I'm designing a USB device that will act as a host all the time. Instead of using a mini-AB OTG receptacle i'd like to use a classic female A receptacle on the PCB. Is this allowed and can this potentially cause problems?
Clarification: I'm asking this question because I have a device where I would like to use the OTG functionality, i.e. give the user the possibility to hook it up to the computer OR to a peripheral, but I can't use the mini/micro OTG connectors and want to use classic USB A and B connectors. Ideally I would want the OTG port to be able to communicate both as a device and a host but that is probably impossible (?) so if I can find a way to allow the user to EITHER connect the device as a host or as a device using ONE of the two ports, that would be enough.
Clarification #2: I primarily want to use the OTG port as a host port, but if I can use it as a device port as well that is an extra feature on the device I'm working on which will make it more attractive. However, I do not want to use mini or micro connectors. I get that they are the new trend and all that and that they are great for smartphones and tablets but for the application I'm working on we can't and don't want to use them. I'd like to thank all who answered already whether I can use a type A host port. Any hints on how I could add a B port as well connected to the same OTG port, and let the user connect the product as a host or as a device, but not at the same time, but using a type A and B connector rather than a single micro or mini USB connector are very welcome. Confusion for the user is not an issue here since we can make that perfectly clear in the manual (e.g. you can use the host or device port but not at the same time – if you use the host port then the device port won't work or the other way around). Hope this makes it clear.
Best Answer
You can certainly use OTG hardware in the microcontroller to do a USB host only. You don't need to use the OTG extensions for anything. In fact, you shouldn't even mention anything about OTG. What you are doing is a host, and thus you should use a female A connector. And if you intend to connect to a USB flash memory, what other connector could you use? Traditional USB flash memories generally are always plugged to A connectors.
So go right ahead and use the female A connector. You're using it exactly as it's supposed to be used. Remember that you need to provide 5V power to the female A connector.