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

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.

Looks like many of the negative reviews are old. This came right up and worked for me. So here goes: 1- Not easy but not hard either to peel off the protective backing from both sides of the clear top. 2-Assembly took fewer than 5 minutes. Might take you 10 if you're ham-handed. 3-Battery: easy enough to remove the battery with a pocket knife point on the left side (towards the USB A connectors), remove the insulating strip and snap the battery back in. Pry out from top-center-left. Should be simple to do the same when changing the battery. 4- Slide the power switch towards center to turn on. No lights at all until you connect a cable that's at least partially good. Mine worked right away. 5- Tests the shield too. 6- If you're buying this for continuity testing, you're home free. 7- Should perhaps have included a female pigtail for power supply but CR2032s are so cheap, why bother with an external supply anyway? Battery should last a good long while. Great price, does the job, identifies open and intermittent conductors (haven't found a shorted cable yet but it probably shows you those too). I've already tossed out a couple of bad cables and have a good idea of which are good. Can't ask more for under 20 bucks.

Pros: Make no mistake, this is a well-made, inexpensive, and useful gizmo for checking USB cables since manufacturers don't seem to be willing to clearly identify how much of the USB spec a given cable covers in its wiring (i.e., is it charge only, data and charge, for video and audio, etc). I actually endorse the plexiglass cover you get for an extra $2. It's easy to put on or leave off, with threaded stand-offs that lift the circuit board's bottom off of a table surface. The components are surface mounted except for the USB connectors, so there's little to be gained by adding more to the case (although you could, since the underside stand-offs are threaded for a screw insert to allow mounting an underside cover should you wish to do so (I wouldn't bother) I should note that the plexiglass is protected by a brown paper contact sheet you peel off to get the beautiful clear plexiglass you expect. Amusingly a small bladed screwdriver is included that doesn't fit the Phillips head nylon mounting screws. Cons: The instruction manual is minimal, failing to explain how to interpret the results for a typical cable or even how to hook it up (while for me it's pretty obvious, it might not be so for others). It's also an annoyance that the box isn't big enough to hold the gizmo with the plexiglass cover installed. My real quibble is the use of a JST PH2 power supply connector should you want to bypass the battery (or if it is dead). There is (unexplained) a switch to channel power from the battery or from the power supply input (Vin). A JST PH2 plug is a type not found in most if any plug adapter kit; i.e., you would have to acquire a plug and wire it up to a power supply since it's unlikely you already have that kind of plug on hand. At least Vin is not voltage specific (3V < Vin <12V) so you could just use one of those old 5V cell phone chargers you have lying around to convert to a JST PH2 plug (doing whatever is necessary to identify +/-). I really like the thing for weeding out bad cables and separating by type (which I diligently label using an old label maker I have on hand). The cons are annoyances rather than deal breakers. I recommend the gizmo.

Easy to use--put a battery in, plug in a cable and go. It does take a little getting used to reading the status LEDs. The manual is bare-bones but provides the essential info. A simple but effective continuity checker to sort my drawer full of USB cables. I was surprised at how many of my old cables were charging only (no data connections). AFAIK, this tester does not read e-marker chip (required on hi-power charging/very hi-speed data, e.g. thunderbolt, USB 3 gen 2), but it does everything else I need. Thank you treedix for this simple and effective tool at an affordable price. I would definitely buy again.

Great for sorting through my pile of USB cables. - Throw out ones with flaky or broken connections, - Mark ones that are "power only," - Mark C-C and A-C cables that are USB 2 only internally - Mark C-C and A-C cables that are USB 3 with only four wires/two differential pairs (5-10 Gbps) - Mark C-C and A-C cables that are USB 3 with all eight wires/four differential pairs (10-20 Gbps, or USB 3 + alt mode) My only complaint is that sometimes very short cables cannot make it all the way across the board. However, I've mitigated this with USB C-C cables and couplers that I separately tested and verified with this tool as having all their wires connected through to extend the length of the short cables I need to test. In practice, this has only been an issue with very short C-C and very short A-C cables; the mini and micro B ports are positioned such that even very short cables are able to easily reach those plugs. There is some slightly more advanced testing that can be done if you use a multimeter in resistance or continuity mode, along with this tester -- the tester has pads for cable shield, cable ground, and the CC1 and CC2 lines and grounds, located conveniently together to test with probes if a cable is wired with shorts or resistors between those paths. Slightly less convenient, but still very nice to have, are probe pads for each of the individual lines for both sides of the connector: this allows (e.g.) probing explicitly on those "data only" leads to see if they're being naughty and shorting D+/D- together, or have resistors between VBUS -> D+ -> GND and VBUS -> D- -> GND to falsely signal to the device that the USB port the cable is plugged into has a capability that it does not.

EDIT: THE "LEFT CONNECTORS ARE **INPUT** = INPUT TO INPUT WILL NOT WORK.. This unit is basically a continuity tester and it does provide a quick test to determine if a USB cable is capable of passing data, and/or power. It will also display if a cable is shielded or not. With the protective paper being a bit hard to remove, IT DOES COME OFF.... For short testing sessions, the onboard battery works very well and with battery only operation, it is not necessary to use the power switch at all as the battery is connected/drains ONLY when a cable is plugged in/tested. Overall it performs the job it was designed for without spending a lot of cash....

A reputable company! The original order showed up with a manufacturing defect in the battery holder. The unit functioned properly with USB power. After confirming the problem (2 emails) I was quickly shipped a replacement, didn't even ask me to return the defective unit! The little gadget does exactly what it claims and checks out if cables are wired correctly. I tried it on several cables and found a few duds. The documentation is minimal but gives you the information you need it your read carefully. Watch out cable suppliers I won't be accepting any improperly wired cables in the future. I can't stress enough how pleased I am with the device and the service provide by this company! Note: there is some assembly required. You have to screw in the plastic feet & cover standoffs. You also need to peel off the paper covering on the plexiglass cover. Not to difficult, but for us oldies a little challenging with the small parts.

This is probably the nicest design I've seen for these USB Cable Testers. It is a simple circuit with a CR2032 battery to energize the lines. Each pin is connected to a corresponding light, and when the circuit is completed with a cable, the light turns on. Its couldn't be a simpler design, and I love it for that! I like that you have the option to plug in just about every cable combination you could think of. It has MicroUSB, Type B, MiniUSB, Lightning, Type C, and Type A. There are some oddities, like the inclusion of both a 3.0 MicroUSB and 2.0 MicroUSB, as well as 3.0 and 2.0 Type A. These standards are fully backwards compatible, so it is confusing to me why both would be present, but it doesn't hurt anything so whatever. It does come with the ability to be wired into a power source, but it does not include cables for doing this. It came in a plain white box and a simple printout with basic operation instructions. No anti-static bag or anything, but given how simple this circuit is, it probably doesn't matter. One of the most important warnings is **DO NOT** try to use this to connect to actual devices. Best case scenario, nothing happens. Worse case scenario, it fries your stuff or itself. Use this with cables only like it is intended to be used and it will work perfectly. One thing I wish they did a bit better was showing what expected pinouts are and what the different common combinations mean, but this is easy enough to solve with a quick Google search. I'll try to offer my understanding below. Please take it all with a grain of salt, as I'm still learning myself. There are two sides on this board, "Side A" and "Side B." This is necessary because of the reversible nature of type C cables. However, with other types of cables, it is normal for only 1 side to light up. Typically (with the exception of lightning cables) you just want to look at the side with the most lights on, and you can pretty much safely ignore the other side. GND = Ground TX and RX Pairs: These pairs are what allow for USB 3 transfer speeds. One pair would allow for 5 or 10Gbps speeds depending on the encoding, and 2 pairs would allow for 10 or 20Gbps depending on the encoding. These lines are also often necessary for alt-modes, such as DisplayPort alt mode. VBUS: Voltage Bus, provides power. CC2 and CC1: These are essentially communication lines that allow the two devices plugged in at either end of the cable to communicate with each other. This line is absolutely required for PD charging. D+ and D-: Basic USB 2.0 Data lines. It is normal for these pairs to only be lit up on the B side or the A side, even with full-featured USB-C cables, as this is essentially legacy support, and additional lines are not required. SBU2 and SBU1: These lines are required for "alternate mode." This is most typically used for DisplayPort video signal, but can also sometimes be used for Thunderbolt. However, just because this lights up, it doesn't mean that Thunderbolt will necessarily work (read more about that later in the review.) ID: Used for Micro USB OTG. Normally this doesn't light up as Type A doesn't carry it. Shield: Indicates the cable is shielded. Note that this cable tester can only test electrical conductivity, and it cannot test for functionality that is not a direct result of wiring. This means things like 100W PD charging and Thunderbolt capability cannot be directly tested. This can tell you if it has the wires needed for these, but it can't tell you if the cable has an E Marker (allowing 100W) or if the signal integrity is good enough for Thunderbolt. Thunderbolt is a PCIe standard, and it is very sensitive to even the slightest of signal degradation, so something as simple as a cable being too long or not shielded well enough can make a cable straight up not work for Thunderbolt. However, this is still an incredibly useful tool, and has answered a lot of questions on some cables I had that weren't performing as expected.