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#279680 - 18/04/2006 05:42 What's wrong with this picture?
matthew_k
pooh-bah

Registered: 12/02/2002
Posts: 2298
Loc: Berkeley, California
I just bought six of these, and I'm intrigued. I can't figure out why, or if I should bother sending them back.

Matthew


Attachments
280067-enclosure.jpg (266 downloads)


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#279681 - 18/04/2006 05:49 Re: What's wrong with this picture? [Re: matthew_k]
matthew_k
pooh-bah

Registered: 12/02/2002
Posts: 2298
Loc: Berkeley, California
Here's a bad camera phone picture of a different angle which makes the strangeness a bit easier to spot.

Matthew


Attachments
280068-enclosure2.jpg (255 downloads)


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#279682 - 18/04/2006 05:53 Re: What's wrong with this picture? [Re: matthew_k]
StigOE
addict

Registered: 27/10/2002
Posts: 568
What are they supposed to be? USB 2.5 inch harddrive enclosures? Or don't you know what they are and that's why you're intrigued? If so, why buy them in the first place...?

Stig

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#279683 - 18/04/2006 06:05 Re: What's wrong with this picture? [Re: StigOE]
matthew_k
pooh-bah

Registered: 12/02/2002
Posts: 2298
Loc: Berkeley, California
Nope, it's a 3.5" USB2.0 enclosure. They work fine, they're just a bit queer.

Matthew

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#279684 - 18/04/2006 06:22 Re: What's wrong with this picture? [Re: matthew_k]
StigOE
addict

Registered: 27/10/2002
Posts: 568
Ok. I didn't see anything strange (by my eyes), though.

Stig

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#279685 - 18/04/2006 06:33 Re: What's wrong with this picture? [Re: StigOE]
andy
carpal tunnel

Registered: 10/06/1999
Posts: 5914
Loc: Wivenhoe, Essex, UK
Is that the wrong flavour USB socket ? Looks like the socket you would expect to see on the PC, not on the external device ?

None of my USB cables would be able to connect to that, they all have the large USB connector on one end and one of the two types of small connector on the other.
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Remind me to change my signature to something more interesting someday

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#279686 - 18/04/2006 06:35 Re: What's wrong with this picture? [Re: StigOE]
matthew_k
pooh-bah

Registered: 12/02/2002
Posts: 2298
Loc: Berkeley, California
Spoiler:
Gurl'ir tbg HFO glcr N pbaarpgbef, gur xvaq lbh'q frr ba n pbzchgre, abg ba n HFO fynir qrivpr. Gurl pbzr jvgu gur hfo N/N Znyr/Znyr pnoyr gung znxrf gurz jbex svar, ohg vg'f abg tbvat gb or rnfl gb ercynpr gur pnoyr vs arprffnel.

Matthew

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#279687 - 18/04/2006 06:38 Re: What's wrong with this picture? [Re: andy]
matthew_k
pooh-bah

Registered: 12/02/2002
Posts: 2298
Loc: Berkeley, California
Yes, exactly. Very odd. Were these just some chinese engineer's expensive mistake? These were $3 cheaper than the cheapest usb enclosure anywhere else.

Matthew

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#279688 - 18/04/2006 06:43 Re: What's wrong with this picture? [Re: matthew_k]
boxer
pooh-bah

Registered: 16/04/2002
Posts: 2011
Loc: Yorkshire UK
The only reason that Andy beat me to the thread was that I was poring over an electronics catalogue, you can get male to male USB's, I think my old Linksys wireless b USB used them. They would presumably work these.
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Politics and Ideology: Not my bag

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#279689 - 18/04/2006 07:14 Re: What's wrong with this picture? [Re: matthew_k]
StigOE
addict

Registered: 27/10/2002
Posts: 568
The Intronix logic analyzer Mark bought some time ago also uses a USB A plug, but I don't think it would be very difficult to get new cables.

I just checked the Komplett site (Norway's largest supplier of computer gear) and they only had A-B cables, but a electronics supplier had A(male)-A(male) cables.

Stig

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#279690 - 18/04/2006 07:25 Re: What's wrong with this picture? [Re: StigOE]
boxer
pooh-bah

Registered: 16/04/2002
Posts: 2011
Loc: Yorkshire UK
Maplins in the UK lists A to A
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Politics and Ideology: Not my bag

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#279691 - 18/04/2006 08:54 Re: What's wrong with this picture? [Re: matthew_k]
Rod
journeyman

Registered: 04/05/2000
Posts: 84
Loc: Australia
The excellent LogicPort logic analyzer also uses a USB A connector instead of the B connector you would normally expect.

As long as your happy to use a non standard cable there shouldn't be any problems.

Rod.

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#279692 - 18/04/2006 11:59 Re: What's wrong with this picture? [Re: matthew_k]
hybrid8
carpal tunnel

Registered: 12/11/2001
Posts: 7738
Loc: Toronto, CANADA
Maybe it supports USB-OTG (On the Go) - enabling you to connct a digital camera to it and unload your pictures for instance.

Bruno
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Bruno
Twisted Melon : Fine Mac OS Software

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#279693 - 18/04/2006 12:44 Re: What's wrong with this picture? [Re: matthew_k]
wfaulk
carpal tunnel

Registered: 25/12/2000
Posts: 16706
Loc: Raleigh, NC US
I've got all sorts of Amale-to-Amale cables lying around. It doesn't seem nonstandard to me at all. Maybe slightly unusual....
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Bitt Faulk

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#279694 - 18/04/2006 19:36 Re: What's wrong with this picture? [Re: wfaulk]
matthew_k
pooh-bah

Registered: 12/02/2002
Posts: 2298
Loc: Berkeley, California
Quote:
Maybe it supports USB-OTG (On the Go)

I'll be dammned if it does. Would be nice though.
Quote:
I've got all sorts of Amale-to-Amale cables lying around.

Hmm. I don't think I've ever seen one except for the ones with active electronics for data transfer between two masters. I found a couple online, so I could buy one if I needed to, but it's a pain to have to keep track of a special cable for one thing.

Matthew

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#279695 - 19/04/2006 00:07 Re: What's wrong with this picture? [Re: matthew_k]
lectric
pooh-bah

Registered: 20/01/2002
Posts: 2085
Loc: New Orleans, LA
Speaking of which, How much are the tools to make your own USB cables? I am SO sick of paying $20 per cable, for 50¢ in parts.

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#279696 - 19/04/2006 00:15 Re: What's wrong with this picture? [Re: lectric]
robricc
carpal tunnel

Registered: 30/10/2000
Posts: 4931
Loc: New Jersey, USA
Considering shipping is free, these are cheap. Of course, you're limited to 6 ft. and I suppose you have to live in the US.
_________________________
-Rob Riccardelli
80GB 16MB MK2 090000736

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#279697 - 19/04/2006 00:45 Re: What's wrong with this picture? [Re: robricc]
mlord
carpal tunnel

Registered: 29/08/2000
Posts: 14484
Loc: Canada
Quote:
Considering shipping is free, these are cheap. Of course, you're limited to 6 ft. and I suppose you have to live in the US.


That's okay. Any canucks on the board can find 10' A-A cables for about $CAD$8 at Active Surplus in Toronto (hey, they even have a telephone for the 90% of Canada outside of Toronto, too!).

Cheers

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#279698 - 19/04/2006 00:52 Re: What's wrong with this picture? [Re: lectric]
matthew_k
pooh-bah

Registered: 12/02/2002
Posts: 2298
Loc: Berkeley, California
monoprice.com is my current favorite by far for cables, with the exception of the nice RCA cables partsexpress sells. Their shipping isn't free but it's reasonable. http://www.deepsurplus.com/ is my favorite for bulk cable and jacks/panels.

It looks like monoprice does sell A-Male/A-Male cables, so I guess I know where to go if I need more.

Matthew

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#279699 - 19/04/2006 02:52 Re: What's wrong with this picture? [Re: matthew_k]
FireFox31
pooh-bah

Registered: 19/09/2002
Posts: 2494
Loc: East Coast, USA
My long held belief: For any two connectors, there is a cable to connect them. And if not, there is an adapter to convert the signal.

LVD SCSI to 25 pin external SCSI. Mini USB B to 9 pin serial. Sun video to ethernet. Ok, so I'm just guessing, but I've seen a lot of weird adapters and cables.

Who can think of a pairing for which there is no adapter? And who can find an adapter for said pair? Come on, no saying "RJ11 to carrier pigeon" or anything. Haha, 1/8" mono to telegraph. 5 1/4" floppy drive ribbon cable to bluetooth...
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FireFox31
110gig MKIIa (30+80), Eutronix lights, 32 meg stacked RAM, Filener orange gel lens, Greenlights Lit Buttons green set

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#279700 - 19/04/2006 03:23 Re: What's wrong with this picture? [Re: FireFox31]
matthew_k
pooh-bah

Registered: 12/02/2002
Posts: 2298
Loc: Berkeley, California
USB to 5.25" floppy. I looked a while ago and couldn't find one.

Matthew

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#279701 - 19/04/2006 04:17 Re: What's wrong with this picture? [Re: FireFox31]
andy
carpal tunnel

Registered: 10/06/1999
Posts: 5914
Loc: Wivenhoe, Essex, UK
Empeg to USB slave device
_________________________
Remind me to change my signature to something more interesting someday

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#279702 - 19/04/2006 10:10 Re: What's wrong with this picture? [Re: andy]
mlord
carpal tunnel

Registered: 29/08/2000
Posts: 14484
Loc: Canada
Quote:
Empeg to USB slave device


Lots of cables available for that -- joining the connectors is not the issue!

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#279703 - 19/04/2006 14:49 Re: What's wrong with this picture? [Re: matthew_k]
g_attrill
old hand

Registered: 14/04/2002
Posts: 1172
Loc: Hants, UK
Quote:
USB to 5.25" floppy. I looked a while ago and couldn't find one.



Just had a look and although there aren't any commercial products this page has some interesting info, although the best solution (hacking a drive with an SMSC USB controller) would still only read HD formatted 5.25" disks:

http://ask.metafilter.com/mefi/19449

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#279704 - 19/04/2006 16:34 Re: What's wrong with this picture? [Re: g_attrill]
boxer
pooh-bah

Registered: 16/04/2002
Posts: 2011
Loc: Yorkshire UK
There are times when I've wanted to run a PCI card from a USB socket on a laptop: I bet somebody brighter than me is going to say easy, peasy!
_________________________
Politics and Ideology: Not my bag

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#279705 - 19/04/2006 16:54 Re: What's wrong with this picture? [Re: boxer]
tfabris
carpal tunnel

Registered: 20/12/1999
Posts: 31578
Loc: Seattle, WA
Quote:
I bet somebody brighter than me is going to say easy, peasy!


Just the opposite, in fact.

(can't be done. PCI is a completely different thing and requires a lot more bandwidth anyway)
_________________________
Tony Fabris

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#279706 - 19/04/2006 17:14 Re: What's wrong with this picture? [Re: tfabris]
matthew_k
pooh-bah

Registered: 12/02/2002
Posts: 2298
Loc: Berkeley, California
Right. However, if I'm not mistaken, the PCMCIA slot is a minature pci slot, so converting between those two should be possible. Ah yes, here: http://www.mobilityelectronics.com/expansion/products/cardbus_expansion/2slot/index.html

Matthew

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#279707 - 19/04/2006 17:17 Re: What's wrong with this picture? [Re: matthew_k]
boxer
pooh-bah

Registered: 16/04/2002
Posts: 2011
Loc: Yorkshire UK
Great, I'll bookmark that in case the need arises again.
_________________________
Politics and Ideology: Not my bag

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#279708 - 19/04/2006 20:11 Re: What's wrong with this picture? [Re: boxer]
mlord
carpal tunnel

Registered: 29/08/2000
Posts: 14484
Loc: Canada
Quote:
There are times when I've wanted to run a PCI card from a USB socket on a laptop: I bet somebody brighter than me is going to say easy, peasy!


Hey, that's a great idea for a niche product! I could really use something like that here!

Not totally trivial to do, especially with hardware that includes onboard memory etc.., but, yes, I can envision doing it.

Mmmm..

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#279709 - 19/04/2006 23:59 Re: What's wrong with this picture? [Re: matthew_k]
lectric
pooh-bah

Registered: 20/01/2002
Posts: 2085
Loc: New Orleans, LA
Oof...... That's quite a price tag on those. A grand a piece.

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