4 ms·

Honestly, you can get great USB-C to headphone jack converters for $10. Just accept the market has moved on and live with it. Also the headphone jack isn't 100

by nl 4y ago

Honestly, you can get great USB-C to headphone jack converters for $10. Just accept the market has moved on and live with it. Also the headphone jack isn't 100 years old.

mortenlarsen 4y ago
Doesn't work on all phones, like my Pixel 4. That was a big surprise. There is no way to connect anything else but BT.
- gruez 4y ago
  Are you using the OEM provided adapter? The reason is probably due to the usb-c standard being a clusterfuck and essentially having two different types of "usb-c to 3.5mm dongle": 1. active dongle that gets digital audio signals from the phone, and converts that to analog using an onboard DAC 2. passive dongle that receives analog audio signals from the phone, and simply converts the pinout from usb-c to 3.5mm[1] If you try to use the latter dongle on a phone that doesn't support that use case (ie. it doesn't contain onboard DAC), it will fail to work. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB-C#Audio_Adapter_Accessory_Mode_2 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB-C#Audio_Adapter_Accessory_...
  - seba_dos1 4y ago
    Passive dongles are the only ones that actually have something to do with USB-C standard, as those allow to simply route the analog connection through the USB-C port. Active dongles are just regular USB sound cards that you can plug into a PC too and which could use a USB-A plug just as well.
    - nl 4y ago
      This is an active USB-C to headphone dongle designed for phones: https://www.amazon.com.au/Stereo-Adapter-Hi-res-Headphone-Compatible/dp/B07CN36QVH/r https://www.amazon.com.au/Stereo-Adapter-Hi-res-Headphone-Co... It specifically mentioned Pixel 4 compatibility. Yes, I think it might work on a PC too, but I've never tried that.
      - seba_dos1 4y ago
        Add a passive USB-C to A dongle and you can use stuff like this: https://www.amazon.com.au/EZONEDEAL-microphone-external-External-headphone/dp/B08QRWKVM6/ https://www.amazon.com.au/EZONEDEAL-microphone-external-Exte... Technically, this is more or less the same thing as what you linked to, just in a different form factor. Or even this: https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/5-1-Channel-USB-2-0_62203419111.html https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/5-1-Channel-USB-2-0_6... Also same thing, but likely to have a crappier DAC.
- nl 4y ago
  This isn't true. I had a Pixel 4 and it worked fine. You do need to make sure you get one with a built in D/A converter (some are just pass-through).
hulahoof 4y ago
While the 3.5mm headphone jack is only ~70 years old [1], the quarter inch jack has it's roots in the late 1870's [2]. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phone_connector_(audio)#Miniature_size https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phone_connector_(audio)#Miniat... [2] https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-35253398 https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-35253398
- nl 4y ago
  When you find a phone with a quarter inch jack I'll concede the point :)
- 2143 4y ago
  I went from "they had it in the 30s?" to "omg 1950 was 70 years ago!"
  - rightbyte 4y ago
    It is funny how long the approximation "subtract from 2000" to keep math simple sticks.
tails4e 4y ago
I've a macbook pro at work and have to use 3 dongles, to get hdmi, display port, full sized USB, etc. I still don't have a wired ethernet, or headphone jacks, probbaly need another 2 adapters. It looks like an octopus, and is not mobile with that junk plugged in. Adapters suck. Basic connectivity should be maintained on all devices.
- nl 4y ago
  All Macbook Pros have headphone jacks[1]. > full sized USB What do you mean by this? [1] https://www.apple.com/au/macbook-pro-13/specs/ https://www.apple.com/au/macbook-pro-13/specs/ (search for audio. Older ones have them too)
  - Whinner 4y ago
    I’m guessing USB-A port
- stickfigure 4y ago
  Don't think of the USBC/TRS adapter as a dongle for your phone. Think of it as an extension for your headphone wires. Why would you ever remove it from the headphones?
  - likeclockwork 4y ago
    Because I plug my headphones into multiple devices?
- midoridensha 4y ago
  Don't Macbook Pros have Thunderbolt ports? If so, then you don't need all that crap; just get a Thunderbolt docking station. It'll have all the ports you want in a single box, which plugs in with a single cable (which also carries power). My Dell laptop has this, and it works fantastically. Of course, it still sucks not to have HDMI or full-sized USB on the laptop itself for when you're not at your desk, and that's a great reason not to buy a Mac in the first place, but I'm assuming you were stuck with that POS by your employer. My Dell has HDMI, 2xUSB3.0, and a headphone jack all on the computer, and still manages to be quite thin and light. (No, there's no wired ethernet or DisplayPort, but you don't really need those on a laptop outside the docking station.)

by nl 4y ago

Honestly, you can get great USB-C to headphone jack converters for $10. Just accept the market has moved on and live with it. Also the headphone jack isn't 100 years old.

mortenlarsen 4y ago

Doesn't work on all phones, like my Pixel 4. That was a big surprise. There is no way to connect anything else but BT.

gruez 4y ago
Are you using the OEM provided adapter? The reason is probably due to the usb-c standard being a clusterfuck and essentially having two different types of "usb-c to 3.5mm dongle": 1. active dongle that gets digital audio signals from the phone, and converts that to analog using an onboard DAC 2. passive dongle that receives analog audio signals from the phone, and simply converts the pinout from usb-c to 3.5mm[1] If you try to use the latter dongle on a phone that doesn't support that use case (ie. it doesn't contain onboard DAC), it will fail to work. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB-C#Audio_Adapter_Accessory_Mode_2 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB-C#Audio_Adapter_Accessory_...
- seba_dos1 4y ago
  Passive dongles are the only ones that actually have something to do with USB-C standard, as those allow to simply route the analog connection through the USB-C port. Active dongles are just regular USB sound cards that you can plug into a PC too and which could use a USB-A plug just as well.
  - nl 4y ago
    This is an active USB-C to headphone dongle designed for phones: https://www.amazon.com.au/Stereo-Adapter-Hi-res-Headphone-Compatible/dp/B07CN36QVH/r https://www.amazon.com.au/Stereo-Adapter-Hi-res-Headphone-Co... It specifically mentioned Pixel 4 compatibility. Yes, I think it might work on a PC too, but I've never tried that.
    - seba_dos1 4y ago
      Add a passive USB-C to A dongle and you can use stuff like this: https://www.amazon.com.au/EZONEDEAL-microphone-external-External-headphone/dp/B08QRWKVM6/ https://www.amazon.com.au/EZONEDEAL-microphone-external-Exte... Technically, this is more or less the same thing as what you linked to, just in a different form factor. Or even this: https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/5-1-Channel-USB-2-0_62203419111.html https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/5-1-Channel-USB-2-0_6... Also same thing, but likely to have a crappier DAC.
nl 4y ago
This isn't true. I had a Pixel 4 and it worked fine. You do need to make sure you get one with a built in D/A converter (some are just pass-through).

hulahoof 4y ago

While the 3.5mm headphone jack is only ~70 years old [1], the quarter inch jack has it's roots in the late 1870's [2]. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phone_connector_(audio)#Miniature_size https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phone_connector_(audio)#Miniat... [2] https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-35253398 https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-35253398

nl 4y ago
When you find a phone with a quarter inch jack I'll concede the point :)
2143 4y ago
I went from "they had it in the 30s?" to "omg 1950 was 70 years ago!"
- rightbyte 4y ago
  It is funny how long the approximation "subtract from 2000" to keep math simple sticks.

tails4e 4y ago

I've a macbook pro at work and have to use 3 dongles, to get hdmi, display port, full sized USB, etc. I still don't have a wired ethernet, or headphone jacks, probbaly need another 2 adapters. It looks like an octopus, and is not mobile with that junk plugged in. Adapters suck. Basic connectivity should be maintained on all devices.

nl 4y ago
All Macbook Pros have headphone jacks[1]. > full sized USB What do you mean by this? [1] https://www.apple.com/au/macbook-pro-13/specs/ https://www.apple.com/au/macbook-pro-13/specs/ (search for audio. Older ones have them too)
- Whinner 4y ago
  I’m guessing USB-A port
stickfigure 4y ago
Don't think of the USBC/TRS adapter as a dongle for your phone. Think of it as an extension for your headphone wires. Why would you ever remove it from the headphones?
- likeclockwork 4y ago
  Because I plug my headphones into multiple devices?
midoridensha 4y ago
Don't Macbook Pros have Thunderbolt ports? If so, then you don't need all that crap; just get a Thunderbolt docking station. It'll have all the ports you want in a single box, which plugs in with a single cable (which also carries power). My Dell laptop has this, and it works fantastically. Of course, it still sucks not to have HDMI or full-sized USB on the laptop itself for when you're not at your desk, and that's a great reason not to buy a Mac in the first place, but I'm assuming you were stuck with that POS by your employer. My Dell has HDMI, 2xUSB3.0, and a headphone jack all on the computer, and still manages to be quite thin and light. (No, there's no wired ethernet or DisplayPort, but you don't really need those on a laptop outside the docking station.)