USB-C extension cable?

[Jonzjob]

I am looking to get an extension for the USB-C hub on my iMac M1 24. The hub has about 4" of cable on it and although it seems t work well it's a mess in ergonomics.

I have been looking for a cable to extend it and all I want is about an 18" job. It seems to be a swamp and if I don't get the correct one I am going to finish up with one that will charge a tesler car, or what ever the heII they are called, in 5 minutes but won't do data? They should also be made of solid gold for the price asked on some.

So if anyone has any ideas of a good one that won't take a month of my pension and available in the U.K. I would be very grateful.

I would love a slightly tidier desk top

 

[pm-r]

I am looking to get an extension for the USB-C hub on my iMac M1 24.

There certainly seems to be a lot of choice and at reasonable prices with the various hits listed here:

Google Search

I didn't bother reading any of the specs but theoretically they are supposed to be the same for USB-C cables, extension variety or otherwise, or am I being very gullible...???

£11.99 doesn't sound very expensive to me for a half-meter cable that seems to do everything, and a bit more for longer ones:

Belkertech USB Type C Extension Cable [0.5M/1.65Ft] USB 3.1 [10Gbps] Type C Male to Female Extension Cable Charging & Sync for Wireless Charger/MacBook Pro 2016/2017/ Dell XPS

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0819QJJQG/



- Patrick
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[krs]

I took a quick look at the first few reviews of the cable that Patrick linked to and they vary from one extreme to the other - works great to does not work at all, even for what seemed to be the same functionality and applications.
I would suggest, regardless of which USB-C extension cable you get, make sure you can return it for a full refund if it does not work for you.

 

[Jonzjob]

Thank you yet again folks.

I have ordered a couple of these, but what a nightmare rying to find out which is which.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08BBXMPWZ/

As you say KRS, some report that the cables are perfect and do everything claimed and the other end of the stick that they don't? One of the questions was about if they have a bump up resister in them and some helpful moron said no that they had little pixies that hand packets of data up and down the cable.

I found this which I though was quite interesting too

Thunderbolt vs. USB-C: What's the Difference?

Thunderbolt ports look just like USB-C ports, but they're speedier, and the two have key inner differences. Here's how to tell them apart, plus crucial tips on which is better for charging, data transfer, and other uses.

uk.pcmag.com

 

[pm-r]

I found this which I though was quite interesting too

Nice article that at least attempts to answer the basic questions between the two types of cables...

But it reminds me of the days of SCSI and the possible need for termination... or not. And then they decided to change the different types of termination one might have to use for things to work properly.

I seem to recall a lot of swearing and praying and frustration in those days. It seems not too much has actually changed...




- Patrick
=======

 

[Jonzjob]

You possibly remember twinax too then Patrick? That was always good fun?

Good old Sys 34, 36, 38 and AS400.

I will let you know just how the cables work in the next couple of daze as they should be here tomorrow.

 

[pm-r]

@jon
You started a very interesting thread that is still confusing and this article adds some other restrictions that I wasn't aware of and adds more to the confusion which doesn't seem to have been sorted out as of recent dates:

PSA: Thunderbolt 3 cables longer than 0.5m generally don't support USB 3.1 speeds | AppleInsider

USB-C is the future of computer connectivity, but there is a great deal of confusion over USB-C, Thunderbolt 3, USB 3.1, and what any given cable with USB-C connectors is capable of. AppleInsider breaks it all down.

appleinsider.com

- Patrick
=======

 

[MacInWin]

Patrick, that article is 4 years old. Tech has moved on.

 

[pm-r]

Patrick, that article is 4 years old. Tech has moved on.

That was exactly my point Jake, some of the technology has improved but at the same time so has the confusion between the performance of the various cables and ports.

Even some of the articles admit to the increase in confusion and to what is what, and what does what... and then there is the price difference between the cables and their apparent features...


- Patrick
=======

 

[MacInWin]

The tech is pretty straightforward: What's the Difference Between Thunderbolt vs. USB-C?

For Cables, the TB cables have a lightning bolt on them, the USB-C do not.


As do the ports:



USB-4 requires a USB-C port and will match TB in terms of speeds.

 

[Jonzjob]

I have just had a look and both of the ports on the back of my M1 have the
on them. Shame that Apple only put 2 on there though. Bloody expensive to get them though!

I still can't work out just how much tech you can get in to one of those tiny cable ends though.

 

[MacInWin]

Well, I have TB4 to USB 3 adapters on one of my three TB4/USBc ports. It has a seven port USB 3 Hub attached with 7 external drives on it. Another TB4/USBc port has an adapter to allow a TB2 cable to a TB2 dock I have with four more drives attached there along with an Ethernet port (yes, I have 11 external drives). So you can jam a LOT of data through those ports. The third USBc/TB port is open as I expect to be getting a TB Hub after the new year and move a couple of drives that have USB4/TB interfaces to that hub. Right now they are loafing along on the TB interface dock with just USB3.1 speeds and just TB2 speeds to the Mac.

I get video through the HDMI port to my external monitor. I also have two NAS devices for shared files over the home LAN as well as audio and video files for sharing.

I think that is all of it. I do printing over WiFi.

I've been at this for a while. And I'm a tech nerd. What can I say?

 

[Jonzjob]

Jake, I have NFI of what most of those initials are mate? I have been involved with computers since 1974 when I left the R.A.F. and i can repair toroidal core storage if you want any done?

Any kind of explication sil vous plait

(NFI = no flamin idea )

 

[MacInWin]

TB = Thunderbolt, all versions (see Wikipedia Thunderbolt (interface) - Wikipedia ) for tech details
TB4=Thunderbolt v.4
TB2 = Thunderbolt v.2 (speeds about 1/4 of TB 4)
USB = Universal Serial Bus
USB 4 = USB v.4
USB 3 = USB v.3 (also maybe 3.1) (3.1 is faster than just 3)
USB C or USBc = USB type C (smaller connector and port, speeds vary depending on version of protocols)
HDMI = High Definition Multimedia Interface (video/audio to external displays)
NAS = Network Attached Storage (basically a storage setup on the local network that anybody on the net can get access to (with passwords, of course))
LAN = Local Area Network (the network in your own house--basically all of the devices attached to your router by either Ethernet cable or WiFi)
WiFi = Wi-Fi is a trademarked phrase that refers to IEEE 802.11x standards

Did I miss any?

 

[Jonzjob]

Ta mate. Obvious when you think about it and that's a bit beyond me at this time of night

I'll have a look at that link tomorrow when i will probably be able to see it? Night night...

 

[MacInWin]

Don't worry about it, John. When I was in the Navy I used to use acronyms all the time. I'd say things like, "We were at 300' AGL, 480 GS, entered a 4 G HL delivery OTT to an Immelman recovery" and everybody would understand. It's all in the lingo...

 

[exncite]

I am looking to get an extension for the USB-C hub on my iMac M1 24. The hub has about 4" of cable on it and although it seems t work well it's a mess in ergonomics.

I have been looking for a cable to extend it and all I want is about an 18" job. It seems to be a swamp and if I don't get the correct one I am going to finish up with one that will charge a tesler car, or what ever the heII they are called, in 5 minutes but won't do data? They should also be made of solid gold for the price asked on some.

So if anyone has any ideas of a good one that won't take a month of my pension and available in the U.K. I would be very grateful.

I would love a slightly tidier desk top

Have you tried BestBuy? I just purchased a 36" chord for about $8.00. They also listed longer ones which I didn't need.

 

[chscag]

No Best Buy stores in the UK where John lives.