What is USB Type-C
Feb 14, 2022
USB-C Introduction: What You Really Need to Know About the Connector Taking Over the World USB connectors and cables are now commonly known and widely used. The USB connector many people are most familiar with is probably the bulky, rectangular USB-A (or USB Type-A) connector that tends to take a couple of tries to plug in correctly. However, since its inception in late 2014, more and more users have found a new type of USB connector, the USB-C (or USB Type-C) connector, gradually working its way into their lives. The USB-C connector shares the name of its predecessors, but there is still a lot of confusion over its features and functionality. So, what exactly is the USB-C connector? This article will help answer the following questions: What is USB-C? Are all USB-C capabilities supported on every USB-C product? What is USB-C Display Port (DP Alt Mode)? How do you identify whether a device with a USB-C port supports Display Port over USB? Are USB-C and Thunderbolt compatible? What is USB-C? USB-C is the latest iteration of the USB interface’s connector developed by the USB Implementers Forum. The USB-C was created to be the definitive connector for all consumer electronic users, so that any and all devices could utilize the same connector to transmit data and/or power. Physically speaking, it features 24-pins within an oval-like design. It’s about half the size of the earlier version and commonly used USB-A connector, and roughly equivalent to the size of a Micro-USB connector. Because of the overarching goal of making USB-C as universal as possible, the engineering behind the USB-C connector was meant to support a wide variety of specifications beyond the standard USB transmission specifications. Some even describe the goal of the USB-C as being “one connector to rule them all”. Perhaps the connector was meant to act as a blank canvas for various data and power transmission interfaces to apply their technology. The USB-C connector's design gives it four distinct capabilities: NOTE: USB-C is a designation of the connector’s physical interface (its design and form factor) and should not be confused with USB versions, such as “USB 3.2”, which govern data and power transfer specifications. Power Delivery (PD) Type-C Alternate Mode USB If Connector reversibility Whereas USB-A connectors have to be plugged into their ports in a specific orientation, the symmetry of the oval shaped USB-C connector head, along with the pin configuration within it, allows the USB-C connector to be completely reversible. It can be plugged in any orientation, thereby adding a greater level of convenience to the already widely enjoyed functionality of the USB interface. Alt-Mode for combining multiple interfaces As described above, USB-C from its onset was specifically designed as a vehicle not only for the standard USB transmission specifications, but also for an array of non-USB transmission technologies and specifications. As a result, the USB-C connector features an Alt...
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