USB Cable Tester Board USB Cable Checker Data Wire with Acrylic Case Charging Test Data Line Type-C Micro Type A Type B

I use this tester to check USB A, USB C, and micro USB cables to see if they still work and what quality my USB C cables are. It’s been especially helpful before packing for trips so I know I’m bringing only working cables. I also use USB C cables for video, and this makes it easy to figure out which ones support video or higher data speeds.There is a bit of a learning curve at first, but it’s fairly simple once you get the hang of it. I’d recommend watching a few YouTube videos to understand all the readings if you’re new to this kind of tool. It also helps to create a cheat sheet of the abbreviations and what they mean so you can quickly see which cables can handle fast charging or video output.Highly recommend for anyone who wants to keep their cables organized and know exactly what they’re working with.

Important Warning: DO NOT use this tester to connect to live devices. Doing so could potentially damage both your devices and the tester itself. It is designed solely for testing cables as intended.---------------------------★ Section 1 - The Review ★• This is by far the best design I've encountered for a cheap USB cable tester. It features a straightforward circuit powered by a CR2032 battery or via a Vin pin (cable not included). Each pin of the cable connects to a corresponding light that illuminates when a cable completes the circuit. I really appreciate the broad range of compatible ports, including USB Type-A 2.0 and 3.0, Thunderbolt 3/USB Type-C 3.0 on both sides, Lightning, Micro-B 2.0 and 3.0, and Mini-B 2.0. These standards are fully backward compatible, and the inclusion of both versions ensures that this tester is 100% reliable.• The board has two sides: "Side A" and "Side B," accommodating the reversible nature of Type-C cables. For other types such as Lightning, Micro-B, Mini-B, typically only one side will light up. Generally, you should focus on the side with the most lights illuminated; the other side can usually be disregarded, except for Lightning cables.• One area for improvement.. It would be the documentation of expected pinouts and explanations of the different common combinations. However, this can easily be resolved with a quick Google search. I’ll share my understanding and research below.---------------------------★ Section 2 - Here’s a breakdown of what each of those pins means ★GND (Ground): This is the reference point for electrical signals in the circuit. It serves as the common return path for electric current.• TX+/- (Transmit): These pins are used for data transmission. "TX+" is the positive data line, and "TX-" is the negative data line. They work together to send data signals.• RX+/- (Receive): Similar to TX, these pins are used for receiving data. "RX+" is the positive line for incoming data, and "RX-" is the negative line. They allow the device to receive signals from another device.• VBUS: This pin carries the main power supply voltage. It typically provides +5V to power devices or charge them.• D+ and D-: These are the data lines used in USB connections. "D+" is the positive data line, and "D-" is the negative data line. They enable data transfer between devices.• CC1 and CC2 (Configuration Channel): These pins are used in USB Type-C connections to determine the orientation of the connector and negotiate power delivery. They help devices communicate their capabilities to each other.• SBU1 and SBU2 (Sideband Use): These pins can be used for additional features, such as audio or alternate modes, depending on the type of device connected. They provide extra functionality in certain situations.• ID (Identification): This pin is used to determine the type of device connected. In certain configurations, it helps differentiate between host and peripheral roles. For example, in some USB OTG (On-The-Go) setups, the ID pin can signal whether the device should act as a host or a peripheral.• Shield: This pin is used for grounding the shield of the cable, which helps reduce electromagnetic interference (EMI). It helps protect and improve the signal integrity by grounding any external noise that may affect data transmission.---------------------------★ Section 3 - A valuable diagnostic tool for several reasons ★• Signal Integrity Testing: It helps verify the quality of data transmission through the USB cable, ensuring that signals are not degraded. This is crucial for high-speed data transfer applications.• Pin Configuration Verification: The board can confirm that all the necessary pins in the USB cable are properly connected and functioning. This is important for ensuring compatibility with devices.• Identifying Faults and Damage: By testing various cables, you can quickly identify any faulty ones. This is helpful if you suspect that a cable is defective or if a company is providing subpar products.• Compatibility Checks: It can help determine if a cable is compatible with specific devices, preventing the use of cables that might cause performance issues or failures.• Preventing Scams: If you're considering purchasing cables from a vendor, using the test board can help you confirm that the cables meet advertised specifications. Then you would know to return the product for a full refund, and purchase a different cable from another vendor. This can protect you from scams where companies sell low-quality or counterfeit products.• The Frustration Caused by USB Cables: Want to organize or discard cables, but don't know which ones are functional? You can use the USB Cable Tester Board to easily help you identify the right cables to keep.

If you want a self-contained USB tester to figure out if your cables support USB 3.0 or USB 2.0 data transfer, then this is the tester for you. Otherwise, it doesn't quite give you enough information to know anything beyond whether your cable supports "power" or it happens to use specific data or communications (e.g., power negotiation) lanes.If you need to know whether the cable supports Power Delivery (any version), how much voltage/current it can handle, or whether it supports data transfer rates above 3.0 (such as 3.1 or 3.2), or whether it supports the most recent USB 4 standards for anything, then you aren't going to get that information from this tester.So this is really only useful for older cables. If you want to test USB-C to USB-C, or USB-C to Lightning cables, then you aren't going to get the granularity you need. Data transfer rates between the 3.0, 3.1, and 3.2 standards are massive. Similarly, knowing that a cable supports "power" is meaningless because there are cables out there which can barely charge a new phone in 5 hours while there are others which support Power Delivery up to 240 watts, which can charge the same phone in 15 minutes while also powering a laptop. And this doesn't even get into the more esoteric lanes like the communications channel or SBU (for video, audio, etc.).Otherwise, if you have a bunch of USB-A to USB-C cables lying around, then this is probably helpful in terms of knowing which ones support data, and at what rates. You'll also find out whether the "power" lane is being used but that doesn't tell you much because you aren't actually getting multimeter data (not to mention the battery doesn't have enough juice to test anything significant anyway). So at best you know that the lane is being used and the circuit closes properly, but that's probably even less useful than just plugging in the cable and seeing if it charges your phone (and at what rate).