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what is the difference between male and female usb connectors

by Conrad Windler Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago

What is the difference between Male and Female USB connectors? USB cables can feature either male or female connectors suited to various applications. Male connectors are typically used to connect to a host such as a computer, whereas a female connector is used to receive a male connector.

The female connector (receptacle) is typically embedded into a device while the male connector (plug) is generally free-hanging so it can be placed on the end of a cable assembly for two or more devices to be interconnected at a time.Jan 17, 2018

Full Answer

What is a female USB called?

USB Type-A Micro

  • Found on USB On-The-Go (OTG) devices such as smartphones and tablets
  • Doesn’t have a dedicated port but instead fits into a special AB port which accommodates both USB Type-A Micro and USB Type-B Micro
  • Mostly superseded by USB Type-B Micro

What are the different USB types?

USB Type A

  • USB 2.0 A to A Angle Cables
  • USB 2.0 A to B Angle Cables
  • USB 2.0 A to Mini B Angle Cables
  • USB 2.0 A to Micro B Angle Cables

What are the types of USB?

  • What is the Size of the USB type C market?
  • Which is the largest market for USB type C?
  • Which are the top companies in global USB type C market?
  • What are the applications of USB Type C?
  • In which protocols do USB Type C cables Function?
  • What is the outlook of East Asia in the USB type C market?

What is the difference between a mini USB?

Their shapes are shown as follows:

  • The Mini-A socket can only hold the Mini-A plug.
  • The Mini-B socket can only hold the Mini-B plug.
  • The Mini-AB socket can hold both of the two types of plugs.

How can you tell if a USB cable is male or female?

USB ConnectorsUSB connectors come in two flavors: host and peripheral. ... USB-A female is the standard "host" connector type. ... USB-A male is the standard "peripheral" connector type. ... USB-B female is a standard for peripheral devices. ... USB-B male is almost exclusively found at the end of a cable.More items...

What is the difference between male and female connectors?

A male connector is commonly referred to as a plug and has a solid pin for a center conductor. A female connector is commonly referred to as a jack and has a center conductor with a hole in it to accept the male pin.

What are the differences between USB connectors?

USB Type-B Most commonly used to connect printers and external hard drives to desktop computers, the Type-B port actually has two different configurations. One is specific to USB 1.1 and 2.0 speed protocols, while the other is for use with the USB 3.0 and later spec.

How can I tell if my USB is male to male?

How to Test a USB CableCheck the USB cable for any tears or fraying. ... Plug the PC end of the USB cable into any of your PC's USB ports. ... Connect the other end of the USB cable to a compliant USB device that has the appropriate input for the cable. ... Power on your PC. ... Check to see if the device works as it normally would.

Why are connectors male and female?

For electronics components, gender is used to distinguish "mating connectors." Mating interconnects match together in size, configuration and number of pins. In case you didn't know, a "male" connector usually has a pin or pins "sticking out" and the "female" connector is designed to receive those pins.

What is the difference between the male and female?

Even the terms male and female, man and woman are not interchangeable. What it means to be male or female originates from physical characteristics derived from sex chromosomes and genes that lead to certain gonads, internal and external genitalia, and physiological hormones.

How many different types of USB connectors are there?

Based on the physical design of the connectors and ports, there are three different types of USB cables: USB Type A, USB Type B and USB Type C. Based on the functionality of the USB connectors, there are also two different versions of USB: USB 2.0 and USB 3.0.

How do I know what type of USB ports I have?

Determine the version of USB ports on your computerOpen the Device Manager.In the "Device Manager" window, click the + (plus sign) next to Universal Serial Bus controllers. You will see a list of the USB ports installed on your computer. If your USB port name contains "Universal Host", your port is version 1.1.

What are the three types of USB ports?

Types of USB ConnectorsUSB-A. This is the standard connector, found on one end of almost every USB cable. ... USB-B. This is an older connector that's not used nearly as often nowadays. ... Mini-USB. As the name suggests, this is a smaller connection type that's good for mobile devices. ... Micro-USB.

How do I connect male USB to male USB?

Male to Male a to a USB CableIntroduction: Male to Male a to a USB Cable. Thought not that common, male to male A-A USB cables are used to connect USB devices to a PC or another USB device. ... Step 2: Take Apart the USB Cable. Take the usb cables and cut the ends. ... Step 4: Done!

What is difference between USB A and USB-C?

While USB-A could only support up to 2.5 watts and 5 volts, USB-C now supports 100 watts and 20 volts easily enough for larger devices. The practical benefits of this include pass-through charging; effectively a USB hub that powers laptops, and also charges other devices simultaneously.

What is the new USB connector called?

USB Type-C connectorUSB-C or USB Type-C connector is the newest USB interface came to the market along with the new USB 3.1 standard. Different from previously mentioned USB A type and B type connector, USB C Type connector can be used on both host controller ports and devices which use upstream sockets.

Puzzled by Connector Gender

You think it's easy to spot a male versus a female connector? The old adage that says "poles" are male and "holes" are female no longer seems to work. I'm not the only one with some gender confusion. I've talked to friends, colleagues and researched online. My survey suggests that the people who should know are split nearly 50-50.

Understanding the Difference between Male and Female Connectors

If there is anything more confusing to the uninitiated about connectors, it is the terms "male and female" assigned to identify connectors.

The Male Connector - Not a Gender Biased Term

While it may seem humorous to call any type of connector with protrusions "male," it is a basic form of connector identification. The male connection may be attached to a cable, some type of hardware or one or more wires. For instance, a home consists of many male connectors.

Female Connectors

Female connectors, like male connectors, may be attached to hardware, wires or cables. This is where the similarity ends. Female connectors have small holes or openings into which a male connector can be inserted.

How to Use Male and Female Connectors

In most cases, male or female connectors can be added one to the other for a multitude of uses. Children often learn to use male and female connectors with toys that snap together such as Tinker Toys. Which male and female connectors you need depend on how they will be used. You need electrical outlets and plugs for lighting and small appliances.

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Amissiontech Co.,Ltd specializes in manufacturing industrial connectors and cable harnesses with design capabilities. We, in the southern part of China,maintains a R&D center, lab and assembly workshops with an area about 1500sqm.

What is a USB connector?

A USB connector is the socket, port or jack into which you insert the plug end of a USB cable or USB-powered device. USB connectors are almost always female, while the USB plug on the cable itself is considered the male part.

What is the most common USB port?

The most popular and common USB port type today is probably the USB Type-A, also known as Standard-A. USB A connections will be very familiar to most PC or laptop users as a rectangular slot of about 14mm wide by 6mm high.

What is USB 2.0?

USB 2.0 was a generational improvement that launched in 2001 and was later revised.

What is a micro USB?

A Micro USB or Micro-B connector (more properly referred to as a Micro-USB B, per official USB-IF recognition) is a smaller sized version of the USB Mini-b. Both are physically reduced models of Micro USB connector. They are commonly found on rechargeable technologies and smaller peripherals.

What is a USB B port?

USB Type-B ports are roughly square, rather than being a narrow slot like Type-A. The upper corners of the square USB Type-B connector (and its corresponding USB-B plugs) are slightly angled. This means the receptacle will only accept a connection when the male part is orientated the right way up.

What does USB mean in computer?

Once coupled in this way, the two devices can share both power and data over their common USB connection. USB stands for Universal Serial Bus, a common standard launched in 1996. Before this, there was a much wider variety of different connectors commonly used for linking PCs and compatible hardware.

How many generations of USB are there?

To date, there have been four main generations of USB released: USB 1.x (which had various subcategories), USB 2.0, USB 3.x (again, with subcategories), and USB 4. You will often see these referred to as USB gen 1, USB gen 3, and so on. Between these four generations and the various shapes and types of USB connector available, ...

What is the difference between male and female connectors?

In engineering, however, this difference between male and female connectors can mean a huge error in mechanical design of equipment. For process equipment, it can mean a disaster.

What is a male connector?

While it may seem humorous to call any type of connector with protrusions "male," it is a basic form of connector identification. The male connection may be attached to a cable, some type of hardware or one or more wires. For instance, a home consists of many male connectors.

What is a two prong plug?

A two-pronged electrical plug is one example. The male connector is designed to be inserted into another piece of equipment. Using the electrical plug as an example, if the electrical plug doesn't fit snuggly into the electrical outlet, the end result is no connection to the electrical impulse in the outlet.

What does the male symbol mean?

The male symbol appears as a horizontal arrow with the tip pointed outward. The female symbol appears like a letter "Y" on its side. These symbols represent "sender" and "receiver" images, not unlike symbols used for Mars and Venus.

Can you use male and female connectors?

In most cases, male or female connectors can be added one to the other for a multitude of uses. Children often learn to use male and female connectors with toys that snap together such as Tinker Toys. Which male and female connectors you need depend on how they will be used.

What is the difference between a female and male plug?

The female connector (receptacle) is typically embedded into a device while the male connector (plug) is generally free-hanging so it can be placed on the end of a cable assembly for two or more devices to be interconnected at a time.

What is USB cable?

What is USB (Universal Serial Bus)? USBs are rectangular-shaped connectors used for data transfer and power administration. They are most commonly used for charging devices or transferring data from a storage device to a viewing device. USBs were originally created to help simplify the connection of computers with peripheral devices.

How fast is USB 2.0?

At this point, with a speed of 12 Mbit/s, USB 1.1 was becoming more widely adopted. USB 2.0 boasted a speed of 480 Mbit/s when it was released in 2000, the same year the Mini-A and Mini-B connector types were released. After many upgrades and improvements, including battery charging capabilities, the Micro USB connector type was released in 2007.

What is the most common type of USB connector?

1. USB-A. This USB connector is the most commonly used type and is usually found on one end of most of the USB cables you see around. It is a flat, rectangular shape interface that holds the connection in the right place, proving to be easy to plug and unplug.

What is USB port?

Universal Serial Bus (USB) port does simplify connections between the peripheral devices and your computer or laptop. That’s why almost all electronic devices have a USB port at which USB cables are plugged into. However, it’s a confusing matter to pinpoint which cable goes into which port as there are tons of different types of USB cables. Let’s dive into this as we uncover the various kinds in the market.

What type of USB cable is used for Thunderbolt?

This connector is quite different from other USB types. USB C is completely reversible, meaning that you can flip it on any side and it will plug easily. It can carry USB 3.1, 3.0, 2.0, and USB 1.1 signals and is generally paired with the USB type A, Type B, and Micro– B. The science behind it is a single connector standard that requires only one cable for almost all tasks. You can connect any external drive to your computer, charge your mobile device, or even connect thunderbolt to USB cable without additional connectors.

What plugs are compatible with USB 3.0?

These plugs are compatible with USB 3.0 micro – AB receptacles. USB 2.0 Micro-A plugs though also rectangular, are very small. On the other hand, USB 3.0 Micro-B plugs look similar to their Micro-A plugs counterparts. They are also compatible with the USB 3.0 Micro – B receptacles and Micro AB receptacles.

How many contacts does a USB Type B have?

It has four contacts two laid inside the top part and two others inside the lower part for grip and connection. You’ll realize that type B connectors in USB 1.1 and 2.0 look the same. This means that you can use one USB Type B plug to serve two USB versions since it well fits into both the USB 1.1 and 2.0 versions.

How many pins does a mini USB cable have?

This is because, by default, a Mini USB cable harbors 5 pins. The Mini 5 pins have 5 overlaying flat connectors inside the port which also help as the grip. It is mainly used in old blackberry phones, cameras, ordinary phone to transfer data and for charging the equipment.

How much bandwidth does a USB 1.1 cable have?

The low bandwidth can run at 1.5Mbps while the full bandwidth runs at 12Mbps. And with every upgrading of devices USB 1x can perform at 480Mbps in some circumstances. It is for this move that makes USB 1.1 devices can cables physically compatible with some USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 hardware on both the Type A and Type B.

What is a USB mini female?

USB-Mini female is typically found on smaller peripherals (MP3 players, older cellphones, small external hard drives), and is usually a surface mount connector, trading robustness for size. USB-Mini is slowly being phased out in favor of the USB-Micro connector. USB-Mini female connector on a Protosnap Pro Mini.

What does gender mean in connectors?

Gender - The gender of a connector refers to whether it plugs in or is plugged into and is typically male or female, respectively (kids, ask your parents for a more thorough explanation). Unfortunately, there are cases where a connector may be referred to as "male" when it would appear to be female; in the examples section, we'll point a few of those out as we discuss individual component types and explain why that's the case.

What is a blue USB connector?

The blue connector is USB 3.0 compliant. USB-A male is the standard "peripheral" connector type. Most USB cables will have one end terminating in a USB-A male connector, and many devices (such as keyboards and mice) will have a built-in cable terminated with a USB-A male connector.

What is the name of the connector that drives the internal peripherals?

Most computer hard drives, optical drives, and other internal peripherals get power through what is typically called a "Molex" connector. To be more accurate, it's a Molex series 8981 connector--Molex is actually the name of the company which initially designed this connector back in the 1950s--but common usage has denuded that fact somewhat.

What is a connector used for?

Connectors are used to join subsections of circuits together. Usually, a connector is used where it may be desirable to disconnect the subsections at some future time: power inputs, peripheral connections, or boards which may need to be replaced.

How are machine pin connectors formed?

While the normal version is formed out of stamped and folded sheet metal, machine pin connectors are formed by tooling the metal into the desired shape. The result is a more robust connector, with a better joint and longer life, making it somewhat more expensive. Female machine pin headers.

What is a micro USB?

As with USB-Mini, the primary concern is size reduction, but USB-Micro adds a fifth pin for low-speed signalling, allowing it to be used in USB-OTG (On-the-go) applications where a device may want to operate as either a host or a peripheral depending on circumstances.

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