Re: usb Confusion
Martin McCormick wrote:
> After recently ordering and receiving a new 1 TB external
> SSD drive, I realized I had no way to connect it. It has a small
> rectangular slot about 8 MM or a quarter of an inch long. A Mac
> lightning connector is almost exactly the same size but
> fortunately doesn't plug in but that's the size of whatever fits.
> Crucial says it is usb-A .
If I recall correctly, Martin doesn't see well, which explains a
chunk of the confusion here.
Martin: Crucial is probably describing the other end of the
cable they supplied -- assuming they supplied a cable. It might
be proprietary at one end and USB type A at the other. But what
you are describing could also be USB type C at one end.
> What is the correct nomenclature for the most common usb
> connector that has been around for 25 or 30 years and fits the
> vast majority of devices using usb?
USB type A is rectangular and common on PC ends.
USB type B is trapezoidal, almost square, and common on printers
and other largish peripherals.
USB type B-mini is trapezoidal, very small, and has distinct
indentations on the top left and right sides. It was common for
small peripherals like MP3 players.
USB type B-micro is flatter than B-mini and does not have
indentations. It is common for cell phones and small
peripherals.
USB type C is about the size of a lightning connector, rounded
on both sides, and is designed to go in upside down or rightside
up without causing problems.
> I'll need a cable that fits the old standard usb port on
> one end and the disk drive on the other.
If you know the exact model number of the drive, I'll look it
up for you. 80% chance it's USB C to USB A.
> There's an old saying: "Standards are great. Everybody
> should have one."
Let's take the best of all the standards and make a new one!
And then there were N+1 standards.
-dsr-
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