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I have a few USB cables that are left connected when not in use. It is mildly annoying that they never want to stay coiled up. This article explains how I re-educated these cables so they naturally go into a coil when not in use.
If you are interested, please see
http://rick.sparber.org/MUCB.pdf
Your comments are welcome. All of us are smarter than any one of us.
Thanks,
Rick
Another clever trick for making life easier, I will try that tomorrow.
Thanks for posting.
I especially like the red dot idea! It's a 50/50 chance you'll get it right but rarely happens. lol
Yeah, when I'm so dopy that I still plug the USB in wrong, it is time for a nap...
Rick
I just checked through the dozen plus USB rechargers in the basket by my desk and every one has the usb icon...
http://www.usb.org/developers/docs/icon_design.pdf
in bas-relief on the female side of the jack. Thus if you have the icon face-up when you insert it into a horizontally oriented receptacle, all will be well.
Marv
You must live right. My PC and my wall warts have no markings.
No, the marks are on the JACKS that are inserted into the receptacles in the PC, wall wart, etc. My wall warts have no markings, nor does the USB extension cord that brings access to the PC USB receptacles up to my desktop.Quote:
Originally Posted by rgsparber
Marv,
The red dot is redundant on the jack but the one on the PC or wall wart is not. I can more easily see a red dot on the cable than the logo so add it.
my laptop has both the USB 2.0 and the USB 3.0 jacks they are opposite in orientation 3.0 icon up 2.0 icon down
the usb jacks I hate are the mini jacks +-
Cool Idea Rick. I Like the red dot too and will use that trick especially on wall warts. I like the color coding instead of trying to read braille in low light with trifocals. I like to use Velcro cable ties for some of those longer ones and bundles too. Once coiled and tied they will retain the coil after a short time. But for Cphones or tablets that you may need to pull out further...yours is a Good Ideer.
Also like the idea of retractable ones but found the commercial ones not overly reliable.
It's funny about USB cables either being too long or two short and then of course "which version" of ends for which devices. The cable mfg's must be having conniptions and making a mint between USB, HDMI, & ethernet.
I think this is current for USB...
Attachment 24234
I'm also in the midst of routing all new Ethernet Cat 7 cables for to achieve max throughput and reliability as soon as they get here. May try your trick on them as well because the CAT7 have thicker shield and coating. I'll do a test to make sure they aren't damaged but should work I think.
Thanks for the trick!
PJ
I've taken classes in physics, calculus and permutations, trigonometry, and mindreading. Everything I've ever been taught tells me that I at least have a fifty-fifty chance of plugging a usb cable in the right way up, but somehow I've never gotten it right, not even once. It's probably just a tear in the space-time continuum that
hovers over my shop.
Hands, Head and Heart(mostly hands)
:lol: Roger That! Is that a BAR your Prairie Poodle is packing, can't quite tell from the pic.Quote:
Originally Posted by brianpoundingnails
I've got your 6...
Attachment 24240
:hattip: PJ
Quote:
Originally Posted by PJs
Good eye on the gun but he's a beaver. Now you've pissed him off by calling him some wimpy prairie dog, he wants to send his brother James up to see you.Attachment 24241
PJ do you need to borrow this
Attachment 24304
He gives. Where is Peacock? I'm in Humble. You two fellas seem to carry the load around here. Some of them kind seem of stiff.(maybe it's just me). Thanks for your comments on my posts. I will take it as high praise indeed from accomplished toolmakers like yourselves.Quote:
Originally Posted by Frank S
Now that we have completely destroyed Rick's thread I'd like to ask a question of those who know a lot more about these infernal USB cables I've made up cat 5 and cat 7 cables but so far I don't think I have found replacement ends or the tools for repairing the USB's does any know if these may exist?
Oh yes brianpoundingnails Peacock is in the free state of Stonewall county named after Stonewall Jackson. about 70 miles north West of Abilene, population just under 2000 except during any hunting season when it can increase by several 1000 on any given weekend
O.K. nuff jokin. I was just at homedepots site, searching "cat 5" and they were about halfway down the page.Quote:
Originally Posted by Frank S
I find that orientation of female USB ports on devices is random.
Also, we should straighten out some electrical/electronic terminology.
A jack, as in a device's USB port, is a receptacle. It is also called a female connector and is what’s commonly found on walls, laptops, phones, tv’s, etc. A plug, also called a male connector is usually found at one end of a cord, is the part we plug or insert into a receptacle. Technically, a household extension cord has a plug at one end and a jack, or receptacle, at the other - though most would call these ends male and female. When buying terminated cords online, we specify male or female ends. Online, jack and plug are terms not commonly used since they are often misused by the population - I’ve heard even a licenced, and intelligent, electrician call wall receptacles “plugs”. But then, I’ve also heard people talk about “unthawing” frozen stuff.
I do as Rick does. As Marv mentioned, USB 2.0 plugs have the USB symbol in bas relief (but sometimes in sunk relief, or intaglio) on the contact side of the connector. Thus, one always knows the orientation of the plug by sight or by feel. Using a visible mark eliminates all doubt. "Correc-Type” liquid works well for marking. On devices, the orientation of the jack (the female connector), is not marked, nor is it easily seen on say, an auxiliary monitor, or the side of a laptop on a cluttered desk.
So, on plugs, I mark the contact side. On devices’ jacks (females), I mark the non-contact side of the connector if visible (it rarely is). So, I plug mark to mark, or no mark to no mark. Saves a lot of time.
I'd listen to this guy.Quote:
Originally Posted by volodar
Frank, No I'm Good...Fiona takes care of my light work.
I do like cats...big ones. We got Fiona a few years ago to take care of dog walking neighbors leaving presents in our driveway.
Attachment 24313 Yard sign I made...Attachment 24314
Brianpoundingnails, No offense intended, it's just that up in Amarillo and San Angelo where I spent some youth, that's what we called them...And I thought sure your buddy was one of them...My bad. :pQuote:
Good eye on the gun but he's a beaver. Now you've pissed him off by calling him some wimpy prairie dog, he wants to send his brother James up to see you.
Frank, Yep we did I but think we had some light hearted fun. To answer your question, Yes you can get "Shells" to replace the "Plugs and Sockets". (Yup, Volodar is correct on terms in the general category of "Connectors"). Mouser, Newark has solderless, and even Adafruit has them. A google search gives lots of choices...but I prefer Mouser or Newark.Quote:
Now that we have completely destroyed Rick's thread I'd like to ask a question of those who know a lot more about these infernal USB cables I've made up cat 5 and cat 7 cables but so far I don't think I have found replacement ends or the tools for repairing the USB's does any know if these may exist?
I've done a few but they were specific for the rack panel mounts I used on the Hawk system. Think I got those from L-Com or DigiKey. No Crimps are needed but should heat shrink. Personally I wouldn't bother because of the varied wiring and types for USB, mainly because you'll spend ~$1 per and spend 30 minutes setting up, striping, soldering and heat shrinking one, when you can buy a new cable for <$10 on Amazon, as long as you don't go to the big box store and spend ~$25.
I also like Voldar's Idea of using Correction Fluid...shows up and stays on...or maybe one of those Yellow Ink, machine marking pens which I have.
PJ
Thanks Pj the Newark site is a rabbit hole to climb down for electronics. I think I'll find what I need there if I ever get around to doing what I had been thinking about doing that is.
Thanks Rick! We've added your USB Cable Setting Method to our Miscellaneous category, as well as to your builder page: Rick's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:
<div id="blocks"> <div class="block b1 pngfix"> <div class="bimg"> <div> <a href="http://www.homemadetools.net/homemade-usb-cable-setting-method"><img src="http://www.homemadetools.net/uploads/214900/homemade-usb-cable-setting-method.jpeg"/></a></div> </div> <div class="head pngfix"></div> <div class="left pngfix"></div> <div class="right pngfix"></div> <div class="blockover b1 pngfix"> <div class="title"> <a href="http://www.homemadetools.net/homemade-usb-cable-setting-method">USB Cable Setting Method</a> <span> by <a href="/builder/Rick+Sparber">Rick Sparber</a></span> </div> <div class="tags">tags: <a href="http://www.homemadetools.net/tag/cable">cable</a></div> </div> </div> </div>
