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geekhack Community => New Members => Topic started by: Rgzoro on Tue, 17 March 2020, 15:45:26

Title: Hello from an American in Scotland (Glasgow)
Post by: Rgzoro on Tue, 17 March 2020, 15:45:26
What began with looking for one thing in a keyboard became a rabbit hole that lead me to create an account here.  After a week of research I decided I wanted to build the Quefrency, then I saw that a new model would be out soon but decided to wait.  I have since been distracted with the idea of building a board while I wait for fun.  Something like a 60% that runs on something like a Teensy but isn't mini-USB.  The two things stopping me are finding the components in the UK at the moment, and more importantly, not knowing what can be used in place of a mini-USB teensy.  I look forward to rummaging through the forums here to hopefully help me understand things better.  This looks like a really fun hobby to add to the collection and I look forward to it (although my fun funds may not).
Title: Re: Hello from an American in Scotland (Glasgow)
Post by: Maledicted on Mon, 23 March 2020, 20:48:46
Welcome to Geekhack, Rgzoro.

What's wrong with mini USB? Seems to be the last USB standard that had any strength to it. Type C seems better than micro, but micro is literally terrible, and I have seen at least 1 destroyed type c connector already in less than 1 year since first getting them on the student laptops in the school in which I work.

Pro Micros have micro usb, otherwise you could get a short pigtail adapter cable, probably even panel mountable, to whatever standard connector you like. I mod aviator connectors into the cases of a lot of my retail keyboards.
Title: Re: Hello from an American in Scotland (Glasgow)
Post by: DrivenKeys on Mon, 23 March 2020, 21:17:38
Agreed about mini usb, it's much more reliable. Connectors see a lot of abuse. My Ducky One has micro, and my Leopold has mini.  I feel like I'm going to break something every time I remove or insert my Ducky's cable. USB-C has too many tiny, tightly spaced pins. I've had several USB-C devices and cables loose significant reliability with minimum strain put on the socket.
Title: Re: Hello from an American in Scotland (Glasgow)
Post by: Maledicted on Mon, 23 March 2020, 21:28:16
Agreed about mini usb, it's much more reliable. Connectors see a lot of abuse. My Ducky One has micro, and my Leopold has mini.  I feel like I'm going to break something every time I remove or insert my Ducky's cable. USB-C has too many tiny, tightly spaced pins. I've had several USB-C devices and cables loose significant reliability with minimum strain put on the socket.

Yes, I agree on the pin spacing and ... relative sloppy fit of usb type c. The teacher laptops at work have port replicators/docks that they connect to through type c. Those cables NEVER seem to be seated straight. I wasn't surprised at all when one of them suddenly stopped outputting any video at all through type c.

mini usb is as solid as a rock. Even the cables seem to be made a lot better. I can't say I have ever seen a badly-made mini usb cable.