data cable vs flash cable

ref. data vs flash cables

Hi,

Is there a difference between these two types of cable.

I thought that a USB cable was simply a cable with USB connections?

Thanks

species8350 <not_here.5.species8350@xoxy.net> wrote:
> Is there a difference between these two types of cable.
>
> I thought that a USB cable was simply a cable with USB connections?

It depends on the phone. For example, Nokias may have two of three buses
available: USB, MBUS and FBUS. USB is used for the usual file copying etc
operations, while FBUS is a system management bus. On earlier phones FBUS
can be used for modem data, sending SMS etc and MBUS is the system
management bus. Typically FBUS or MBUS would be used to flash the phone as
they have lower-level access to the hardware (you probably need a full OS
running before it can understand USB).

Sometimes one of these comes out on some pads under the battery. On other
phones the USB pins can be switched to FBUS by a signal on another pin.

Usually FBUS or MBUS are bit serial, similar to RS232. You can get
FBUS-RS232 cables, which are basically just a voltage converter. But if you
don't have an RS232 port, you can also get FBUS cables with a serial-USB
converter. While they have the same connectors as a plain USB cable,
they're driving a different bus inside.

So in the Nokia case typically a flash cable is actually a data cable for
another model of phone. IIRC a DKU-2 is the USB cable for an N70 while a
DKU-5 is an FBUS cable that will unlock it as well as working as a data
cable for a 6820. Beware that clone cables with the same part numbers are
sometimes quite different internally.

Theo

In article <3c0df471-e9c4-43cb-8b67-
47696453904a@m44g2000hsc.googlegroups.com>, not_here.5.species8350
@xoxy.net says...

> Is there a difference between these two types of cable.

Yes.

> I thought that a USB cable was simply a cable with USB connections?

It's a common misconception. Don't beat yourself up about it.
--
Regards
Jon

On Aug 22, 1:25*pm, Jon <s...@jonparker.plus.com> wrote:
> In article <3c0df471-e9c4-43cb-8b67-
> 476964539...@m44g2000hsc.googlegroups.com>, not_here.5.species8350
> @xoxy.net says...
>
> > Is there a difference between these two types of cable.
>
> Yes.
>
> > I thought that a USB cable was simply a cable with USB connections?
>
> It's a common misconception. Don't beat yourself up about it.
> --
> Regards
> Jon

Jon,

Can you give some detail.

Thanks

On Aug 23, 12:15*am, species8350 <not_here.5.species8...@xoxy.net>
wrote:
> On Aug 22, 1:25*pm, Jon <s...@jonparker.plus.com> wrote:
>
> > In article <3c0df471-e9c4-43cb-8b67-
> > 476964539...@m44g2000hsc.googlegroups.com>, not_here.5.species8350
> > @xoxy.net says...
>
> > > Is there a difference between these two types of cable.
>
> > Yes.
>
> > > I thought that a USB cable was simply a cable with USB connections?
>
> > It's a common misconception. Don't beat yourself up about it.
> > --
> > Regards
> > Jon
>
> Jon,
>
> Can you give some detail.
>
> Thanks

Just to check my understanding.

My phone has one USB connection. I can connect either a charger, or a
USB cable.

A data and flash cable may look the same, but the pin connections may
be different.

So I should use the correct cable depending on whether I am flashing
the firmware, or transferring data.

Have I got this about right?

Thanks

ps I also have a microsd port, but this is for a memory card. I don't
think it has other functions