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+--- Thread: Is it just me or does the Lightning adapters look fragile? (/showthread.php?tid=141452)
Re: Is it just me or does the Lightning adapters look fragile? - cbelt3 - 09-14-2012
I've found micro USB to be rather unreliable after many cycles. iPod connectors less so.
Re: Is it just me or does the Lightning adapters look fragile? - GGD - 09-14-2012
testcase wrote:
I'd love to know if there is any true technical advantage to having a proprietary connector.
Looks to me like the European Community agreed to a micro USB standard and Apple basically tells them to fuck off.
There can be, the 30 pin dock connector supported a lot of functionality, all the signals for USB, Firewire, analog stereo audio in/out, composite and S-Video out.
http://www.allpinouts.org/index.php/Apple_iPod,_iPad_and_iPhone_dock
Having dedicated pins for certain functions allows for low cost implementations of accessories, like speakers, rather than requiring the accessory to have a micro-controller and implementing USB protocols in order to get audio out.
Edit: BTW: I think the motivation for the EU micro-USB connector standard was just for charging the phones, in order to have a standardized power adapter/charger, I don't think there is a requirement that it actually supports USB data transfers, just the USB power/ground.
Re: Is it just me or does the Lightning adapters look fragile? - silvarios - 09-14-2012
pinkoos wrote: there's gonna be issues a la the original Mac mini power cord where the cord would just fall out with any movement of the mini or cord.
Owned an early Core Duo Mac mini and the last model Intel server with the same body design and neither ever had problems with the power cords disconnecting. There must have been a range of problem models, but clearly not all minis were afflicted. On the other hand, don't get me started on how stupidly large the power supply on those models measured. Took the wind out of the small desktop revolution in my opinion.
Re: Is it just me or does the Lightning adapters look fragile? - silvarios - 09-14-2012
decay wrote:
[quote=sekker]
Standard microusb would have been fine.
if you can deal with only 5 pins.
People can keep repeating this fact, but you aren't actually correct about how functionality of the micro USB form factor can stack up with the dock connector. A combination of MHL and USB On-the-go takes the wind out of a large chunk of the Apple dock connector argument. That gives you sync, charge, video out, and accessory input in a much smaller form factor than the old 30-pin port and a nicely not just Apple compatible advantage in a similar size to the Lightning port. Yes, you would still have to use a dongle/adapter for some functionality with that setup, but that is hardly a problem for an Apple device. Dongles are an Apple tradition.
Another option could be micro USB with On-the-go and a micro HDMI port. Two small ports, only one adapter needed for the accessory input.
Apple will lose income since they won't be able to take a cut of all official accessories sold, but there 30-50% profit margins on the hardware alone should take the sting out of the loss.
Re: Is it just me or does the Lightning adapters look fragile? - silvarios - 09-14-2012
GGD wrote: There can be, the 30 pin dock connector supported a lot of functionality, all the signals for USB, Firewire, analog stereo audio in/out, composite and S-Video out.
Does FireWire, s-video, or composite video work on any modern iOS device or iPod?
GGD wrote: Having dedicated pins for certain functions allows for low cost implementations of accessories, like speakers, rather than requiring the accessory to have a micro-controller and implementing USB protocols in order to get audio out.
Have you seen the price of dock connector accessories? They don't seem low cos. The Apple royalty collected on official accessories can't help. Then again, even official Apple accessories are expensive. Let's take the example of video output. $39 just for the dongle, plus the cost of the HDMI cable. On my Nokia N8? Cost of a mini HDMI to HDMI cable. Note, some newer phones use micro HDMI which is even smaller, but rather inexpensive as well.
GGD wrote: Edit: BTW: I think the motivation for the EU micro-USB connector standard was just for charging the phones, in order to have a standardized power adapter/charger, I don't think there is a requirement that it actually supports USB data transfers, just the USB power/ground.
Seems like that might be right, but I would have to double check to be sure.
Re: Is it just me or does the Lightning adapters look fragile? - NewtonMP2100 - 09-14-2012
.....just you....???
Re: Is it just me or does the Lightning adapters look fragile? - macphanatic - 09-15-2012
The EU standardization was to limit the ewaste created by outdated chargers. IIRC, the standard allowed manufacturers to provide adapters that converted a standard micro-usb to their device.
Re: Is it just me or does the Lightning adapters look fragile? - silvarios - 09-15-2012
macphanatic wrote:
The EU standardization was to limit the ewaste created by outdated chargers. IIRC, the standard allowed manufacturers to provide adapters that converted a standard micro-usb to their device.
Do you know of any other company that has continued to require adapters for every one of their devices?
Re: Is it just me or does the Lightning adapters look fragile? - Article Accelerator - 09-15-2012
It's robust, not fragile. Go find an image the of connector to see how it's built.
By the way, microUSB cannot support the bandwidth, data paths, or power levels of Lightning nor is it reversible.
Re: Is it just me or does the Lightning adapters look fragile? - silvarios - 09-16-2012
Article Accelerator wrote:
By the way, microUSB cannot support the bandwidth, data paths, or power levels of Lightning nor is it reversible.
Proof? Have you ever used MHL or USB On-The-Go?