My smartphone has a USB-C which can be used with several adapters to drive displays via DisplayPort, headphones via 3.5mm jack, and connect to other devices via master OTG or slave mass storage.
My PC has a USB C port which can be converted to a DisplayPort (although internally connected to the integrated graphics on mine, it seems), and I think there are many other uses.
How is USB C able in practice to be so polyvalent?
Do all the converters communicate with the port using a single protocol like HID to register their type and bring up the appropriate driver and message format? How is it implemented roughly?
How is USB C able to route high speed video signals from graphics cards with minimum latency while being multiplexed for other uses?
In a nutshell, anyone care to explain this black magic trick that is USB C without asking to read hundreds of pages of documentation?
P.S. I'm at the right place, I'm looking for an answer on low-level Comms and electronics/IP architecture
Best Answer
It was designed that way. And because it has multiple wires/channels that can be reconfigured as needed.
I wouldn't say all. Some will use standard usb data for whatever they need while others will use USB C alternative modes. This can be triggered by simple resistors or by side channel communication like on the CC pins. There is no one communication type.
Afaik it doesn't multiplex all mode videos at the same time as usb 3 connections. Once it switches modes it stays that way. It may allow usb 2 connections. Different pins. Usb video is a different thing and that would work like any other usb data implementation.