USB Type-C Connector is on the news today as they have introduced another new type of USB connector that is not directly compatible with any existing connectors. USB Type-C Connector Specifications Finalized article tells that today the USB-IF (USB Implementers Forum) announced that the latest USB connector which we first caught a glimpse of in April has been finalized. This Type-C specification tries to correct many of the issues with previous USB as a connector models. There are a lot of changes coming, with some excellent enhancements. Check USB Type-C Connector Specifications Finalized and Reversible USB Type-C connector finalized: Devices, cables, and adapters coming soon articles for details. The new connector is for example has reversible plug orientation, similar size to micro-USB, ertified for USB 3.1 data rates (10 Gbps) and support higher power charging.
With this new design, existing devices won’t be able to mate using the new cables, so there are specifications for adapter cables. There will be some time until this new connector becomes widely used. One issue on mobile devices might be the the fact that China, the EU, and the GSMA have all agreed that new mobile devices use Micro-USB for charging (solution could maybe be including a Micro-USB-to-Type-C adapter with every new smartphone).
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Tomi Engdahl says:
Soon, the majority of portable PCs won’t need to be equipped with an ugly barrel jack and a proprietary power brick to charge. The USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) has just announced that it’s more than doubling the amount of power you can send over a USB-C cable to 240 watts, which means you’ll eventually be able to plug in the same kind of multipurpose USB-C cable you currently use on lightweight laptops, tablets, and phones to charge all but the beefiest gaming laptops.
USB-C is about to go from 100W to 240W, enough to power beefier laptops
https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2021/5/25/22453936/usb-c-power-delivery-extended-power-range-epr
The USB-C Release 2.1 spec more than doubles the output of the all-in-one cable
Soon, the majority of portable PCs won’t need to be equipped with an ugly barrel jack and a proprietary power brick to charge. The USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) has just announced (via CNET) that it’s more than doubling the amount of power you can send over a USB-C cable to 240 watts, which means you’ll eventually be able to plug in the same kind of multipurpose USB-C cable you currently use on lightweight laptops, tablets, and phones to charge all but the beefiest gaming laptops.
to charge and run at full bore simultaneously. Some manufacturers have sold off-spec USB-C adapters (I have a Dell dock that outputs 130W), but they don’t always come bundled with machines and generally have a fixed, non-detachable cable to prevent against misuse.
But with 240W of power — something that the USB-IF is calling “Extended Power Range” or EPR for short
You’ll need new USB-C chargers and cables to take advantage of the new spec, of course, though you should hopefully be able to tell which is which: “All EPR cables shall be visibly identified with EPR cable identification items,” reads part of the USB-IF’s requirements for the new spec. A cable will need to support up to 5A and 50V to be compliant.
There will still be exceptionally beefy laptops that demand more than 240W of power, of course. 330W power supplies still come standard with some machines
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.usb.org/sites/default/files/USB%2520Type-C%2520Spec%2520R2.0%2520-%2520August%25202019.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwj8z6msjunwAhVzCRAIHYz-CCoQFjACegQIEBAC&usg=AOvVaw07OdS_H5QKc0kU0KcDXKC7
Tomi Engdahl says:
Make my own Type C to Type C+3.5mm adapter?
https://linustechtips.com/topic/855154-make-my-own-type-c-to-type-c35mm-adapter/
Having the audio directly on usb pins seems to me like more of a hack, probably something supported only by your phone or some manufacturer?
It is an official USB-C feature which is not supported by all devices.
https://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/analogwire/archive/2016/07/07/usb-type-c-why-mobile-phone-designers-should-remove-the-audio-jacks-from-our-phones
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.quora.com/Can-I-put-a-USB-type-C-to-an-aux-connector-to-charge-and-listen-to-music-on-my-headphones-which-only-has-a-USB-type-C-port-or-will-it-damage-the-aux-cable
Tomi Engdahl says:
HACKADAY DICTIONARY: USB TYPE C
https://hackaday.com/2016/04/22/hackaday-dictionary-usb-type-c/
Tomi Engdahl says:
How USB-C headphones work
USB Type-C headphones and dongles are increasingly common, but do you know the difference between active and passive products?
https://www.soundguys.com/usb-audio-explained-18563/
The market for USB Type-C headphones and dongles is growing as more and more smartphone manufacturers abandon the tried and tested 3.5mm connector for this newer standard. The move to digital headphones remains controversial, but the costs and ecosystem compatibility problems have so far proven more than a little problematic.
If you’ve been wondering just what the differences between USB Type-C and traditional headphones are, then look no further. We’re going to dive into how this technology works: its pros, cons, and pretty much everything else you’ll ever want to know.
The whole purpose of moving over to USB audio is to go digital. That is, to stay in the digital domain for longer before converting to analog, preserving signal quality for as long as possible. Smartphones, for example, are hotbeds of high-frequency clock signals and power lines. Not the type of circuitry that you want to run your high-quality analog audio signals near. Give this link a read if you need a primer on digital vs analog signals.
Switching to USB audio simply moves the DAC and amp components from inside the smartphone to the inside the headphones or dongle cable. As every pair of headphones now has to ship with its own DAC circuitry, this is more expensive in the long term. But now that headphone companies are in charge of these circuits, customers will experience high-quality audio just by purchasing good headphones—in theory.
The move also introduces additional complexity when it comes to sending the audio signal. USB audio data transmits information as packets rather than a continuous stream of PCM audio and also requires a clock signal to keep everything in time when the data reaches the DAC. After USB transfer, data packets are decoded into a single audio data stream format that a DAC understands, such as I2S. The choice of clock system is actually very important for USB audio.
USB data and clock jitter
There are many ways to send data over USB: bulk, interrupt, control transfers, and isochronous data. Isochronous is best for media data, and comes in three further transfer methods – synchronous, asynchronous, and adaptive. Synchronous is no good for audio as the audio clock rate caps to the USB speed, which doesn’t divide correctly by typical audio sample rates and therefore suffers from jitter—something that hasn’t been an audible problem for a long time.
Adaptive transfer is better, as it offers a variable packet byte size and the clock rate and audio data stream sample rate is configurable by the host. However, this means it can experience some problems with jitter if the host and receiver lose synchronization.
Isochronous is popular because higher speed data transfer allows for data to be re-sent in time if an error is detected. The latest USB 3.1 specification includes a more robust synchronization scheme for these transfers, and is an optional feature for the latest USB Audio Class 3.0 specification for audio products. USB audio isn’t just about data transfer, it also includes digital communications for on-device feature controls that you don’t get with analog audio. For that, we need to know a little more about USB Audio Classes.
Analog signals over USB
Digital audio isn’t the only way to listen to music with USB Type-C headphones. The standard also supports “Audio Accessory Mode”, whereby the D+/D- pins switch roles to support analog audio signals. Again this isn’t a new technology to USB Type-C.
Phones with and without the new connector are specially designed to handle the negative voltage swing of the analog audio signal. Accessory Mode is popular with older USB audio dock devices and the Android Open Accessory Protocol 2.0 with audio support has been around since Android 4.1.
With a USB Type-C connector, two 1k ohm pull-down resistors connect to the CC pins to signify an audio accessory. This lack of a digital handshake simplifies development, making these devices passive and low power. The SBU sideband pins allow for a microphone signal to pass back to the host smartphone too. Type-C devices can still charge using a passive splitter, but fast charging using Power Delivery requires a much more complicated and expensive active circuit.
This approach is bad design, and only suitable for backward compatibility. Routing audio this way is no better than using the 3.5mm audio jack (digital signals aren’t used) and is often worse: the audio signal is placed next to noisy power and high-speed data lines, potentially reducing performance. Unfortunately, many new USB Type-C dongles and headphones make use of this mode, and support isn’t universal in the smartphone space either. This leads to many compatibility problems that consumers experience today.
Active vs passive cables and dongles
All of the above applies to the new market for USB Type-C headphones and is equally applicable to USB Type-C to 3.5mm cables and dongles. These also come in active and passive varieties.
The former benefits from digital audio and an integrated DAC, just like digital USB headphones. These can support USB Audio Class specifications too, although most of them will just implement a DAC and amplifier rather than any post-processing components. Passive dongles simply work by exploiting USB Audio Accessory Mode to obtain an analog signal from your smartphone, and as such are usually the cheaper option.
Tomi Engdahl says:
A short primer on USB Type-C PD 3.0 specification and design
https://www.edn.com/a-short-primer-on-usb-type-c-pd-3-0-specification-and-design/
The USB Type-C connector and power delivery (PD) specification has brought radical changes to the mobile device industry, and USB Type-C PD 3.0 could optimize battery charging for portable devices. Single cable solutions for consumer electronics and computing device connectivity and PD has simplified life for consumers who were long plagued by a plethora of proprietary power adapters for phones, tablets, and notebook computers. It has also helped drive innovation in charger design with increasingly small form factors and variants such as differing power levels, two or more charging ports in power bricks, and automotive adapters.
Developed under the auspices of the USB Implementer’s Forum, and subsequently adopted as International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standard, there are two compatible specifications for USB-PD; both support bi-directional charging at power levels up to 100 W. The first one—Power Delivery 2.0—supports fixed output voltages including 5, 9, 12, 15, or 20V at specific operating currents, for example 3 A. The second specification—PD 3.0—includes programmable power supply (PPS), a feature that allows the USB Type-C charger’s output voltage to be adjusted in increments as small as 20 mV over voltages ranging from 3.3 to 21V. With a PD 3.0 PPS USB-C charger, portable devices can optimize battery recharging time and battery life.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2021/09/16/powering-up-with-usb-untangling-the-usb-power-delivery-standards/
Tomi Engdahl says:
11 Myths About USB Retimers
Oct. 4, 2021
As USB has evolved with higher rates and more complex protocols, designers turned to analog redrivers to handle some of those issues. With the arrival of USB4, though, it may be time to switch to retimers.
https://www.electronicdesign.com/industrial-automation/article/21177252/kandou-11-myths-about-usb-retimers?utm_source=EG%20ED%20Analog%20%26%20Power%20Source&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CPS211004054&o_eid=7211D2691390C9R&rdx.ident%5Bpull%5D=omeda%7C7211D2691390C9R&oly_enc_id=7211D2691390C9R
What you’ll learn:
Why are retimers are better option than redrivers for USB4?
What are the myths surrounding cost and complexity of retimers?
Myths regarding retimer size and latency.
The Universal Serial Bus (USB) is an industry-standard specification for cables, connectors, and protocols that link computers and peripherals. USB-compliant devices are widely used for communications and power delivery between them.
Since it was introduced in 1996, the USB spec has changed with the addition of higher rates and more complex protocols. In recent years, design engineers have typically used redriver devices in their USB solutions.
That’s changing with the advent of USB4 due to several disadvantages of analog redrivers. These include amplifying both the signal and their internal noise, the inability to fully clean intersymbol interference (ISI), and the inability to restore the eye width and associated jitter. The combination of these factors can lead to errors and poor performance. Those three disadvantages are ending the era of redrivers in USB and ushering in retimers for high-speed data channels.
Retimers are nothing new. Even so, myths exist about them. Digital retimers have been used since the 1960s for telecom T1 and E1 digital carrier systems to carry multiple channels of voice circuits over twisted pairs with a digital retimer installed every few thousand feet.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.slashgear.com/usb-c-iphone-hack-made-real-11694740/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://uk.pcmag.com/laptop-how-to/40348/what-is-usb-c-an-explainer
Tomi Engdahl says:
The USB-C Connectors You Never Knew You Wanted To Avoid
https://hackaday.com/2022/02/20/the-usb-c-connectors-you-never-knew-you-wanted-to-avoid/
On Tech Twitter, some people are known for Their Thing – for example, [A13 (@sad_electronics)], (when they’re not busy designing electronics), searches the net to find outstanding parts to marvel at. A good portion of the parts that they find are outstanding for all the wrong reasons. Today, that’s a through-hole two-pin USB Type-C socket. Observing the cheap tech we get from China (or the UK!), you might conclude that two 5.1K pulldown resistors are very hard to add to a product – this socket makes it literally impossible
https://twitter.com/sad_electronics/status/1494666768517844993
Tomi Engdahl says:
An Introduction to Power-Only USB Type C Connectors
https://www.cuidevices.com/blog/an-introduction-to-power-only-usb-type-c-connectors
The Power-Only USB Type C Connector
Because of the benefits listed above, CUI Devices has developed power-only USB Type C receptacles for designs where charging or power delivery is the sole function. CUI Devices’ 60 W power-only USB Type C receptacles remove the 16 data transfer pins and 2 of the ground pins, leaving only 4 power pins and 2 ground pins, while the 100 W version keeps all 4 power and ground pins for a total of 8 pins.
Thanks to the simplified design of the connector itself, with only 6 or 8 pins instead of the standard 24, the cost of the connector is significantly reduced. Besides the lower part cost, it reduces the complexity and failure rate by eliminating the majority of the pins and associated solder points. While these are unable to be used for transferring data, they work with any standard USB Type C cable that transfers both data and power, so there are no additional steps or hardware needed by the end-user when interacting with the product.
Please note that since the data transfer pins have been removed, the USB 3.0 power negotiation process does not occur, in which case the charging device will revert to the USB standard power transfer rate of 5 V and 1 A. For all other applications, the connector will function like any other power jack and the charging will be governed by the adapter/charging circuit.
Tomi Engdahl says:
USB Type C and USB 3.2 – Clarifying the Connection
https://www.cuidevices.com/blog/usb-type-c-and-3-2-clarified
USB standards have been widely adopted for signals, connectors and cables. The specifications for USB 3.2 and the USB Type C connector enables standardized high speed and high power signal transfer. Conforming USB Type C plugs and receptacles from CUI Devices are designed to support USB 2.0, USB 3.2 Gen 2, USB 3.2 Gen 2×2, or USB4 standards with data transfer speeds up to 40 Gbps.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://etn.fi/index.php/new-products/15617-40-gigabittiae-ja-100-wattia-vedenkestaevaesti
Tomi Engdahl says:
Ilmainen työkalu laskee sulautetun projektin kustannukset
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/15613-ilmainen-tyoekalu-laskee-sulautetun-projektin-kustannukset
Sulautetussa projektissa kehitysajan hallinta on erittäin tärkeää kustannusten hallinnan ja tuotteen oikea-aikaisen toimituksen varmistamiseksi. Ruotsalainen IAR on esitellyt TCO-laskimen (Total Cost of Ownership), joka paljastaa, kuinka kaupalliset työkalut voivat alkukustannuksistaan huolimatta olla taloudellisesti kannattavampia kuin freeware-vaihtoehdot.
IAR:n mukaan kaupalliset kehitystyökalut auttavat erityisesti projektien aikatauluissa pysymisen ja tuotekehityksen kokonaiskustannusten minimoimisessa. Laskin on ilmainen ja vapaasti suunnittelijoiden käytettävissä.
TCO-laskenta kattaa sellaiset tekijät kuin työkalun erityispiirteet, tiimin koon, projektin monimutkaisuuden ja organisaation tavoitteet. Tämä kattava lähestymistapa helpottaa tietoon perustuvien päätösten tekemistä työkalujen valinnasta ja ylläpidosta, mikä on ratkaisevan tärkeää sulautettujen ohjelmistotyökalujen tehokkaan hallinnan kannalta.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Tekoälyltä suojautuminen vaatii uusia työkaluja
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/15612-tekoaelyltae-suojautuminen-vaatii-uusia-tyoekaluja
Turvallisiin IoT-laitteisiin ja niiden kehitykseen keskittyvä Foundries.io ennustaa, että valtion sääntely ja markkinaosuuden menettämisen riski saavat sulautettujen laitteiden OEM-valmistajat omaksumaan tiukat uudet käytännöt suojaamiseen. Ne takaavat päästä päähän -turvallisuuden kaikkien tuotteiden käyttöiän ajan.
Foundries.io perustettiin lokakuussa 2017, jolloin kyberturvallisuushuolet rajoittuivat enimmäkseen pilvilaskenta-alustoille. Sulautettujen sovellusten kehityskäytännöt eivät juurikaan kiinnittäneet huomiota jatkuvan ylläpidon ja turvallisuuden tarpeeseen.
Nykyään pilvipohjaisten sovellusten kehittäminen ja tekoälyn käyttötapaukset pakottavat sulautetut kehittäjät ottamaan kyberturvallisuuden paljon vakavammin. Foundries.io odottaa, että sulautettujen laitteiden OEM-valmistajat kohtaavat yhä enemmän tietoturvauhkia seuraavien vuosien aikana vuosikymmenen loppuun mennessä.
Vihamielisempää ympäristöä ruokkivat geopoliittiset jännitteet ja konfliktit valtioiden kanssa, jotka käyttävät kyberturvallisuutta sotilaallisena ja poliittisena aseena. Turvallisuuskuvaa vaikeuttaa myös tekoälypohjaisten ohjelmistotyökalujen ilmaantuminen, joilla voidaan luoda ja muokata uusia haittaohjelmien muotoja suurella nopeudella.
Samaan aikaan Foundries.io:n johtoryhmän mukaan epävarmaa alkuperää olevien avoimen lähdekoodin ohjelmistopakettien (OSS) lisääntyvä käyttö tarjoaa kyberhyökkääjille lisäportteja suojaamattomien sulautettujen tuotteiden haavoittuvuuksiin.
Vastauksena näyttää siltä, että käyttöön otetaan uusia lainsäädäntö- ja turvallisuusstandardeja, mukaan lukien EU:n ja Yhdysvaltojen hallitusten jo ilmoittamat toimenpiteet: EU:n kyberkestävyyslaki sekä Valkoisen talon ja kongressin kansallinen kyberturvallisuusstrategia. Samaan aikaan kuluttajien huolet yksityisyydestä ja kasvava tietoisuus tietoturvaloukkausten taloudellisista ja maineeseen liittyvistä kustannuksista antavat OEM-valmistajille vahvemman kannustimen investoida aikaa ja rahaa kyberpuolustuksensa vahvistamiseen.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Suosittu ThreadX tulee avoimesti kaikkien käyttöön
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/15611-suosittu-threadx-tulee-avoimesti-kaikkien-kaeyttoeoen
Microsoft on julkaissut ThreadX-reaaliaikakäyttöjärjestelmän avoimena lähdekoodina Eclipse Foundationin kautta. Microsoft on omistanut klassisiin RTOSeihin kuuluvan ThreadX:n vuodesta 2019.
Ensi vuoden alusta lukien ThreadX_ää saa käyttää MIT-lisenssillä. Sama koskee koodikirjastoja Net X Duo, File X, GUIX, USB X ja Level X. 32-bittinen Thread X -käyttöjärjestelmä on olemassa yli 12 miljardissa kohteessa maailmanlaajuisesti. Yksi versio on sertifioitu turvallisuuden kannalta kriittisiin sovelluksiin.
Microsoftin mukaan avoimena lähdekoodina ThreadX avautuu käytettäväksi kaikille. Myös päivitykset ja parannukset nopeutuvat ja kehitysprosessista tulee läpinäkyvämpi. Avoimena koodina alusta löytänee paremmin potentiaalisia uusia käyttäjiä.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Tulevaisuuden koti tulee, oletko valmis?
https://etn.fi/index.php/tekniset-artikkelit/15600-tulevaisuuden-koti-tulee-oletko-valmis
Uusi langaton standardi näyttää auttavan lunastamaan älykkään kodin lupaukset. Se myös tarjoaa kuluttajille turvallisempia, luotettavampia ja saumattomimpia yhteyksiä ja sitä myötä parempia kokemuksia. Standardi on nimeltään Matter.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2024/01/28/getting-started-with-usb-c-and-common-pitfalls-with-charging-and-data-transfer/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2024/01/30/a-basic-usb-c-primer/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.io/project/194646-usb-sleuth-cable-tester
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2024/01/15/usb-c-pd-new-technology-done-right/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Converting devices to USB Type-C
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-vFtiDYiIw
USB Type C is great! …unless you have to use dongles anyway. Let’s fix that! A
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.neutrik.com/en/neutrik/products/multimedia-connectors/mediacon-r
Due to the increasing digitalization in the broadcast and A/V market, Neutrik has decided to launch the brand-new mediaCON USB Type-C series. Neutrik built a push/pull lockable and space-saving mediaCON chassis which can be mounted from the rear and front side as well. The mediaCON cable guarantees the performance of 10 Gb/s and up to 100 W of power. The overmolded housing of the cable is designed for a ruggedized strain relief and protects the housing from mechanical stress.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB-C
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://lightware.com/c-lock
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2024/04/09/soldering-the-elusive-usb-c-port/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://techcrunch.com/2023/09/13/apples-switch-to-usb-c-resurfaces-the-need-to-label-the-cables/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.io/project/195706-ch32x035-usb-pd-adapter
Tomi Engdahl says:
Design Review: USB-C PD Input For Yaesu FRG7700
https://hackaday.com/2024/05/23/design-review-usb-c-pd-input-for-yaesu-frg7700/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.io/project/195130-ppstrigger-v2-usb-pdpps-trigger-with-cccv
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/16296-varmista-ettae-usb-laehetin-ja-vastaanotin-sopivat-yhteen
Tomi Engdahl says:
Traficom alkaa valvoa USB-C-latureita
Julkaistu: 13.06.2024
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/16325-traficom-alkaa-valvoa-usb-c-latureita
Tietyissä EU-markkinoille tulevissa radiolaitteissa tulee jatkossa olla USB-C-tyyppinen latausliitin. Uusia vaatimuksia sovelletaan pääosin 28.12.2024 lähtien. Suomessa Liikenne- ja viestintävirasto Traficom valvoo langattomien laitteiden vaatimusten täyttymistä markkinoilla.
EU-markkinoille tulevien radiolaitteiden on täytettävä uudet vaatimukset 28.12.2024 alkaen. Tämä koskee ennen kaikkea älypuhelimia ja muita pieniä laitteita. Kannettavien tietokoneiden osalta vaatimus tulee voimaan 28.4.2026.
- Valmistajien, maahantuojan ja myyjien on varmistettava, että myytävät radiolaitteet täyttävät nykyisten vaatimusten lisäksi uudet vaatimukset, jotka liittyvät muun muassa laitteiden latausliittimeen ja pikalataustekniikkaan sekä merkintöihin”, kertoo lakimies Sanni Eerola.
Laitteissa pitää olla USB-C-latausliitin ja jos laite tukee pikalatausta, niin sen pitää tukea ainakin USB Power Delivery -lataustekniikkaa. Näiden teknisten vaatimusten tavoitteena on yhdenmukaistaa latausta, sillä esimerkiksi erilainen latausliitin tai yhteen toimimaton lataustekniikka on voinut hankaloittaa laturien käyttöä eri laitteiden kanssa. Latausliitin on se osa radiolaitteesta, johon laturin kaapeli yhdistetään.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2024/09/13/where-do-you-connect-the-shield/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2024/10/17/ubiquitous-successful-bus-version-2/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2024/11/21/usb-c-for-hackers-reusing-cables/