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0 pointsmjevans7y ago0 comments

Pick any random USB-C cable.

Can you tell by looking at it what speeds it supports? Is it USB-3 or USB-2? How about the power delivery aspect, how much power is it cable of transferring?

You might be able to tell some of those things from modern cables, if they're bragging about a speed factor, but otherwise it isn't clear.

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4 comments · 2 top-level

sneak7y ago· 2 in thread

Pick any random cable, regardless of what’s on the ends.

Yes, I can determine what it is used for, because I bought it for a purpose. What you are describing is the same issue with barrel-style AC or DC wall warts, and those powered the world for a few decades just fine.

gambiting7y ago

Except that as I said in another comment - the USB-C charger that comes with OnePlus phones will not charge the Nintendo Switch. Both devices have full USB-C certification and display USB Association logo on the box. But it's either OnePlus or Nintendo doing something dodgy with the standard and the Switch just doesn't charge.

So yes, I bought a USB-C certified charger, to charge things. What does it do? It charges some things when it wants to, without providing any kind of indication why it doesn't work when it doesn't.

sneak7y ago

That is the same outcome for when dodgy things break the pre-C USB spec as well. I’m not sure why OnePlus or Nintendo breaking spec is an indictment of the connector they chose.

baroffoos7y ago

I got a new laptop this year and I couldn't even work out what protocols it supported. No where on the laptop spec sheet did it say that supports hdmi and displayport over usb c but when I use the plug for it it works. When I use the same adapter/plug on my phone it doesn't work.

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