In the opening keynote, Jeff Ravencraft, President of the USB-IF, spoke and estimated that by 2019, over 2 billion devices – that is 40% of the USB market – will support USB Type-C.

Total Phase entered the Type-C market late 2015 with the USB Power Delivery Analyzer and we are continuing to focus on this new and exciting technology. Q4 of 2016, we are releasing the Advanced Cable Tester.

Figure 1: USB Power Delivery Analyzer	Figure 2: Advanced Cable Tester

The Advanced Cable Tester tests USB Type-C cables for Continuity, DCR/IR Drop, E-Marker, and Signal Integrity. With USB Type-C cables supporting up to 100 watts of power and talk of increasing support up to 140 watts of power, it is important to consider safety and performance. Our Advanced Cable Tester will help you to rest assured that your cables are working well.

We shared an early version of the Advanced Cable Tester with our customers at the USB-IF Developer Days event in Houston, TX late last month. It was great to meet face-to-face with customers and like-minded USB developers. The excitement around the Advanced Cable Tester was astounding.

Several customers who visited our booth pulled out USB Type-C cables from their backpacks to test. Within seconds the Advanced Cable Tester completed its test and displayed results, indicating cable capabilities and pass/fail results.

After the conference wrapped up, our team headed to Austin, TX to meet with more customers. The enthusiasm surrounding USB Type-C and the Advanced Cable Tester continued throughout our on-site customer meetings.

We met with several customers who brought their own cables to test with the Advanced Cable Tester. It was interesting to see the range of results that came from the various cables. Some customers also expressed interest in testing different USB cables types. As luck would have it, Total Phase is going to offer adapter cards  for the Advanced Cable Tester. The release of the USB 3.1 Standard-A and USB 3.1 Micro-B adapters is scheduled before the end of the year. And there will be support for more cable types after that.

It was my first time attending a USB-IF Developer Days event and my first time visiting Texas. It was insightful, fun, and I can’t wait to go back. It feels good to be at the forefront of new technology!

Have any questions about our products?  Contact us at sales@totalphase.com, or if you already own one of our devices and have a technical question, please submit a request for technical support.