Comment on What happened to cylindrical plugs?
sxan@midwest.social 1 day agoIn not the person you replied to, and I can’t speak about the engineering merits; but as a user I hate F-type connectors. They’re bad enough when you have to only install them once in the lifetime of the connected device - it’s the threaded screw that’s the worst, I think, for which no non-technical user owns a tool beyond their fingers, from which the bevel invariably strips the flesh; although I’ve also bent enough of those pins trying to get something connected in an awkward place, or because I was tired, or being sloppy. It’s not a connector that’s convenient for amateurs, and most of its users were and are amateurs.
As a connector for multiple, frequent dis- and re-connection, it’s an utter disaster. Sure, that’s not what it’s designed for. It was designed to be a semi-permanent extension of permanent wiring, and I’m sure it’s great at that.
The context of the whole thread, though, was end-user, repeated, frequent connections for people who have to be reminded by a manual that the thing needs to be plugged in. Coax is horrible for that.
skillissuer@discuss.tchncs.de 1 day ago
so you want BNC
sxan@midwest.social 1 day ago
BNC is better, but I’ve only encountered it, like, twice.
Honestly, I’ve never been happier since USB-C took over. I compare today to the early 90s and having 8-12 different connectors - two of which looked identical but were incompatible - to hook up a single Sun workstation. I clearly remember dreaming of a day when there would be a single connector for everything, and we’re really close. Higher wattage demands and video connectors (HDMI, DP, DVI) are the only hold-outs - and I’m not sure why USB-C hasn’t conquered video yet, unless it’s a cost thing, because it’s certainly capable.
skillissuer@discuss.tchncs.de 1 day ago
you don’t see BNC as often because it’s more expensive, bulkier, requires different crimping tool and has a separate pin. but if you need to connect and disconnect things often and quickly, then it’s a good connector. i bet you’ve seen (RP-)SMA a lot instead, but this one is also more expensive than F, has separate pin and is too small to easily make a connector for common 75 ohm cables. reducing diameter would mean higher loss
aesthelete@lemmy.world 1 day ago
USB-C likely will take over video eventually. I use it for video on two out of three of my monitors and the Nintendo switch can be used that way.
sxan@midwest.social 1 day ago
I’ve been half-assed monitor shopping, and the USB-C capable ones are still far more expensive; they exist, they’re just pricey. I’ll consider USB-C to have “won” when the price difference is negligible.