The cable guide

The following information may be useful if you are looking for a specific type of cable and connector. It’s not the complete list, but it is does include the most common types. The connector is the most readily identifiable part of a cable, so we will focus mainly on that part of the cable’s anatomy.

The part that goes in is commonly referred to as male, whereas the port (or hole) it goes into is referred to as female. To continue the analogy, the process of plugging it in is politely called mating.

Now you will see recharging your phone in an entirely different light.

USB-A

USB-A is most commonly used with computers or power outlets. When charging, you will connect the USB-A side into the USB-plug or into a laptop or computer. USB-A cables will only go into the port one way. You can usually tell which way up they should be by the USB symbol printed on the top. Make sure that the cable is inserted the correct way so as not to damage the cable or device… true. 

USB-B

USB-B ports are mostly used to connect printers or external hard drives with computers. They are not as common as the other types of USB cables.

MINI-USB

The USB-Mini was used for connecting mobile devices including MP3 players and cameras, and is a much smaller connection, thus allowing smaller devices to connect.

MICRO-USB

Micro-USB used to be the most common USB port and is still found on many older models. This type of connection allows data to be read without needing a computer. For example, you can connect Flash Drives, or Memory Sticks, directly to your mobile device. Like USB-A cables, Micro-USB will only go into a port if it’s the correct way round. Be careful to match the shape of the port with the Micro-USB cable to avoid causing any damage.

USB-C (TYPE C)

USB-C is the most recent USB development. USB-C cables allow high speed data transfers and a higher power flow, allowing your phone to charge more quickly. USB-C cables are also reversible and can be plugged in either way round.

USB-3

USB 3 is backwards compatible with earlier versions of USB cables and ports. The USB 3 has different shaped connector pins to withstand more frequent use. The USB 3-A and USB 3-B cables are identical to the USB-A and USB-B (see earlier), except they are coloured blue inside to distinguish them. The USB 3 micro cable has extra pins to enable the transference of more data.

HDMI


HDMI cables are one of the most commonly used and well-known cables for connecting computers, televisions, game systems, and other electronic devices. They were released in 2004 as a replacement for VGA cables because HDMI could carry and transmit both sound and video in high definition, while VGA cables needed multiple ports to connect sound and video. 

3.5 mm Audio Cable (AUX)

Used as one of the most common audio cables for more than a decade, 3.5-millimeter audio cables can also be known as auxiliary or aux cables. They are best recognized when you want to listen to music to drown out the neighbors, get some studying done, or pay attention to an important video call. Just grab your headphones and use the 3.5-mm aux cable to connect them to the headphone port on your device.

Ethernet Cable

Despite being invented more than 40 years ago, ethernet cables have never been in high demand by residential consumers when compared to USB, HDMI, or even old VGA cables. The reason for this is that ethernet cables are used specifically for connecting several devices on a local area network (LAN) or wide area network (WAN). These networks are commonly seen in workplaces, but at home, ethernet cables are really only used to connect the computer directly to the modem or router. Ethernet cables can also be used for connecting security camera networks, allowing the user to control the cameras from one device, instead of each camera working on its own independent network.

Coaxial Cable

More than 20 years ago these were primarily used to connect home satellites and local cable networks to the home in order to enjoy television with the family. At the time, internet access was only available with a dial-up modem through the local phone network. When cable internet was first introduced, coaxial cables quickly became a necessity for many residential homes. Currently, coaxial cables are still used to connect home modems and routers to the incoming cable system. They are also useful for home satellite connections and are very easy to recognize due to the perfectly circular connector with a thin wire protruding from the center of the cable.

Lightning cable (and then there’s Apple…)

Apple devices from iPhone 14 down have uniquely and typically used a USB-C to lightning cable. Lightning cables are only meant to work with Apple devices, whereas USB-C connectors have a universal utility. The good news is that common sense has prevailed and Apple has ditched this quirky cable with the introduction of iPhone 15. From now on Apple devices will use a USB-C cable. But be aware! Each USB-C cable is rated for a certain amount of power, whether it is 60 watts or 140 watts. The higher the number of watts, the more power you will have and the faster your device will charge. Before you buy a USB-C, be sure to check that it is compatible with your new iPhone or device. From your mobile phone to your laptop, there may be specific charging requirements that need to be met in order for you to benefit from fast charging technology. 




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Kickboxing: PNG’s national sport

Image
(by Glenn Armstrong  https://www.tlamediagroup.com/ ) Call it sport, discipline, or martial arts – when it comes to active participation and character-building, kickboxing wins hands down over every other sport in Papua New Guinea. According to Stanley Nandex, President of the PNG Kickboxing Federation , there are currently 21 provinces in PNG where kickboxing clubs and schools can be found. In Simbu province alone, there are more than two thousand active participants. In rural areas of PNG, the lives of young men and women are being transformed, providing a positive pathway for personal development. SP Sports Award  The commitment of the PNG Kickboxing Federation to providing youth with better life choices was recognised recently when it won the 2024 SP Sports Award for Community Sports Initiative of the Year . In accepting the award, PNGKBF President Stanley Nandex said “This award goes to all the hard-working people behind the scenes who give opportunities to k...
Read more

WW2 plane found in Madang

Image
The wreckage of a plane named ‘Marge’ belonging to famous US WW2 air ace Richard Bong has been found in Madang, 80 years after it went missing. Major Richard Bong is credited with shooting down 40 Japanese aircraft during World War II. He famously plastered a blow-up of his girlfriend Marge Vattendahl’s portrait on the nose of his Lockheed ‘Lightning’ P-38 fighter plane, as shown in our main photo. During WW2, Bong shot down more planes than any other American pilot. He was awarded the Medal of Honor, the U.S. military’s highest decoration, by Gen. Douglas MacArthur in 1944. But Bong wasn’t at the yoke when his plane went down. Another pilot, Thomas Malone was flying Bong’s plane in March 1944 when it encountered engine failure over Madang, forcing Malone to bail out before the plane crashed in the jungle. Bong’s aircraft wreckage was only recently discovered, on May 15, after two days of trekking by a search team led by Pacific Wrecks Director Justin Taylan. According t...
Read more

Ovu ga'hoe! Back cover reveal!

Image
  The following is the back cover text of Ricky Mitio's autobiography. “Ovu ga'hoe!” (I will not go!) These words of defiance were spoken by Ricky Mitio's mother, Mangkeo, as the dawn of a new age of Christianity swept through the New Guinea highlands, delivering its people from a long history of tribal warfare. It was this defiance that kept Mama Mangkeo and her family connected to their land, willing to accept the Light but not willing to go beyond it. It is of this Light, land and resilience that Ricky Mitio was born. In a fascinating story, Ricky Mitio was the first of his generation to gain an education and then lead a national organisation as the head of the lucrative coffee industry in Papua New Guinea. The son of one of the first native Lutheran evangelists in the Eastern Highlands Province, Ricky emulated his father's Christian pioneering spirit, only to find himself Papua New Guinea's most hired and fired state CEO, as his fledgling nation became a paradis...
Read more

Amazing! Parallel universes!

Image
Bang Bao, Koh Chang, Thailand (left) and Hanuabada, Port Moresby (right) In science fiction and fantasy, a parallel universe is a world theorised as existing alongside our own, which has similarities but is fundamentally different. The Cambridge Dictionary describes a parallel universe as:   “a world that exists in addition to, and is like, the world that we know, but that is also different from it in important ways.” And so, I entered a portal and was transported to the Kingdom of Thailand. Amazing Thailand When I arrived, I was amazed. I discovered that ‘Amazing Thailand’ is a promotional slogan of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) to promote tourism. Originally conceived in 1998, the slogan was then extended for several years. Since then, it has become a permanent, and very appropriate, trademark of Thailand. Once I had entered this parallel universe, I soon realised that Thailand was tru...
Read more

Ricky Mitio's book for the ages

Image
In this year of Papua New Guinea's 50th anniversary of Independence, there is no person more qualified to reflect on the highs and lows than Ricky Mitio. I hope you enjoy reading this autobiography of a man who is the son of a tribal warrior born in the Stone Age who later became a pioneer evangelist of the Lutheran Church despite being completely illiterate. Ricky Mitio was among the first people in the country to be educated, learn a foreign language, work for this new means of exchange called money, travel to all districts of the country, and explore five continents of the world.  Ricky Mitio’s name is synonymous with the coffee industry in PNG. When he claims in this book that he is the Papa bilong PNG kopi, he is right. No one can dispute this or take it away from him. It will be his legacy until the end of the world. (From Ovu ga'hoe! Foreword by Tiri Kuimbakul) Ricky's book is due for release in March 2025.   More...
Read more