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  3. Aren't USB-C plugs meant to be symmetrical?

Aren't USB-C plugs meant to be symmetrical?

Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved The Lounge
lampquestionworkspace
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  • C Offline
    C Offline
    Chris Maunder
    wrote on last edited by
    #1

    I've optimised my monitor / mouse / keyboard / zoom camera / phone charger / other phone charger / watch charger / headphone charger / zoom lamp setup so it's all neatly cabled to the back of my monitor. To do this I needed a USB-C extension cable. It mostly worked. Except for the mouse. OK: everything except the mouse. I tested the plugs, I swapped things in and out, I checked the mouse worked when plugged into the laptop directly. Nothing worked. Until I unplugged the USB-C extension cord, twisted it 180 degrees, and plugged it back in. Now it works. This makes no sense to me.

    cheers Chris Maunder

    W L P R P 13 Replies Last reply
    0
    • C Chris Maunder

      I've optimised my monitor / mouse / keyboard / zoom camera / phone charger / other phone charger / watch charger / headphone charger / zoom lamp setup so it's all neatly cabled to the back of my monitor. To do this I needed a USB-C extension cable. It mostly worked. Except for the mouse. OK: everything except the mouse. I tested the plugs, I swapped things in and out, I checked the mouse worked when plugged into the laptop directly. Nothing worked. Until I unplugged the USB-C extension cord, twisted it 180 degrees, and plugged it back in. Now it works. This makes no sense to me.

      cheers Chris Maunder

      W Offline
      W Offline
      W Balboos GHB
      wrote on last edited by
      #2

      It's some sort of EU regulation - don't worry about it.

      Ravings en masse^

      "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein

      "If you are searching for perfection in others, then you seek disappointment. If you seek perfection in yourself, then you will find failure." - Balboos HaGadol Mar 2010

      C 1 Reply Last reply
      0
      • W W Balboos GHB

        It's some sort of EU regulation - don't worry about it.

        Ravings en masse^

        "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein

        "If you are searching for perfection in others, then you seek disappointment. If you seek perfection in yourself, then you will find failure." - Balboos HaGadol Mar 2010

        C Offline
        C Offline
        Chris Maunder
        wrote on last edited by
        #3

        Ah - that's why I had to click through so many consent forms after plugging it in.

        cheers Chris Maunder

        1 Reply Last reply
        0
        • C Chris Maunder

          I've optimised my monitor / mouse / keyboard / zoom camera / phone charger / other phone charger / watch charger / headphone charger / zoom lamp setup so it's all neatly cabled to the back of my monitor. To do this I needed a USB-C extension cable. It mostly worked. Except for the mouse. OK: everything except the mouse. I tested the plugs, I swapped things in and out, I checked the mouse worked when plugged into the laptop directly. Nothing worked. Until I unplugged the USB-C extension cord, twisted it 180 degrees, and plugged it back in. Now it works. This makes no sense to me.

          cheers Chris Maunder

          L Offline
          L Offline
          Lost User
          wrote on last edited by
          #4

          USB was the one port to solve all problems. The fact that there's USB-C proves it didn't.

          Bastard Programmer from Hell :suss: "If you just follow the bacon Eddy, wherever it leads you, then you won't have to think about politics." -- Some Bell.

          R T 2 Replies Last reply
          0
          • C Chris Maunder

            I've optimised my monitor / mouse / keyboard / zoom camera / phone charger / other phone charger / watch charger / headphone charger / zoom lamp setup so it's all neatly cabled to the back of my monitor. To do this I needed a USB-C extension cable. It mostly worked. Except for the mouse. OK: everything except the mouse. I tested the plugs, I swapped things in and out, I checked the mouse worked when plugged into the laptop directly. Nothing worked. Until I unplugged the USB-C extension cord, twisted it 180 degrees, and plugged it back in. Now it works. This makes no sense to me.

            cheers Chris Maunder

            P Offline
            P Offline
            PIEBALDconsult
            wrote on last edited by
            #5

            Had you cleared the dust out of it first?

            1 Reply Last reply
            0
            • C Chris Maunder

              I've optimised my monitor / mouse / keyboard / zoom camera / phone charger / other phone charger / watch charger / headphone charger / zoom lamp setup so it's all neatly cabled to the back of my monitor. To do this I needed a USB-C extension cable. It mostly worked. Except for the mouse. OK: everything except the mouse. I tested the plugs, I swapped things in and out, I checked the mouse worked when plugged into the laptop directly. Nothing worked. Until I unplugged the USB-C extension cord, twisted it 180 degrees, and plugged it back in. Now it works. This makes no sense to me.

              cheers Chris Maunder

              R Offline
              R Offline
              raddevus
              wrote on last edited by
              #6

              Chris Maunder wrote:

              Except for the mouse.

              Since the computer mouse requires movement across flat surfaces the USB-C has to be twisted properly into the plug. This is the expected behavior to support the hardware interface and is a part of USB-C requirement for all computer mouse(s). Since keyboards are not moved across the surface they do not have this requirement. A lot of people don't know about this, but the standard is clearly stated in the docs: http://gutenberg.org/cache/epub/10000/pg10000.html[^] :rolleyes: Am i funny yet? :laugh:

              J 1 Reply Last reply
              0
              • C Chris Maunder

                I've optimised my monitor / mouse / keyboard / zoom camera / phone charger / other phone charger / watch charger / headphone charger / zoom lamp setup so it's all neatly cabled to the back of my monitor. To do this I needed a USB-C extension cable. It mostly worked. Except for the mouse. OK: everything except the mouse. I tested the plugs, I swapped things in and out, I checked the mouse worked when plugged into the laptop directly. Nothing worked. Until I unplugged the USB-C extension cord, twisted it 180 degrees, and plugged it back in. Now it works. This makes no sense to me.

                cheers Chris Maunder

                P Offline
                P Offline
                Peter_in_2780
                wrote on last edited by
                #7

                When I got my first USB-C device, I did the unbelievable and looked up the spec. (Yes, I know RTFM is a swear word, and I'm donning appropriate PPE.) I was staggered at the complexity. The "major" signals, power, etc are "mirrored" (well, skew-mirrored) but some aren't. The device and chip-in-the-cable are meant to figure out between then which way is up. Maybe your extension isn't strictly "all pins 1:1", or its chip isn't playing nice. Ah, the joys of "smart" cables!

                Software rusts. Simon Stephenson, ca 1994. So does this signature. me, 2012

                W 1 Reply Last reply
                0
                • C Chris Maunder

                  I've optimised my monitor / mouse / keyboard / zoom camera / phone charger / other phone charger / watch charger / headphone charger / zoom lamp setup so it's all neatly cabled to the back of my monitor. To do this I needed a USB-C extension cable. It mostly worked. Except for the mouse. OK: everything except the mouse. I tested the plugs, I swapped things in and out, I checked the mouse worked when plugged into the laptop directly. Nothing worked. Until I unplugged the USB-C extension cord, twisted it 180 degrees, and plugged it back in. Now it works. This makes no sense to me.

                  cheers Chris Maunder

                  K Offline
                  K Offline
                  Kiriander
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #8

                  Some vendors do anything to save a dime. And if saving a dime mean dumbfound a customer, who the fuck cares about customers, right?

                  1 Reply Last reply
                  0
                  • L Lost User

                    USB was the one port to solve all problems. The fact that there's USB-C proves it didn't.

                    Bastard Programmer from Hell :suss: "If you just follow the bacon Eddy, wherever it leads you, then you won't have to think about politics." -- Some Bell.

                    R Offline
                    R Offline
                    Rage
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #9

                    Obligatory xkcd[^]

                    Do not escape reality : improve reality !

                    1 Reply Last reply
                    0
                    • C Chris Maunder

                      I've optimised my monitor / mouse / keyboard / zoom camera / phone charger / other phone charger / watch charger / headphone charger / zoom lamp setup so it's all neatly cabled to the back of my monitor. To do this I needed a USB-C extension cable. It mostly worked. Except for the mouse. OK: everything except the mouse. I tested the plugs, I swapped things in and out, I checked the mouse worked when plugged into the laptop directly. Nothing worked. Until I unplugged the USB-C extension cord, twisted it 180 degrees, and plugged it back in. Now it works. This makes no sense to me.

                      cheers Chris Maunder

                      W Offline
                      W Offline
                      Wizard of Sleeves
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #10

                      You have to align the quantum phase interface with the nearest zodiacal node.

                      Nothing succeeds like a budgie without teeth.

                      J U 2 Replies Last reply
                      0
                      • L Lost User

                        USB was the one port to solve all problems. The fact that there's USB-C proves it didn't.

                        Bastard Programmer from Hell :suss: "If you just follow the bacon Eddy, wherever it leads you, then you won't have to think about politics." -- Some Bell.

                        T Offline
                        T Offline
                        trønderen
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #11

                        The problem isn't USB-C, but B, B SuperSpeed, Mini B, Micro B, Micro B SuperSpeed, and then C. Maybe you want to count in as well the A, Mini A, Mini AB and Micro AB. Anyone who seriously believes that C will be the very last USB connector ever is naive, to phrase it politely. Yet I'd say that for at least ten years, USB did deliver. Not only did we get rid of COM and LPT and SCSI (with umpteen different plugs) and PS/2 and DIN and 15-pin joystick port, but also several proprietary plugs that required dedicated extension cards plugged into the mainboard. We could tolerate the Mini B. But it got out of hand with the Micro B. From then on, chaos reigns.

                        1 Reply Last reply
                        0
                        • P Peter_in_2780

                          When I got my first USB-C device, I did the unbelievable and looked up the spec. (Yes, I know RTFM is a swear word, and I'm donning appropriate PPE.) I was staggered at the complexity. The "major" signals, power, etc are "mirrored" (well, skew-mirrored) but some aren't. The device and chip-in-the-cable are meant to figure out between then which way is up. Maybe your extension isn't strictly "all pins 1:1", or its chip isn't playing nice. Ah, the joys of "smart" cables!

                          Software rusts. Simon Stephenson, ca 1994. So does this signature. me, 2012

                          W Offline
                          W Offline
                          W Balboos GHB
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #12

                          When I got my first USB device (A Schock Flip Phone) I just returned the whole mess - I didn't want to have another device and charger when I've a dozen or so of the microUSB things that are everywhere. Further reading and I discover that the base-turds are changing over, everywhere, and all the old chargers will require adapters. So I went and bought back the Schock Flip Phone and go a ten-pack of really cheap adapater (micro USB to USB C) to sprinkle about my world. The life-changing event suffered by Chris goes a long way in explaining why it sometimes doesn't seem to work. At least the microUSB only goes in one way - depending, of course, on how angry you are.

                          Ravings en masse^

                          "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein

                          "If you are searching for perfection in others, then you seek disappointment. If you seek perfection in yourself, then you will find failure." - Balboos HaGadol Mar 2010

                          1 Reply Last reply
                          0
                          • C Chris Maunder

                            I've optimised my monitor / mouse / keyboard / zoom camera / phone charger / other phone charger / watch charger / headphone charger / zoom lamp setup so it's all neatly cabled to the back of my monitor. To do this I needed a USB-C extension cable. It mostly worked. Except for the mouse. OK: everything except the mouse. I tested the plugs, I swapped things in and out, I checked the mouse worked when plugged into the laptop directly. Nothing worked. Until I unplugged the USB-C extension cord, twisted it 180 degrees, and plugged it back in. Now it works. This makes no sense to me.

                            cheers Chris Maunder

                            M Offline
                            M Offline
                            mbancroft
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #13

                            My USB-C extension cable has this helpful label stuck to it:- "If there is a problem when connected with your mouse, keyboard, etc (USB 2.0 devices can only support one side), please reverse the female connector of the USB-C extension cable" USB-C connectors are symmetrical, but this also relies on the USB 3 device detecting which way round the connector is. USB 2 has no such detection, as it's connectors were never rotationally symmetrical. So I guess it's your USB 2 mouse not being able to detect the connection has been inverted.

                            C 1 Reply Last reply
                            0
                            • R raddevus

                              Chris Maunder wrote:

                              Except for the mouse.

                              Since the computer mouse requires movement across flat surfaces the USB-C has to be twisted properly into the plug. This is the expected behavior to support the hardware interface and is a part of USB-C requirement for all computer mouse(s). Since keyboards are not moved across the surface they do not have this requirement. A lot of people don't know about this, but the standard is clearly stated in the docs: http://gutenberg.org/cache/epub/10000/pg10000.html[^] :rolleyes: Am i funny yet? :laugh:

                              J Offline
                              J Offline
                              JohnnyCee
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #14

                              If you have to ask.... JohnnyCee

                              1 Reply Last reply
                              0
                              • M mbancroft

                                My USB-C extension cable has this helpful label stuck to it:- "If there is a problem when connected with your mouse, keyboard, etc (USB 2.0 devices can only support one side), please reverse the female connector of the USB-C extension cable" USB-C connectors are symmetrical, but this also relies on the USB 3 device detecting which way round the connector is. USB 2 has no such detection, as it's connectors were never rotationally symmetrical. So I guess it's your USB 2 mouse not being able to detect the connection has been inverted.

                                C Offline
                                C Offline
                                Chris Maunder
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #15

                                Now that's interesting! I'm actually using the extension so I can gaffe tape my USSB-C hub to the back of my monitor. The hub has a short USB-C cable so the extension allows it to reach my mac. I was assuming the (cheap no-name brand) hub would have all the smarts to handle all the bits and pieces around USB-C to USB 2 negotiations. Live and learn.

                                cheers Chris Maunder

                                1 Reply Last reply
                                0
                                • C Chris Maunder

                                  I've optimised my monitor / mouse / keyboard / zoom camera / phone charger / other phone charger / watch charger / headphone charger / zoom lamp setup so it's all neatly cabled to the back of my monitor. To do this I needed a USB-C extension cable. It mostly worked. Except for the mouse. OK: everything except the mouse. I tested the plugs, I swapped things in and out, I checked the mouse worked when plugged into the laptop directly. Nothing worked. Until I unplugged the USB-C extension cord, twisted it 180 degrees, and plugged it back in. Now it works. This makes no sense to me.

                                  cheers Chris Maunder

                                  M Offline
                                  M Offline
                                  megaadam
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #16

                                  Ah you youngsters. I never had such problems with RS-232.

                                  "If we don't change direction, we'll end up where we're going"

                                  J A 2 Replies Last reply
                                  0
                                  • C Chris Maunder

                                    I've optimised my monitor / mouse / keyboard / zoom camera / phone charger / other phone charger / watch charger / headphone charger / zoom lamp setup so it's all neatly cabled to the back of my monitor. To do this I needed a USB-C extension cable. It mostly worked. Except for the mouse. OK: everything except the mouse. I tested the plugs, I swapped things in and out, I checked the mouse worked when plugged into the laptop directly. Nothing worked. Until I unplugged the USB-C extension cord, twisted it 180 degrees, and plugged it back in. Now it works. This makes no sense to me.

                                    cheers Chris Maunder

                                    B Offline
                                    B Offline
                                    Bruce Patin
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #17

                                    Broken wire

                                    1 Reply Last reply
                                    0
                                    • W Wizard of Sleeves

                                      You have to align the quantum phase interface with the nearest zodiacal node.

                                      Nothing succeeds like a budgie without teeth.

                                      J Offline
                                      J Offline
                                      JP Reyes
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #18

                                      Oh that sounded like it came right out of the ol' SpaceQuest game series :laugh: (so many headaches too to get perfect MIDI music out of them)

                                      1 Reply Last reply
                                      0
                                      • C Chris Maunder

                                        I've optimised my monitor / mouse / keyboard / zoom camera / phone charger / other phone charger / watch charger / headphone charger / zoom lamp setup so it's all neatly cabled to the back of my monitor. To do this I needed a USB-C extension cable. It mostly worked. Except for the mouse. OK: everything except the mouse. I tested the plugs, I swapped things in and out, I checked the mouse worked when plugged into the laptop directly. Nothing worked. Until I unplugged the USB-C extension cord, twisted it 180 degrees, and plugged it back in. Now it works. This makes no sense to me.

                                        cheers Chris Maunder

                                        U Offline
                                        U Offline
                                        User 2893688
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #19

                                        It makes sense if it was dirty... which meant you overloaded the bandwidth but it worked with everything, EXCEPT THE MOUSE.

                                        1 Reply Last reply
                                        0
                                        • W Wizard of Sleeves

                                          You have to align the quantum phase interface with the nearest zodiacal node.

                                          Nothing succeeds like a budgie without teeth.

                                          U Offline
                                          U Offline
                                          User 2893688
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #20

                                          You forgot to tangled the Quantum Capacitors and cool the Delithium Crystals. "I canna' change the laws of physics." -- Montgomery "Scotty" Scott

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