Looking for a specific cable - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: Falcon69
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 16, 2013, 01:11:08 am
content: I am looking for a Mini USB male to male cable at least 3ft in length. It must be shielded, either foil, or even better, braided. This cable is easy to find, however, it only has 4 connected wires.I NEED all 5 wires connected straight through.I don't want to spend anymore than 50 cents per cable and I'm needing about 600 ($300 total) of them. They need to be black in color or clear.Does anyone have a source for these? I've bought some, but they only had 4 wires.Thanks in advance for any help.

author: henryd99
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: September 16, 2013, 01:20:05 am
content: i found one for 40 cents each but its only one foothttp://www.cablewholesale.com/products/usb-firewire/usb-2.0-cables/product-10um-02101bk.php

author: MrAureliusR
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 16, 2013, 01:20:35 am
content: Never mind, I guess I thought wrong. I wish I could delete posts, lol

author: Falcon69
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 16, 2013, 01:24:17 am
content: Not at all what I am looking for Henry.It's mini male to standard USB. ANd it only has 4 wires in it, not the 5.Thanks though for looking it up for me.Jason

author: robrenz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 16, 2013, 01:34:46 am
content: Quote from: MrAureliusR on September 16, 2013, 01:20:35 amJust hit the remove button to the right of the modify button onyourpost you want to remove.

author: jasonbrent
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 16, 2013, 01:59:52 am
content: searching for '5wire usb cables' on google came up with a fit hits, but not at the price point you want. :/-jbl

author: MrAureliusR
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 17, 2013, 04:14:16 am
content: Quote from: robrenz on September 16, 2013, 01:34:46 amNot there in Tapatalk ... stupid Tapatalk.Typed using Hacker's Keyboard for Android

author: rexxar
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 17, 2013, 05:50:23 am
content: What are you doing that needs all 5 pins? The only use I've ever seen for the 5th pin is in proprietary chargers, to tell the device that it can pull 2A. And those just had some circuitry in the plug, still just running 4 wires to the other end.

author: Falcon69
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 17, 2013, 06:41:29 am
content: I'm using it as a connector to some sensors I have. I need a 5 wire hook up, and these were the smallest (and cheapest) I could find to do that, but that was all designed and made before i found out that these cables seem to only actually have only 4 wires, instead of 5 as the pins seem to indicate. Why make a 5 pin connector, but only have 4 wires to them? Makes no sense to me why these manufacturers do this.

author: David_AVD
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 17, 2013, 06:48:51 am
content: WHOOPS!

author: Falcon69
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 17, 2013, 07:52:17 am
content: It looks like i may need to make these darn things.I have some wire with PVC....but I want the wire like what you see in audio cables, like your earbuds have. is that TPE or PUR. I want more of a rubbery type cable, unlike the PVC which seems kinda more plastic type.Anyone have a source for that then?24-26awgshielded (braided or foiled, prefer braided)5 conductorI don't really want to spend more then maybe 25 cents a foot for it. I would need about 1000 feet of it.

author: amyk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 17, 2013, 11:08:22 am
content: Quote from: Falcon69 on September 17, 2013, 07:52:17 amRubbery? Do you mean silicone? That's expensive.The reason they all have only 4 conductors is the USB standard only mandates 4 (Vbus, D+, D-, GND) but the miniUSB connector group decided to add a 5th contact for "reserved" purposes.

author: David_AVD
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 17, 2013, 11:09:48 am
content: Start paddling I say!

author: iloveelectronics
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 17, 2013, 11:46:45 am
content: Something like this?http://www.aliexpress.com/item/5-core-shielded-cable-5-core-encoder-cable-5-core-signal-line-soft-shielded-cable-4/1290418733.html

author: Falcon69
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 17, 2013, 05:38:25 pm
content: Quote from: amyk on September 17, 2013, 11:08:22 amno, not silicone. I have some Canare cable here that I used to make some RCA's a long time ago. That jacket that is on that is soft and feels more like rubber. And then I have some generic Cat5e cable, and that just feels like plastic. I believe that housing is PVC.iloveelctronicsyea, something like that. All though, that looks like it is used cable and only has 4 conductors and braided. Alittle expensive too with the shipping cost included.Microphone cable seems pretty good, but I can't find it with 5 conductors. 6 conductors would be okay, or even 4 conductors with a drain wire that I could use for the ground wire.

author: marshallh
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 17, 2013, 05:42:22 pm
content: You're looking for OTG cables with the ID pin

author: Falcon69
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 17, 2013, 06:15:09 pm
content: do you have a link to those somewhere?

author: Falcon69
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 17, 2013, 06:21:38 pm
content: I just looked them up. It seems that those cables have a standard USB 4pin on one end, and on the Mini USB end, they have pin 5 and pin 4 connected together. Normally Pin 4 is unconnected. This will not work for me. I need 5 individual connectionsHowever, if that connection isn't made until the standard USB connector, and the wires are separate until it reaches there, that would work. I could cut off the standard USB and use that.I will order one and check

author: marshallh
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 17, 2013, 06:33:43 pm
content: The 5th pin is for OTG connections, mini/micro AB to mini/micro B.It lets a device act as a limited host with the same connector (hence AB connector, not just A)As such you won't find the 5th pin connected on any full size A port.

author: Falcon69
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 17, 2013, 06:41:03 pm
content: okay, so it's the 5th pin that is not normally connected in a standard cable?SO, are you saying that those OTG cables do have all 5 wires going through them?

author: Falcon69
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 17, 2013, 07:14:53 pm
content: Found my answerhttp://androidforums.com/samsung-galaxy-note-2/674571-diy-shortest-otg-cable.html*sigh* those cables won't work then.I found some from herehttp://www.usbfirewire.com/parts/rr-2mb2mb-12gl5.htmlbut at $12.85 per cable, it's just not in my budget.There's gotta be a retailer out there somewhere for what I need.

author: iloveelectronics
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 18, 2013, 12:42:27 am
content: If what you see on that aliexpress link is similar to what you are looking for, I should be able to source some for you directly from China. 5 conductors but most likely PVC housing. Pricing should be a lot closer to your target, though still probably exceed 25 cents per foot after shipping.

author: Falcon69
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 10, 2014, 04:42:58 am
content: Okay, I found some cable.http://www.ebay.com/itm/Gray-10M-32FT-USB-2-0-Extension-Repeater-Cable-Signal-Booster-A-Male-to-A-Female-/321138808261?pt=US_USB_Cables_Hubs_Adapters&hash=item4ac55d55c5it has 4 wires. 2 are twisted pair 28awg and 2 separate that are 24awg each. plus a drain wire and braided shielded. That will work. I can use the drain wire for the ground.The problem is, it is $0.35 a foot (10m at $11.14). Still alittle expensive for my budget.Does anyone know where to get this exact cable and transparent color (dark grey, blue, or clear) in a bulk cable? no ends, just a continuous 1000ft roll or something? I don't need the USB ends on it. I may be looking at purchasing about 5000 feet of it.

author: Falcon69
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 10, 2014, 05:04:22 am
content: oopsI think I read that wrong. it is 28awg/1p 24awg/2c.I think that means 28awg wire, when 2 conductors twisted together, it is 24awg. still, 4x28awg wire plus the drain wire will work.The project is only about 50mA and the total length of cable will not exceed 50ft. That should be fine. If I read the chart right, 28awg should be able to carry 226mA. That's more then enough.

author: iloveelectronics
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 11, 2014, 08:55:03 am
content: Quote from: Falcon69 on January 10, 2014, 04:42:58 amI found something like the attached picture. Might be within your budget too.

author: Monkeh
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 11, 2014, 12:45:42 pm
content: Quote from: Falcon69 on January 10, 2014, 05:04:22 amNo, that means one 28AWG twisted pair and two 24AWG conductors.