General Question about USB connectors

While working on my DMA issue yesterday, something happened that raised a
general question about USB connectors, specifically the Type A Jack (4
position). There is a picture here for reference purposes:
http://www.l-com.com/content/Article.aspx?Type=L&ID=468

While replugging one of my USB cables, I noticed that a little white plastic
rectangle fell out of the USB jack. I had seen something white inside USB
jacks before but had never imagined that the white part could fall out of
the jack! This, of course, is the piece that is sitting horizontally in the
bottom portion of the jack in the picture at the link.

So, with the context established, what is the deal with that white plastic
rectangle falling out of the jack? I'm not sure what it is doing there - my
best guess is that it ensures that the incoming plug is correctly positioned
vis-a-vis the four pins in the jack - but I would have thought it would be
manufactured in such a way that it wouldn't fall out at the slightest touch.
(I'm guessing that I put the plug in at a slight angle by accident and that
knocked it out of position. Since the case was slightly angled at that
moment, it fell out onto the ground.)

Is this just nature's way of telling me to make sure the jack is always
perfectly straight up and down and left and right and not to ever put the
plug into it slightly at an angle? That would seem unduly rigid to me. Or do
I have a defective USB jack where the white plastic part hasn't been
properly bonded into the jack?

This is actually the second such jack on this computer. One of my other USB
jacks developed a problem many months ago, after which I was never able to
seat a USB cable in it correctly and simply used another jack. After
yesterday's experience, I looked closely at the jack and found that it was
missing the white piece too. Obviously, it fell out at some point. I don't
remember seeing the white piece fall out; perhaps it landed beside the
computer and then got picked up by the vacuum?

Anyway, if I go to an electronics store, will I find that they sell little
packages with replacement white pieces that I can put into USB jacks when
people lose them? Or do I need to replace the entire jack and just be more
careful the next time?

It's not like I've been deliberately abusing my gear but the Type A _plug_
does not have the most obvious orientation: I tend to try to put them in
upside down, then find that it doesn't fit right, then invert them. I
suppose that tends to loosen the white pieces to the point where they fall
out after a few such occurrences.

I'd be curious to know what smarter people like you guys do to prevent this
problem....

--
Rhino

Rhino wrote:
While working on my DMA issue yesterday, something happened that raised a
general question about USB connectors, specifically the Type A Jack (4
position). There is a picture here for reference purposes:
http://www.l-com.com/content/Article.aspx?Type=L&ID=468

While replugging one of my USB cables, I noticed that a little white plastic
rectangle fell out of the USB jack. I had seen something white inside USB
jacks before but had never imagined that the white part could fall out of
the jack! This, of course, is the piece that is sitting horizontally in the
bottom portion of the jack in the picture at the link.

So, with the context established, what is the deal with that white plastic
rectangle falling out of the jack? I'm not sure what it is doing there - my
best guess is that it ensures that the incoming plug is correctly positioned
vis-a-vis the four pins in the jack - but I would have thought it would be
manufactured in such a way that it wouldn't fall out at the slightest touch.
(I'm guessing that I put the plug in at a slight angle by accident and that
knocked it out of position. Since the case was slightly angled at that
moment, it fell out onto the ground.)

Is this just nature's way of telling me to make sure the jack is always
perfectly straight up and down and left and right and not to ever put the
plug into it slightly at an angle? That would seem unduly rigid to me. Or do
I have a defective USB jack where the white plastic part hasn't been
properly bonded into the jack?

This is actually the second such jack on this computer. One of my other USB
jacks developed a problem many months ago, after which I was never able to
seat a USB cable in it correctly and simply used another jack. After
yesterday's experience, I looked closely at the jack and found that it was
missing the white piece too. Obviously, it fell out at some point. I don't
remember seeing the white piece fall out; perhaps it landed beside the
computer and then got picked up by the vacuum?

Anyway, if I go to an electronics store, will I find that they sell little
packages with replacement white pieces that I can put into USB jacks when
people lose them? Or do I need to replace the entire jack and just be more
careful the next time?

It's not like I've been deliberately abusing my gear but the Type A _plug_
does not have the most obvious orientation: I tend to try to put them in
upside down, then find that it doesn't fit right, then invert them. I
suppose that tends to loosen the white pieces to the point where they fall
out after a few such occurrences.

I'd be curious to know what smarter people like you guys do to prevent this
problem....

--
Rhino

The white plastic has four contacts resting on it.

http://media.digikey.com/photos/Assm...-USB-A-E-R.JPG

If you break the plastic, the contacts will not be supported and
the connector isn't going to work. And if the contacts get bent
and short together, well, that can't be good for it.

The plastic may have snapped at the stress point inside the base
of the thing.

The plastic is used as a key, to prevent wrong insertion. But it also
is a surface for the four contacts. The power and ground contacts
are slightly longer, to help support safe hot plugging.

Stop using a motherboard jack, which has "lost its plastic". That
would be my advice.

Since I've never had one break, I can't advise on whether the plastic
had a jagged broken edge, or it was simply a plastic wafer that
fell out.

In theory, the "USB logo" is supposed to be on a particular side.
But I have items here, with squiggly logos (black on black, no contrast),
on both sides, which makes the logo thing useless as a quick guide
to correct orientation. I'd need to get out my microscope to
see what's printed on it.

If you break the connectors, or blow out the motherboard USB ports,
a four port PCI USB2 card with a NEC branded chip on it, can be used
as a substitute. The only thing that won't work properly in that
case, is entering BIOS setup options with a USB keyboard. So if
you're going to ruin all your USB connectors, save at least
one motherboard connector for the keyboard :-) All your other USB
devices can be connected to a PCI USB2 add-in card, if need be.
And if you ruin or break the connectors on that, swap in a
new add-in card and away you go.

Paul

"Paul" wrote in message
...
Rhino wrote:
While working on my DMA issue yesterday, something happened that raised a
general question about USB connectors, specifically the Type A Jack (4
position). There is a picture here for reference purposes:
http://www.l-com.com/content/Article.aspx?Type=L&ID=468

While replugging one of my USB cables, I noticed that a little white
plastic rectangle fell out of the USB jack. I had seen something white
inside USB jacks before but had never imagined that the white part could
fall out of the jack! This, of course, is the piece that is sitting
horizontally in the bottom portion of the jack in the picture at the
link.

So, with the context established, what is the deal with that white
plastic rectangle falling out of the jack? I'm not sure what it is doing
there - my best guess is that it ensures that the incoming plug is
correctly positioned vis-a-vis the four pins in the jack - but I would
have thought it would be manufactured in such a way that it wouldn't fall
out at the slightest touch. (I'm guessing that I put the plug in at a
slight angle by accident and that knocked it out of position. Since the
case was slightly angled at that moment, it fell out onto the ground.)

Is this just nature's way of telling me to make sure the jack is always
perfectly straight up and down and left and right and not to ever put the
plug into it slightly at an angle? That would seem unduly rigid to me. Or
do I have a defective USB jack where the white plastic part hasn't been
properly bonded into the jack?

This is actually the second such jack on this computer. One of my other
USB jacks developed a problem many months ago, after which I was never
able to seat a USB cable in it correctly and simply used another jack.
After yesterday's experience, I looked closely at the jack and found that
it was missing the white piece too. Obviously, it fell out at some point.
I don't remember seeing the white piece fall out; perhaps it landed
beside the computer and then got picked up by the vacuum?

Anyway, if I go to an electronics store, will I find that they sell
little packages with replacement white pieces that I can put into USB
jacks when people lose them? Or do I need to replace the entire jack and
just be more careful the next time?

It's not like I've been deliberately abusing my gear but the Type A
_plug_ does not have the most obvious orientation: I tend to try to put
them in upside down, then find that it doesn't fit right, then invert
them. I suppose that tends to loosen the white pieces to the point where
they fall out after a few such occurrences.

I'd be curious to know what smarter people like you guys do to prevent
this problem....

--
Rhino

The white plastic has four contacts resting on it.

http://media.digikey.com/photos/Assm...-USB-A-E-R.JPG

If you break the plastic, the contacts will not be supported and
the connector isn't going to work. And if the contacts get bent
and short together, well, that can't be good for it.

The plastic may have snapped at the stress point inside the base
of the thing.

The plastic is used as a key, to prevent wrong insertion. But it also
is a surface for the four contacts. The power and ground contacts
are slightly longer, to help support safe hot plugging.

In my humble opinion, it doesn't work well as a key!

Stop using a motherboard jack, which has "lost its plastic". That
would be my advice.

One of my broken USB jacks is on the front of my computer case but I haven't
used it since the plastic broke because nothing would seat correctly in it.

The other is in a new USB hub I bought recently. When the plastic fell out
yesterday, I put it back in and then put the plug back into the jack. But
I'm not sure if the device itself is working. I'll have to look at it
tomorrow; it's past my bedtime.

Since I've never had one break, I can't advise on whether the plastic
had a jagged broken edge, or it was simply a plastic wafer that
fell out.

In theory, the "USB logo" is supposed to be on a particular side.
But I have items here, with squiggly logos (black on black, no contrast),
on both sides, which makes the logo thing useless as a quick guide
to correct orientation. I'd need to get out my microscope to
see what's printed on it.

Exactly! I hate it when the printing is the same colour as the surface it is
printed on but you see it far too often....

If you break the connectors, or blow out the motherboard USB ports,
a four port PCI USB2 card with a NEC branded chip on it, can be used
as a substitute. The only thing that won't work properly in that
case, is entering BIOS setup options with a USB keyboard. So if
you're going to ruin all your USB connectors, save at least
one motherboard connector for the keyboard :-) All your other USB
devices can be connected to a PCI USB2 add-in card, if need be.
And if you ruin or break the connectors on that, swap in a
new add-in card and away you go.

Yeah, I'm not really all that worried about the USB thing. My USB hub has 7
ports, two of which are not in use, and only cost $20 so I could buy another
one without breaking the bank if I need to.

Thanks for your advice on this issue, Paul!

--
Rhino

On 22/06/2011 05:59, Rhino wrote:
wrote in message
...
Rhino wrote:
While working on my DMA issue yesterday, something happened that raised a
general question about USB connectors, specifically the Type A Jack (4
position). There is a picture here for reference purposes:
http://www.l-com.com/content/Article.aspx?Type=L&ID=468

While replugging one of my USB cables, I noticed that a little white
plastic rectangle fell out of the USB jack. I had seen something white
inside USB jacks before but had never imagined that the white part could
fall out of the jack! This, of course, is the piece that is sitting
horizontally in the bottom portion of the jack in the picture at the
link.

So, with the context established, what is the deal with that white
plastic rectangle falling out of the jack? I'm not sure what it is doing
there - my best guess is that it ensures that the incoming plug is
correctly positioned vis-a-vis the four pins in the jack - but I would
have thought it would be manufactured in such a way that it wouldn't fall
out at the slightest touch. (I'm guessing that I put the plug in at a
slight angle by accident and that knocked it out of position. Since the
case was slightly angled at that moment, it fell out onto the ground.)

Is this just nature's way of telling me to make sure the jack is always
perfectly straight up and down and left and right and not to ever put the
plug into it slightly at an angle? That would seem unduly rigid to me. Or
do I have a defective USB jack where the white plastic part hasn't been
properly bonded into the jack?

This is actually the second such jack on this computer. One of my other
USB jacks developed a problem many months ago, after which I was never
able to seat a USB cable in it correctly and simply used another jack.
After yesterday's experience, I looked closely at the jack and found that
it was missing the white piece too. Obviously, it fell out at some point.
I don't remember seeing the white piece fall out; perhaps it landed
beside the computer and then got picked up by the vacuum?

Anyway, if I go to an electronics store, will I find that they sell
little packages with replacement white pieces that I can put into USB
jacks when people lose them? Or do I need to replace the entire jack and
just be more careful the next time?

It's not like I've been deliberately abusing my gear but the Type A
_plug_ does not have the most obvious orientation: I tend to try to put
them in upside down, then find that it doesn't fit right, then invert
them. I suppose that tends to loosen the white pieces to the point where
they fall out after a few such occurrences.

I'd be curious to know what smarter people like you guys do to prevent
this problem....

--
Rhino

The white plastic has four contacts resting on it.

http://media.digikey.com/photos/Assm...-USB-A-E-R.JPG

If you break the plastic, the contacts will not be supported and
the connector isn't going to work. And if the contacts get bent
and short together, well, that can't be good for it.

The plastic may have snapped at the stress point inside the base
of the thing.

The plastic is used as a key, to prevent wrong insertion. But it also
is a surface for the four contacts. The power and ground contacts
are slightly longer, to help support safe hot plugging.

In my humble opinion, it doesn't work well as a key!

Stop using a motherboard jack, which has "lost its plastic". That
would be my advice.

One of my broken USB jacks is on the front of my computer case but I haven't
used it since the plastic broke because nothing would seat correctly in it.

The other is in a new USB hub I bought recently. When the plastic fell out
yesterday, I put it back in and then put the plug back into the jack. But
I'm not sure if the device itself is working. I'll have to look at it
tomorrow; it's past my bedtime.

Since I've never had one break, I can't advise on whether the plastic
had a jagged broken edge, or it was simply a plastic wafer that
fell out.

In theory, the "USB logo" is supposed to be on a particular side.
But I have items here, with squiggly logos (black on black, no contrast),
on both sides, which makes the logo thing useless as a quick guide
to correct orientation. I'd need to get out my microscope to
see what's printed on it.

Exactly! I hate it when the printing is the same colour as the surface it is
printed on but you see it far too often....

If you break the connectors, or blow out the motherboard USB ports,
a four port PCI USB2 card with a NEC branded chip on it, can be used
as a substitute. The only thing that won't work properly in that
case, is entering BIOS setup options with a USB keyboard. So if
you're going to ruin all your USB connectors, save at least
one motherboard connector for the keyboard :-) All your other USB
devices can be connected to a PCI USB2 add-in card, if need be.
And if you ruin or break the connectors on that, swap in a
new add-in card and away you go.

Yeah, I'm not really all that worried about the USB thing. My USB hub has 7
ports, two of which are not in use, and only cost $20 so I could buy another
one without breaking the bank if I need to.

Thanks for your advice on this issue, Paul!

USB ports aren't the strongest things in the world - I often
get laptops in for repair, where the bit of plastic you
mention has been broken off. A good tip is to use short
USB extension cables and leave them permanently connected
to the motherboard ports, and only plug devices into the
end of the extension. A bit messy, I agree, but that is
the only way to protect them. At least you can add a PCI
USB card to a desktop as Paul mentions, but a laptop/netbook
which has all of its USB ports broken is a pretty useless
thing these days! My original training was as an electronics
technician, but attempting to replace a laptop USB port
would be something I would only give a 50/50 chance of
being able to do without possibly causing damage to the
motherboard..

Cheers,
--
Rob

On 6/23/2011 5:43 AM, Rob wrote:
My original training was as an electronics
technician, but attempting to replace a laptop USB port
would be something I would only give a 50/50 chance of
being able to do without possibly causing damage to the
motherboard..

Cheers,

But then again, what do you have to lose by trying if the laptop is
toast otherwise?


--
"**** this is it, all the pieces do fit.
We're like that crazy old man jumping
out of the alleyway with a baseball bat,
saying, "Remember me mother****er?"
Jim “Dandy” Mangrum

[snip]

USB ports aren't the strongest things in the world - I often
get laptops in for repair, where the bit of plastic you
mention has been broken off. A good tip is to use short
USB extension cables and leave them permanently connected
to the motherboard ports, and only plug devices into the
end of the extension. A bit messy, I agree, but that is
the only way to protect them. At least you can add a PCI
USB card to a desktop as Paul mentions, but a laptop/netbook
which has all of its USB ports broken is a pretty useless
thing these days! My original training was as an electronics
technician, but attempting to replace a laptop USB port
would be something I would only give a 50/50 chance of
being able to do without possibly causing damage to the
motherboard..

Good thing I've got a desktop then ;-)

I like your idea of having short USB extensions dangling out of the
motherboard ports. It _is_ a bit inelegant but it would be a lot
easier/faster/cheaper to replace one of those extensions than trying to
replace the actual motherboard port. I looked at the broken one on my case
and I was not able to follow all the wires which intimidates me as far as
swapping out the broken port. (There are two USB ports then a microphone
port, then a speaker port, all side-by-side. I'd just want to replace one of
the USB ports but it may be a "package deal" where I have to take the whole
kit-and-kaboodle out and replace with the same.)

By the way, you were kind enough to reply to my other thread ("M3A and
Unknown Device") but I haven't seen your reply to my followup questions.
Could you possibly look at that and give me your thoughts?

--
Rhino