1. Are charging cables and data cables the same? What are the differences?
When we buy a mobile phone, it comes with a data cable as standard, which can be used as a charging cable. We all know this,
so much so that most of the time we think that the charging cable is the data cable,
but it is not. Because the appearance of the USB charging cable and the USB data cable is basically the same,
it often happens that sometimes we buy a cable from a roadside stall to connect the mobile phone to the computer,
but no matter how we operate it, it cannot connect to the computer. Why is this?
In fact, the reason is this: both the data cable and the charging cable use the USB interface, and generally there are four wires,
but the two wires used for charging are the power supply VCC and GND, while the data cable uses VCC, GND and two communication wires.
The functions of each conductor of the USB data cable are as follows:
Red wire: positive power supply (marked on the wiring: +5V or VCC)
White wire: negative voltage data line (marked: Data- or USB Port -)
Green wire: positive voltage data line (marked: Data+ or USB Port +)
Black wire: ground (marked: GROUND or GND).
Of course, the color of the wire can only be seen when the outer rubber of the data cable or charging cable is peeled off.
When observing, the USB head faces you, with the contact facing up. From left to right, the corresponding functions of the wires connected by the contact are:
ground wire (or should be called: neutral wire, connected to black wire), read data wire (signal output wire, connected to green wire),
write data wire (signal input wire, connected to white wire), +5V wire (power positive, connected to red wire).
The data cable has four wires in the USB interface, and the power cable has only two wires in the USB cable.
Therefore, the mobile phone data cable can be used as a power cable, but the power cable cannot generally be used as a data cable.
Because in order to save costs, basically the charging cable omits the two middle wires, that is, the read data cable and the write data cable (green wire and white wire) are omitted,
which means that there is no data reading and writing ability, and it can only be charged.
This is also the reason why the data cable can be charged, but the charging cable may not be used as a data cable.
2. Why does the data cable become hard after being used for a long time?
Summary of key points: The hardening of the data cable is related to its protective layer,
which is usually caused by oxidation and grease corrosion.
I believe that many people will encounter such a problem. The data cable they bought becomes hard after
a short time of use, and some of the surfaces are still very dirty.
Who is the culprit for these problems? Let’s reveal them one by one.
Usually the outer protective layer of the USB data cable is a rubber product.
The hardness of the rubber product itself will change due to the temperature difference, but this state after the change is not lasting.
Generally, it will return to normal as the temperature returns to normal. For a thin layer of rubber on the data cable, if it is oxidized,
corroded by grease…, it will harden to varying degrees and cannot be restored.
Now everyone knows the reason: the aging of plastic materials caused by oxidation, grease corrosion, etc.
causes the data cable in our hands to harden.
Is there any way to avoid this situation?
It varies from person to person. People with oily skin, people who like to hide the mobile phone data cable in their clothes and touch the skin,
people who sweat easily or like to listen to music while exercising… If the data cable of these people is not well protected, it is very easy to harden.
3. How should we protect the data cables in our hands?
As the source factory of data cables, we offer seven suggestions:
1. Avoid using the cable in high and low temperature environments as much as possible, which can delay aging to a certain extent;
2. Do not wrap it around your hands, as sweat will corrode the cable, causing it to harden and eventually break;
3. Do not touch acidic or alkaline liquids, especially sweat, including beverages;
4. Do not have drastic temperature differences, such as when going out in winter;
5. Do not wrap the cable too tightly around the machine;
6. The cable can be hung on a mobile phone or computer, but please remove it when not in use;
7. When not in use, it should be placed in a place away from direct sunlight, preferably a dry and ventilated place, and the cable can be stored in a vacuum if conditions permit.
4. Why are the prices of data cables that look the same so different?
Key points summary: Different data cables have different raw materials, process costs,
certification and operating costs. Scarcity makes things more expensive.
In the past few years, Apple mobile phones have been snapped up as a symbol of fashion.
Its excellent performance is worthy of its expensive price, but some consumers will find that the
price of Apple’s original data cable is as high as 149 yuan. Usually, when we get a data cable,
we will think that its cost is the material and process, which will not exceed a few yuan in total,
but there are still many links that we don’t know but need to pay for. Let’s analyze why the price of Apple’s original data cable is so expensive!
1. International certification costs
Everyone should know that international certification means that all products exported to other countries must meet
their standards and undergo various certifications. Each country will have an additional certification threshold, and the
cost should not be underestimated. Just like new cars in Europe must have built-in daytime running lights,
can daytime running lights really reduce the accident rate as certified assembly says? But adding daytime running
lights will undoubtedly increase costs. For Apple data cables, even if one certification costs $1-2, a large number of certifications is a headache.
2. Material and process costs
For example, the purchase price of raw electronic wires is different, such as brass, pure copper, and copper-clad aluminum.
However, thanks to the mature data transmission mechanism, there is not much difference in actual use.
However, we still admire the welding technology of the original data cable. It is reported that the internal soldering process
of the Apple Dock plug is excellent, and each pin is exactly the same. The labor cost of this welding is immeasurable,
and it slows down the production speed. At the same time, the internal resistance is also smaller than that of the knockoff products.
Many environments that seem to be unnecessary to us are carefully crafted by international brands.
3. Operating costs
A big company needs money everywhere. A small workshop with not many people can produce enough data cables to be self-sufficient.
However, Apple is different. With so many employees, everyone has to eat and support their families. The company’s operating costs are
obviously added to the final product. It is also very common for consumers to pay for it, not just for products like data cables.
“Certification cost + high-quality material cost + process cost + company operating cost + various taxes”, each link costs a few yuan,
and the final price calculated to consumers is naturally high. If it is not 149 yuan, it will cost dozens of yuan. This is why many people in
the industry say that Apple products are really not expensive. The combination of “low-cost material cost + low-cost process cost” of counterfeit data cables is much more “affordable”.
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