What is an E-mark chip?
Nov 26, 2021
What is an E-mark chip?
E-mark (Electrically Marked Cable),The USB Type-C active cable is packaged with an E-Marker chip, DFP and UFP use the PD protocol to identify the properties of the cable: power transmission capability, data transmission capability, ID, etc.
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CC（Configuration Channel）：Configuration channel, this is the key channel added in USB Type-C, identification of positive and negative plug, data between USB devices, connection and management of VBUS, etc.
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USB PD(USB Power Delivery): PD is a communication protocol, which is a new way of connecting power and communication. It allows USB devices to transfer up to 100W (20V/5A) of power, while it can change the port's properties, It is also possible to switch the port between DFP and UFP, and communicate with the cable to obtain the properties of the cable.
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All full-featured Type-C cables should be packaged with E-Marker
How do I know if a USB cable requires an E-mark chip?
Maybe you are wondering whether a USB cable needs an E-mark chip, let me clarify a few questions about USB cables and E-mark chip:
1. E-mark chip mainly affects the current transmission of USB cable,and has nothing to do with data transmission
2.
For USB cables, power supply and data transfer rate are two different factors, for example, a USB 2.0 cable, A TO C, or, C TO C, its theoretical data transfer rate is only 480Mbps ( 60MB/s), but it can have a large power supply, such as 3A or even 5A
3. USB 3.1 is just a standard, not a specific cable specification. It is backward compatible with USB 3.0 and USB 2.0. So, when we shop online, We may see some sellers describe a USB 2.0 or USB 3.0 cable with a TYPE C connector as USB 3.1, both of which are correct. For example, a USB 2.0 A to C cable can also be called USB 3.1 A to C CABLE
4. In general, when a USB cable has one or two TYPE C connectors, no matter its core wire is 4-core, 9-core, or 16-core, they all can be called USB 3.1 cable
5. When we judge whether a USB cable is USB 2.0, USB 3.0, or USB 3.1, it is mainly based on the number of core wires. USB 2.0 cables are usually 4~5 cores, and USB 3.0 are usually 9 cores. , USB 3.1 is usually 9 cores (GEN 1) or 16 cores (GEN 2)
6. The USB 3.1 GEN 1 cable is the same as the USB 3.0 cable, only the name is different
7.
We can name a USB 2.0 4-core cable with a TYPE C connector as USB 3.1, but we cannot name a USB 3.0 9-core cable as USB 2.0, also can not name a 16-core USB 3.1 GEN 2 cable as USB 3.0 or USB 2.0
8. In the USB cables, except for a set of core wires (red and black) to provide power, the other core wires are responsible for data transmission, so the data transmission rate of the USB cable is related to the structure of the cable and the quality of the connectors. The more core wires, the larger the data transmission rate value
9.
For a USB cable with a data transmission rate of 5 Gbps or more, a corresponding chip is required in its TYPE C connector, which is responsible for data processing (not EMARK chip)
10.
Even if a USB cable does not have an E-mark chip, the current supply of 3A is no problem (the red and black core wire responsible for power supply needs 20~21AWG), when it exceeds 3A, this must require an E-mark chip
11.
So, is it not necessary to have an E-mark chip when a USB cable is only 3A? The answer is NO, the E-mark chip can improve the stability of the current, the quality of the USB cable will be better when there is an E-mark chip
12.
For USB 3.1 GEN 2 cables, its current must reach 5A, so it must have an E-mark chip
When we choose USB cables, we mainly consider what product the USB cable is used for. If it is used for a desk lamp with a USB TYPE C connector, it only needs to provide power and does not require data transmission. a USB 2.0 2-core cable is enough. If it is used in a medical device with a current of only 3A, obviously, you need to choose a cable with an E-mark chip. P-SHINE ELECTRONIC THCH LTD can customize various USB C CABLE according to your requirements. Don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions!
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