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Comment by elromulous | Hacker News Reader

microUSB, microHDMI

Why? This came up in the thread about the new rpi. These connectors have no place in 2023.

I was hallucinating the text to follow "microUSB 3.0 is indeed weird..." and realized what it is. There is practically no implementation ambiguity in microUSB 3.0. No USB-PD, USB-BC, or USB Billboard class, just plain old - if there was such a thing - USB 3.0. So it's non-ideal but zero risk option that comes with tolerable cost.

MicroHDMI, idk.

Blame the SoC manufacturer for not supporting something newer?

If you want to support Thunderbolt or DP, you're looking at a lot of extra hardware (if the SoC even has a way of talking that quickly off-chip) or you need support directly on the SoC. If you don't support Thunderbolt or DP, what other video interface is there but some variant of HDMI?

As for the lack of USB-C interfaces on this or the RPi, think for a minute about why you don't see 7-port USB-C hubs and see a maximum of 4 USB-C ports on laptops. USB-C even before PD might have to source 5V at 3A. That's 15W of power for every port--that's almost higher than the power spec for a 7-port USB 2.0 hub!

I will, however, concede the point about the really stupid micro-USB 3.0 connector for power. That's just incredibly dumb. This is a Chinese-made board--shrug--presumably LCSC was running a special. I do agree that any system like this should be designed with USB-C PD since peripherals are going to suck down power even if the board itself can work with 5V/900mA.

Maybe to conserve board space?

I'm curious why you think these connectors have no place in 2023... They are fragile, sure, but I'm not sure they are entirely useless.

They're fragile, and they don't save any/appreciable board space over USB C. And for the price ($150), USB C is easily justified.

Altmode DP has been challenge going for board builders to integrate as far as I've seen. I guess it is a complete replacement for micro USB, though.

If so, I'd much rather have miniDP. Better connector, better standard, it talks HDMI anyway if you want to, and you will need an adapter anyway.

Also, if you include miniDP and don't include HDMI, you don't have to pay the HDMI licensing fees.

Many of these SoC have HDMI directly from the IC without needing additional hardware converters. Something like DP you need a converter IC which adds expense and board space/complexity. Something like MIPI -> DP, I think TI makes some chipsets that do this.

The size is probably to save space on the board - looks like they try to keep to relatively the same size and mounting holes as previous boards.

I have an entire box of these mini-normal converter cables because of boards like this. OK when messing around but I can see the frustrations if you're not used to it.

Also has a US $150 price tag.

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