmon 11y ago
  Honestly as complicated as it is, if you are a manufacturer it's your job to read and understand those standards. Every spec has edge cases and little things that you need to watch out for, and if these manufacturers are missing pretty major pieces of this spec, well i'm not confident that they aren't missing parts for others as well.

by jsheard 11y ago

ethbro 11y ago

Can't the owner of the USB copyright mark revoke and sue them for using it in a non-standard implementation? If you don't follow the spec, and nobody punishes you, don't be surprised if more people follow suit...

mkj 11y ago
It's a trademark too, so if they don't enforce it then they'll lose it? Perhaps enforceability is already lost...
gleenn 11y ago
Many cables don't include the symbol because it is expensive to get and requires passing tests they might fail. Go look at your cables, I bet you'll find ones without it, even ones that came with more expensive products.
rando289 11y ago
It's trademark, not copyright. And... ya, maybe.

digi_owl 11y ago

Well the USB power specs are a unholy mess since 3.1 was introduced. You have your default 0.5A USB. Then you have the battery charging spec that goes up to about 2A (either negotiated in 0.1A increments, or in bulk via a data pin short at the supply end). Then you have your C port spec that defines C to A or B, via a resistor in the wire. And no less than two tiers of C to C via two other resistors. And then you have the power delivery spec. It builds on the Battery charging spec by allowing voltage to go up to 20V depending on the wire, and will work with any port (A, B or C). Basically what is happening is that various wires are being made according to the C spec, but using a C to C resistor where they should be using a C to A/B resistor. I suspect the confusion stems from both the Battery Charging spec and the C port spec use resistors. One of them in the wire, the other in the port, to signal that the device can draw more than 0.5A. Why any of that is even there when a C port have way more pins than any A or B port can deliver, and thus it should be bleedingly obvious that you are not dealing with a C to C wire, is beyond my comprehension.

Klathmon 11y ago
Honestly as complicated as it is, if you are a manufacturer it's your job to read and understand those standards. Every spec has edge cases and little things that you need to watch out for, and if these manufacturers are missing pretty major pieces of this spec, well i'm not confident that they aren't missing parts for others as well.