# using USB cables for different devices

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-usb-cables-for-different-devices/215284>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 26, 2003, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-usb-cables-for-different-devices/215284 "2003-11-26T00:58:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![criminalcatalog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e68b1a/32.png) [@criminalcatalog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/criminalcatalog)\
**Post date:** [November 26, 2003, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-usb-cables-for-different-devices/215284/1 "2003-11-26T00:58:55Z")

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I’ve just received my new digital camera, and I would like to know if I can use my iRiver USB cable to connect it to my PC. Are these things universal? The cylindrical things on the device-end of the cables are different sizes.

I fried a crappy keyboard when I was little by using an incompatible power cable, so I’m always paranoid about these things.

My guess is it’s ok.

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**Author:** ![Berkut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a88e57/32.png) [@Berkut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Berkut)\
**Post date:** [November 26, 2003, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-usb-cables-for-different-devices/215284/2 "2003-11-26T01:34:25Z")

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The iRiver cable has a nonstandard connector on one end.

My guess is it won’t work. If they are different sizes, they probably won’t even mate.

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**Author:** ![criminalcatalog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e68b1a/32.png) [@criminalcatalog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/criminalcatalog)\
**Post date:** [November 26, 2003, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-usb-cables-for-different-devices/215284/3 "2003-11-26T01:52:53Z")

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But would it hurt to try? I don’t want to damage anything. Can you damage a device with an incompatible USB cable?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Berkut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a88e57/32.png) [@Berkut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Berkut)\
**Post date:** [November 26, 2003, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-usb-cables-for-different-devices/215284/4 "2003-11-26T02:23:00Z")

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Yes.

There is power on the USB cable. An incorrectly wired cable can cause damage.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![criminalcatalog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e68b1a/32.png) [@criminalcatalog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/criminalcatalog)\
**Post date:** [November 26, 2003, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-usb-cables-for-different-devices/215284/5 "2003-11-26T02:32:01Z")

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okay, nuts to that idea then. Thanks.