The European Parliament and the Council of Europe have announced the introduction of a universal charger for mobile devices is to be taken to use. The preliminary agreement on the reform of the Radio Equipment Directive means that certain electronic devices will in future be charged with the same charger. By autumn 2024, USB Type-C will become the common charging port for all mobile phones, tablets and cameras in the EU, Parliament and Council negotiators agree: “Today we have made the common charger a reality in Europe!”
The reform is part of the EU’s efforts to improve the recycling of products, especially electronics, and to make life easier for consumers through a standard solution. The new rules are intended to ensure that consumers no longer have to buy a new charger and cord every time they buy a new device, and that all small and medium-sized devices can be charged with the same USB-C charger.
The new EU standard for charging will be USB-C connection in the EU. The speed of fast charging will also be harmonized in the near future, promises the European Parliament. Although the charge interface proposal is already certain, it will have to be formally approved by the European Parliament and the Council after the summer recess. The directive will then be published in the Official Journal of the EU, after which, after a two-year transition period, all new devices will have to use a USB-C connection.
This means that in Europe, by 2024, a USB-C connection will be required as a charging connector for portable electronics. All Mobile Phones, Tablets and Cameras sold from Fall 2024 must be able to be charged with USB-C chargers. Mobile phones, tablets, e-readers, in-ear headphones, digital cameras, headphones, handheld video game consoles and portable speakers that can be charged with a wired cable must be equipped with a USB-C port, regardless of the manufacturer, ”the release said.
Laptops must also comply with the new rules more than three years after the rules come into force. At the same time, the speed of fast charging would be harmonized for devices that support it, so that charging is equally fast on all compatible devices.
The new regulation does not apply to devices that cannot include a USB-C port due to the size of the device. These include, for example, smart watches and activity bracelets.
Or unless wireless charging then makes the whole connection unnecessary. The EU’s press release specifically says the rules apply to devices “that are rechargeable via a wired cable,” meaning a device that only charges wirelessly would not need to be fitted with a USB-C port. Wireless charging is also expected to become more common. The European Commission can therefore regulate the compatibility of wireless charging solutions with the so-called delegated regulations.
Pushing for common charger has been a long process. The European Commission announced the current plans for the legislation last September, but the bloc’s efforts to force manufacturers to use a common charging standard go back over a decade. Parliament and its Committee on the Internal Market have been pushing for a decision on universal chargers for portable electronics for ten years (first tried with microUSB). The whole time Apple has considered the EU’s move to a universal charger unnecessary. These new obligations will lead to more re-use of chargers and will help consumers save up to 250 million euro a year on unnecessary charger purchases. Disposed of and unused chargers are estimated to represent about 11,000 tonnes of e-waste annually.
Sources:
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/fi/press-room/20220603IPR32196/trilogisopu-yleislaturista-tavoitteena-vahentaa-elektroniikkaromun-maaraa
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20220603IPR32196/deal-on-common-charger-reducing-hassle-for-consumers-and-curbing-e-waste
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/fi/press-room/20220412IPR27115/common-charger-meps-agree-on-proposal-to-reduce-electronic-waste
https://multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/en/webstreaming/press-conference-by-alex-agius-saliba-rapporteur-on-outcome-of-trilogue-on-common-charger_20220607-1230-SPECIAL-PRESSER
https://www.theverge.com/2022/6/7/23156361/european-union-usb-c-wired-charging-iphone-lightning-ewaste?scrolla=5eb6d68b7fedc32c19ef33b4
https://www.iltalehti.fi/digiuutiset/a/ba6a457b-65af-4bb9-931f-bbcef2f3b195
https://www.is.fi/digitoday/art-2000008869932.html
https://www.uusiteknologia.fi/2022/06/07/eurooppa-valitsi-usb-c-latausliitannan-kayttoon-vasta-2024/
https://www.uusiteknologia.fi/?s=USB-C
https://www.epanorama.net/blog/2010/12/30/eu-standards-for-common-mobile-phone-charger/
https://www.macrumors.com/2022/05/11/iphone-15-ditch-lightning-for-usb-c/?scrolla=5eb6d68b7fedc32c19ef33b4
https://techcrunch.com/2022/04/20/eu-common-charger-rules/
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/13448-apple-rimpuilee-eu-n-laturipaeaetoestae-vastaan
https://www.epanorama.net/blog/2021/05/27/higher-power-usb-c-will-deliver-240w/
104 Comments
Tomi Engdahl says:
Earpiece USB C conversion retermination with mic easy Tutorial
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPrcPHVKWJA
Easily convert your earpiece cable to type C
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/01/26/all-about-usb-c-framework-laptop/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/14519-40-gigabittiae-sekunnissa-10-metrin-paeaehaen
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.totalphase.com/blog/2020/10/what-is-e-marker-how-does-it-work/
Tomi Engdahl says:
All About USB-C: Pinecil Soldering Iron
https://hackaday.com/2023/01/31/all-about-usb-c-pinecil-soldering-iron/
Today, let’s check out the Pinecil. A soldering iron by Pine64, released a few years ago, keeping the price low and quality high. It sports both a barrel jack and a USB-C port for its power input – a welcome departure from the Miniware iron strategy, where neither the barrel-jack-only TS100 nor the low-power proprietary-tip TS80 irons quite did it. And, given its design around TS100 T12-style tips, it’s no wonder Pinecil took a well-deserved spot in hobbyist world.
Pinecil went the “PD stack software + PD frontend IC” way, devoting part of the MCU to the realtime nature of PD communications. The PD frontend used is the FUSB302, connected to the MCU over the regular I2C interface. The microcontroller itself has changed from the GD32VF103 in Pinecil v1 to the BL706 in Pinecil v2 – both of them RISC-V.
Leading USB-C In Open-Source
Writing a USB-C PD software stack is not as straightforward as writing, say, an ADC driver. To enforce the coexistence and safety requirements, USB-C uses state machines. If you’ve ever had someone share one of these intimidating diagrams straight from USB-C documentation pages with you, you might be inclined to believe that USB-C is best not touched by humans. That viewpoint isn’t entirely wrong – reimplementing these state machines is not something you necessarily might want to spend your time doing. On the other hand, despite the informationally aggressive nature, the state machines involved are simpler than they might look.
Tomi Engdahl says:
All About USB-C: Manufacturer Sins
https://hackaday.com/2023/02/07/all-about-usb-c-manufacturer-sins/
People experience a variety of problems with USB-C. I’ve asked people online about their negative experiences with USB-C, and got a wide variety of responses, both on Twitter and on Mastodon. In addition to that, communities like r/UsbCHardware keep a lore of things that make some people’s experience with USB-C subpar.
In engineering and hacking, there’s unspoken things we used to quietly consider as unviable. Having bidirectional power and high-speed data on a single port with thousands of peripherals, using nothing but a single data pin – if you’ve ever looked at a schematic for a proprietary docking connector attempting such a feat, you know that you’d find horrors beyond comprehension.
When USB-C was being designed, the group looked through chargers, OTG adapters, display outputs, docking stations, docking stations with charging functions, and display outputs, and united them into a specification that can account for basically everything – over a single cable. What could go wrong?
Of course, device manufacturers found a number of ways to take everything that USB-C provides, and wipe the floor with it. Some of the USB-C sins are noticeable trends. Most of them, I’ve found, are manufacturers’ faults, whether by inattention or by malice; things like cable labelling are squarely in the USB-C standard domain, and there’s plenty of random wear and tear failures.
Omitting The Resistors, One Cent At A Time
No USB-C resistors in sight, and the pins aren’t even soldered
Yep, you got it. The first, honorary entry is omitting 5.1 kΩ pulldowns on a USB-C port intended for charging your device. “Why does my device charge with a USB-A to USB-C cable, but doesn’t charge with a USB-C to USB-C cable”, asks the user? The answer is simple – because your device’s designer decided to save one cent while building your device, and didn’t care about testing the device before selling it to you.
In other words, your device is supposed to have two resistors connected to the USB-C plug, yet it does not, and USB-C power supplies are unable to detect that they ought to provide power. Remember, the resistor detection is fundamentally a safety mechanism, and by now, information about this problem is omnipresent.
Omitting these resistors is one of the most infuriating Type-C mistakes for users, and often results in people debugging the problem for hours on end.
Murderous “USB-C” PSUs At Your Local Lidl
Remember the power article, specifically, how you get to higher voltages? Let’s recap: you get 5 V first, and then only after resistor detection. Higher voltages require negotiations over a digital protocol. This is a safety rule – it’s how you can use the same USB-C charger for your laptop, your phone, your wireless headphones, your devboards and whatever else.
Now, what happens when someone builds a power supply with a fixed higher-than-5 V output, say, 12 V, and puts a USB-C plug on it? The answer is – seriously bad things happen. Such a power supply isn’t safe to be used on actual USB-C devices – it’s likely to destroy your phone or laptop, and it’s at a glance indistinguishable from an adapter that follows the USB-C rules laid out for everyone else.
Who does this? Well, many no-name manufacturers do, but also Lidl Parkside tools, for one. CrowPi does this too, in their recently released CrowPi L laptop. Both of these come with dumb “USB-C” 12 V power supplies, and neither of them should be sold to consumers, especially given that the CrowPi laptop is designed for kids and educational purposes, and Parkside tools are designed for non-tech-savvy people. When your kid burns a $500 smartphone or your granddad burns his laptop due to a $2 power supply, that’s when the gravity of this standard violation really sets in.
Blaming Companies? It’s Not That Simple
The resistor omission is by now a thorn in consumers’ sides, and the murderous PSU designs are unforgivable. Designers should not do these things. There is, however, an area where I can forgive mistakes happening, and that’s the USB-PD protocol – specifically, the compatibility mistakes, especially in early USB-C tech.
The PD specification is 800 pages – this is, no doubt, intimidating. If you’re getting paid to implement USB-C, however, it’s your job to be familiar with it. On the other hand, when you’re an early adopter implementing a complex specification, it’s quite likely you’re going to screw it up through no fault of your own.
The gist is – early adoption of is more of a tricky engineering problem than we might recognize.
In addition to that, there’s two early adopter routes for a wide-reaching interfacing technology like this. One route is – you build a device that is engineered to be specifically compatible with the pricey peripherals that you manufacture, despite being based an open standard being aimed at intercompatibility, and don’t really test the device with other things. I call this the Nintendo Switch route, for no particular reason.
The other early adopter route is – you design a device, then test it with other devices. It’s the early adoption stage, so other devices are often similarly broken, and you end up adding a slew of workarounds and bugfixes piled up on top of each other.
Not Testing PD Implementations Enough
Nowadays, there’s no excuse to release a poorly tested USB-C product. If an open-source project can have an array of power supplies to test a USB-C PSU with, large companies have no excuse. If you bought a hefty powerbank that doesn’t put enough effort into figuring out power roles and ends up getting charged from the laptop when you need the opposite, that means it’s not been tested on laptops like yours, and chances are, yours isn’t special. Let’s face it – a company developing powerbanks can afford to buy a few laptops with different OSes and test the behaviour until it works well.
The PD compatibility problems are out there, and you might stumble upon them eventually, especially when it comes to charging. There’s laptops that don’t work with specific chargers
Of course, there’s ways to mis-manage specifications, but let’s face it – there’s gotta be a more fundamental cause for this.
Part of the problem is lack of information sharing. When a large open-source project solves a tricky compatibility problem and adds a workaround, it goes onto GitHub for everyone to see and make use of, with a searchable description of the problem in the commit message.
When a commercial entity fixes the same bug, it is thrown into /dev/null for all other informational intents and purposes, except for the binary blob they push as a firmware update – if even. In this case, each company implementing PD-talking stuff, has their own database of PD quirks, working around peculiarities of devices they tested with. Those PD quirks ought to be openly available information, but they’re not.
Proprietary solution developers aren’t paid to share things, whereas in open-source project, the sharing happens naturally, through no extra effort, once again exposing the fundamental inferiority of proprietary processes. Large part of the reason you have buggy USB-C devices, is that companies would rather make you overpay and suffer incompatibilities, than put effort into sharing information between themselves.
Microcontrollers with PD peripherals are often tough to work with, too. Again, this is a lack of effort put into making those peripherals friendly for developers, whether through better design or better documentation – often, more open code, as you might be able to guess, sadly. T
Don’t Add, Don’t Tell
You can buy a $1000 laptop, and find out that its USB-C port only does USB3 – no charging or DisplayPort. Or, you can buy a mid-tier $500 smartphone, and find out that it can’t charge and do OTG at the same time, despite USB-C making it so that devices can easily do precisely that in a standardized manner, killing off all those MicroUSB splitter adapters with weird resistors on the ID pin.
The cherry on top is a single USB-C port on a laptop – and nothing else — you might have seen Macbooks like this. You’re basically required to carry a dongle with PD passthrough around, there’s nowhere to plug your wireless mouse receiver in, and the USB-C port becomes the living definition of the word “bottleneck”. When it comes to right to repair, having a single USB-C port for absolutely everything means adding a giant failure point that will leave you laptop-less if you accidentally use too cheap of a charger and end up melting the only port’s plastic. If it’s not a Macbook, good luck finding a replacement port; custom-made small-batch USB-C ports can be quite literally impossible to find for a hobbyist.
Still, Workarounds Exist
Remember: if your USB-C cable is broken or wonky, you should stop using it and buy a replacement. Mark devices that misbehave, and talk online about them; name and shame liberally. Read online reviews if compatibility is what you worry about, scroll down on Aliexpress, or search the product name to see if the device you’re buying has the resistors it needs. When buying a USB-C power supply or an expensiveish dock, it can be good to test it with your device and make sure you can return it or exchange it for a different one.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/01/31/all-about-usb-c-pinecil-soldering-iron/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/02/14/all-about-usb-c-talking-low-level-pd/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.infineon.com/cms/en/product/universal-serial-bus/usb-c-high-voltage-microcontrollers/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.io/project/189815-lixie-clock
Tomi Engdahl says:
Pian myös voimatyökaluja ladataan USB:n yli
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/14656-pian-myoes-voimatyoekaluja-ladataan-usb-n-yli
C-tyypin USB on jo käytännössä kaikkien pienten laitteiden de facto -latausväylä, mutta tehotason kasvaessa siitä tulee myös suurempaa tehoa vaativien laitteiden latausväylä. Kehitystä kuvaa hyvin STMicroelectronicsin uusille latauspiireilleen saama sertifiointi.
ST kertoo saaneensa USB-IF-sertifioinnin kahdelle IC-latauspiirille. Piirien (lähde ja vastaanotto) avulla ST:n USB-lattauspiirien valikoima laajenee 140 watin tehoon. Tämä tarkoittaa, että yhdellä AC–DC-sovittimella voidaan ladata tietokoneita, älykkään kodin toimilaitteita, sähkötyökaluja ja sähköpyöriä perinteisten älypuhelimien ja tablettien lisäksi.
Tehon kasvamisella on merkittäviä etuja käytännössä. Esimerkiksi jo sadan watin laturi riittää lataamaan esimerkiksi läppärin ja puhelimen. Yksi laturi vähemmän lentolaukussa kuulostaa aika hyvältä idealta.
USB PD -standardin maksimiteho on nykyään 240 wattia. Yli sadan watin tehoja USB-IF-järjestö kutsuu termillä EPR eli laajennettu tehoalue (extended power range). ST:n sovelluspuolen referenssisuunnittelu perustuu STM32-ohjaimeen, analogiseen STUSB1602-etuastepiiriin, suurjännitesuojapiireihin ja erilliseen ohjelmistopinoon. Suunnittelu tukee protokollan hienosäätöä ja sopii monenlaisiin sovelluksiin.
Sovittimen puolen rakenne tuottaa jopa 140 W (28V@5A) ulostulon ST-ONEHP:n digitaalisesta ohjaimesta, joka on erityisesti suunniteltu USB PD 3.1 EPR -latureille.
Tomi Engdahl says:
The USB Protocol, Explained
https://hackaday.com/2023/03/10/usb-protocol-explained/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Sink and Source Protection Switches Serve USB Type-C EPR 3.1 Apps
March 16, 2023
The AOZ13937DI sink and AOZ15333DI source protection switches pave the way for USB Type-C EPR 3.1 designs delivering up to 140 W.
https://www.electronicdesign.com/technologies/power/article/21262117/microwaves-rf-sink-and-source-protection-switches-serve-usb-typec-epr-31-apps?utm_source=EG+ED+Analog+%26+Power+Source&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CPS230309173&o_eid=7211D2691390C9R&rdx.identpull=omeda|7211D2691390C9R&oly_enc_id=7211D2691390C9R
Alpha and Omega Semiconductor, in Booth #810 at APEC, will showcase a pair of sink and source switches that can increase the power-delivery capability of USB Type-C ports to 140 W, paving the way for Type-C extended power range (EPR) implementations.
The AOZ13937DI is equipped to handle 28-V Type-C sinking applications, while the AOZ15333DI is capable of Type-C sourcing apps. These new switches are suited for 28-V Type C EPR implementations in high-performance laptops, personal computers, monitors, docking stations, and other applications.
The AOZ13937DI features an ultra-low, 20-mΩ resistance with soft-start, overvoltage, ideal-diode reverse-current, short-circuit, overcurrent, overtemperature, and ESD protections. It’s designed to isolate and protect downstream components from abnormal VBUS voltage and current conditions. The ideal-diode, fast reverse-current protection allows multiple power paths to be connected in parallel without interference.
The AOZ15333DI companion source switch IC is capable of sourcing 5 V at 3 A while blocking up to 28 V. AOZ15333DI is UL 2367- and IEC 62368-1:2018 (3rd Edition)-certified as a current-limiting switch suited for Type-C sourcing applications. The device is protected against numerous fault conditions such as VIN overvoltage protection (OVP), startup short-circuit protection (SCP), overtemperature (OTP) protection, and it has a programmable ILIMIT pin.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/14731-yhae-tarkempi-ohjaus-kaennykkaelataamiseen
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/14729-100-wattia-useasta-portista
Tomi Engdahl says:
The iPhone USB-C Law: Explained!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdgRUCVUts0
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/14789-aelykaes-ja-nopea-ohjaus-ottaa-kaiken-irti-pikalatauksesta
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.renesas.com/eu/en/blogs/rapidcharge-controllers-prevent-fast-charger-hacking?utm_campaign=dlg_pcbu&utm_source=end_elecdesign&utm_medium=personifai&utm_content=rapidcharge_lp
Tomi Engdahl says:
EU varoittaa Applea rajoittamasta USBC-kaapelien lataustehoa
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/14929-eu-varoittaa-applea-rajoittamasta-usbc-kaapelien-lataustehoa
EU hyväksyi viime vuonna lain, joka edellyttää, että kaikki ladattavat laitteet on varustettava USBC-portilla. Apple on tuomassa uuden liittimen iPhone-puhelimiinsa tänä vuonna, mutta yhtiön on arveltu rajoittavan muiden valmistajien kaapelien toimintaa puhelimiensa kanssa.
Tämä tietenkin rikkoo ainakin EU-direktiivin henkeä vastaan. Mikäli vain Applen sertifioimat USBC-kaapelit lataavat iPhone-puhelimia täydellä teholla, uuden iPhonen ostajat ostavat myös Applen uuden kaapelin. Ja tarkoituksena oli ennen kaikkea vähentää syntyvän SER-romun määrää.
Appella on laitteissaan tunnistinsiruja, jotka validoivat liitetyn kaapelin. Näin muiden valmistajien – tai oikeastaan sellaisten, joilta Applen MFi-sertifiointi puuttuu – kaapelin latausteho voitaisiin rajoittaa alhaisemmaksi, kuin mitä standardi sallii.
Euroopan komission jäsen Thierry Breton on lähettänyt Applelle kirjeen, jossa varoitetaan, ettei USBC-kaapeleiden toimivuuden rajoittaminen ole sallittua.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Vähän ärsyttää laajemminkin, että USB-virtalähteissä ei ole enää kovin selkeitä standardeja. On QC3 ja PD3 ja 65W ja
mikä toimii minkäkin kanssa ja mikä on jo vanha juttu.
EU sends Apple stark warning over USB-C charging on new iPhones
By Axel Metz published 2 days ago
Bad news for Apple, good news for you
https://www.techradar.com/news/apple-may-not-restrict-usb-c-charging-on-new-iphones-after-all
Tomi Engdahl says:
USB Type-C Solution Outputs Up to 100 W for In-Car Charging
Infineon Technologies rolled out a dual-port automotive-grade USB-C power-delivery (PD) solution with integrated buck-boost controller that outputs up to 100 W of power for in-vehicle charging.
Called EZ-PD CCG7D, the USB Type-C solution is specifically designed for cars that support DisplayPort (DP) in alternate mode. It enables USB devices to charge while simultaneously sharing multimedia content with the vehicle, with output power of up to 100 W per port, according to the company. The high integration in the CCG7D reduces bill-of-materials (BOM) costs when used in the main dashboard or rear-seat chargers and display systems.
The CCG7D incorporates dual USB-C ports, with one supporting DP-Sink and the other supporting DP-Source. As a result, a two-way multimedia solution can be implemented in the vehicle, allowing USB Type-C devices to be charged and video to be streamed from a mobile phone or PC to the vehicle’s display. The new solution works with Infineon’s automotive software development kit (SDK). The SDK has configurable features like output power throttling based on battery voltage and temperature, dynamic load sharing between ports, temperature monitoring, authenticated field firmware updates, and a black box for diagnostics.
https://www.electronicdesign.com/resources/products-of-the-week/media-gallery/21265339/electronic-design-products-of-the-week-sicbased-power-supply-io-link-analog-converters?utm_source=EG+ED+Analog+%26+Power+Source&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CPS230504032&o_eid=7211D2691390C9R&rdx.identpull=omeda|7211D2691390C9R&oly_enc_id=7211D2691390C9R&id=21265339&slide=1
Tomi Engdahl says:
Minimal USB Device Connects With Just A Couple Of Resistors
https://hackaday.com/2023/05/09/minimal-usb-device-connects-with-just-a-couple-of-resistors/
If you’re like most of us, your basic approach to building something boils down to: “What’s the minimum amount I need to do to get this to work?” It’s not a bad strategy in general, but the minimal build is rarely enough to meet all the requirements, as this extremely minimal but functional USB device illustrates.
Functional, yes, but as [TM] explains, only if you define functional as being recognized by your operating system. The BOM for that job turns out to be really small — a 3.3-volt regulator, its capacitor, and a pair of resistors connected to a DIP switch. The resistors, 1.5k each, are connected to the D+ and D- lines of the USB connector and pull their respective lines up to 3V3 when their switch is closed. If the D- switch is thrown, it indicates a low-speed connection is requested, while D+ requests a speedier connection. Either way, its enough to get the familiar “USB connect” sound in Windows, and to see it listed in Device Manager or dmesg on Linux.
See the minimum needed for a USB device to list in Device Manager
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VG5bWzEPfsg
See a demonstration of how little has to go right for a USB device to show up in Windows Device Manager or Linux dmesg and understand what that means for troubleshooting USB microcontroller/Arduino projects.
The video I’d mentioned about beginning regarding wasting time looking for drivers: • Arduino not showi…
00:00 Intro
00:15 Description
00:42 Demoboard overview
01:29 Demoboard circuit details
02:20 USB device enumeration
04:03 Speeds
05:17 Testing In Windows
07:03 Testing In Linux
08:39 Troubleshooting
08:57 Physical connections
09:35 Enable/RESET signals
10:27 A microcontroller seems to be trying to connect
11:19 Designs that try to connect by default
Tomi Engdahl says:
Why a Digispark should not be your first Arduino.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gg2nM0OdUtQ
See the problems you can expect to run up against if you’re going to try using a Digispark or Digispark-like board. I explain this in the video a couple of times but much of it is in text in the video. Just so that it is explained in text: These Digispark, clones of it, V-USB, Micronucleus, etc, are all fine if you know what you’re getting into. Most beginners don’t. And that’s all I am to do in the video is warn you what sorts of problems you can expect to encounter.
In the video I show an UNO R3. Not long before I made this video they announced a new ARM-based R4 model. It has not release yet, but it seems that they’ve gone to some effort to make it as comparable as possible within reason. It may be become the new beginner’s board.The R3 UNO (or good clone of it) will probably remain the best option for beginners for a while though.
0:00 Intro
0:15 Digispark description
0:52 Key feature
1:34 Problem 1: Unprotected Bootloader
2:14 Problem 2: Unreliable USB
3:14 Problem 3: Limited memories and peripherals
4:12 Problem 4: No USB Serial
5:11 Problem 5: Unmaintained board support
5:51 Problem 6: Disabled RESET pin
6:38 Problem 7: Poorly constructed PCB trace plugs on boards that have them
7:09 Problem 8: Low pin count
7:27 Problem 9: Lack of learning materials
7:53 Conclusion / Advice
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://forum.digikey.com/t/simple-way-to-use-usb-type-c-to-get-5v-at-up-to-3a-15w/7016
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.futureelectronics.com/blog/article/how-to-and-why-adopt-usb-c-power-delivery/
Tomi Engdahl says:
The simplest way to move to USB-C
Replace any legacy barrel connector with EZ-PD™ BCR
https://www.infineon.com/cms/en/product/promopages/ez-pd-bcr-tutorial-series/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/08/11/usb-c-cable-tester-is-compact-and-affordable/
Tomi Engdahl says:
USB-C confirmed for the iPhone 15 in new leaked part images
Time to toss your Lightning cables.
https://www.macworld.com/article/2023828/usb-c-confirmed-for-the-iphone-15-in-new-leaked-part-images.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/08/07/all-about-usb-c-example-circuits/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Advanced Cable Tester Meets USB Type-C, HDMI 2.1 Requirements
June 21, 2023
This cost-effective tester provides fast test results and complete coverage of cable electrical signal integrity.
https://www.mwrf.com/technologies/test-measurement/article/21268264/electronic-design-advanced-cable-tester-meets-usb-typec-hdmi-21-requirements
Tomi Engdahl says:
So Apple, what is this mysterious extra chip in the iPhone 15?
iPhone 15 USB-C port features a mysterious extra chip — and that’s got us worried
By Richard Priday published 4 days ago
New alleged images show a potentially frustrating catch
https://www.tomsguide.com/news/iphone-15-usb-c-port-features-a-mysterious-extra-chip-and-thats-got-us-worried?utm_content=tomsguide&utm_campaign=socialflow&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social&fbclid=IwAR1eeGhbik-03TQ74XZd4XdZhnMQK_FlE1mEzCcrm7s8JJk0_XqiRgfmE7o
More images apparently confirming the iPhone 15′s using a USB-C port have been posted to Twitter/X by leaker Majin Bu. Except one chip on the new port’s circuit board may be cause for concern.
It’s been tipped that Apple could limit the performance of USB-C cables and accessories that it hasn’t approved with the iPhone 15. The idea is apparently that while any USB-C accessory will work with the iPhone, only those made by companies with an Apple license will get access to the full data and charging speeds. This could be illegal under the EU’s common charger law according to EU legislators, but they don’t know any more about Apple’s plans than we do.
This is obviously not confirmed yet, and even the rumors are not that well-supported. But considering how Apple’s been hanging on to the aging Lightning port for as long as it reasonably can in order to keep users and companies using its proprietary tech, we’ve got cause to think Apple could spoil the iPhone 15′s USB-C transition.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.uusiteknologia.fi/2023/08/22/suomi-ottaa-kayttoon-usb-c-yleislaturit/
Tomi Engdahl says:
iPhone saa USB-liitännän, mutta torsona
https://etn.fi/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=15245&via=n&datum=2023-08-25_14:20:21&mottagare=30929
Applen tulevat iPhone-puhelimet saavat USBC-liitännän, kuten EU edellyttää. Verkkotietojen mukaan luvassa ei kuitenkaan ole aivan parasta mahdollista, mitä USB voisi käyttäjille tarjota.
Eräs käyttäjä on päässyt käsiksi tuleviin USBC-kaapeleihin, joita Apple on tuomassa uusien puhelimien mukana. Viestipalvelu X:ssä julkaistujen tietojen mukaan luvassa on USB 2.0 -datavauhtia. Tämä on melkoinen pettymys, sillä 480 megabitin nopeus on sama kuin vanhan Lightning-liitännän.
Tiettävästi tämä datanopeus koskee perustason iPhone 15- sekä 15 Plus-mallia. Pro-malleihin on eri raporttien mukaan tulossa nopeampi lataus. Tiettävästi kyseessä on USB 3.2 eli 20 gigabittiä sekunnissa. Näin suuri eli yli 20-kertainen ero tiedostonsiirron datanopeudessa voi jo vaikuttaa ihmisten ostopäätöksiin.
Samainen Twitter-käyttäjä on myös mitannut kaapelien kyvyn siirtää virtaa. Tulosten mukaan Applen uusien kaapelien maksimi on 20V ja 3A. Tämä tarkoittaa, että iPhone olisi saamassa 60 watin lataustehon.
60 wattia on tietysti merkittävä parannus nykyiseen 20 watin tehoon, mutta selvästi jäljessä sekä USB-väylän PD- eli tehonsiirtostandardin maksimilukua. USB PD 3.1 nosti lataustehon 240 wattiin.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Mark Gurman / Bloomberg:
A look at the iPhone’s upcoming Lightning to USB-C transition; sources say the revamped iPad Pro’s Magic Keyboard coming in 2024 will have an aluminum top case — Also: The company confirms the date of its Sept. 12 iPhone 15 event and aims to overhaul device production with 3D printers.
Apple Is Set to Embrace an iPhone Charger Change It Didn’t Want
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2023-09-03/apple-september-12-event-iphone-15-charging-port-change-to-usb-c-from-lightning-lm3gn2hs
Apple is set to shift its iPhone charging port from Lightning to USB-C after pushing back on such a change for years. Also: The company confirms the date of its Sept. 12 iPhone 15 event and aims to overhaul device production with 3D printers. Finally, Apple is developing a more laptop-like Magic Keyboard for the iPad and finishing up work on iOS 17.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Even though manufacturers of handheld ham radios have been busy adding all sorts of bells and whistles into their portable offerings, for some reason, many of them lack a modern USB-C port. In the same vein, while some have USB for programming or otherwise communicating between the radio and a computer, very few can use USB for power. Instead , they rely on barrel jacks or antiquated charging cradles….
USB-C POWER FOR HAM RADIO
https://hackaday.com/2023/09/05/usb-c-power-for-ham-radio/?fbclid=IwAR2tfab3WGUS5YssH7yKaduldcgmDrxFTm-PPOXf3va1a8o-iSn2vFpmz8M
In the past, USB ports could be simply soldered onto a wire and used to power basically anything that took 5 VDC. But the radio in question needs 12 volts, so the key was to find a USB-C cable with the built-in electronics to negotiate the right amount of power from USB-PD devices. For this one, [jephthai] cut the barrel connector off his radio’s power supply and spliced in some Anderson power pole connectors so he could use either the standard radio charger or one spliced onto this special cable.
With this fairly simple modification out of the way, it’s possible to power the handheld radio for long outings with the proper USB battery bank on hand. For plenty of situations this is much preferable to toting around a 12 V battery, which was the method of choice for powering things like QRP rigs when operating off-grid.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/09/05/usb-c-power-for-ham-radio/
Tomi Engdahl says:
David Pierce / The Verge:
Apple announces the 6.1″ iPhone 15 Pro and 6.7″ iPhone 15 Pro Max, with Grade 5 titanium in four finishes, a 3nm A17 Pro, a customizable Action Button, and more — Apple just announced its new high-end iPhones, the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max. It’s made of titanium, it has an Action button …
Apple iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max announced with titanium bodies and an Action Button
https://www.theverge.com/2023/9/12/23859756/iphone-15-pro-max-price-features-release-date-apple
Apple just announced its new high-end iPhones: the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max. They’re made of titanium, they have Action Buttons, and Apple promises they’re the most powerful smartphones Apple has ever made. The 15 Pro starts at $999 with 128GB of storage, and the Pro Max at $1,199 with 256GB of storage. Both will be available for preorder this Friday and on sale September 22nd.
This year’s Pro has a 6.1-inch screen, and the Pro Max has a 6.7-inch display — same as the new iPhone 15 and 15 Plus. Both are powered by the A17 Pro chip, which Apple says has the fastest performance in any smartphone and can even challenge some high-end PCs.
Apple announces iPhone 15 with USB-C, a camera upgrade, and the Dynamic Island
/ Apple’s new iPhone 15 features a USB-C port and some big improvements to the camera system.
https://www.theverge.com/2023/9/12/23859779/iphone-15-plus-usb-c-price-release-date-apple
Apple has just announced the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus, and the big news is a USB-C port. Finally! We’ve been waiting for the day that the iPhone would switch to the widely used USB-C standard instead of Apple’s proprietary Lightning connector. Apple confirmed last year that it would make the change to USB-C to comply with the European Union’s upcoming regulations, and the iPhone 15 is now the first iPhone to make the switch.
The iPhone 15 is priced starting at $799 for a 128GB model, and the iPhone 15 Plus starts at $899 for a 128GB version. Both will be available on September 22nd, with preorders starting this Friday.
Tomi Engdahl says:
David Pierce / The Verge:
Apple starts selling a $29 USB-C to Lightning adapter alongside a $19 one-meter USB-C charging cable, a $29 two-meter USB-C cable, and a $69 Thunderbolt 4 cable
Apple’s new USB-C iPhone cables and dongles are predictably expensive
/ Fortunately, the USB-C ecosystem is already thriving. Unfortunately, you’re probably going to need a dongle or three in the meantime.
https://www.theverge.com/2023/9/12/23870441/apple-usb-c-cables-lightning-dongle-price
Apple just made a lot of people’s Lightning cables and accessories suddenly redundant by introducing the new iPhone 15, 15 Plus, 15 Pro, and 15 Pro Max. Four phones, not a Lightning port in sight — Apple is all in on USB-C.
To make the transition easier, Apple is now selling a bunch of predictably expensive new cables and dongles. Starting with the one you’re almost certainly going to need to buy: the USB-C to Lightning Adapter, a $29.99 dongle into which you plug your Lightning device or cable and then plug the dongle into your new phone.
If you’re ready to live the USB-C life entirely, you can buy Apple’s one-meter charging cable, which is $19 and will charge at up to 60 watts. Or, for $29, you can get a two-meter cable that supports up to 240 watts of charging power. Both transfer data at USB 2 speeds and should be sufficient for most of your day-to-day needs.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://etn.fi/index.php/new-products/15326-65-wattia-tehoa-useammasta-usb-portista
Tomi Engdahl says:
USB-C cables are complicated. It’s not like the old days with USB-A when you only had two pairs of conductors for data or power. With USB-C it’s worse. There are many more conductors for different purposes. Plus, because the power capacity is supposed to be higher, if the manufacturer uses conductors too thin, the cable might show up as “good” on a cable-tester, but when the cable is used it doesn’t work or works poorly. Here’s a good explanation…
https://learn.adafruit.com/understanding-usb-type-c-cable-types-pitfalls-and-more/cable-types-and-differences
A lot of sold as type C cables are USB2.0 standard with a pair of data and power line even the C to C ones
yes that makes it even more confusing. Sadly, I’ve found with USB-C cables, I never know if it’s going to work until I try to use it for a specific purpose. There are too many combinations of device1+ cable + device2.
I suspect there might be chips inside usb-c cables for PD (or whatever) purposes
there are cables with ID chip and cables without ID chip. “Basic” cables can be with or without ID chip. Cables with advanced features (like high charging power and highest speeds) must have the ID chip that tells the cable capabilities.
Tomi Engdahl says:
1-10pcs Type-C USB Jack 3.1 Type-C 2Pin 4Pin Female Connector Jack Charging Port USB 3.1 Type C Socket With Screw fixing plate
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005461853645.html?spm=a2g0o.detail.1000014.21.3d6bf9rlf9rl3T&gps-id=pcDetailBottomMoreOtherSeller&scm=1007.40000.326746.0&scm_id=1007.40000.326746.0&scm-url=1007.40000.326746.0&pvid=3679481c-8652-4f77-b111-b468d5087295&_t=gps-id:pcDetailBottomMoreOtherSeller,scm-url:1007.40000.326746.0,pvid:3679481c-8652-4f77-b111-b468d5087295,tpp_buckets:668%232846%238111%23456&pdp_npi=4%40dis%21EUR%210.39%210.33%21%21%210.40%21%21%402101ef6816959842228312612ef6af%2112000033176751746%21rec%21FI%212528467667%21
Type-C USB PD/QC/AFC Fast Charge Decoy Trigger Support 5V 9V 12V 15V 20V Fixed Voltage Output For Phone Solar Fast Quick Charger
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004393090736.html?spm=a2g0o.detail.1000014.14.3d6bf9rlf9rl3T&gps-id=pcDetailBottomMoreOtherSeller&scm=1007.40000.326746.0&scm_id=1007.40000.326746.0&scm-url=1007.40000.326746.0&pvid=3679481c-8652-4f77-b111-b468d5087295&_t=gps-id:pcDetailBottomMoreOtherSeller,scm-url:1007.40000.326746.0,pvid:3679481c-8652-4f77-b111-b468d5087295,tpp_buckets:668%232846%238111%23456&pdp_npi=4%40dis%21EUR%211.19%211.05%21%21%211.23%21%21%402101ef6816959842228312612ef6af%2112000029020958177%21rec%21FI%212528467667%21
Tomi Engdahl says:
PD65W Fast Charging Module Type-C Interface PD3.1 PPS Fast Charging QC3.0 SCP
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005514748180.html?src=criteo&albch=criteo_New&acnt=criteo-LF&albcp=157651&device=pc&clickid=6516adb123a30e4dd47a0391be7fc3d3_1695985074_1005005514748180&cto_pld=rIywW8LKAAA3G0qY8X4fwg&aff_fcid=d5146200d7b64a2082368501b4cab795-1695985095201-01324-UneMJZVf&aff_fsk=UneMJZVf&aff_platform=aaf&sk=UneMJZVf&aff_trace_key=d5146200d7b64a2082368501b4cab795-1695985095201-01324-UneMJZVf&terminal_id=a84dd682a66047c694dfe5628f2eb974&afSmartRedirect=y
It works well. Samsung fast charging support, but ultra-fast charging should not be. Because the voltage is automatically adjusted only down and the pressure is not raised, it should be mounted on the adapter more than 24V to work normally. If you bite on a 12V adapter, it may not work normally. Good working. Step down converting only
Tomi Engdahl says:
Type-C PD QC Trigger 5V~20V Dial Code Adjustment DC Voltage Power Module Dial Adjustment Voltage Fast Charging Decoy Module
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005225240792.html?spm=a2g0o.detail.1000023.3.34c24MFr4MFro5&gatewayAdapt=4itemAdapt
Tomi Engdahl says:
Type-C micro USB 2S 3S 4S BMS 4.5V-15V 18W 2A Lithium Battery Charging Module Support QC Fast Charge board
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005447734549.html?spm=a2g0o.detail.1000023.9.34c24MFr4MFro5&gatewayAdapt=4itemAdapt
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://learn.adafruit.com/understanding-usb-type-c-cable-types-pitfalls-and-more/cable-types-and-differences
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/10/12/usb-c-for-hackers-build-your-own-psu/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://bgr.com/tech/iphone-15s-usb-c-port-might-be-a-problem-for-some-accessories/#utm_campaign=trueanthem&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook
Tomi Engdahl says:
USING INDUSTRIAL CT TO EXAMINE A $129 USB CABLE
https://hackaday.com/2023/10/24/using-industrial-ct-to-examine-a-129-usb-cable/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.lumafield.com/article/usb-c-cable-charger-head-to-head-comparison-apple-thunderbolt-amazon-basics
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.hackster.io/news/elektrothing-s-spark-analyzer-aims-to-take-the-pain-out-of-usb-power-delivery-projects-f31d5f2ffa4d