USB Mini Male to Big Female

February 7, 2009 6:18 AM

I need to buy an adapter or cable that lets me plug a normally-sized USB plug into a "mini" USB receptacle. I must be doing something wrong in my searching because I can't seem to find something that lets me do this anywhere.

Specifics: on the device (a speciality microcontroller) there is a female mini-USB port meant for connecting keyboards/mice to the device. It's the kind of port you see on blackberries or cameras. I have thousands of cables that go from that port to a male version of the "real" usb connector, but I want male mini to female big (and not the female big that looks like a square with the notch cut out.) Where can I get?

posted by neustile to computers & internet (7 answers total)

There is a sort of "traveler's pack" available at OfficeMax or RadioShack that has a couple of each the different USB connectors (A, B, mini-A, mini-B, and that other one) as dongles you add to a very short cable, so you can "build" (snap together) your own anything to anything adapter in a hotel room or somewhere on demand. It comes in a little zippy case like a computer mini-tool set.

I'm sorry I can't find a link/image, but I have picked it up and thought about buying it many times.
posted by rokusan at 6:41 AM on February 7, 2009

these guys seem to have what you're looking for, albeit in panel-mount on the big female end.
the magic word may be 'extension cable' i've never had any dealings with them.

http://www.usbfirewire.com/Parts/rr-2mb-020.html
posted by mu at 6:42 AM on February 7, 2009

Is this what you are looking for?

http://www.amazon.com/Female-Mini-Male-Adapter-Shipping/dp/B000Y6UL5E
posted by Climber at 6:49 AM on February 7, 2009

Climber, mu, yes!!! I bought Climber's because it was cheap and free shipping. Thank you all so, so, much.
posted by neustile at 7:47 AM on February 7, 2009

How about something like this, which has just about every type of plug or connector you might need.
posted by essexjan at 8:07 AM on February 7, 2009

I have one of those essexjan. You use it once or twice, then it breaks. The parts are cheap. I use it as a last resort for cables.
posted by Climber at 8:22 AM on February 7, 2009

I recently bought a USB-A gender changer at a local electronics shop (Jaycar for the Aussies). It changes a male USB-A to a female.

Invaluable for situations like this, and good for all sorts of other stuff too... :)
posted by ranglin at 3:20 AM on February 9, 2009