What's your favorite cable connector?

[John Connor]

All my scanners have a BNC antenna except the UHF two ways which use a RP-SMA.

 

[Sword-of-Kings]

RJ45

 

[Mixolydian]

RJ45

I hate RJ-anything. The tabs always break off eventually.

I did forget about XLR, though - Love that one!

 

[gamefreakgcb]

I really really hope they don't screw this up.

USB Re-design

 

[Thebobo]

1/4 inch phono jacks were originally telephone switch equipment, and now come as trrrs, maybe even more rings are possible. home theatre phono inputs have almost always been RCA feeding a pre-amp and riaa-curve equalizer.
.

Not that it matters that much but..

Phone jacks is the actual name.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phone_connector_(audio)

Phono is the same as the RCA connector.

https://www.princeton.edu/~achaney/tmve/wiki100k/docs/RCA_connector.html

I have to admit I use to called them 1/4 Phono plugs until someone pointed it out. Its like calling a vulture a buzzard.

 

[pete6032]

I really really hope they don't screw this up.

USB Re-design

Good. This day in age, every new cable format should be symmetrical.

 

[Raduque]

Good. This day in age, every new cable format should be symmetrical.

USB should have been reversible from the beginning.

Personally, I hate keyed and directional connectors. I think everything should be reversible. Blind-plugging keyed connectors blows.

 

[SlitheryDee]

Gotta go with lightning. It's the least annoying connector I've used anyway.

 

[lxskllr]

USB should have been reversible from the beginning.

Personally, I hate keyed and directional connectors. I think everything should be reversible. Blind-plugging keyed connectors blows.

 

[poofyhairguy]

USB

You can get an adaptor to go from almost anything to USB.

 

[nickbits]

USB

You can get an adaptor to go from almost anything to USB.

USB-A is the worst mass consumer connector ever.

 

[poofyhairguy]

USB-A is the worst mass consumer connector ever.

From an engineering standpoint, maybe. From a practicality standpoint its ubiquity makes it the best ever.

 

[JBT]

Lightning. No question.

Reversible. Quick, secure connection. Quick disconnect.

Agreed. It is really nice. My 4 year old even knows how to plug this one in...

 

[sourn]

My favorite one is the one I have around when I need one.

 

[IronWing]

I'm waiting on someone to create a "Worst Cable connection you ever successfully repaired" thread.

Haven't been able to find a close enough pic to explain - yet.

That's easy. Solar battery cables to car batteries. Had to use steel baling wire and squeezy clamps. It was one of those "This has to work right now and how you do it is of no concern, just get this thing running. If you have to carve a new connector from your own jawbone, fine, get it working." The repair held for months.

BNC antenna connector was a close second. The four leaf springy male inner prong was busted. Shoved the remnants of the prong back in the hole and tightened it down. Worked for a few hours while we could get a replacement.

 

[trungma]

Lightning. No question.

Reversible. Quick, secure connection. Quick disconnect.

This. Nothing else compares.

 

[Thebobo]

Without looking it up anyone know what BNC stands for?

long ago I thought it was Bayonet something connector

 

[IronWing]

Without looking it up anyone know what BNC stands for?

long ago I thought it was Bayonet something connector

I don't think there would be enough time between now and the heat death of the universe for me to have successfully guessed that.

 

[artvscommerce]

I don't plan on ever buying an apple computer, but I sure do love that magnetic power connector they use.

 

[Thebobo]

I don't think there would be enough time between now and the heat death of the universe for me to have successfully guessed that.

Bayonet Neil-Concelman, or sometimes British Naval Connector

 

[spidey07]

MTP. 12 strands of fiber in a single connector. Go go gadget 40 and 100 gig ethernet.

 

[Colt45]

bayonet neil concelman or something like that. names of the guys.

 

[PliotronX]

USB! Durable and sees more penetration action than any porn star.

 

[Tommy2000GT]

RCA

 

[tHa ShIzNiT]

this might be the nerdiest thread ever made on anandtech