# USB Cables **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 3, 2015, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usb-cables/708836 "2015-01-03T06:46:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jormungandr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@Jormungandr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jormungandr)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2015, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usb-cables/708836/1 "2015-01-03T06:46:20Z")
In this [post](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=744886), I mentioned A-Male to B-Male USB cable. While helping my friend find one, we noticed some labeled as such, but some labelled a USB printer cable. From appearances, they looked the same. Are they or are USB printer cables somehow different? Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2015, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usb-cables/708836/2 "2015-01-03T07:14:25Z")
A true “USB Printer Cable” has a USB connector on one end and an IEEE 1284 printer connector on the other, and includes a microcontroller inside to handle the protocol difference. These are only for old fashioned printers that still have an LPT port. Pretty much every printer these days comes with a standard USB port. You just need a standard USB cable. Some folks might be labeling standard USB cables as printer cables, so that some of your less technically savvy folks who buy a printer and need a “printer cable” can find it. . ---
**Author:** ![Mops](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mops/32/16494_2.png) [@Mops](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mops)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2015, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usb-cables/708836/3 "2015-01-03T07:33:55Z")
I’d expect a “USB printer cable” to have a USB Type A connector at one end and a USB Type B connector at the other end, while a “USB cable” could also have a Mini-B or Micro-B plug at the other end. (There are even Type A to Type A cables even if it’s nonstandard) ---
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2015, 9:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usb-cables/708836/4 "2015-01-03T09:05:51Z")
> [@Jormungandr](#): > > In this [post](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=744886), I mentioned A-Male to B-Male USB cable. While helping my friend find one, we noticed some labeled as such, but some labelled a USB printer cable. From appearances, they looked the same. Are they or are USB printer cables somehow different? Thank you. The simplified answer to your question is, no, they are almost surely no different. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2015, 10:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usb-cables/708836/5 "2015-01-03T10:22:02Z")
I think the reason they’re called that is because apart from printers I can’t think of too many peripherals which still use the B-connector/header anymore. ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2015, 10:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usb-cables/708836/6 "2015-01-03T10:33:54Z")
[Here’s Wiki’s entry on the different receptacles & plugs…](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB#Host_and_device_interface_receptacles)