I was reading up on Type-C cables today and found this cool article.

Saving the World From Crummy - and Even Dangerous USB Cables

It's a nice piece with a great recap of the issues plaguing USB cables today.  Benson Leung and Nathan Kollaru, two of the leading consumer advocates in the Type-C ecosystem are featured prominently in the article, and they happen to be users of our own Advanced Cable Tester.

1) Certifications cover design quality, and ensuring cables comply with minimum design standards is essential because cables that are not designed with those specifications in mind are often be non-functional, or even hazardous.  It's not easy to get certified; however, but then again, few people are qualified to design quality USB cables - After all, Type-C cables can carry up to 100 watts of power and 10 GBs of data simultaneously.

Design certification means a few samples of the cable were produced, and those samples passed rigorous tests which prove the design is sound.  But that doesn't mean the "certified cable" you buy at your local store is a good one. That's because variations in manufacturing quality can cause issues that can make even the best designs to fail.

2) The only way to to prevent bad cables from reaching consumers is good, old-fashioned quality control.  Nothing can beat 100% inspection of all cables coming off the assembly line.

That's where we come in - With our Advanced Cable Tester, you can test every cable produced in just seconds, for only pennies per cable.  We don't replace design certification, we help take your inspection to the next level.  It's an elegant solution for your incoming and outgoing quality control needs.

Whether you need to protect your brand, improve your bottom line, satisfy your customers, or just feel confident the cable you use is properly qualified, call (+1.408.850.6501) or email (sales@totalphase.com)  to discuss your specific situation.