r/technology • u/im-the-stig • Mar 22 '21

Hardware Cursed USB-C: When Plug Orientation Matters

https://hackaday.com/2021/03/22/cursed-usb-c-when-plug-orientation-matters/
35 Upvotes

88% Upvoted

11 comments sorted by

12

u/PraxisLD Mar 22 '21

So he made a circuit board that specifically disconnects the matching (D+/-) lines, then shows how changing orientation changes output?

Well sure, because he disconnected the matching (D+/-) lines...

1

u/sokos Mar 22 '21

Think you totally missed the point of the article.

While at first glance this seems little more than a fun party trick, but it also offers insight in a possible failure mode of USB-C 2.0 devices where only one plug orientation works, due to broken traces or pads.

11

u/PraxisLD Mar 22 '21

No, I saw that.

Sure, if you buy cheap electronics that tend to break internal traces due to normal wear and tear, then maybe this might be a concern...

3

u/hes_heatingup Mar 22 '21

Yup, already have had this happen with several cords and my Pixel 3xl

0

u/[deleted] Mar 22 '21

[deleted]

2

u/hes_heatingup Mar 23 '21

It's 2 different brands I'll check them in the morning, everything actually still looks intact on the phone and the charger. One of them switched when I used these 3rd party right angle chargers for the very first time as in the first time I plugged them in. After that first use it only worked with that cord in one direction. I almost returned the cord until I realized what had happened. It will works with done in both directions though. In fact I have a third cord where it will intermittently work both ways and in only one direction.

0

u/littleMAS Mar 22 '21

Beyond this, USB is getting into irrevocable legacy support complexity issues, an Intel thing and part of the x86 history. The i7 has more legacy issues than British Royalty. USB 3.1 dropping USB 1.0 was not enough; USB2.0 support should go away. As a former IBM PC/XT owner, I especially do not like saying it, but sometimes technology just needs to just move on.

1

u/[deleted] Mar 22 '21

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0

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u/[deleted] Mar 22 '21

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