4 ms·

No need to overthink it. USB cables should just label themselves with their bandwidth - it's not rocket science. Lots of other kinds of cables have a similar re

No need to overthink it. USB cables should just label themselves with their bandwidth - it's not rocket science. Lots of other kinds of cables have a similar requirement. And I guess their maximum watts too. Admittedly I'm not sure why so few USB cables do this. I'd very much rather not have a new connector shape every time the technology improves and devices and cables gain new capabilities. The benefit of where USB-C is at, is the new stuff is backwards compatible with previous generations. The complaints in the early years - about one connector, unpredictable capabilities - were wrong. It took time for this benefit to accrue. Also all the version numbers and brand names have been confusing, but the bandwidth is just a single number that goes up each generation and covers most of the issues now. There are just a few edge cases this doesn't cover these days.

luma 5mo ago
Most USB C cables do have a label, but it's an electronic one. Desktop and mobile OSes could do a better job of surfacing this information for the user.
- ssl-3 5mo ago
  Or they could simply be labelled. In this way, I would be able to see (using the advanced, integrated bionic vision system that I've carried with me and used every day I've been alive) what it is that I have before me instead of plugging them in one at a time to some electronic oracle to try to discern the details of the invisible magic inside.
- zaptheimpaler 5mo ago
  Do they really? Even on linux, I can look at what bandwidth a device is connected with using lsusb, but there is no way to tell if a low speed is a limitation of the device or the cable. It just displays the speed that was negotiated considering all factors. I've never found a way to get information about a cable digitally.
  - luma 5mo ago
    There are a handful of dedicated devices that will read the eMarker, eg https://www.amazon.com/s?k=USB+emarker https://www.amazon.com/s?k=USB+emarker A recent HN thread announcing a Mac app that can read them along with discussion on alternatives: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47972511 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47972511
    - zaptheimpaler 5mo ago
      Very cool, thanks!
coldtea 5mo ago
>No need to overthink it. USB cables should just label themselves with their bandwidth - it's not rocket science. And yet, this requirement already misses the other thing it should state: it's power rating. Because even two cables with the same bandwidth can have widely different power rating, and thus powering capacity or charging speed for different devices.
- ssl-3 5mo ago
  I have no respect for a man who can't label a cable with more than one figure.
- Dylan16807 5mo ago
  Don't take this comment too seriously, just a curiosity. Powering capacity sometimes matters, but are there any devices out there where the charging speed would be meaningfully different? As in, they use significantly more than 60 watts to charge? (I looked up some of those super fast charging phones and they don't seem to be following the USB standards in the first place.)
  - masklinn 5mo ago
    > but are there any devices out there where the charging speed would be meaningfully different? As in, they use significantly more than 60 watts to charge? Any device which can charge at 100W or more? Like lots of laptops, as well as my ebile batteries?
    - zimpenfish 5mo ago
      > Like lots of laptops, as well as my ebile batteries? Soldering irons can benefit from being able to peak above 60W when heating.
      - ssl-3 5mo ago
        They certainly can. A dainty little USB-powered Pinecil v2 can peak at ~126W with appropriate firmware and an EPR 28v PD 3.1 power supply. It's an impressive feat. :) (And, yes, it requires a USB cable that is e-marked for 240W before this is allowed to happen.) That said: 28v EPR is a bit usual. A more typical configuration runs on 20v USB PD at no more than ~64W, like a cheap, genuine [safe], used 65w Lenovo laptop charger cheerfully provides.
crote 5mo ago
The most infuriating part is that the USB-IF actually designed those labels already! The graphics already exist[0], and they are quite clear about what the cable is able to do. Manufacturers just... can't be bothered? [0]: https://www.usb.org/sites/default/files/usb_type-c_cable_logo_usage_guidelines_20240903.pdf https://www.usb.org/sites/default/files/usb_type-c_cable_log...
- deleted 5mo ago
  [deleted]
- deleted 5mo ago
  [deleted]
- deleted 5mo ago
  [deleted]
- forsatellite 5mo ago
  Oof now I've actually looked at this link and... they did manage to make it confusing: There's an official label for 5, 20, 40, and 80Gbps... but the official label for 480Mbps is, "just don't show any value." And that's the most common USB-C cable you'll find new, even today.
PinkSheep 5mo ago
> USB cables should just label themselves with their bandwidth Article: "MacBook Neo’s two USB-C ports look identical. One is 20× faster." The anti-UX designers have escaped from the web design containment dimension and started to ruin the physical world. I didn't mind at all the different colors on ports for USB 2.0, 3.0 and the unofficial teal 10 Gbps USB 3.x (whatever revision) etc.

luma 5mo ago

Most USB C cables do have a label, but it's an electronic one. Desktop and mobile OSes could do a better job of surfacing this information for the user.

ssl-3 5mo ago
Or they could simply be labelled. In this way, I would be able to see (using the advanced, integrated bionic vision system that I've carried with me and used every day I've been alive) what it is that I have before me instead of plugging them in one at a time to some electronic oracle to try to discern the details of the invisible magic inside.
zaptheimpaler 5mo ago
Do they really? Even on linux, I can look at what bandwidth a device is connected with using lsusb, but there is no way to tell if a low speed is a limitation of the device or the cable. It just displays the speed that was negotiated considering all factors. I've never found a way to get information about a cable digitally.
- luma 5mo ago
  There are a handful of dedicated devices that will read the eMarker, eg https://www.amazon.com/s?k=USB+emarker https://www.amazon.com/s?k=USB+emarker A recent HN thread announcing a Mac app that can read them along with discussion on alternatives: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47972511 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47972511
  - zaptheimpaler 5mo ago
    Very cool, thanks!

coldtea 5mo ago

>No need to overthink it. USB cables should just label themselves with their bandwidth - it's not rocket science. And yet, this requirement already misses the other thing it should state: it's power rating. Because even two cables with the same bandwidth can have widely different power rating, and thus powering capacity or charging speed for different devices.

ssl-3 5mo ago
I have no respect for a man who can't label a cable with more than one figure.
Dylan16807 5mo ago
Don't take this comment too seriously, just a curiosity. Powering capacity sometimes matters, but are there any devices out there where the charging speed would be meaningfully different? As in, they use significantly more than 60 watts to charge? (I looked up some of those super fast charging phones and they don't seem to be following the USB standards in the first place.)
- masklinn 5mo ago
  > but are there any devices out there where the charging speed would be meaningfully different? As in, they use significantly more than 60 watts to charge? Any device which can charge at 100W or more? Like lots of laptops, as well as my ebile batteries?
  - zimpenfish 5mo ago
    > Like lots of laptops, as well as my ebile batteries? Soldering irons can benefit from being able to peak above 60W when heating.
    - ssl-3 5mo ago
      They certainly can. A dainty little USB-powered Pinecil v2 can peak at ~126W with appropriate firmware and an EPR 28v PD 3.1 power supply. It's an impressive feat. :) (And, yes, it requires a USB cable that is e-marked for 240W before this is allowed to happen.) That said: 28v EPR is a bit usual. A more typical configuration runs on 20v USB PD at no more than ~64W, like a cheap, genuine [safe], used 65w Lenovo laptop charger cheerfully provides.

crote 5mo ago

The most infuriating part is that the USB-IF actually designed those labels already! The graphics already exist[0], and they are quite clear about what the cable is able to do. Manufacturers just... can't be bothered? [0]: https://www.usb.org/sites/default/files/usb_type-c_cable_logo_usage_guidelines_20240903.pdf https://www.usb.org/sites/default/files/usb_type-c_cable_log...

deleted 5mo ago
[deleted]
deleted 5mo ago
[deleted]
deleted 5mo ago
[deleted]
forsatellite 5mo ago
Oof now I've actually looked at this link and... they did manage to make it confusing: There's an official label for 5, 20, 40, and 80Gbps... but the official label for 480Mbps is, "just don't show any value." And that's the most common USB-C cable you'll find new, even today.

PinkSheep 5mo ago

> USB cables should just label themselves with their bandwidth Article: "MacBook Neo’s two USB-C ports look identical. One is 20× faster." The anti-UX designers have escaped from the web design containment dimension and started to ruin the physical world. I didn't mind at all the different colors on ports for USB 2.0, 3.0 and the unofficial teal 10 Gbps USB 3.x (whatever revision) etc.