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Comment by xlii | Hacker News Reader

I'd love to answer this, but due to lack of marking I can only say "different". Multiple Apple cables, that's for sure, different variety too (as Apple has those thicker fast-charge cables). So as for "thicker", that's probably 3/4 of cables I have.

I have Thunderbolt 3 cable (verified), but it didn't work as well. I also checked multiple USB-C ports on MBP because I suspected it might be the problem of providing port. Not sure if Stream Deck has battery, as it can be used only through wired connection and it doesn't have any memoized features, yet I think you might be right with your guess. I found somewhere that I need USB 3.1 gen 2 cable, and that's what I ordered, but based on Amazon description I don't really trust it's going to work.

The whole issue is something that IMO should be dealt with by manufacturer. For ordinary customer this is a problem with a landfill solution.

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What does 'none of it worked' mean, here?

A USB2 cable connected to a USB3 device will still work, as USB2. This is required in the spec, and hopefully the OS provides a helpful hint here, especially if more than USB2 HS bandwidth is required.

A non-emarked cable connected to a PD source and sink will be limited to 3A@20V (60W), but again it will still work to deliver a significant amount of power, just maybe not enough.

If 'nothing' is working then something is more broken with your setup than the USB specifications.

It wouldn’t light up nor it wouldn’t be recognized by MacOS.

When using provided USB-A -> USB-C cable and an adapter it did work. It also would light up when connected directly to power source through USB-C.

As for “my setup” - it’s non modified hardware with non modified software (at driver level at least). This is a common problem with Stream Deck. If it’s possible to get into situation where cable is indistinguishable but it might work or not (I’ll repeat - I have 5m long Meta cable for Oculus that works) it’s definitely problem of specs and shabby manufacturer.

I don't have this hardware setup, so I don't know what's wrong with it, but it has nothing to do with the USB specs. If they were followed, then the situation you describe wouldn't occur.

I'm poka-yoke kind of person, so I blame process. If it's possible to manufacture incompatible device (that works with some cables and doesn't work with the others) and standard allows it and doesn't require clear markings and designations - that's an awful standard.

BTW., as an update - I just received "USB 3.1 Gen 2" cable. It doesn't work.

The standard doesn't allow it, that is my point.

A baseline of USB2 connectivity is required for both cables and ports. A baseline of 5V@1.5A is required. Compliant (USB) devices are required to come up and enumerate even if they can't get the power contract they want or the speed that they want.

It is on the software to convey to the user that something the device needs is missing, the USB spec can't really speak to that, but there is not any situation allowed in the spec where you connect a USB device to a USB host and there is no working data&power interface at the end.

> BTW., as an update - I just received "USB 3.1 Gen 2" cable. It doesn't work.

It sounds like one of your devices is broken.

Yup. And it’ll end in trash soon. So much for ecology.

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