Non-motoring > Micro USB - a non-standard standard? Miscellaneous
Thread Author: rtj70 Replies: 9

 Micro USB - a non-standard standard? - rtj70
I now have two devices using Micro USB - one a camera and one a phone. They use different shape micro USB connectors! What's that all about. Wasn't it meant to be a standard?

Is the difference because one is for charge and sync (the phone) and the other for data transfer only.

I'll post finding on phones in another post when I've played with it before.
Last edited by: rtj70 on Sat 18 Sep 10 at 15:25
 Micro USB - a non-standard standard? - Zero
>> I now have two devices using Micro USB - one a camera and one a
>> phone. They use different shape micro USB connectors! What's that all about. Wasn't it meant
>> to be a standard?

Yes

One standard for phones and one for everything else.
 Micro USB - a non-standard standard? - R.P.
I found this out the other week - I have a little Olympus camera that I take with me on the bike (cost about 30 quid from Morgans) it has a micro USB port, I assumed it was a standard one - it wasn't of course sort of like a standard micro USB but with an elongated bowed section - had to buy one for fiver in the end....PIA
 Micro USB - a non-standard standard? - Skoda
Micro USB is crap, another reason i hated the Nokia N97.

Why couldn't they stick with mini-USB, most folks find it pretty easy to manipulate. My biggest problem with micro is it doesn't guide itself in / centre itself if you're slightly off the mark. You can't "feel" your way to making a connection.
 Micro USB - a non-standard standard? - BiggerBadderDave
"My biggest problem with micro is it doesn't guide itself in / centre itself if you're slightly off the mark."

That's pretty much why me and the ex wife never had kids.
 Micro USB - a non-standard standard? - rtj70
Thinking about this it might make more sense than everything using mini USB... Mini USB is used for data on many devices and charging too on others. I wonder what would happen if I plugged a charger into the mini USB socket on a camera?

So maybe phones (and other devices) that require sync and charge use the wider micro USB. Other devices requiring data only (like a camera) uses the other version of the socket. Might stop people frying something by plugging it into a charger?

Who knows. But it won't really affect me because the camera does not get plugged in anyway - I put the SD Cards in a reader on the computer instead. The phone will be plugged in a lot to charge.
 Micro USB - a non-standard standard? - Iffy
...the camera does not get plugged in anyway - I put the SD Cards in a reader on the computer instead...

My Nikon compact was supplied with a lead.

But the instruction book says something like 'it is preferable' to transfer pics by removing the SD card and putting it in a reader.

Doesn't say why.

Perhaps using a lead is not 100 per cent reliable, or as reliable, as moving the card.

 Micro USB - a non-standard standard? - Zero
>> Perhaps using a lead is not 100 per cent reliable, or as reliable, as moving
>> the card.

There is a danger that the camera battery can fail during data transfer and corrupt the data.
 Micro USB - a non-standard standard? - Old Navy
Transferring SD cards between devices is not a problem, older digital SLR's with CF cards have delicate connector pins which are easily damaged and a cable is preferable.
Last edited by: Old Navy on Sun 19 Sep 10 at 14:30
 Micro USB - a non-standard standard? - Fursty Ferret
USB as a standard is two data lines, 5V, and ground. Mini / Micro etc are just different sizes.
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