Author Topic: Cheap USB-C cable testers?  (Read 2524 times)

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Offline bitwelderTopic starter

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Cheap USB-C cable testers?
« on: July 22, 2019, 08:24:26 am »
Nowadays for USB/micro-USB cables there are some pretty good testers like the [RuiDeng] UM24/UM25, etc. that can measure even cable resistance.

Is there already something similar available for USB-C cables? Apart of having more wire pairs to check, there is also the difference between 'plain' cables and cables with e-marking (which e.g. affects Raspberry 4 owners), so having a small tester to check the the properties of an unknown cable would be handy.
 

Offline mbless

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Re: Cheap USB-C cable testers?
« Reply #1 on: July 22, 2019, 02:51:36 pm »
Not sure of your definition of cheap, but several of the YZXStudio USB meters have USB-C ports and can measure cable resistance. This website has reviewed several of their meters.
 

Offline thm_w

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Re: Cheap USB-C cable testers?
« Reply #2 on: July 22, 2019, 08:54:17 pm »
From that review the YZX is measuring the usual VBUS and D+/D- but also CC1/CC2: https://lygte-info.dk/review/usbMeter%20YZXStudio%20ZY1278%20UK.html

Its not going to tell you any of the other pins connections. If you want to do a basic continuity check you can get something like this: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32956433607.html
If you want to check any sort of bandwidth the cheapest option would be to get a 5/10gbps capable device, plug it in, and see if it works at that speed.

That is what some USB cable manufacturers do in China to test the cable, as it is the cheapest and simplest method. Any sort of professional tool is going to be ridiculously expensive.


It is highly unlikely you would get an e-marked cable without purposefully buying one, as they are more expensive to produce.
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Offline Bratster

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Re: Cheap USB-C cable testers?
« Reply #3 on: July 22, 2019, 09:21:38 pm »
I have one of these:

https://www.tindie.com/products/aroerina2/usb-cable-checker/

Works great for figuring out what type/ wiring of USB C came you have.

Also has provisions for checking the resistance of the power wires with a DMM.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

 
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Offline bitwelderTopic starter

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Re: Cheap USB-C cable testers?
« Reply #4 on: July 24, 2019, 07:45:49 am »
Thanks for all the answers, especially the device on Tindie looks really cool!
 

Offline zelea2

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Re: Cheap USB-C cable testers?
« Reply #5 on: November 17, 2021, 12:40:05 am »
For cable continuity search for "MEGA IDEA TEST" on aliexpress:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003193545806.html
 

Offline petl

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Re: Cheap USB-C cable testers?
« Reply #6 on: April 12, 2022, 12:08:23 pm »
Just realized that I can add a picture too:
 


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