The Dumbest Connectors Ever

[@lordkell1986]

Can we take a moment to praise the movement from IDE to SATA cables back in the 2000s?! The insides of computer cases never again needed to be birds nests of ribbon cables folded in on themselves.

[@autumnvolume4181]

That long ago, huh? I've been out of the PC building game longer than I thought.

[@brayannexon4613]

Oh yeah my old compaq d510s still has those lovely ide ribbons.

[@FastSloth87]

I used to fold them and route them flat so freaking neatly, it was amazing.

[@lyianx]

I remember when finding IDE cables that were round was a big deal.

[@FastSloth87]

@@lyianx I hated those, they were ugly imo. Black flat ones when routed nicely looked much better.

[@michaelwillman5342]

I can hear a billion ethernet cables with broken tabs all crying out at once.

[@RinoAP]

literally me years ago

[@whaduzitmatr]

rj11 phone jack tabs break off even easier

[@ronmaximilian6953]

Given 10 to 15 minutes of frustration and the right equipment, one can replace these.

[@Thanatos2996]

Still worlds better than MicroUSB. The females don't wear out, and the males are simple to replace.

[@jackkraken3888]

And so many times it see them crimped without the protective jacket and if that's not bad enough they are improperly crimped so all the strain is on the little wires instead of the PVC jacket.

[@fraginz]

molex connector: A connector that looks like it connected loosely, but you know you're gonna have a bad time disconnecting it

[@jasonbay13]

or, if from a cheap manufacturer, can actually plug in backwards easy enough and send 12v to the 5v rail of your hdd. inevitably this fries it to never be recovered.

[@hubertnnn]

Molex: When the weakling in your school is over 9000 and some chad decides to mess with him.

[@Maniacsurvivor]

Just pull the wires. Easy.

[@gharretje]

@@jasonbay13 that was also a bit of a feature. Running a fan on 5V instead of 12V.

[@edrsa]

And when it finally comes loose you smash your hand into razor sharp steel plates inside your case

[@dsouth7754]

One of my favorite moments in college was when my professor was showing us older hardware and I pointed out a SCSI interface on a drive. This was 2015, mind you, and his exact words were "now how the hell did you know that?!" He was an awesome retro tech guy who probably didn't expect anybody under 40 to identify a SCSI interface.

[@ElNeroDiablo]

Back in '04, I was doing a Cert2 in IT at CIT, and one thing the teacher that did the class for computer hardware would do is give us old 386, 486 and Pentium systems with various types of sabotage, and we as the class had to diagnose and undo the sabotage to get a working system. Let's just say growing up learning how to repair and build AT/BabyAT PC's since I was 5 came in handy as I was often the first to have a machine working and would help the other class members diagnose their sabotaged systems. XD That and I read front-to-back the hardback textbook for that course covering hardware and software, and could easily point out the mistakes in it for a laugh.

[@Unicorn161]

SCSI was faster than IDE, and it lived on in servers for a while. Into the later 00's. When SSDs became cheap, reliable, and long lasting.

[@OddlyIncredible]

Back in the late 90s and early 2000s, SCSI was the only real path to data storage performance over 133MHz, and early scanners were SCSI _only._ I had a powerhouse frankenputer with internal SCSI to hard drives and external to a Jaz drive (remember those?) and a flatbed scanner. The advent of high speed serial buses like SATA and USB effectively killed SCSI, but SAS (Serial-Attached SCSI) is a more modern thing.

[@krashd]

I remember in the pre-Plug n Play days whenever you did a "scan for hardware" Windows would recommend that you disconnect any SCSI devices as a hardware scan could wipe the partition table. SCSI devices always seemed like sensitive little souls to me.

[@pmc_]

​@@Unicorn161it still lives on in servers today, as Serial Attached SCSI

[@elbiggus]

Of all the advancements in PC technology over the years, the death of ribbon cables often gets neglected. They were awkward to route, ugly, easy to plug in incorrectly, and just generally awful, and I do not miss them one iota.

[@Trithis2077]

I mean, iof you've ever opended a Laptop or Phone, you'd know that ribbon cables never actualy died off, they just got smaller and eaiser to break.

[@myrealusername2193]

@@Trithis2077 yeah I killed a camera I was trying to fix by accidentally tearing literally a single ribbon cable. Absurdly annoying

[@notme222]

@@myrealusername2193 Yeah, trying to replace a battery in a phone I tore a ribbon cable just opening the case.

[@ilenastarbreeze4978]

heh i was working on a pc that had ribbon cables (it predated sata) about 4 years ago now, was glorious fun to go back in time to literally 1990 as it was a working (mostly, i was in a comptuer repair shop) pc , ah prisons

[@CreativityNull]

@@Trithis2077 or a game controller... Or a game console I've broken so many of the stupid plastic ribbon cable fastener things in motherboards that the hot glue I used to fasten them in instead was softened by my frustrated tears.

[@rossjennings4755]

I'm kinda surprised Micro-USB made it in this list. I'm not going to try to defend its durability, but when it first came along it was revolutionary in providing, for the first time, a somewhat standard charging connector for (non-Apple) phones, in place of the mess of proprietary junk that came before.

[@HtotheG]

I see your point of a standard cord, its always nice when even an iPhone user might have a cable for you to charge. But they standardized a terrible port that still haunts us till this day just because of it's cheap cost and we've all accepted having a million of these cables and replacing them every few weeks to months, the long term waste impact alone validated micro USB for nomination on the list imo.

[@daemonbyte]

the standard happened because the EU told them to pick a standard or face what has now come to pass because apple couldn't follow through despite committing to it. But it didn't have to be usb micro. That said to be honest I've never had an issue with micro so perhaps people are just to heavy handed :D

[@eto6197]

Issues I had with Micro-USB ports and connectors: 0 Issues I had with Apple Lightning ports and connectors I had: 5 I was really surprised to see Micro-USB here. I really never had an issue with a cable or connector, but I had several non-working/broken cables/connectors for my corporate Iphone. I usually handle my cables with appropriate care, which might be a reason that the "problems" of Micro-USB never had an impact on me.

[@halcyonacoustic7366]

Micro USB failing was basically an inevitability for me... but I often used devices far beyond their intended life spans.

[@castome7pi]

Micro-USB was a clear downgrade compared to Mini-USB, Micro-USB doesn't make sense to me at all as a connector when you already had the Mini-USB

[@Helladamnleet]

The fact there actually IS a standard for front audio ports yet a lot of case manufacturers don't follow it drives me insane

[@koghs]

Modern audio standards are cringe and suck

[@TheWebstaff]

Which front audio standard? I know of at least two standard pin headers as well as like you say a lot of OEMs just going there own way.

[@Curt_Sampson]

@@TheWebstaff The nice thing about standards is that there's so many to choose from!

[@KuntaKinteToby]

Its even more infuriating when companies like Thermaltake use, and do not use the standard sporadically across their product lines. Meaning they know of it, they know to implement, but sometimes just say 'whatever' and do what they want anyway.

[@ufukpolat3480]

Front audio ports are an abomination. Your motherboard audio connectors almost always have better sound quality and there is no point of plugging in and pulling out audio connectors on a regular basis. Just plug your headset to the back and be done with it.

[@semibreve]

Man it's amazing seeing Anthony absolutely smash a Techquickie out of the park: Man's totally hit his stride as a host, I'm really impressed

[@OriginalMergatroid]

You got some brown on your lip there.....

[@labamba3011]

Sorry James, the writers of all Linus stuff need to write for different people, not make everyone sound like Linus. For example, they could make Anthony the basement-dwelling chip-eating geek that they can make light-hearted digs about.

[@JSparrowist]

🤦‍♂

[@quanghuyvu2649]

Bro, it's "she". Emily

[@Trisc7nd]

@@quanghuyvu2649 you are late for a year

[@voyager33mw]

I'm always fascinated with how PC building montages never include hooking up the front panel connectors.

[@theremoteanater]

I dislike it to

[@snarkylive]

+45 minutes to the video reading the manual, and trying to get the correct polarity on pins the builder can barely see

[@Skelterbane69]

Especially when there aren't enough connections on them otherboard..... And the front USB C and all 4 USB 3 connectors still work somehow..... Yeah, this is what happened to me, idk, magic.

[@xenorac]

Yeah, and this is the only part of a PC build I fear!

[@oliverbroad4433]

It seems kind of weird that the industry hasn't converged on one pattern for the power switch, on-light and activity lights at least. The connector for USB ports does seem to have converged on a 5x2 way block with 4 pins for each port, one shield pin and one blanked. Incidentally someone told me the connectors on the wires were called Dupont connectors, though they aren't made by Dupont.

[@GavinSeim]

Remember when Every cell phone has a new and proprietary connector forever model and grand. Maybe it was too painful and we blocked it from our minds. 🙁

[@HappyBeezerStudios]

Bless the laws that mandated it. And on that topic, we're going a step further and a law requiring USB-C by 2024 is already there. Yes, even iPhones.

[@qwertykeyboard5901]

Thats why I pick up proprietary phone chargers at yard sales.

[@irisbaggins]

And I still see some to this day...we even have a whole box of whacky charging cables at work because someone WILL come in with an old ass phone wanting to either trade it, or worse, have us fix it

[@coladict]

I remember Samsung doing that, but Nokia tried to stick to a connector for many models over years.

[@nickryan3417]

Yep, and I came across some chump who declared that Apple *must* be allowed to "innovate" in (expensive, proprietary) cables and they plainly never had to live through the chore of every single damn model and brand having a different adaptor. Because they could. The move to USB was such an instant improvement.

[@XzTS-Roostro]

Y'all should do a video on connections that can be daisy-chained (ie: FireWire, ThunderBolt, DisplayPort)

[@the123king]

SCSI. Why have one connector standard when you can have 3? And daisy chaining! And termination!

[@DJphotoandtech]

I remember having to spend an ungodly amount on a PCI-e Firewire card so I could connect a camcorder to my PC and get footage off MiniDV tapes.

[@cerealport2726]

Daisy-chaining was something that was touted as an amazing selling point of USB when it was first released. For some reason, tech. commentators believed the hype, and thought hardware manufacturers would build in extra ports for this, despite there being absolutely no incentive or advantage to do so, except perhaps in rare situations.

[@derrekvanee4567]

Try hooking a gpu up to a tiny cheap MCU OVER 1X PCIe to....anything. The Chinese have a eGPU adapter but expensive and goes into CardReader port and who has thst anymore

[@fattomandeibu]

My A1200(Commodore machine from '91, used the classic "compact wedge" all-in-one design) would daisy chain external drives. It was actually really useful, especially due to the machines The floppy drives used a connector similar to a parallel printer port which was on the back of the machine, worked fine and needed no termination. The CD-ROM(among others) was a PCIMIA card connector on the side of the machine, that could use SCSI to daisy chain, well, standard SCSI devices. This slot was a pain in the arse. First off, them PCIMIA cards would break after about a year of use. Even if you never moved it and the rubber feet were flush on a flat surface, they were just poorly designed. The second issue is it requires termination, and if some prick lost your terminator, all your SCSI devices would be unusable.

[@MtnNerd]

I fixed my washer recently, and recognized those molex/amp connectors. My unit dates to around 2014, so I guess they are alive and well in industrial functions. They were a PITA to get apart, so probably a good solution for something you want to put together once and never come apart except for repair.

[@atomicskull6405]

Yes they will be around forever because they work perfectly fine in their intended applications i.e. a cheap reliable DC connector that won't vibrate loose and only needs to be connected once and rarely if ever serviced.

[@Hail2Russia]

I spend a lot of time at work looking at different types of connectors. I work in live event production and the amount of cable termination solutions for similar/same results can be staggering. Would love to see more videos about cable connectors, specifically the ways they are terminated.

[@EthanCGamer]

I have a lot of the same problems in the arcade industry, every manufacturer decides to use a different type of pin and socket connector. If I ever need to do wiring repair I have to keep a stock of 10+ different connector families, and a range of different sizes within those families.

[@fergusoddjob]

@@EthanCGamer I cannot imagine the temptation just to solder everything.

[@m1ndy9876]

@@Shibathedog true1 far better. In all the ways.

[@robertsneddon731]

Even more fun is the use of identical connectors for different purposes -- the excellent 3-pin XLR connector plug and socket can be used to carry balanced AND unbalanced audio as well as DC power and a few other things. There's also coaxial cable BNC in 50-ohm and 75-ohm variants which you can cross-connect if you push hard enough. Ask me how I know this.

[@murlock666]

30 years of PC gaming and building, also worked in a shop. Front panel connectors are simply the absolute worst. Nothing has changed since 286 days. Still fiddly AF, Surely there must be a better way!?

[@lyianx]

There can be. Problem is all the motherboard and case manufactures have to agree on a new standard to use, which would of course make older ones obsolete. Only an issue for cases really, and that could be solved with an adapter to convert it if you didnt want a new case. But the front panel connectors have changed in what is even on them, so who knows.

[@Enkelados1]

@@lyianx shouldn't that actually incentive case manufactures to create a new standard? So they can sell new cases.

[@ThZuao]

Simply gluing all the connectors togheter and standardizing the pinout would be leaps and bounds improvement.

[@LizardVideoDude]

The ones for LEDs are particularly fun, having separate + and - connectors you have to get right. IF you're even able to read that part of the tiny print on them.

[@ailivac]

@@lyianx oh it would be trivial for someone to come up with a standard, as long as there was an easy to use adapter for the transition. But the 5 minutes of annoyance it causes over the life of every DIY system isn't worth it, especially since the current approach is technically still workable, and there isn't another standard to roll it into like USB or AC97

[@grantbrown4727]

Anthony is a perfect for any content that requires a disappointed host his frustration is perfect

[@jan7751-o4w]

I'm surprised the DVI-A/D/I mess didn't make the list. I would also like to give an honorable mention from the music world to using the same connectors in instrument and speaker cables.

[@I.C.Weiner]

Dvi-a the oxymoron of cables.

[@robertulrich3964]

those drove me nuts. amazon always shipped the wrong variant. and no one knew the differences.

[@eivis13]

I jumped from VGA to HDMI to DP. I've tried s-video, but thankfully i had a vga out as well so i opted to use that. Also scart, dreadful no color tulips, mini usb (i honestly hate that more than microUSB which was like a used car for me - if it sucked on day 1 i throw it into the scrap heap, but if it worked it was like a corolla).

[@_reverse-psycho_855]

USB 3.0 headers are my enemy Also those 24 pin power cables are notoriously difficult to unplug

[@sourcethunderlight2723]

It is not uncommon to unplug the USB 3 header connector itself from the motherboard

[@BrettDalton]

This

[@lyianx]

24-pin power cables shouldnt be unplugged often enough for that to matter. I dont really have that big of a problem with them. The 3.0 headers.. yeah. And its not even really the headers i have issue with. Its the super thick cables Case manufactures use to connect to the ports that make it difficult to plug in. Afew board makers have started angling those headers 90 so they dont jut out... just in time for 3.2 headers to start coming in.. and doing the SAME THING!

[@PizzaPowerXYZ]

I feel like I'm gonna rip the motherboard in half with the amount of force needed to remove the 24 pin connector

[@s.i.m.c.a]

aha ...just wait for 12v only revolution and another bump in motherboard prices lol

[@camjohnson2004]

Talking about the case front panel connectors i don't know why case manufacturers aren't doing standard layouts. Motherboard from MSI, ASUS, ASROCK and Gigabyte now all use the same 9 pin layout for the front panel switches and LED's, just look at any motherboard manual. So as to why cases are set with the 9 pin layout has to me buggered

[@razaelll]

Because there are still motherboards that have different layouts. It's a matter of compatibility. Obviously, nobody is stopping case manufacturers from having a simple extension in accessory bag that terminates into that standardised layout. But then it would somehow need to be keyed so end user doesn't plug it in the wrong way around.

[@Wingedmechanic]

While they all have keyed (1 pin less from 10) 9 pin connector on the board, all boards doesn't have them in the same order. So if you glue the wire end sockets together as per the order of pins in your current board, it may not be the same for your next board.

[@gospodinpendula6250]

Nzxt does.

[@camjohnson2004]

I challenge u to show me a board that does not use the 9 pin layout with the power led and power switch at the top row and the hdd led and reset switch at the bottom row. I have boards from 2009 with this layout. I deal with motherboards on a daily basis and they all have this layout now

[@j0hnf_uk]

I'd be nice if they had a standard all-encompassing plug to fit them all, too. Some proprietary desktops do, but not all.

[@asherlevi33]

Who thought that having 20 super fragile pins in a huge connector that is super hard to insert and take out was an okay standard for internal USB 3.0!?

[@Incommensurabilities]

I have a PCI-E USB 3.0 board which I connected to the internal USB 3.0 header. It is literally jammed in and it's easier to uninstall the PCI-E card than remove the connector

[@elvisharp-uquillas6989]

@@Incommensurabilities The last time I had to unplug my 3.0 connector, it took the entire little plastic house with it, and I had to press that back into place

[@OriginalUnknown2]

@@Incommensurabilities I got a PCI-e USB 3.0 extension card for my gf's pc as she has 2x2 usb 3.0 front panel ports, but only 1 internal usb 3 header - one of the front panel internal headers plugs on the port on the pci-e card and it also provides 4 additional usb 3.0 ports in the back. Its great! She wanted the pc taken apart to clean it and replace a few things - We were unable to unplug that front panel header. What eneded up happening id the plastic internal port casing, still attached to the cable, came off the card and the pins... I say its great, if you're careful, you can simply plug it back on and have just enough friction so it doesnt come off on its own, but makes it effortless to remove in the future. Only catch is the internal header on the card looks like a flayed skeleton when the casing is removed 😂

[@jimmyb1451]

I truly don't understand how it is that people have such trouble with connectors. I've worked in television, in telecommunications and in professional audio where cables and connectors can be worth 1000's of dollars each PLUG. Some with literally 1000's of connections and extremely delicate pins. Plugs and sockets are really quite simple, all you have to do is align them before applying any force. I'm yet to destroy a micro USB cable or socket. I just don't get it.

[@OriginalUnknown2]

@@jimmyb1451 I've personally never damaged any connectors - that story is very unique to the USB 3.0 internal headers, it was relevant so I shared it, but other than that I have never had any issues with any connectors. Like you said, just align it properly before applying any force, and you're absolutely correct. That said, some connectors are in fact quite poorly designed and built, I'm sure you would agree too

[@Elhao]

Just this weekend I built a new PC and the front panel connectors were the only thing I had to look up in the manual and constantly refer to while connecting the cables. The pain is real.

[@TotemoGaijin]

Did you get an actual paper manual? I just bought a new mobo to replace my aging one, and they're like, "Scan the QR code!" ...ffs

[@Elhao]

@@TotemoGaijin Not 100% sure anymore but I think I had to check my smartphone, too.

[@TotemoGaijin]

@@Elhao what a pain in the butt, lol

[@Mrdardas99]

As someone who has built over a thousand custom desktops I can say definitively that the internal USB3.0 header is the worst connector on modern PCs. Tiny pins, no retainer, and a very thick and heavy cable - the worst combination possible. We made it a point to ALWAYS secure the cable somewhere with zip ties (to the case or to the thick PSU cables nearby that were anchored themselves) because otherwise it will inevitably wobble just a tiny bit when the customers get it home and were pissed off the front ports don't work. I have had to deny RMA to many self appointed "techs" who weren't careful enough and bent the pins on the motherboard (physical damage automatically voids manufacturer warranty). The only good thing about it is that the female port can use a small passive pass-through USB2.0 cable so the front I/O can work on USB2.0 speeds even if the USB3.0 port is broken on the motherboard.

[@KarryKarryKarry]

You have to zip tie everything to the case including the cpu cooler power cable and you route all cables on the backside of the motherboard mounting plate. Sounds like you wouldn’t get a passing grade from the QA in my company. The whole reason there’s a market for custom built pc’s is because you can build them BETTER than the dummies over at Dell or Lenovo.

[@Mrdardas99]

@@KarryKarryKarry You gather all that about my 1000+ builds from that comment? Just so you know, since I was the one who also had to fix them I can assure you everything was routed and secured properly so the customers never have to go back to me with any claims. That doesn't change the fact that the USB3.0 connector is badly designed and you constantly have to figure out how to secure it since every case and motherboard have slightly different layouts and none were designed to directly support this flimsy design. Further, this is really driven home when you see how many people are having connection issues and even damaging it when they do it themselves. USB2 never had those issues, as long as nobody tries to exert a lot of force to bend those thick pins it doesn't take a genius to connect it properly.

[@superslash7254]

@@KarryKarryKarry If you're using zipties inside a computer you've already failed QC. You should be using wire-safe flat velcro ties or something else that won't cause damage and crimping.

[@3nertia]

@@superslash7254 And that cost ten times as much ...

[@UrielZeptim]

@@3nertia A few cents times 10 are still a few cents...so it shouldn't increase the price by more than a few dollars per unit IF you are a respectable company.

[@PyroX792]

Y'all could do an entire episode on printer cables through the years.

[@janpokrzywinski]

Now the only device that never comes bundled with a cable. Obscure USB-B that you definitely don't have a spare because it's only used by printers and midi devices 🤦‍♂

[@marcokrueger3399]

@@janpokrzywinski To be fair, this is how it was meant to be in the beginning. I honestly see Type B a lot, not only printers, but scanners, external hard drives, external sound cards...

[@matthewsosa7189]

Anthony Anthony Anthony. Say it with me. Anthony….

[@idwithheld5213]

@@janpokrzywinski USB B is not obscure. Still used to this day on external hard drives and monitors with USB hubs (modern monitors, like my Predator 4k144). USB B is one of the best designed connectors - only works in one orientation, and I've never had one get loose or fail, even when removed regularly like an external hard drive. I like that C is more universal, but B is far more robust.

[@Ayrshore]

All three of them? Since the mid 80s, only really been three. Appletalk, Centronics (parallel) and USB. Serial was always niche, and proprietory stuff went out the window with 8 bit home micros.

[@mannythebaka7522]

This guy should do more videos, he less annoying and has a good energy about him. He reminds me of a lot of friends I grew up with.

[@jscheunemann]

I know THEY should…

[@harshbarj]

@@jscheunemann Their comment happened before her transition. So cool it.

[@jscheunemann]

@@harshbarj I know, I was just rubbing a bit

[@pev_]

All the mini-DIN type connectors (PS2, S-video, different AV combination ones) were a pain because there were many types according to number and arrangement of the pins while the outer ring-shaped shield remained the same diameter, and they were never quite strong enough with the alignment groove to give a good positive affirmation that you are inserting it in the correct rotational alignment. And I think the USB-A is also a bit of a failed design because it can be only inserted one way but the outer rectangular shield does not give a clue of the correct alignment, you have try it or look inside the shield. Well, at least it is not easy to "crush" any pins because there is the large block filling half of the connector :)

[@eDoc2020]

I don't have much trouble with mini-DIN connectors, and IMO a big part of that is because the plugs have nice flat edges to indicate the top. If the rotation isn't right you can generally tell and correct it.

[@coolminer6242]

When you insert a USB type A you should look for the little USB icon. If that icon is facing up then that’s the correct orientation (at least on the majority of devices)

[@javaman2883]

@@coolminer6242 There's a lot of exceptions to that icon facing up, or left, or right. They don't even face the same direction on the two DELL PCs I have.

[@ian_b]

Also, DIN plugs of all kinds seem to have an insert made from putty that melts if you just switch on a soldering iron near it.

[@pev_]

@@eDoc2020 Well, today that might be true with PS2 (mouse/keyboard) that is about all that is left of the mini-DIN connector format, and even that is largely being replaced by USB. I was talking about "the olden days" :) when mini-DIN was used for many audio and/or video connections, and trust me those thin pins and uncertain alignment guides were not so nice. I don't actually remember breaking any, but it was very finicky.

[@davidtipton514]

I lived through all of the pre-usb cables during the 80s and 90s - practically every device required its own cable/connector/board and there was a lot of competition for X-company to establish a "standard"...a real nightmare!

[@elvinhaak]

But you did get better cables then USB-C for example... lasted for decades and still do most of the times when the device is still working. And quite clear where to connect them to in most cases. Maybe 60 or so different cables/connectors but all dedicated for one thing. At least in most cases...

[@kazehana7143]

serial ports were pretty standard after like 1994. edit lol lost a decade

[@dparks256]

Remember when cell phone data slash charger cables and camera cables were all also mind boggling unique? My favorites were the insert clip charger with like 18 pins on cell phones.

[@jeffzebert4982]

Ahh, yes... the PS/2 ports for the keyboard and mouse, the Parallel Port for the printer, Serial Port for an external modem, etc.

[@milasudril]

At least you know, where every cable has to go. It makes it easy to follow cables.

[@xdragon2k]

I remembered PS/2 connectors for your keyboard and mouse. They're not hot swappable. So if for some reason you got them unplugged, you have to reset the PC to get them back.

[@jd_railfan]

oh god i hated that! I definately remember those days, especially when it would take a rather long time to boot back into the operating system

[@LaggyKar]

Also, they have the same problem as USB where can't tell what orientation they're supposed to be in without looking closely. But worse, because they're round, so there is an infinite number of orientations to try, and only one works.

[@elvinhaak]

@@LaggyKar I thought it worked quite well by touch too. Just feel the little knob on them and slowly turn them untill that slides in, push further and they fit. Mostly stayed pretty well on the well made brands unless you tripped over the cables or had a cat who loved to play with them... later it was USB keyboard to the resque to shut down and then start again with the PS/2 only.

[@burningfarts]

I'm still rocking PS/2 keyboard and mouse. My OG Microsoft keyboard from the late 2000's survived a rage quit, and my mouse wore out the clicker and scroll wheel I bought a sealed replacement from Ebay.

[@D3nn1s]

@@LaggyKar actually i find the round shape to be more practical, look at it for a sec and rotate until it fits in. Thats one hand movement unlike usb where you get it wrong, take your hand back and look at the connector and the socket, turn the connector around only to find out you were right the first time. That 3x moving your hand and doing unergonomic 180° turns

[@chompchompnomnom4256]

MOLEX isn't JUST cheap, the pins can take a bit of current as well as the bullet connectors. Also, Micro USB usually failed because of cheap dollar store / poundland cables which didn't clip in properly because of a shortcut used to make those little spike things on the outside.

[@BrBill]

Let's not forget that Dell, for a _really long time_, used a different power wiring scheme in their systems, so that if you used a standard power supply, its molex output would fry your mobo instantly on power-up.

[@ecromancer]

Wi-Fi connector on desktop PCs, you either have the cheap antennas that screw in nicely but get in the way of every port around it, or the wire antenna that can easily twist the wire really bad. Not to mention if you have anything plugged in around that connector it is 10x harder to attach and you end up unplugging everything around it just to get it threaded.

[@LRM12o8]

My Board placed the Wi-Fi antennas on the very top, so that they don't get in the way of anything. Don't all manufacturers do this?

[@HappyBeezerStudios]

That's why I prefer USB dongles. Best of it, you can put them where you get the best connection and away from the EMI of the machine itself. Nothing better than throwing a 5m USB cable on, to get signal from a router 2 floors down. They even come with external, removable antennas. I don't even know who would need wifi on the motherboard. Gamers are in the know about the latency, content creators want a fast and stable connection to their NAS, and everyone who needs the flexibility of wireless would most likely use a machine that can be moved as well, like a laptop or tablet.

[@LRM12o8]

@@HappyBeezerStudios Wi-Fi on the mainboard comes in handy when you can't discreetly route a LAN cable from your router to the PC. Many homes (at least on Europe) don't have Ethernet runs in the walls, so if your router and your PC is not in the same room, that's a problem. Sure, powerline Ethernet would be a better solution, but Wi-Fi is cheaper and easier. To me it came in handy once to diagnose the issue when my smartphone didn't get a Wi-Fi connection and if my PC mainboard hadn't happened to have built-in Wi-Fi, I wouldn't have had any other Wi-Fi capable device in my house to check, if Wi-Fi is working on the router

[@ecromancer]

@@LRM12o8 No I owned two motherboards that had built in Wi-Fi and my ASRock Taichi had it right in between two USB ports above and below it. The USB ports below were not to much of an issue because they were slightly further away but the above USB were in the way of the antennas. My current ASUS Z690 Strix-A D-4 motherboard is in-between the audio and USB+LAN .

[@ecromancer]

@@HappyBeezerStudios My built in Wi-Fi card has built in Bluetooth connections that I use for controllers (Xbox and PS5) and my phone. It is useful for network diagnostic and has saved me in the past.

[@MrChezco1995]

You forgot SATA Express! A connector that exist on boards but never used because no consumer drives that use such connector exist!

[@MartysRandomStuff]

Yes, I remember that extra little square port next to the SATA ports, never did see anything for sale that used it. Also had a motherboard with a weird external SATA connector, 2 SATA ports with a Molex power port between them, so strange.

[@lyianx]

Never new they existed. eSATA however... Now there was an ok idea on paper, but never adopted to be useful.

[@gg-gn3re]

linus has a video on these 8 years ago youtube GQEvOr55Pf8 and they partially evolved into m.2 so kinda still around

[@MrChezco1995]

@@gg-gn3re m.2 is actually a variant of u.2, which also exist on the same time SATA express does.

[@gg-gn3re]

@@MrChezco1995 didn't ask (also you are wrong/confused as to why they are similar)

[@aland7236]

I'm looking forward to the lightning port being added to this list.

[@voivod6871]

Why?

[@RocksRealNice523]

@@voivod6871 Because even Apple uses Type-C, just not always

[@SixDasher]

@@RocksRealNice523 Because they are forced by law in europe, thank god. Apple would rather keep selling you their proprietary and outdated lightning connectors, cause fukc standardization and modern technology. The ammount of e-junk they produced over the years is appalling.

[@RocksRealNice523]

@@SixDasher Didn't they themselves decide to put Type-C on iPad Pro without outside intervention? That's what I was referring to.

[@qqleq]

Because of Apple putting a chip in it solely for making more money and for nothing else. Remember when clone cables worked well, until Apple make sure they didn't? Remember when a cable lasted longer than one month?

[@BrapBrapDorito]

Funny story about front panel connectors: When I built my second pc, the new motherboard I had purchased not only had incredibly flimsy pins for the front panel connectors, but they were also entirely unlabeled. You had to use the motherboard manual to see where each connector went in. Thanks MSI!

[@Retr0Bright22]

MSI moment

[@jerelull9629]

One of the things that blew my mind was one early(-ish) Mac I had. With a half-dozen cables and terminators arrayed to connect, they all plugged in exactly one place each, flawlessly, and it worked the first attempt. I loved the *idea* of USB: "One connector to connect them all", Right in front of me, there's a USB "device connector" I got with these cheap earbuds. It's no USB standard I've seen, and is devilishly difficult to properly connect, possibly because I don't have a lot of light where I strung that cable to. So far, I don't THINK I've bent pins in my fumbling, but having lucked out on another earbuds' USB-C connector, which connects like a breeze in the dark, The Cheap-o's connector is particularly annoying since it's nearly as big as the USB-C connector and it's new enough that USB-C existed before it was designed and constructed.

[@Sercil00]

Those IDE ribbon cables were so terrible. I remember the connector-bit falling apart and exposing all these needly-bits that you impale through the cable. The length was constantly a problem. They took too much force to plug in or take out and you could break the connector open.They were also dust traps. Just sucked all around. Good riddance.

[@benjaminreynolds3659]

This was my first thought too. IDE ribbon cables were the worst.

[@petermescher332]

Don't forget the non-boxed, non-keyed headers on cheap motherboards! Put the cable on backwards or off by a pin-pair and you'd fry your drive, motherboard, or both!

[@Nbomber]

Master and slave jumper connectors causing extra headaches when using them.

[@TotemoGaijin]

@@Nbomber You get everything plugged back in, and you did it backwards and nothing works. You put your palm to your face and say a few choice words.

[@chunkyg6715]

They also constrained airflow and only allowed 4 drives to be connected without an expansion card. I remember having 2 optical drives, a Zip drive and HDD connected before the system was maxed out. Also inserting or removing the 40 pin connector on a mounted device was super annoying given the cramped space. Glad these were replaced by the SATA connector.

[@chrisransdell8110]

I think I'd nominate internal SCSI cables especially Ultra-Wide 68 pin cables. Delicate easy to bend pins, crinkly weird braided cables and all the SCSI specific rules about which connectors to use combined with potentially very long cables with 7 connectors were all demerits. Then there was termination which honestly I thought was a fairly simple concept to understand at least in a practical sense but there were forever all kinds of alternative theories about termination and lots of people who didn't understand it. SCSI cabling was a nightmare.

[@jamesphillips2285]

SCSI-3 is interface independent. So if you are running Linux: your SATA cables are SCSI.

[@luce985]

@@jamesphillips2285 I like G1k-00563KP-93FR connectors

[@SuprousOxide]

When talking about micro-usb ports breaking through wear and tear, it's funny you show a stock clip of someone plugging in a lightning connector...

[@autumnvolume4181]

I've never had a Lightning OR micro USB cable or port fail on me, and I've had many many devices with each. I wonder if it's as prevalent an issue as some say, or I just got really lucky.

[@ashrude1071]

@@autumnvolume4181 I've had cables fail on me. I haven't had any female ports fail on me but I've def seen them. It also depends on how long you use the device for. If only a few years you might not see much.

[@cliffcorson4000]

Molex type connections are also used in many commercial equipment including grills, fryers, drink machines, ice cream machines, and other industrial kitchen equipment

[@LincolnRon]

4:35 Front panel connectors definitely deserve the #1 spot instead of #2.

[@tomppeli.]

The fact that they still exist as is, is testament to how not-quite-annoying-enough the connectors are That or, more probably, no one has bothered with a better solution

[@SmallSpoonBrigade]

This list is a sham, USB-C is clearly the winner. It's only a cable standard, God only knows how much power is going to be flowing through the cable, a broken bit of hardware and you can easily fry a device with an improperly designed device.

[@LincolnRon]

@Gareth Fairclough I need to use my phone's camera and a jeweler's (22x) loupe, I'm legally blind in one eye, and with my glasses on I can see 20/200 (The big "E" on an eye chart.) with my good eye. (My glove size is extra-large.) I usually use locking tweezers (A soldering tool.) or surgical forceps to connect them. Manufacturers need to pick a pin/connector number (8, 12, 20, 32, or whatever.) and be done with it.

[@zachspiegel1577]

11 pm upload, no problem! Sleep can wait

[@arulkumar998]

Good morning from India

[@quackatit]

Its 6 am here.

[@diamondarrow4567]

@@arulkumar998 good morning sirs

[@the.shivam_vlogs]

It's 9:50am Here

[@dewey404]

10:00pm

[@anonamouse5917]

Molex wasn't so bad. You did have to be patient with it, but once connected properly you had a secure connection that could handle a lot of current.

[@SilverSpoon_]

this, sure it could be a bit improved on the solidity of the connectors but otherwise they're good !

[@llynellyn]

I'd go as far to say it was perfectly fine as long as both connectors were actually made to the spec by a decent company like Molex, AMP, Mod-Tap, etc. The bad reputation is almost exclusively down to devices/PSUs using poorly made/fitting Chinese connectors to save money.

[@krzysztofczarnecki8238]

@@llynellyn The absolute worst failure mode of such crappy connector that I have encountered is it makinga contact good enough to work, but still pretty poor, so that when the specified current is drawn, the plastic of the male and female connectors fuses together. It still works, but good luck unplugging it.

[@-morrow]

@@krzysztofczarnecki8238 even worse is when the connector quality is so poor hat you can plug them in the WRONG way... rip hard drives, I'm still missing you

[@xDownSetx]

@@-morrow This was such a big issue with the 3.5" hotswap bays on the Cooler Master HAF-XB that they had to swap the Molex connector on the backplane to SATA power.

[@Zoomguy53]

DMS-59. A video connector Dell liked to use as the only connector on GPUs that looked a lot like DVI. It required an adapter to use which would split out to two VGA or two DVI connectors and of course if you didn't have the adapter you'd be screwed.

[@RaymondHng]

And the DMS-59 pins would get easily bent out of alignment from users who clumsily plug them in incorrectly.

[@hivaidz3250]

Whats worse than DMS 59? DMS 60 which only a few MATROX brand GPUS ever used. And most of yall wont even know what matrox is.

[@bill_clinton697]

DMS-59 was a way to get dual DVI or VGA off a half slot GPU, so it did serve a purpose.

[@moconnell663]

I love how y'all are using past tense like I don't have 6 or 7 of these in service as we speak.

[@toddmoore9841]

I hated those. The adapters were bulky enough and heavy enough to cause a video card to work its way out of the AGP slot if the card was not properly screwed down.

[@ZelosXT]

We really need to standardized those front panel connectors! If were doing a power revision now why not earmark that in ATX 3.0?

[@TheXlen]

Don't you worry, Dell and HP will push for BTX instead 🤣

[@HappyBeezerStudios]

@@TheXlen BTX had many interesting changes, including a great improvement to thermal layout. But since they stopped at 115+W TDP and went down to 65-95W chips, it died quickly. Good that we haven't reached those levels of CPU power again, right /s

[@TheXlen]

@@HappyBeezerStudios BTX is an anti consumer form factor since it pretty much makes your motherboard and case bound to each other due to there being no presence in DIY market

[@eDoc2020]

@@TheXlen By that same metric ATX was an anti-consumer form factor since when it was created it had no presence in the DIY market. If BTX were actually adopted by more than one company it would be a practical choice.

[@TheXlen]

@@eDoc2020 BTX exists for almost 20 years and literally only 2 mainstream companies have it adopted and both won't bother to standartise even between the two, so the only conclusion is that they are pretty much doing to be anti consumer

[@xVancha]

Maybe I've just had some bad ones, but the 24-pin power connector. I've never had one go in smoothly, they've always felt slightly too big for the slot and had to be stuffed in unsatisfyingly. I get they need to be secure, but egads, there must be a better way.

[@heyspookyboogie644]

You’re not alone. Had the same issue with 24pins and usb-3 headers

[@lethn2929]

24 Pin Connectors need to die, I don't care what the justification for keeping them is, literally everything else solidly clicks into place cleanly or goes in as you'd expect but I've had these exact problems even with good quality power supplies, there's literally hundreds of better ways.

[@yensteel]

Sometimes when the PC doesn't boot, I always suspect it's the 24 connector being improperly connected and had to pull it out and plug it back in to see if it worked. They should make all connectors 12 volts. Would make things much easier to manage with less pins.

[@siontheodorus1501]

@SuperWhisk i mean it can, if the connectors are really tight and you didn't wiggle it i think it can rip the socket off the board

[@scottdotjazzman]

@@yensteel that's already a thing - the ATX12v standard

[@kazuyam1negishi]

Little tidbit : that "Micro-DVI" port seen at the end on that Apple laptop is actually Micro-VGA. Micro-DVI actually resembled mini DP a bit more, but it was actually comprised of 2 rows of pins with a little slit on the left(?) hand side. Funny story, I went on a goose chase for a Micro-DVI adapter for my old iMac, and a Best Buy associate ended up giving me a mini DP cable.

[@gajbooks]

Sorry, incorrect, they showed Micro-DVI correctly. You're thinking of Mini-VGA, and the more square-ish version with the gap on the right instead, Mini-DVI.

[@kazuyam1negishi]

Oop :p Guess they're that rare when a guy like me gets them messed up.

[@drewdane40]

An honorable mention to DMS59. Looks like DVI to the casual observer, but it's actually used with a dual DVI adapter to split out to two monitors on low profile video cards. At least, that's the only place I've seen it used.

[@kazehana7143]

I saw this on a few early kvms as well.

[@johnjohannesjuan]

this!

[@wh1st]

I've seen it in some basic matrox adapters

[@volactic8495]

DMS59 wasn't that bad. Before HDMI or displayport became widespread, how else were you supposed to get two digital outputs on a low profile card?

[@pengowando8325]

The best connector ever? The 1/4'' headphone jack. Fat enough to never break or get bent out of shape. Connects with ANY rotational orientation. Seats with a reassuring tactile bump. Stays connected firmly unless pulled straight out. In regular use for 100+ years. Provides audiophile quality sound reproduction with good equipment. It's my one true love.

[@jq747]

Even Apple managed to screw up that one, by removing the classic 1/4" jack from its devices... because bilking Apple fanbois for $200 airpods makes much more sense than BYO earbuds.

[@HenryLoenwind]

@@jq747 You're thinking about 1/8" (3.5mm)...

[@dtgoodwin]

Except that they short pins together when being inserted or removed. However, most audio devices don’t mind it briefly.

[@pengowando8325]

@@dtgoodwin Good point

[@Doonit_hard_way_since_65]

It's actually a 1/4"PHONE jack, it was developed for telephone switchboards, and the lines of 100's of phone operators patching calls from one line to another. But agree, it is about the hardest plug there is to destroy

[@Razear]

Motherboard front panel connectors should all come with an external block that allow you to connect them externally from the case, or just revamped entirely to make them easier to install.

[@NegativeROG]

@MCSheep Your caps-lock is stuck.

[@hubertnnn]

The main problem is that different motherboard manufacturers put those in different order. And there is also Dell that makes its own versions where the power button and power/hdd LEDs use a shared wire.

[@newburypi]

@@NegativeROG

[@Ayymoss]

@MCSheep I didn't read this due to the mix of casing.

[@eh5806]

My current mobo (Gigabyte X570 AORUS Elite) came with that. Simple connector block with fairly easy to read labels that you plug your case connectors into, and then the whole thing goes onto the mobo header. I liked it.

[@devikwolf]

The absolute lack of any commonality when it comes to breakout cables for stuff like old capture cards. Huge frustration when you wind up with a card and no cable to go with it.

[@bikedoc4145]

1:39 I've suspected this strange romance for some time now, and I've even heard that Jake has his own room in Linus's new house 🤣

[@StephenMatrese]

His wife is just happy not to hear his nerd ramblings anymore

[@acemasterx2514]

I agree that molex connectors sometimes were hard to disconnect, but i have more than 20+ years messing with PCs and never saw one breaking; and in the same time i had problems with the sata power connectors going loose easy. Also, if you talk about the front panel connector, you should mention the front audio connector too.

[@HappyBeezerStudios]

If it connects, it connects. And is easy to bend into shape. But a loose or cheaply manufactured Molex can be a pain.

[@daemonbyte]

I've broken sata but never molex

[@eugenehvorostyanov2409]

This. You gotta be gentle with it - no jerking, massage it’s way in. If it doesn’t go look at pins, realign, and try again. In my heart it’s always will be above sata power connector.

[@krz8888888]

Yeah, except very cheap knockoff fans and molex splitters who would have loose moving pins within the male collector but that was more of an annoyance

[@rkirke1]

Agreed. I've been building/working with computers since the 90s and I've had way more problems with dodgy/cracked/misaligned SATA connectors than Molex. Yeah, the cheap Molex ones can be an inconvenience because of sloppy pin alignment and bad tolerances, but a cheap or damaged SATA power connector has the potential to outright snap the drive side connector off, or smoke the whole PSU/cable/drive...

[@alexanderlee5180]

Anthony is such a good host now! He's hilarious when he's in his element!

[@vangildermichael1767]

I can tell he doesn't (practice) this show before the (roll camera). It seems so fake if a message is rehearsed. His message comes through as a "real" conversation might (except this one is only "one way"). Cheerio for being "authentic".

[@JSparrowist]

🤦‍♂

[@BlooMule]

It's been great watching him getting comfortable in front of the camera so his natural humor comes out.

[@justinsbeaver9010]

Everyone loves Anthony!

[@D3nn1s]

Any reason you guys chose micro a over mini/micro hdmi? Those were the frustrating ones. Also the old serial or parallel ports that were 10cm long would come to mind.

[@edgarwalk5637]

Micro HDMI is the worst in my opinion!

[@MechaFenris]

Those weird "dual" display cables from Dell... that split into two DVI connectors for the "Regular" monitor. Those things were prone to not work randomly, were VERY heavy on the connection in the back of the PC... and thousands of office IT people cursed your name if you said "my video's out" :)

[@mattrogers6646]

AKA DMS-59

[@dualcoreontop]

they arent from dell, and that pc that you have probably has an amd graphics card in it with that port because amd used DMS-59 alot on their graphics cards. they use it for small form factor ones

[@Dreancatger]

1:23 I’ve been conditioned to expect a sponsor after this type of comment. I was so confused after this 😅

[@THE_CARBON]

Same

[@kidsafe]

We could spend hours talking about SCSI chains, DB, HD, Centronics, etc. connectors.

[@jerelull9629]

My "favorites" were SCSI and parallel printer cable, followed by the 25-pin connector, ESPECIALLY the null-modem variant, which our company had a dedicated device to sort out the pins, swap things around, and see exactly what characters, if any, were being sent down the cables. SUCH fun 16 hours into installing a new system.

[@michaeltorrisi7289]

But "scuzzy" is so much fun to say.

[@elfedorausado]

Funny thing. I've never had a micro-USB cable die because of delicate connectors. If anything, the few damaged ones I've had were because the cables would break at the point where they meet the enclosure for the connector (something that has happened to me with all kinds of cables). I still have around half a dozen lying around.

[@jBurn_]

The micro-USB charger of my galaxy SII (bought in 2012) is still going strong. I've also never had a failing micro-USB connector. Just clean the dust out of the every once in a while.

[@Carewolf]

Yeah, the official cables never broke, ever.. But if you bought a cable in a store, you were likely to get unlicensed knock-offs, that could barely last 100 connect/disconnects

[@gordonwelcher9598]

Some micro usb connectors were made with inferior metal that did not keep it's shape and made poor contact or fell out. Chinesium.

[@Flint404]

I'm happy IDE is not a thing anymore. Those ribbon cables were hell to work with.

[@lyianx]

Maybe so, but at least they were not dumb, as many others in this video. It would be if it was still used though.

[@neuideas]

IDE connectors were svelte, compared to 50-pin, 68-pin or 80-pin SCSI.

[@RedHeadForester]

Anthony is looking *fantastic* in the last few LMG videos I've seen him in. Not sure what he's doing different but whatever it is, it works! Combined with his stratospheric improvement in video presentation abilities over the past few years, have we reached peak Anthony...?

[@Nalianna]

Nope, the best is yet to come :)

[@AboveEmAllProduction]

You need a different definition of fantastic 🙄

[@Postalpacifist]

USB C 4.0 deserves a spot on this list. Not only are none of the cables or devices actually universal, but also why in the world would you spend a bunch of money putting in 40Gb/s hardware into a power cable. Having differently shaped connectors for when the cable is compatible with different uses was a *feature*

[@smallmj2886]

I knew many people who struggled with the PS/2 keyboard and mouse ports. The main problem is that they were not hot swappable. The number of calls that I got after people plugged in a replacement mouse/kb without turning off....

[@TonyHoyle]

No love for SCART? That was a monstrosity.. kept falling out and combined different standards (composite, RGB, split H/V or composite H/V) so you could plug two devices together and find they wouldn't talk at all.

[@taududeblobber221]

i've heard about scart, and altho i've never used it, i've mostly heard good things about it.

[@thoreberlin]

SCART was doing for analogue AV what USB-C is doing now in the digital realm. One Plug to rule them all. It even had the same problem, that you had to be really carefull to buy the right cable that was fully connected or you could fall back from RGB to composite for example.

[@arjanvanraaij8440]

Never had problems with scart. with Philips T.V.s anyway they were big and bulky but did the job.

[@KofolaDealer]

SCART was good but some cheap cables used to fall apart which was a massive pain in the ass

[@IsoMacintosh]

SCART was clunky sure but it gave us RGB input which is something TVs outside europe often lacked, and the issue with combatibility is similar to usb-c

[@JoFreddieRevDr]

Video Suggestion: Test various phones to see how they cope with low a carrier signal. Linus's new house would be a perfect test ground if you turn off his signal booster. Is the myth true that apple phones have more of a problem with low signal strength than android ones do?

[@IIGrayfoxII]

not really a good test as you want to test with the same radio chip and see if the design of the antenna is a problem

[@JoFreddieRevDr]

@@IIGrayfoxII I want to know how well does phone (A) perform in comparison to phone (B) when it comes to reception in poor signal areas, so the comparison between different makes, and different chips is valid.

[@ashrude1071]

low or no signal can also mean no battery. I expect this might become a thing with ltt labs where they can build a Faraday cage

[@pitecusH]

In my experience with Apple and WiFi, iPhones tend to cling on to a very weak WiFi signal WAY too hard. There's only a tiny-tiny bit of signal, through which essentially NO DATA can come through, and the phone just refuses to switch to 4G. I understand it's probably to protect you from using up your data by accident, but man is it annoying if you have a crap router. (Which I did, untill I replaced it with a proper one.)

[@IIGrayfoxII]

@@JoFreddieRevDr There are so many variables. Not all telcos use the same frequencies for communication, phones have fallback modes where if they get get 4G reception, they will fall back to 3G and even 2G if the radio chip allows it and you have 2G services. Then you have location, you will have worse reception in the CBD than in a field One version of the iPhone will have worse or better than an older model Remember how apple said you're holding the phone wrong for anntenagate

[@wojtekpolska1013]

I'd also mention IDE cables, like these very wide flat cables, usually light-grey, very annoying to work with, and try fit in the case. Tho when you see one, you almost feel nostalgic now lol After they were installed tho, man they had their charm, I believe this (+ small popularity of beige cases) are the main reason modern PC's look entirely different compared to the 90's

[@kazehana7143]

ide was not a failed cable though. They were very successful for the time

[@uss_04]

Man growing up in the 90-2000’s was a heck of a connector transition.

[@garcjr]

I'm beginning to work in industrial automation and a lot of interfaces for PLCs still use a lot of those serial connectors especially RS232. As of recently it looks like they're all finally going to some industrial ethernet standard.

[@lyianx]

In the 90's and 2000s, PC tech moved FAST. Such major changes, innovations and ideas in such a short time. Many of them dying out as fast as they appeared. It was a wild west as companies were trying anything to see what stuck and to see what they could do with PC's. I kinda miss it honestly.

[@GameTimeWhy]

I love that Anthony is really looking comfortable and seems to be having a lot of fun. I'm so glad.

[@DoctorX17]

He’s a good bean and a good host

[@jonytube]

He's such a cool guy. I love it when he hosts an episode

[@ManuelGuzman]

I'm surprised the cable that connects to the WiFi/Bluetooth module that is inside notebooks and some desktops wasn't brought up. That is the worst designed connector ever and breaks so easily that it makes me wonder why it hasn't been replaced yet.

[@andrewriley7655]

that tiny little thing that you had to push down? ugh

[@ManuelGuzman]

@@andrewriley7655 Yup. Sometimes motherboards don't come with it preinstalled. I hate having to connect the two wires to the module.

[@DarkFiber23]

Oh, Ipex4 connectors. I get why they're tiny, but man, I wish manufacturers used the slightly larger u.fl connectors isstead.

[@kz03jd]

Yeah I broke both of mine on my wifi card on my laptop a few years ago when upgrading the card itself. Only found out once I'd put it back together and couldn't figure out why my wifi connection was suddenly shit. Had to tear the entire laptop and screen apart to replace the antenna wires. Told myself that the advantage in upgrading the card wasn't worth the hassle of replacing the antennas again.

[@filiphabek271]

Cables that connect laptop components are atrociously hard to connect properly. I have horror memories of laptop hdd sata cable. WiFi ones are so small, I assume they're even worse.

[@ericbosken3114]

Anthony was the best. I miss his videos!

[@josejuanandrade4439]

Yeah... pretty sad we may never see him in the videos again... well we definitely won be seeing HIM.... maybe he will appear one day as his new persona.. Emily i think?

[@LaughingOrange]

@@josejuanandrade4439 Emily has been in one or two videos, but it's been a while since I've seen her.

[@Ryan-sk9ij]

Type shit

[@subbookkeeper]

USB 3.0 mainboard connector. I hate it with passion. It makes cable management so difficult. Usually placed in the most inconvenient spot and the thick cable is so hard to hide and falls out easily.

[@szr8]

About Micro-DVI as an HDMI port. IIRC, HDMI is based on DVI, and so that port could just be documented as being HDMI without audio (which a lot of early graphics cards with HDMI ports also lacked.) You should be able to connect that to an HDMI display.

[@biggie_tea]

0:27 nice reference to ethernet over BNC. BNCs are honestly some of my favorite connectors

[@Desincarnage]

As a former radio engineering student I wholesomely agree

[@rkirke1]

I'd love to see a follow up video on the best connectors ever. For me BNC and N type RF connectors would definitely be on the list, along with XLR (canon) and Speakon connectors for audio applications. My top pick would still have to be venerable D-sub connector though - it was used on stuff from the Apollo era space programs and is still used today in military and industrial applications.

[@devil8975]

Molex are hard to come apart because early PC manufacturers did not expect us to actually be changing components. Put together at build, and plugged in until the PC died. I still respect the little plug though.

[@YSPACElabs]

The most frustrating thing about micro USB is that it's used on so many devices, and I have so many cables, but finding good, high quality ones that can also transfer data is really hard.

[@arachnenet2244]

Man, I only get Anker cables nowadays. Frankly, I've always liked Micro B and these cables are the best I've ever had!

[@aflury]

SCSI cables were the best. There were like 8 different types, any of which could be used to dredge a lake.

[@vangildermichael1767]

You mean SCSI cables as compared to those (flat parallel cables)? If that is what you are saying then, yup. I guess you would have actually had to build a computer to understand that point. But, I think everybody has built a computer today. Even my mom has built a computer. uh o. I mean, Everybody who is over 30 years, has been inside a computer. My nephew and his friends have never built a computer. And they don't have any plans on ever going there. Younger chaps, are the (off the shelf) type of people.

[@sephrosemary]

@@vangildermichael1767 I tend to disagree, I built my first PC at either 11 or 12, cant remeber exactly, and I have plenty of friends who did the same

[@vangildermichael1767]

@@sephrosemary sorry about that, I just read my remark and it sounds like I'm referring to (you, personally) when I said the ( I guess you would have actually had to build ). nay, nay. I should have use "a person" as my (direct object). Like "I guess (a person) would have actually had to build. It was ment to be a general statement. For any reader. Sorry about that.

[@brodriguez11000]

True, but compared to the alternative once set up it worked well.

[@robertneill3057]

SCSI only really found a niche in professional computing such as in server centres. Had 3 main interface versions and had to have termination load resistors activated at the end of the cable or on the last connected device.

[@doomsayerxero]

Here's another one, COAX. The middle wire always bends, the screw never wants to start. It is always too tight or too loose and kills your fingers trying to tighten.

[@Karhald]

and the cross-threading!!! Oh god, the cross-threading!

[@max2082]

When I was a kid I use to bend and mess up the coax cable when switching between the cable box and the VCR. SOOO annoying. HDMI was like a godsend. My friend still has piles of the cables. It was cheap and worked for the most part. But had to be replaced every time we moved and then some.

[@barongerhardt]

As much as I agree with the type F connector hate, when it comes to connectors for making in the field custom length cabling, they are by far the easiest to deal with. RCA, BNC, RJ45 all super annoying and there is no chance for HDMI and many others.

[@doodlecaboodle9298]

@@Karhald here's a tip. Spin it counterclockwise until you feel a click, then start turning clockwise.

[@Karhald]

@@doodlecaboodle9298 Well hell... that's so simple it's brilliant. I have two coax-type (similar connectors, but not exactly) cables connecting my wifi-antenna to my motherboard, I'll try that out. Cheers for the tip!

[@idkthatsaname]

i remember how many times i've gotten bluetooth speakers and such to repair their broken microusb but 90% of the time the microusb connector used to remove a whole pcb layer

[@AlexSchendel]

I remember the hell that was dealing with the front-panel headers in a poorly designed 17 liter SFF case... Had to remove some components to get the headers on and even then I had to use tweezers to move the connectors onto the headers. Why can't case manufacturers and motherboard manufacturers just get together and make something better than this?!

[@sirjarko8762]

Honestly. Its so annoying to because all the pins look the same and most high end mobos are both different and not even labeled. I got into the PC space in 2017 and every single motherboard I have had has been different, From dell to Asrock to MSI to intel to Asus old and new. Very little in the way of consistency.

[@lezlienewlands1337]

Not to mention, the variance on the location and orientation I saw in the micro USB age for smartphones was frustrating. Yes, I even came across one or two devices that used what most would call an "upside down" connection, with the clips up.

[@andycapybara]

Strange - I always thought of clips up as the right way around

[@maxhand1562]

I've always hated DMS-59 even though I've never really had a problem with them. I just never have the y adapter I need.

[@lyianx]

Ooooh man. We had those on our Dells at work for YEARS. We always had adapters though because we got so many machines in we always had extras. They did add to cable clutter though on the PC.

[@killerdeamonking]

Lol those DMS-59 connectors were mostly only used in enterprise applications xd, Though the DVI-D connections did replace the DMS-59 connector even though its the same connector with a different pin layout and less pins. I still use DVI-D to this day either dvi to hdmi or hdmi to dvi depends on their uses.

[@HappyBeezerStudios]

The biggest benefit to DMS-59 was probably that it could run 2 monitors on one plug. And since there is dual link DVI, I'm wondering if there are splitters.

[@letstrytouserealscienceoka3564]

The motherboard connector for 2 USB3 ports is an abomination. It is typically used to connect to a massive cable that goes to the front panel of the case and has no retention. On vertically mounted motherboards the cable can't help but sag, often disconnecting one or both ports and bending some of the motherboard pins, preventing reinsertion. Those pins can only be straightened a few times before they break off.

[@letsplaywithhaismd0359]

Easily RS-485. Maybe because it doesn't have any standart connector or pinout or anything. So, blow up your device is easier then never, because it could be completely different on both ends. Great work, engineers. We love you

[@DJdoppIer]

Yeah, the whole "RS" series connector family is a mess. RS-232, RS-422, RS-485, etc. God forbid if a device has one of them and it isn't labeled. Nothing like playing electrical Russian roulette!

[@letsplaywithhaismd0359]

@@DJdoppIer Yes, definitely

[@yoshi-cs6ib]

I feel like I am the only person who genuinely liked Micro USB and never had any issues with it.

[@MGL83]

It's reputation was ruined by micro usb 3.0

[@taududeblobber221]

i like micro usb too. and mini usb. i absolutely hate usb-c, and i stick to devices that don't use it.

[@taududeblobber221]

@@MGL83 to me that's a portable hard drive cable, that's the only place i see it used.

[@yoshi-cs6ib]

@@taududeblobber221 what's the problem with C

[@taududeblobber221]

@@yoshi-cs6ib 1. it supports too many standards for it's own good. displays were never meant to be connected with usb. 2. it's a bad connector design. it looks like something apple would make. (bonus point: there are many non-compliant cables, while with mini-usb and micro-usb you can get cheap cables) 3. there already is mini-usb and micro-usb. we don't need a replacement, usb 2.0 speeds are good enough unless you are dealing with high-resolution video.

[@Baoran]

I like molex myself. it has its advangages. For example best connector for testing it voltages in power supply are correct with multimeter.

[@YCbCr]

Loved it for its simplicity, just jamming in some fans' cables and there ya go :)

[@stefanl5183]

The people here hating on the molex connectors either had bad experiences with cheaply and poorly constructed ones, or are just idiots who don't know what they are doing. If you'll notice some of them complain about it being possible to connect it backwards. That's not true if you pay any attention to the wiring, pinout, and orientation of the connector, So, clearly those are morons who think you should grab and plug any connector together without paying any attention to what you are doing. KZbin channels like this have made a lot of people who really don't have the knowledge and skill set necessary to assemble and work on PCs think that they do, just because they watched a few videos.

[@fat_pigeon]

@@stefanl5183 The whole point of having standardized, keyed connectors is that you *don't* have to pay attention to orientation; it's only possible to connect it the right way. It protects against frying if you make a single mistake. The Molex connector was a failed attempt to do that.

[@stefanl5183]

@@fat_pigeon Uh, No! As I said the molex power connectors are internal connections inside a PC and they date all the way back to the original IBM PC. IBM never intended for those who didn't have a clue to be messing with them. Back then, if you opened a PC case and changed or installed new hardware, it was expected you'd have reasonable knowledge to know the connectors needed to go the right way. That's even demonstrated by the fact the wires are color coded (yellow = +12v, red = +5v, black Gnd). So, even if you paid no attention to the connector itself, the wires should tell you the proper orientation. And the connector itself, is keyed. But if you're stupid enough and you force it, yeah, it can be inserted the wrong way. It's not designed idiot proof because IBM didn't want idiots poking around inside their PCs. External connectors are another story and I understand why they are sometimes designed to be idiot proof, but if you're gonna open up the chassis and start playing around with the internal hardware, you should at least do a little research beforehand and learn the proper orientation of the connectors. If you don't and you blow something up, that's on you for being a dummy!

[@SamCallan]

controversial but as someone who works at a tech retailer in the airport, USB-C is both a blessing and a nightmare. Its great because most devices now are usb c so in most instances its just that 1 cable we need to stock. However not all USB-C ports are equal and neither are the cables so trying to explain that to people can get pretty tedious

[@beauthestdane]

Honestly, never had a micro USB connector wear out, plenty of USB-C and firewire and thunderbolt ones have worn out though.

[@NemoConsequentae]

I don't know about 'wear out', but I have had several 'mysteriously stop working for no readily apparent reason', or had devices that would not work with some, but work with others. (Not their own custom ones, as was common in mini-USB days, just don't like a particular cable that is fine for everything else.)

[@beauthestdane]

@@NemoConsequentae OK, yes, no apparent wear on them, but definitely stopped working.

[@yjk_music]

3:21 I've almost never seen MicroUSB female connector failures in my entire life. Most failures were just cable failure. The only MicroUSB connector that failed was Galaxy S3, and S3's MicroUSB port issue seems like it was already known issue.

[@thepgo666]

I've seen countless tablets with broken female connectors. The plastic tab inside was prone to breaking. Also the metal shielding was usually flimsy and bent out with time which made the connection looser and looser.

[@FraggerFilms]

Funny you mention that. My Galaxy S3 was the only phone I’ve owned where the port broke. Didn’t know it was a common issue.

[@Skrenja]

BS. The metal “ring” around the female port in Micro USB devices was prone to cracking and often did.

[@superguy7044]

I remember when Anthony first blessed our screens. His superior technical knowledge drew us in. His charisma made us stay. We love you Anthony, you beautiful bastard

[@kc8ufv]

If that picture with the 4 pin mini din connector was an actual picture of the connection on that monitor, that wasn't S-video, instead it was ADB, which was their standard for keyboards and mice before they switched to USB. The connectors looked the same, and, if your curly keyboard cable got damaged, you could swap in a SVideo cable in it's place.

[@rperm]

1:24 i was expecting him to cut to a sponsor when he said "you know what hasn't been lost though"

[@barongerhardt]

I think my least favorite port is optical SPDIF. Like Ikea furniture, it works fine once. Just never try to move it, nor put any side loading. If you do, don't expect the thin plastic connector to survive.

[@joelcarson4602]

This gets my vote too. I haven't tried any devices that use the connector that resembles a 3.5mm like plug and socket, but it would almost have to be superior to the crappy little door that covered the opening when not in use and also comprised the cable retention mechanism that would self destruct at first usage. And this is from someone who hand built custom parallel printer and serial cables in the 1980s.

[@laddtryck]

I use it for my external amp and the only good thing to say is that im not getting any interferance. Its trash in all other aspects.

[@Lydia13778]

I need more of this. This was a really great video and I want a sequel

[@Diviance]

That the front panel connectors for computers have essentially gone unchanged for decades is a travesty. They are possibly the worst part about putting together a build in a new case or with a new motherboard or both.

[@JLALALALA]

I agree. I’m pretty new to building my own computers but am old enough to have started out with the Mac SE/30 and DOS systems (I guess I did build my own computer way back in the early 90’s but forgot about that until now). I was gobsmacked when I realized that even though every motherboard manufacturer has pretty much standardized on their motherboard ports and essentials, they are still forcing us to connect tiny little front panel connectors, fan headers, RGB, in fact everything that requires a connector and cable. Why haven’t they simply put these all in one hub?

[@Dhalin]

Really all you need is the motherboard manual, either in paper or PDF (tho you needanother device running for the latter). Read the diagram (which will certainly be easier than reading the markings on the board itself) for the pinout and just count the # of pins. All you REALLY need is the PWR-ON, everything else is optional. Most PCs are tucked under the desk or in some out of the way place, so HDD lights are not useful. The Reset Switch is 99% a liability for accidentally bumping it and having windows shut down on you spontaneously. Nobody uses a PCspeaker anymore unless you need a debug tool if your mobo won't POST (I don't even hook one up and the last several cases I bought, lacked that particular part anyhow) and lots of mobos have a 2 digit LED that helps with POST diagnosis which does a way better job than the beeps of the speaker. The Power On light, well. 99% of mobos and cases have LED lights, if you can't tell if your PC is powered on, then I doubt PC building is something you can handle anyhow.

[@GuilhermeGuidugli]

@@Dhalin but you see, you wouldn't need to justify any of that if they had just simplified and standardized the design.

[@Dhalin]

@@GuilhermeGuidugli The lack of importance on those particular parts is precisely why they don't standardize it. They know most people don't even care about the LEDs or the Reset Switch, and not all cases even have those. I've seen cases with no speaker, cases that don't have a reset switch and even sometimes, cases that don't have an HDD LED at all. Doesn't make much sense, when all you need to know is which two pins are for the PWR-ON switch.

[@DanknDerpyGamer]

@@Dhalin But there is still the physical aspect of plugging in the pins (doesn't help if you have fat fingers. ~_~)

[@alexander1989x]

Surprised nobody mentioned IEEE 1394. I notice a pattern here of Apple releasing useless ports ever so often.

[@MetaDrow]

I've seen 1 or 2 USB micro-b connectors fail due to someone's incompetence, while a lot (at least once a day at work) of apple lightning cables destroyed and replaced

[@denizylmaz8131]

They didn't talk about apple lightning ports because apple lightning ports are still in use. I think everyone agrees that apple lightning ports are trash.

[@andrewnikolaev9784]

@@denizylmaz8131 well, front panel connectors are in use as well, but they still mentioned 'em

[@denizylmaz8131]

@@andrewnikolaev9784 oh I forgot about those. I guess they didnt want the apple fans storming to the comments :/

[@denizylmaz8131]

@Brylan Before I get into my point about lightning cables, I agree that USB-C is trash. I dont think any good connectors for phones exist right now. On to the points, 1. Apple advertises the ProRes recording features of their phones while transfering those videos to a computer (for professional editing) takes too much time to be considered acceptable. 2. Lightning is exclusive to Apple phones and becomes e-waste if you change phone brands. I think standardization of phone connectors is required to decrease e-waste and increase compability (would be better if they didnt use USB-C for the standard though, we need a new connector)

[@user2C47]

@Brylan USBC can certainly be cleaned. You just need to use a small enough tool. I use a discarded tattoo needle that is bent at the end.

[@epobirs]

A solution I've wanted to see for front case LEDs and buttons was to have it all be a single USB 2.0 device that plugs into one of the secondary headers that so often go unused.

[@brodriguez11000]

I think one of the big name motherboards came up with a solution to this problem.

[@marcokrueger3399]

But why do you want it to be a USB device, that doesn't make any sense at all

[@epobirs]

@@marcokrueger3399 It makes perfect sense. USB support already exists in the UEFI. Adding support for this very basic device would be a minor addition to the typical UEFI. Thus it is easily integrated and allows for extended features.

[@shaunclarke94]

@@epobirs can't agree with that sorry. There's no reason for them to be USB. They are a low-level interface.

[@SRC267]

I really need to upgrade from DVI-D

[@EnderSpy29]

same

[@Mintium]

way better than what i have rn (dp)

[@WilliamHollinger2019]

@@Mintium dvi-d sucks unchangeable compare to dvi-i

[@zappy7393]

I finally did yesterday! From a GTX970 to a RTX3080ti!

[@frf5000]

Mann i literally have a DVI-I to VGA adapter cuz i refuse to spend money on an actual monitor. My monitor does have hdmi but its broken for some reason

[@DJdoppIer]

How about the cursed "DMS-59" connector on some of the older Nvidia and ATI cards? Most of them were big and heavy adapters with a pair of either VGA or DVI connections on the other end (or sometimes one of each, WTF?). If you didn't insert it just right you could easily bend several of those stupidly fragile pins. Additionally, I think the mini HDMI ports on some of the Nvidia GT and GTX 600 / 700 cards deserves and honorable mention. That port was so close to the edge of the brackets that usually you couldn't even use it once it was in a computer case. They were also very easy to damage.

[@lawrencedoliveiro9104]

4:09 Or you could use Blender, like most makers do, for the price of $0 per year. Why keep paying for the rest of your life just for access to your own work?

[@kenlequack3202]

He seems like such a genuinely nice person to be around

[@emadkani9334]

The moment he said : You know what hasn't been lost though... .I thought he was going to tell us about a sponsor .

[@limburgercheese1234]

I once busted a display port socket. Who knew there was a button to press, on the cable, that only moves a couple of nanometers. Also once tore a socket completely off a circuit board that controls christmas lights. The culprit was the cat5 cable with a boot.

[@JamieStuff]

"Molex connector" generically refers to any of that style of connector. The ATX power connector is a Molex-type connector, as are the PCIe and graphics card connectors.

[@fat_pigeon]

Don't believe the Wikipedia article, which currently sucks. It tries to be pedantic but isn't even internally consistent with terminology. In actual usage, "the Molex connector" refers only to the classic 4-pin power connector used for PATA and various others. The ATX motherboard power connectors, PCIe supplementary power connectors, and EPS connectors are all based on Molex Mini-fit Jr., which is a different style of connector from the classic "Molex" connector. I haven't heard anyone use "Molex connector" to refer to Mini-fit Jr. connectors.