 It’s all fun and games until you realize that USB-C is a type of connector, not a protocol (doesn’t even have to be USB over it) and not a connector & protocol combination like most of what is depicted. In other words, we switched from ports and connectors that had specific shapes for specific single protocols to a connector that looks the same but uses different protocols and mutually incompatible cables. hashtag progress https://defcon.social/@corbden/111937089872718219 21 comments
@thomasfuchs *jazzhands* protocol autonegotiation (To the lowest common denominator: usb 2.0)  @thomasfuchs I recently bought a very cheap mini-PC, and it has a removable bottom, where you can install a 2.5″ drive. The bottom connects to the rest of PC with a USB-C connector, but it's just SATA+power. @thomasfuchs I consider this to be a whole hell of bullshit waiting to happen.  @thomasfuchs well, it's not that new to abuse connectors to do other things, from the ZIP drives over Centronics to SCART and the Japanese version that used the same connector but incompatible pinout… @thomasfuchs I completely agree with your premise, but have you encountered random things that use an s-video or ps-2 style connector for power or communication in a seemingly arbitrary way? I have a few times and it’s always a surprise. Maybe there’s another standard for those connectors I’m not aware of? @jesselamb I'm not saying that the past was all milk and honey but at least most of the time connectors were unique to a protocol @thomasfuchs Agreed. And for edge cases, seeing both ends of a cable almost always told the story and ambiguous ports like a DB-25 on a machine were clearly labelled.  @jesselamb @thomasfuchs i have an NES style gamepad that uses a USB-A connector but isn't actually a USB device. a lot of NES clones do this, actually @thomasfuchs 😬 ah yes, I first learned of this from https://hackaday.com/2021/03/22/cursed-usb-c-when-plug-orientation-matters/ I only ran into a bad case of it about a month ago when I picked a random cable to plug my phone into the computer to run adb and it wouldn't work... too many minutes of trying to fix it with updating software versions, etc, then I tried flipping it around and it worked😠 @thomasfuchs I was so excited that I wouldn't always have to try 3 times before plugging it in 🤦♂️  @thomasfuchs does anyone make a USB-C “sniffer” that you can connect a cable or device to and it will tell you which features are supported? @ShadSterling there's power meters and stuff but afaik there isn't a simple thing where you can plug in both ends of a cable and it tells you exactly what it is |
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@thomasfuchs why must you destroy our fun with cold hard reality, Thomas