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tzs 7 months ago

Heavy camera and mic users might want to be careful with the unplug when not in use approach, in case either the camera/mic and/or the computer/hub the camera/mic connects to has a connector that is only good for the minimum number of mating cycles required by the USB spec.

For type A connectors that is only 1500 cycles. Mini USB connectors raise that 5000 cycles. Micro USB and USB-C raise it to 10000.

For a type A just plugging and unplugging twice a day every workday would reach 1500 cycles in a little over 3 years.

What I do now for things that I'm going to plug/unplug a lot where the thing is expensive enough that I don't want to risk the connector wearing out before I'm ready to replace the thing is use a short extension cable or an inexpensive hub. The extension cable or hub can be relatively permanently connected and the thing that is frequently plugged/unplugged connects to that.

anticensor 7 months ago | parent | next [-]

For everything except Micro-B, an average connector lasts far more than those minimum rates (not possible in Micro-B, as Micro-B has the socket as the wear item rather than the plug).

ycombinatrix 7 months ago | parent | prev [-]

I have a hub with a power switch & indicator LED for each port. No unplugging needed.