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> There's going to be video-only cables

From my understanding I think that is not technically possible because to pass video they need the data lines but maybe I'm mistaken?

IIUC again even if it did work I think these would be non-compliant. People hell-bent on doing non-compliant things would do it irrespective of any design.

> low-voltage only cables

That's a given due to physical constraints (length, diameter: would you accept that all cables are 0.8m / thick and unbendable). It was so with USB-A too, as well as non-standard power delivery, at the risk of setting things on fire or destroying devices. USB-PD makes it so that you basically can't fry anything or melt a cable, it falls back to the best possible through negotiation. But then again, people hell-bent on doing non-compliant things would do it irrespective of any design.

> literally manufactures are going to cheap out and not do that and you have 1-way USB-C cables without any kind of orientation markers.

Non-compliant for sure. Ah, yes, people hell-bent on doing non-compliant things would do it irrespective of any design.

At least with USB-C+USB-4+USB-PD we get a fighting chance.

> An obviously key'd connector like firewire / ethernet would've solved all of USB-A's flip it thrice problems

Rumour has it that USB-B which is keyed, has five positions due to squareness. FireWire and Ethernet have the same state superpositions as USB-A. Hell I've seen people shove an Ethernet cable the wrong way in and have it fit (breaking the infamous clip in the process). USB-C? I lay it basically flat and clip it in, barely looking at the connector and not even taking a glance at the port. Worst case it needs a few degrees rotation.



> From my understanding I think that is not technically possible because to pass video they need the data lines but maybe I'm mistaken?

Counterexample: The Meta Quest link cables use a USB-C style connector but internally are very different from a regular cable.


So, not actually USB compliant? (save for the connector)

One can't blame non-compliant cables on USB-C as it could happen with any other connector.


and that can happen with literally every cable, people have abused USB-A and RJ45 for many decades...


My APC UPS is connected to my computer with a USB-A to rj45 cable. It is the most cursed cable I own, narrowly beating out the type-A to type-A usb2 cable I needed to buy to get a HTC vive to work. (I later "upgraded" to a type-c cable with A-to-C adapters on either end.)

IIRC, the Ethernet standard means ports should tolerate 5V, but I'm still spooked someone's going to use the cable thinking it's something else.


Not every cable. Not if you make the connector a closed standard that can't be used without ruinous licencing fees and keep a squad of patent attorneys on retainer. Thankfully USB is not one of those.


> make the connector a closed standard that can't be used without ruinous licencing fees and keep a squad of patent attorneys on retainer

Time has shown that doesn't seem to prevent cheap - and potentially dangerous - knockoffs from areas outside possible litigation.


They are regular (fiber optic) USB-C cables.




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