Talk:USB

USB Versions

I always thought that "Full Speed" (1.5 MB/sec) USB Devices were called "USB 1.1", and that the "Low Speed" (0.188MB/sec) USB Devices were called "USB 1.0". The "USB Signalling" section only mentions 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0, but no 1.1.

I have seen many USB devices that say "USB 2.0 (USB 1.1 Compatible)", with Apple's iPod being one such example, though many USB Drives another. This website also seems to state 1.1 refers to the speed. 86.169.112.65 (talk) 13:41, 19 October 2008 (UTC)

PlusPower / Powered USB

These two specifications seem to be the same. PlusPower is PoweredUSB 0.8e and Powered USB contains version 0.8f of the same specification. So, these sections under Power should probably be merged, links and additional information moved to Powered_USB page and if there is some real differences between those two, it can be discussed under Powered USB page. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 82.181.111.137 (talk) 18:23, August 29, 2007 (UTC) And while talking about cleaning the article, enhanced mini-B. motorola and HTC connectors probably are of little interest to most people since there are dozens of other non-standard USB connectors. At least the connectors don't belong under device classes. Perhaps separate page for non-standard USB features is required? Nonstandard_usb perhaps? All weird devices and connectors could be listed there without having to worry that readers of the main article get confused with all the variations... —Preceding unsigned comment added by 82.181.111.137 (talk) 18:33, August 29, 2007 (UTC)

Mystery micro plug

The mystery plug, on a cable for my Pentax K10D

The mystery plug, on a cable for my Panasonic DMC-TZ3

(continuing the above section, on the small 8-pin plug which is apparently misidentified as "micro-B" in this image)

I agree that this plug is not a standard micro-B plug, which is about 7×1.8mm and has 5 contacts, as described precisely in the "USB Cables and Connectors Class Document".

If you look at the end of the connector closely, it seems it is the charging plug that is used in the Nintendo DS Lite

I have one of these "mystery plugs" on a cable for my Pentax K10D camera and don't really know what to call it. Its dimensions are approximately 4.75×1.8mm, smaller than standard micro-B. And it has positions for 8 contacts, not the 5 of micro connectors. I have seen it on several cameras, where it is usually used to provide both USB and composite video via the same receptacle on the camera (hence the extra 3 pins).

This connector/cable seems to be used by many different camera brands, including at least:

• Pentax, Konica-Minolta, Olympus [1]
• Nikon [2]
• Fujifilm [3]
• Panasonic [4]
• HP [5]
• Kodak [6]
• Casio (EX-F1)
• Pentax (Optio M50) 130.215.237.45 (talk) 20:54, 11 November 2008 (UTC)

I have seen it referred to with several names:

• "Mini USB 8P"
• "Mini B 8 Pin"
• "Mini 8 Pin"
• "8 pin flat"
• "I-USB7" (Pentax Model Number) 130.215.237.45 (talk) 20:54, 11 November 2008 (UTC)

ITS JUST USB ON THE GO!!!!! dear lord —Preceding unsigned comment added by 72.76.172.136 (talk) 16:54, 26 October 2008 (UTC)

Is this thing standardized or not?? There appears to be a huge amount of confusion around it... Can anyone explain what it is supposed to be called, or reference any documents that describe it??? ǝɹʎℲxoɯ (contrib) 20:59, 14 May 2008 (UTC)

I don't know whether it could be called standardized or not, but I can tell you what it is. It's a "USB multi-connector" that's very popular on midrange DSLRs, including pins for USB, video output, and often a remote shutter release. The function of the port varies depending on which cable is attached. As far as I know there's no agreement between manufacturers as to pin assignment, but it's not unreasonable that they would have a common physical spec.

Andrew Rodland (talk) 09:42, 9 June 2008 (UTC)

This plug is also used on the Panasonic DMC-TZ3 stills camera (and probably it's closely related cousins the TZ2, TZ4 & TZ5). I measured the connector itself (the metal bit) as 5mm x 2mm. Nihilobstat (talk) 03:10, 17 June 2008 (UTC)

... and used on many HTC and RIM phones. SchmuckyTheCat (talk)

... interestingly, also present on Jabra BT-8010 stereo bluetooth headphones. Maybe the excessive pins are dedicated to connecting the left and right earpiece, while the rest is standard USB. Charger only uses two of those (the most left and most right one) Anonymous —Preceding unsigned comment added by 81.0.216.225 (talk) 19:56, 12 July 2008 (UTC)

Its been my experence from working in a Photo Lab/Elecronics store that many camera companies create there own propriatary USB plugs that look like the USB "mystery micro plug". We sell many of these diffrent types of USB plugs in a package including the one that looks like the USB plug in question, however it only worked for a small precentage of the cameras (usualy point and shoot but sometimes DSLRs) that they fit. Additionaly I have seen this same plug in several diffrent kinds of electronics including cheep model "3-in-one" webcams, phones. They would fit, but it would not function. So my answer would be both yes and no to the standardization question. Yes the size is a standerd size, however just because it fits dosn't guarantee that it will work. —Preceding unsigned comment added by N@vi (talk • contribs) 19:37, 9 July 2008 (UTC)

My camera (the model I cannot recall at the moment) uses this connector for USB, as well as NTSC / PAL video out. 216.151.20.61 (talk) 04:22, 6 August 2008 (UTC)

I have a Nikon Coolpix L6, which has this connector. I also have the Jabra BT125 headset that came with Warhawk for the PS3, which also has the connector. I lost the cable for the camera and now use the cable for the headset with no problems. I was also on vacation and a friend with a laptop happened to have the same cable and the camera was also able to connect to his computer with no problems. (I don't know what he had the cable for.) If they're not at least standard to some extent, I've been lucky. Considering the Jabra headset only uses the cable for charging, it would only need two pins to carry power - yet carries data for the camera just fine. Also, I have the Nintendo DS and DS Lite and it is a different connector. Senatorpjt (talk) 16:22, 7 September 2008 (UTC)

Based on personal knowledge, and having worked in the field for a few years, the 'Mystery Plug' is internally named the 'Agox connector' when used in combination with digital cameras. We refer to them this way because of the gentleman with whom I worked. 128.61.120.190 (talk) 22:49, 23 September 2008 (UTC)

I think I remember seeing it called the 'Agox Connector' in Nikon documentation somewhere. I always wondered why. 128.61.69.123 (talk) 22:56, 23 September 2008 (UTC)

Hmmm... very interesting. Do you have a reference for it anywhere??? ǝɹʎℲxoɯ (contrib) 06:33, 24 September 2008 (UTC)

I'm no longer working there, but I could possibly try to get some documents from people who still work there. 128.61.120.190 (talk) 09:32, 24 September 2008 (UTC)

So, after having asked around, I've learned that the connector's internal name of 'Agox' is on some documentation that we haven't released to the public yet. The name is perfectly fine to use for the article, but the Nikon documents cannot be released. If I could cite them here, I would, but alas, I am still bound not to release the information behind this. 24.98.65.137 (talk) 04:48, 30 September 2008 (UTC)

It stands for Asynchronous Gamma-Object Transfer (x=trans). In Nikon's logical model, the alpha object acts as a server, the beta object acts as a client, and data that flows between the two are considered gamma objects. There are delta and epsilon objects as well, but those are too small to get into. 128.61.69.123 (talk) 23:27, 21 October 2008 (UTC)

Black and white photo

I disagree with the usage of a monochrome photo of a standard USB hub. This is an informational document, not an art project. I'd change it, but I don't have a USB hub, and my wiki skills are lacking. I suggest a color image be used instead. ACiD GRiM (talk) 20:49, 28 August 2008 (UTC)

"Not an art project" — let's not give in to the popular misconception that any black-and-white photo made after the invention of practical color photography is automatically the creation of some rebellious hippie dropout. If the photograph was originally color and then converted to black-and-white, yeah, that's definitely tooly. But let's give it the benefit of the doubt. It's not a bad photo, and it gets the job done. – The Realms of Gold (talk) 18:15, 24 September 2008 (UTC)

I'd just like to add that the device in the photo is not really a "standard USB hub"; it is a Belkin F1U400 4 computer to 4 peripheral multiway switch that will allow any of the computers to access any of the devices. 217.34.211.170 (talk) 11:31, 20 October 2008 (UTC)

Another non-standard connector

Yet another non-standard but compatible plug is found on Sony's MicroVault series of USB solid-state memory devices. The pins are USB-compatible, but it lacks the metal shroud around the plastic part that is part of the standard plug. The purpose of that is to make the drive thinner, which it does, but it also makes it possible to insert the plug upside-down, or into the part that the upper part of the shroud goes into. If it is inserted wrong, nothing happens because the pins do not connect.

The device itself (and the packaging it came in, IIRC) does not have the USB(tm) logo because it is not conforming with the specs, but it does work with USB. Pic here for reference: http://www.66mobile.com/news/products/4GB-Sony-Micro-Vault.html I'll make a free pic of my own to add later. Identity0 (talk) 23:13, 16 October 2008 (UTC)

I have seen that basic style from a couple of other manufacturers previously. Plugwash (talk) 23:44, 16 October 2008 (UTC)

Green plug

Should this item be included in the power section of this article, or should a new article be written for it? Jim.henderson (talk) 16:42, 10 November 2008 (UTC)

Power Section

I have made a few minor changes to the Power section. The terms 'unit load' and 'load unit' were mixed and the wording was confusing. I have not added or changed any information. 150.101.206.3 (talk) 04:10, 8 December 2008 (UTC)