{"id":3938,"date":"2018-12-22T09:48:17","date_gmt":"2018-12-22T14:48:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.westfloridacomponents.com\/blog\/?p=3938"},"modified":"2018-04-29T09:49:22","modified_gmt":"2018-04-29T14:49:22","slug":"usb-type-c-usb-3-1-gen-2-difference","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.westfloridacomponents.com\/blog\/usb-type-c-usb-3-1-gen-2-difference\/","title":{"rendered":"USB Type C and USB 3.1 Gen 2 – What is the Difference?"},"content":{"rendered":"

With the need for increasing capabilities, USB technology has evolved and improved over several years. Recently, the USB Implementation Forum has released the specifications for the SuperSpeed+1 standard or USB 3.1 Gen 2 signal standard and the USB Type C connector. Data transfer rates have been increasing from USB 1.0, released in January 1996, with a full speed of 1.5 MB\/s, to USB 2.0, released in April 2000, with full speed of 60 MB\/s, and to USB 3.0, released in Nov 2008, with a full speed of 625 MB\/s. The latest standard, USB 3.1 Gen 2 was released in Jul 2013, and has a full speed of 1.25 GB\/s<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Confusion between USB Type C and USB 3.1 Gen 2<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

When discussing the relationship, people are often confused between the USB Type C and the USB 3.1 Gen 2 standard. The major point to note is the USB Type C standard defines the physical connector alone, whereas the USB 3.1 Gen 2 standard defines the electrical signal for communication.<\/span><\/p>\n

Therefore, system designers have the freedom to select signals conforming to USB 3.1 Gen 2 to pass through USB Type C connectors and cables or through a connector that do not conform to the USB Type C specification. Designers can implement their own proprietary connector and still use the USB 3.1 Gen 2 signal standard in case they want to use their own hardware or to ensure their system remains isolated from other systems.<\/span><\/p>\n

The reverse is also equally true and applicable. One can use the USB Type C connector to transmit and receive signals that do not conform to the USB signal standards. Although the implementation will benefit from the inexpensive and easily available USB Type C connectors and cables, the OEM must label it correctly, since the user will be at the risk of connecting the proprietary non-conforming system to a USB 3.1 Gen 2 standard system and damaging one or both the systems.<\/span><\/p>\n

OEMs can also transmit legacy USB signaling configurations using the USB Type C connectors and cables. This is because the USB standard allows using pre-USB 3.1 Gen 2 on USB Type C connectors, as they have designed the standard to cause no damage to either system. However, the most optimum power and data transfer will occur only when both systems are negotiating a common power configuration and communication standard.<\/span><\/p>\n

Why USB Type C<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Compared to the older configurations, the use of the USB Type C connector offers several advantages. Apart from being a smaller package with more conductors, the USB Type C supports higher voltage and current ratings, while offering greater signal bandwidths.<\/span><\/p>\n

Physically smaller, the USB Type C plugs and receptacles fit in a wide range of applications where space is restricted. Moreover, one can connect the plugs and receptacles any way\u2014either right-side up or up-side down. This allows easier and faster insertions of plugs into their receptacles.<\/span><\/p>\n

While USB Type A and B connectors can have a maximum of four or five conductors, there are 24 contacts within the USB Type C and it can carry 3 A at 5 V, or 15 W of power.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

With the need for increasing capabilities, USB technology has evolved and improved over several years. Recently, the USB Implementation Forum has released the specifications for the SuperSpeed+1 standard or USB 3.1 Gen 2 signal standard and the USB Type C connector. Data transfer rates have been increasing from USB 1.0, released in January 1996, with […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[1032,2109,2110,1895],"class_list":["post-3938","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-guides","tag-guides","tag-usb-3-1","tag-usb-3-1-gen-2","tag-usb-type-c"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.westfloridacomponents.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3938"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.westfloridacomponents.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.westfloridacomponents.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.westfloridacomponents.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.westfloridacomponents.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3938"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.westfloridacomponents.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3938\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3939,"href":"https:\/\/www.westfloridacomponents.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3938\/revisions\/3939"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.westfloridacomponents.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3938"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.westfloridacomponents.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3938"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.westfloridacomponents.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3938"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}