Which USB Cables--Cheap or expensive?

[GarySport]

I've noticed that one can purchase generic USB cables significantly cheaper
than some name-brand USB cables that advertise "hi speed USB", may or may not
have gold plugs, etc that can run up to $25-30. Is most of this hype? My PC
has USB 2.0 that I will use for an external HDD enclosure Do I need to buy a
cable that says "hi speed" and spend the extra dollars, or is data throughput
similar on the cheaper cables. Thanks for any information.

GS

 

[Rod Speed]

I've noticed that one can purchase generic USB cables significantly cheaper
than some name-brand USB cables that advertise "hi speed USB", may or
may not have gold plugs, etc that can run up to $25-30. Is most of this hype?
Yep.

My PC has USB 2.0 that I will use for an external HDD enclosure
Do I need to buy a cable that says "hi speed" and spend the extra dollars,
Nope.

or is data throughput similar on the cheaper cables.

Identical in fact.

 

[Timothy Daniels]

I've noticed that one can purchase generic USB cables
significantly cheaper than some name-brand USB cables
that advertise "hi speed USB", may or may not have gold
plugs, etc that can run up to $25-30. Is most of this hype?
My PC has USB 2.0 that I will use for an external HDD
enclosure Do I need to buy a cable that says "hi speed"
and spend the extra dollars, or is data throughput similar
on the cheaper cables. Thanks for any information.

I'd look for things such as flexibility, resistance to
abrasion, number of strands in the wire (more small
strands => greater flexibility and resistance to metal
fatigue and cracking), and how well the conductors
are crimped or soldered to the connectors. I don't
know if USB cable normally has a shield layer, but
coverage would contribute to high signal-to-noise
ratio and maximum length useable. If it says "Turbo"
or "Xtreme" or "UV Sensitive" anywhere on the
packaging, though, avoid it - gamers are the biggest
suckers in PC-dom.


*TimDaniels*

 

[Arno Wagner]

I've noticed that one can purchase generic USB cables significantly
cheaper than some name-brand USB cables that advertise "hi speed
USB", may or may not have gold plugs, etc that can run up to $25-30.
Is most of this hype? My PC has USB 2.0 that I will use for an
external HDD enclosure Do I need to buy a cable that says "hi speed"
and spend the extra dollars, or is data throughput similar on the
cheaper cables. Thanks for any information.

Throughput is the same. But cheaper cables might/will produce
more errors on the bus. I have an external enclosure that
stops working after some time when used with a cheap cable
and USB2.0, due to bus errors. No such problem with an UDB2.0
cable. (Tested with Linux 2.4.20)

Arno

 

[David Chien]

total hype.

keep in mind most usb cable are made off shore (eg. China) at bulk rates
well under $1.00 USD per cable. Then, they put a pretty package around
it and sell it for $10-50 in the retail stores.

Don't go believing this!

I'm running cheap cables all over the place up to 30ft in length and
they've never caused any trouble at all. Cable making is such a basic
technology (think how long they've been making phone cables) that once
you've figured out how to make them cheap and good, there's not much to
it besides cranking millions of them out.

As long as the cable was designed for the USB 2.0 spec, cheap is fine.

 

[Surreal Killer]

I'd look for things such as flexibility, resistance to
abrasion, number of strands in the wire (more small
strands => greater flexibility and resistance to metal
fatigue and cracking), and how well the conductors
are crimped or soldered to the connectors. I don't
know if USB cable normally has a shield layer, but
coverage would contribute to high signal-to-noise
ratio and maximum length useable. If it says "Turbo"
or "Xtreme" or "UV Sensitive" anywhere on the
packaging, though, avoid it - gamers are the biggest
suckers in PC-dom.

As are "audiofools" who purchace those horribly overpriced "monster"
cables so they can play their MP3's... <g>

__
SK

 

[Timothy Daniels]

"Surreal Killer" snickered:

As are "audiofools" who purchace those horribly
overpriced "monster" cables so they can play their
MP3's... <g>

So right!! I find that Sears Best Cold Weather
truck starter bettery cables to be just as good
between my WalkMan and my earphones.


*TimDaniels*

 

[Arno Wagner]

total hype.

keep in mind most usb cable are made off shore (eg. China) at bulk rates
well under $1.00 USD per cable. Then, they put a pretty package around
it and sell it for $10-50 in the retail stores.

Don't go believing this!

I'm running cheap cables all over the place up to 30ft in length and
they've never caused any trouble at all. Cable making is such a basic
technology (think how long they've been making phone cables) that once
you've figured out how to make them cheap and good, there's not much to
it besides cranking millions of them out.

As long as the cable was designed for the USB 2.0 spec, cheap is fine.

True. I should have said this also. My problems with a cheap
USB 1.0 cable went away with a cheap (!) USB 2.0 cable. While
cable design is not that easy, cable making to spec is not
problematic at all.

Here in Switzerland you can get the same cable in a shop for 30 CHF
(roughly 20 EURO/USD) and and 6 CHF (4 EUR/USD) via mail-order. Same
with networking cables although not as bad. Whenever I buy some
other hardware mail-order I order cables as needed with it.

Arno