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	<entry>
		<id>https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1474:_Screws&amp;diff=82922</id>
		<title>1474: Screws</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1474:_Screws&amp;diff=82922"/>
				<updated>2015-01-17T13:00:43Z</updated>
		
		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;GotNoTime: &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;{{comic&lt;br /&gt;
| number    = 1474&lt;br /&gt;
| date      = January 16, 2015&lt;br /&gt;
| title     = Screws&lt;br /&gt;
| image     = screws.png&lt;br /&gt;
| titletext = If you encounter a hex bolt, but you only brought screwdrivers, you can try sandwiching the head of the bolt between two parallel screwdriver shafts, squeezing the screwdrivers together with a hand at either end, then twisting. It doesn't work and it's a great way to hurt yourself, but you can try it!&lt;br /&gt;
}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Explanation==&lt;br /&gt;
{{incomplete|May still needs expansion, possibly with origins of the various real screws?}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The comic features various real or imagined types of screws, listed below. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{| class=&amp;quot;wikitable&amp;quot;&lt;br /&gt;
! style=&amp;quot;width: 25%&amp;quot;|Screw type&lt;br /&gt;
! Description&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
| Phillips head&lt;br /&gt;
| {{w|List of screw drives#Phillips|Phillips screw drive}} and its corresponding screw head is one of the most recognizable types of screw heads that is commonly used in construction. This type of screw head was named after its inventor, a US businessman {{w|Henry F. Phillips}}. Neither the inventor nor his invention have any relationship to the Dutch electronics manufacturing company with similar, but not exactly the same name {{w|Philips}}.&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
| Flat head&lt;br /&gt;
|  {{w|List_of_screw_drives#Slot|Slot head screws}} are frequently erroneously referred to as flat heads (a flat head screw refers, in fact, to the shape of the screw head, regardless of the shape of the drive socket). The slot head is also commonly used in construction. The diagram shows the slot truncated, while typically the slot almost always runs across the entire head of the screw (as in the case of the &amp;quot;uranium screw&amp;quot; below).&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
| Uh oh. Maybe it's on Amazon? (star-shaped screw)&lt;br /&gt;
| Manufacturers sometimes use screws that require special screwdrivers in order to prevent the customer from opening the product. The reference to Amazon is the speaker's suggestion to look on Amazon.com for the appropriate screwdriver. A number of star-shaped screw heads exist, notably the six-pointed {{w|Torx}}, and Apple's rounded {{w|Pentalobe screw|pentalobe screw}}, although there is no popular design that uses the 5-pointed star shape depicted in the comic. Torx screws are common in automotive applications — they are easier to tighten with electric screwdrivers — and on bicycles where a higher tightening torque is needed than hex screws can support. They are also commonly used on disk brake mounts.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
| Cursed -1 Phillips head&lt;br /&gt;
| The head of a screw can be stripped by overuse, tightening the screw too much, using the wrong size screwdriver, or other misuse. As the driving surfaces wear away, removing the screw becomes more difficult, and the added pressure needed to drive the screw usually damages it further. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The addition of &amp;quot;cursed&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;-1&amp;quot; in the titles is a reference to various fantasy games (e.g. Dungeons and Dragons), where magical &amp;quot;cursed&amp;quot; items appear frequently. This often makes the cursed equipment (in the case of armor or weapons) incredibly difficult to remove, as it will cling to the wielder. Similarly, the cursed Phillips Head screw becomes difficult to remove due to the stripped head.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The &amp;quot;-1&amp;quot; refers to the damage of the screw head. In fantasy games, items such as weapons and armor may have an &amp;quot;enchantment&amp;quot;, with a positive enchantment making the item more effective, and a negative enchantment making the item less effective. Negatively enchanted items are often also cursed, as is the case with this screw head. The &amp;quot;-1&amp;quot; does not appear to be a reference to a Philips bit-size number, as those are always positive.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Notably, the stripped screw bears a resemblance to a {{w|List_of_screw_drives#Pozidriv|Pozidriv head}}, a modified version of the Phillips head designed to resist slipping and subsequent stripping. Using a Phillips head screwdriver in a Pozidriv screw is very likely to damage the screw head and cause a real Pozidriv screwdriver to no longer mate correctly.&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
| Rivet&lt;br /&gt;
| A {{w|rivet}} is not a screw - it is a permanent fastener which is secured by deforming the body of the fastener. Rivets cannot be removed with a screwdriver, they must be &amp;quot;drilled out&amp;quot;. Some bolts also have rounded rivet-style heads, though, with no means of gripping them.&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
| Phillips head ruiner ''(actually a hex screw)''&lt;br /&gt;
| A reference to the fact that {{w|List_of_screw_drives#Hex_socket|hex socket}} screws can, in a pinch, be removed with a Phillips screwdriver (rather than the intended {{w|Allen wrench}}) but this will likely damage the screwdriver in the process. Hex screws are common on bicycles, where they always come in the metric varieties. The same holds for hex screws which ship with Ikea furniture —who bundle a low-quality hex driver for those people who lack them. Imperial-sized hex screws do sometimes surface, to the dissatisfaction of anyone who owns a hex driver set. The smaller hex screws can enter the &amp;quot;-1&amp;quot; state when attempting to unscrew one that has been overtightened —hence the adoption of Torx screws in high-torque applications.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
| Uranium screw&lt;br /&gt;
| Uranium screws were [http://blog.nuclearsecrecy.com/2014/11/10/fat-mans-uranium/ used] in the [http://www.scintillators.ru/booc/criticality/reports/ref_050.pdf construction] of [http://www.osti.gov/scitech/servlets/purl/769001 nuclear weapons] during the twentieth century. Multiple radially extending short wave-like lines around the screw head symbolize radiant energy output, although real uranium screws were most likely made of depleted uranium, which is [http://www.gulflink.osd.mil/du_ii/du_ii_tabc.htm 40 percent less radioactive] than &amp;quot;raw&amp;quot; naturally-occurring uranium.&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
| Phillip's head&lt;br /&gt;
| This is a literal (and rather morbid) interpretation of the misspelling &amp;quot;Phillip's head&amp;quot; when &amp;quot;Phillips head&amp;quot; is meant. Rather than refer to the screw type, this &amp;quot;screw&amp;quot; is actually a bloody bag containing the severed head of someone named Phillip. It could possibly be an allusion to one of the {{w|Decapitation|decapitations}} of the royal persons that took place several times in the human history, perhaps even more specifically to {{w|French Revolution|revolutionary France}} where {{w|Capital punishment|capital punishment}} by decapitation was made well-known due to introduction of {{w|Guillotine|guillotine}} and its active use against the former royalty. However, despite the {{w|Philip|name Phillip being used by several members of the upper echelon of French royalty}}, none of the {{w|List of people who were beheaded|famous people ever executed this way in France or anywhere else}} were called Phillip, although {{w|Louis Philippe II, Duke of Orléans|Philippe Égalité}}, the adopted name of Louis Philippe Joseph d'Orléans, ''was'' guillotined. Intentionally or otherwise, this last punchline could be described as a &amp;quot;mind screw&amp;quot;.&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
|Hex bolt (title text)&lt;br /&gt;
|A {{w|List_of_screw_drives#Hex|hex bolt}} has six external sides, so it could in theory be held by squeezing two screwdriver shafts together with the bolt in between. The amount of force on the two screwdriver shafts needed to turn the hex bolt will probably exceed the strength of human hands - the attempt would most likely only result in causing your hands to cramp or causing the screwdrivers to slip and cause further injury.&lt;br /&gt;
|}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Transcript==&lt;br /&gt;
:[Eight drawings of different types of heads each with a caption:]&lt;br /&gt;
:Phillips head&lt;br /&gt;
:Flat head&lt;br /&gt;
:Uh oh. Maybe it's on Amazon?&lt;br /&gt;
:Cursed –1 Phillips head&lt;br /&gt;
:Crap, it's a ''rivet''.&lt;br /&gt;
:Phillips-head ruiner&lt;br /&gt;
:Uranium screw (a real thing)&lt;br /&gt;
:Phillip's head&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{comic discussion}}&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>GotNoTime</name></author>	</entry>

	<entry>
		<id>https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1465:_xkcd_Phone_2&amp;diff=81634</id>
		<title>1465: xkcd Phone 2</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1465:_xkcd_Phone_2&amp;diff=81634"/>
				<updated>2014-12-27T22:28:18Z</updated>
		
		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;GotNoTime: Slightly altered high DPI section as Retina Display is an Apple trademark. &amp;quot;Google Now&amp;quot; is the voice activated assistant. &amp;quot;Okay Google&amp;quot; is only the trigger phrase.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;{{comic&lt;br /&gt;
| number    = 1465&lt;br /&gt;
| date      = December 26, 2014&lt;br /&gt;
| title     = xkcd Phone 2&lt;br /&gt;
| image     = xkcd_phone_2.png&lt;br /&gt;
| titletext = Washable, though only once.&lt;br /&gt;
}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Explanation==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
This is a followup to [[1363: xkcd Phone]], which debuted the original xkcd phone - but this phone is ''for your other hand''... Since very few people can use two phones at the same time, this is a hopeless advertising line.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Like xkcd Phone &amp;quot;1&amp;quot;, this comic parodies modern smartphone advertising with a promotional image for a fictional phone. Like the previous xkcd phone, the comic touts a variety of features which are either pointless, misleading, or physically impossible. They are clockwise, from the top left:&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
*'''MaxHD: Over 350 pixels per screen''': 350 pixels is not very impressive: Each would be about 0.5&amp;amp;times;0.5 cm. Even if it implies 350 pixels along the edge this is still less than standard definition TV (PAL gives 576 lines of horizontal resolution). Likely a reference to HD+, FullHD, QuadHD and other marketing expressions for screen resolutions, by which common users are often confused. In [[732: HDTV]] Randall has observed that HD is not an especially high resolution, when compared with smartphone or computer monitors. This one is even worse, by far, but MaxHD sounds similar to FullHD, so it could fool some users into thinking that this is equal or better.&lt;br /&gt;
: ''Note:'' A high pixel density display is more than 200 pixels per '''''inch''''', not per '''''screen'''''. An example would be the Retina Display in Apple hardware which varies from 218 pixels per inch to 401 pixels per inch depending on the device.&lt;br /&gt;
*'''Always on Speaker''': An always on microphone is a genuine feature. It allows voice activated intelligent personal assistant software such as Google's &amp;quot;Google Now&amp;quot; or Apple's &amp;quot;Siri&amp;quot; to respond without having to be turned on. An always on speaker would be less useful especially if it implies the phone is always making noise.&lt;br /&gt;
*'''Blood Pressure reliever''': This appears to be where a real phone would have its front facing camera. This could imply that it's a sharp part that you can cut yourself on, thus '''''relieving''''' your blood pressure, or else implying that the other features of the phone are so frustrating that a feature was required to relieve the users' blood pressure.&lt;br /&gt;
*'''Auto-Rotating Case:''' Phones often feature an &amp;quot;auto-rotating screen&amp;quot;, meaning that the display switches between portrait and landscape mode depending on its orientation with respect to gravity. But the case is a physical part of the phone, so making a case that did '''not''' &amp;quot;auto-rotate&amp;quot; with the phone would be the real challenge.&lt;br /&gt;
*'''Ribbed:''' A reference to ribbed {{w|condom}}s, which are often advertised as superior to standard ones because the texture can be more physically stimulating to the genitalia. Some other objects can be advertised with the word ribbed as well, but mostly in the context where it allows a firmer grip on the device when wet. Since phones are usually not meant to be used wet it is still a fairly useless feature.&lt;br /&gt;
*'''Waterproof (inside only)''': Waterproofing is done to the outside to prevent water from getting in. Exactly what &amp;quot;inside only&amp;quot; means is unclear (the case may be porous, or it may prevent water from ''escaping'') but it's clear that the designers have missed the point.&lt;br /&gt;
*'''Googleable''': Another non-feature. Advertising as &amp;quot;-able&amp;quot; is a way for marketing to add features, without adding features. This may be (for example) a recyclable paper bag, when paper is normally recyclable. Any term may be &amp;quot;googled&amp;quot; so being &amp;quot;googleable&amp;quot; is not an actual feature. &lt;br /&gt;
*'''Cheek toucher''': The screen will touch your cheek when making a hand-held phone call.&lt;br /&gt;
*'''Cries if lost:''' Arguably a useful function, for it would help the owner find the cellphone in case it was lost. This is offset by how annoying it would sound if cried with a human voice. It refers to people's habit of calling their own cellphones to help find it. It also resembles the first xkcd phone's functions of 'Screaming when falling' and 'Saying hi when lit'.&lt;br /&gt;
*'''Bug drawer:''' This is most likely the cover for other ports, though looks like a small drawer, capable of only holding bug-sized items. Possibly a joke on software bugs, which would, being virtual rather than physical, easily fit inside this area. One might also introduce bugs to your phone in this way. May also be a reference to &amp;quot;Phone may attract/trap insects; this is normal&amp;quot; from the original ''xkcd Phone'' comic.&lt;br /&gt;
*'''Coin slot:''' In most phones, this would be the charging port. Payphones have coin slots.&lt;br /&gt;
*'''Scroll lock:''' A computer key on most keyboards which is practically never used. It is also placed where a usual cellphone's &amp;quot;home&amp;quot; button is, making it very frustrating. (Despite [http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/978 a previous xkcd strip] it was not invented by {{w|Steven Chu}}.)&lt;br /&gt;
*'''OS by Stackoverflow®:''' [http://stackoverflow.com/ Stack Overflow] is a very useful and popular question/answer forum for programmers, and many recent software products probably have benefited from advice given there, so Randall may be giving credit where credit really is due. Or it may be a reference to the rampant problem of code reuse, where programmers use the pre-written code on Stack Overflow rather than writing their own, regardless of the fact that the code on Stack Overflow may contain bugs or otherwise cause problems for their specific program.&lt;br /&gt;
*'''3D Materials:''' All real materials are three-dimensional, so this feature is not special.&lt;br /&gt;
*'''Dog Noticer''': Alerts the user to nearby dogs, or alerts nearby dogs of the user.&lt;br /&gt;
*'''FitBit® Fitness Evaluator''': {{w|Fitbit}} make wristbands that measure heartrate, count user steps, and act as an aid to planning an exercise program. This comic is published on Boxing Day (26th December) 2014 and is relevant as Fitbits are a popular Holiday Gift at this time.&lt;br /&gt;
*'''Volume and density control:''' A play on words between {{w|volume (disambiguation)|volume}} as in speaker loudness, and {{w|volume}} as in a physical property inversely related to {{w|density}}.  Apparently this would allow the user to change the size of the phone (which would indeed be a very useful feature, [[1422: My Phone is Dying|or a very worrying one]]), thus changing the volume and the density. Note that some computer mice have a feature where the user can put weights inside the case to customise the weight and thus affect the density in a different way.&lt;br /&gt;
*'''Washable, though only once.''' (the title text): The phone can physically be washed (a play on &amp;quot;washing machine safe&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;dishwasher safe&amp;quot; in real advertisements), however after the first time doing this the phone will cease to function.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Transcript==&lt;br /&gt;
:[An image of a smartphone. Coming off from it are many labels. Clockwise, from the top left they are:]&lt;br /&gt;
:MaxHD: Over 350 pixels per screen&lt;br /&gt;
:Always-on speaker&lt;br /&gt;
:Blood pressure reliever&lt;br /&gt;
:Auto-rotating case&lt;br /&gt;
:Ribbed&lt;br /&gt;
:Waterproof (interior only)&lt;br /&gt;
:Googleable&lt;br /&gt;
:Cheek toucher&lt;br /&gt;
:Cries if lost&lt;br /&gt;
:Bug drawer&lt;br /&gt;
:Coin slot&lt;br /&gt;
:Scroll lock&lt;br /&gt;
:OS by Stackoverflow®&lt;br /&gt;
:3D materials&lt;br /&gt;
:Dog noticer&lt;br /&gt;
:FitBit® fitness evaluator&lt;br /&gt;
:Volume and density control&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
:[Below the phone:]&lt;br /&gt;
:Introducing &lt;br /&gt;
:'''The xkcd phone 2'''&lt;br /&gt;
:A phone for your other hand®&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{comic discussion}}&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Smartphones]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>GotNoTime</name></author>	</entry>

	<entry>
		<id>https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1406:_Universal_Converter_Box&amp;diff=73747</id>
		<title>1406: Universal Converter Box</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1406:_Universal_Converter_Box&amp;diff=73747"/>
				<updated>2014-08-15T14:00:51Z</updated>
		
		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;GotNoTime: &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;{{comic&lt;br /&gt;
| number    = 1406&lt;br /&gt;
| date      = August 11, 2014&lt;br /&gt;
| title     = Universal Converter Box&lt;br /&gt;
| image     = universal_converter_box.png&lt;br /&gt;
| titletext = Comes with a 50-lb sack of gender changers, and also an add-on device with a voltage selector and a zillion circular center pin DC adapter tips so you can power any of those devices from the 90s.&lt;br /&gt;
}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Explanation==&lt;br /&gt;
Converter boxes are used to connect two devices together which otherwise couldn't be, due to differently shaped plugs, different voltages, or different protocols of communication.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Converter boxes or converter cables are commonly found for several of the plugs at the top of the list - such as from USB to micro-USB.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The humour from this comic comes from the sheer number of [[927: Standards|different standards]] that at different times aimed to be the universal way to connect two devices (at least in their target market), as well as the progressively ridiculous conversions that this box is capable of doing, for example, converting audio from a 1/8inch / 3.5mm headphone jack, into a variety of petrols suitable for running your car.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Different connectors===&lt;br /&gt;
====Left side====&lt;br /&gt;
*{{w|VGA_connector|VGA}} (Video Graphics Array): This is the (usually blue) plug (attached to a cable) that connects your monitor (like, your LCD screen) to your desktop computer. A type of video connector, it has fifteen pins in a D-shell (a trapezoidal metal skirt that protects the pins, prevents the connector from being plugged in the wrong way, and makes the physical connection more secure). Most often used with computers and monitors or projectors. Some newer televisions have them, too, so you can use your laptop with a REALLY big screen (e.g. for watching movies). First used in 1987, and with new versions being developed since then, it is an extremely common type of video connector.&lt;br /&gt;
*{{w|Digital_Visual_Interface|DVI}} (Digital Visual Interface): This is the (usually) white plug (attached to a cable) -- same purpose as the above, but newer. Another type of video connector, it also uses a D-shell connector, except the pins are flat instead of round. DVI is not compatible with VGA ports, though DVI can transmit an analog signal.&lt;br /&gt;
*{{w|HDMI}} (High Definition Multimedia Interface): The latest &amp;amp; greatest: A connector that can transmit both video and audio over the same cable, HDMI has slowly been replacing DVI and VGA ports on newer devices due to the simplicity (both audio and video in one connector) and the smaller footprint and overall dimensions.&lt;br /&gt;
*{{w|Thunderbolt_(interface)|Thunderbolt}}: A multimedia/data connector, Thunderbolt can transfer both video signals to a monitor, audio signals to speakers, and send and receive data at the same time, over the same port. It also is far faster than almost any connector on the market for transferring data. However, the limited adoption by manufacturers, the higher costs of the hardware, and the security concerns inherent to the interface have limited the adoption by consumers.&lt;br /&gt;
*{{w|IEEE_1394|Firewire}} (IEEE 1394): A bidirectional data transfer connector, similar to USB, Firewire can be used for many applications (e.g. networking computers), but it mostly finds use connecting audio/video equipment to computers.&lt;br /&gt;
*{{w|Component_video|Component}} and {{w|RCA_connector|RCA}}: Both component video and RCA are ways of transmitting video and audio signals. Technically, RCA is the name of the connector type that they share; the &amp;quot;RCA&amp;quot; video connection is also called composite video. Both use two plugs for audio (left and right channels), but RCA (composite) uses one plug for video where component uses three: Y (luma), Pb (Blue - Y), Pr (Red - Y).&lt;br /&gt;
*{{w|Phone_connector_(audio)|1/8&amp;quot; audio/video}} (3.5 mm phone connector): A very common type of connector, perhaps best known as a headphone plug, but also used for other audio equipment and (as the comic indicates) for some video equipment. The video plug only has 3 contacts (Tip, Ring and Sleeve) so it isn't the reasonably common 3.5mm video + audio plug on some equipment which has 4 contacts (Tip, Ring, Ring and Sleeve). 1/8&amp;quot; is only an approximation; the inch size is not used or understood outside US.&lt;br /&gt;
*{{w|Parallel_port|Parallel port}}: A largely obsolete computer interface, mostly used to connect printers to PCs. While no longer common in homes or offices, parallel connections are still used in some embedded systems.&lt;br /&gt;
*{{w|S-Video_(analog_video_standard)|S-video}}: Another video standard similar to component and RCA, but with the video signal split in Y (luma) and C (chroma).&lt;br /&gt;
*{{w|In-flight_entertainment#History|Airline pneumatic tube audio}}: Connector for pneumatic headphones used by in-flight entertainment systems manufactured from 1963 until 1979. The seat would contain a passenger control unit (PCU) that contained an audio transducer with 2 loudspeakers. The headphone connected to this unit only needed a pneumatic tube to conduct the sound which made them very cheap to produce.&lt;br /&gt;
*{{w|PS/2_port|PS/2}}, PS/3 and PS/4: The PS/2 connector was used for mouse and keyboard connections in older computers; it has been superseded by USB. There are no such connectors as PS/3 and PS/4 -- the joke here is that the {{w|PlayStation 2}} console is also abbreviated to PS2, and there have been two models of PlayStation since, abbreviated PS3 and PS4.&lt;br /&gt;
*{{w|NEMA_connector|120V AC}}: This style of plug is used for domestic power outlets in the US, Canada, Mexico, and some other parts of the Americas. (Interestingly, while AC adapters are necessary&amp;amp;mdash;and widely available&amp;amp;mdash;to suit sockets in other countries, this &amp;quot;universal&amp;quot; convertor does not feature any other AC power plugs.) The pin marked &amp;quot;removable&amp;quot; is the ground pin; not every device requires a ground pin, and some (older) sockets do not have a hole for it.&lt;br /&gt;
*{{w|Floppy_disk|Floppy}}, {{w|Parallel_ATA|IDE}}, {{w|Hard_disk_drive|2.5&amp;quot;}}, {{w|SCSI_connector|SCSI}}: These are various disk drive {{w|Insulation-displacement_connector|IDC connectors}} for different numbers of pins, and hence different widths of {{w|Ribbon_cable|cable}}. Despite this similarity, real plugs do not have break-away parts for different devices as the pinout has no similarities at all and the connectors are all keyed differently.  Unlike the (unrelated, but doubtless inspirational) motherboard-powering connectors from the Power Supply Unit of a PC, which may involve multiple additional 4, 6 and 8-pin 'breakout' supply cables that have this feature (and specially 'keyed' pin-sheaths as well) to allow forward/backward compatibility between various versions of PSU and motherboard that could be used (and power-hungery GPUs of various kinds, as well).&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
====Right side====&lt;br /&gt;
*{{w|USB#Connectors_and_plugs|USB}} connectors: This bidirectional data connection is used for connecting many different devices to computers, each other, and to power supplies and chargers. The USB standard has many different types of plugs, necessitating convertors like the one in the comic (though generally less featureful). The types present here are USB-A (&amp;quot;USB&amp;quot;), USB-B (&amp;quot;USB weird other end&amp;quot;), mini-USB, micro-USB, and the non-existent &amp;quot;macro-USB&amp;quot; (a joke on the previous two as a macro i.e. larger version of USB). Note that some embedded systems (such as cash registers) actually do use larger USB connectors to include 12V and/or 24V power connections. These are not, however, called &amp;quot;macro-USB&amp;quot;, and are not as large.&lt;br /&gt;
*{{w|F_connector|F connector}}: A type of coaxial plug used for various television signals and for cable modems.&lt;br /&gt;
*{{w|Optical_fiber_connector|Fiber}}: Optical fiber cables are used for various data transmission purposes. Interestingly, the fiber depicted does not seem to have any of the (many) typical optical fiber connectors; it may be simply a loose end.&lt;br /&gt;
*{{w|Registered_jack#RJ11.2C_RJ14.2C_RJ25_wiring_details|RJ11}}: The &amp;quot;smaller than RJ45&amp;quot; connector which is used for land-line telephones in the US. (Other countries often use RJ11-ended cables with locally-specific adapter-ends, e.g. the BS 6312 in Britain.  Broadband microfilters may make use of this difference by splitting a relevent telephone plug standard into the local non-RJ11 style of telephone plug for an &amp;quot;audio-only&amp;quot; pass-through socket and an RJ11 for the router/modem to be cabled up to for the abstracted &amp;quot;data-only&amp;quot; signal).&lt;br /&gt;
*{{w|Registered_jack#RJ45|Ethernet}} (RJ45): The most common consumer-grade fixed wire connection for computer networking.&lt;br /&gt;
*{{w|Token_ring|Token ring}}: A now-outdated networking technology, token ring was a late-80s competitor to Ethernet for fixed-wire network connection.  Its connectors were large and boxy, but were unique in that they were genderless, so no gender changing adapter will be needed in that bag.&lt;br /&gt;
*{{w|MagSafe}}: Magnetically-attached power connectors used on Apple devices. The original MagSafe (introduced in 2006) was later replaced by MagSafe 2 (introduced in 2012); both come in &amp;quot;L&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;T&amp;quot; shapes (as shown here for MagSafe and MagSafe 2, respectively), but are incompatible. MagSafe 3 and 4 do not actually exist (yet). Also, the MagSafe 4 &amp;quot;connector&amp;quot; appears to be broken or else have a large number of individual pin leads; this may be a joke about the {{w|MagSafe#Criticisms_and_defects|poor quality}} of the original MagSafe 1 cables, or a joke about how Magsafe cables are theoretically intended to work no matter which direction they're connected.&lt;br /&gt;
*{{w|Bluetooth#Communication_and_connection|Bluetooth dongle}}: A wireless network standard mostly used to connect accessories to phones and computers. This would usually be incorporated inside the device itself and not attached to a cable.&lt;br /&gt;
*{{w|SCART}}: An audio/video connector mostly used in Europe; it replaced other connectors like component video, but has itself been superseded by HDMI. &lt;br /&gt;
*{{w|Tin_can_telephone|String}}: For connecting to a &amp;quot;tin can telephone&amp;quot;, an analogue device for transmitting sound through a physical connection rather than electronically or via radio waves. Probably also a reference to {{w|CAN bus}}.&lt;br /&gt;
*{{w|Fuel_dispenser#Nozzles|Fuel nozzle}}, with a switch to choose between different {{w|Octane_rating|octane ratings}} and {{w|Diesel_fuel|diesel fuel}}: Dispensers for fossil fuels used to power internal combustion engines. There are two common systems for showing octane numbers on fuel pumps; the numbers shown (87, 91, 93) most closely map to {{w|Octane_rating#Anti-Knock_Index_.28AKI.29|Anti-Knock Index}} values which is used for the North American market and a number of other countries, the other system used in the rest of the world is Research Octane Number. In the AKI system; 87 octane (91 RON) is regular US, 91 octane (95 RON) is regular European and 93 octane (98 RON) is premium/super US. A standard diesel nozzle (24mm) is slightly larger diameter than a standard petrol nozzle (21mm) so you cannot tank diesel into a petrol car but if this nozzle has the petrol nozzle diameter you are still able to tank with it into some diesel cars. Some manufacturers such as Volkswagen fit a misfueling guard and fuel filler neck cap or have redesigned the the fuel filler to prevent a petrol nozzle being used in a diesel car.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The title text is referring to connector &amp;quot;gender,&amp;quot; which is a further complication in getting a connection. A connector is capable of making a connection to another device only through another connector of the opposite gender (&amp;quot;male&amp;quot; connector is plug, &amp;quot;female&amp;quot; connector is socket). Gender adapters flip the gender of a connector, so that two connectors of the same gender can connect. Due to the number of connections this box is capable of, there would be a significant number of connectors, which would lead to them weighing 50-lbs in all. The weight of the petrol pump gender adapter is probably responsible for the bulk of this.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The &amp;quot;circular center pin DC adapter tips&amp;quot; in the title text are barrel jack power plugs. These were developed in the 1980s, and come in a staggering variety of dimensions. The &amp;quot;barrel&amp;quot; has both an inner diameter and an outer diameter, so even if the outer diameter of the barrel jack (which can be easily measured) is correct, the inner diameter might not be. Furthermore, there is the complication that the device requires power at a certain voltage and the supply must provide the correct voltage, and the polarity also has to be correct: positive on the barrel and negative on the inner pin, or vice-versa. This leads to frustration on the part of users when the original power supply cannot be found.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Transcript==&lt;br /&gt;
:[Universal converter box with wires to connectors:]&lt;br /&gt;
:VGA&lt;br /&gt;
:DVI&lt;br /&gt;
:HDMI&lt;br /&gt;
:Thunderbolt&lt;br /&gt;
:Firewire&lt;br /&gt;
:Component&lt;br /&gt;
:[sharing connectors with Component:]&lt;br /&gt;
:RCA&lt;br /&gt;
:1/8&amp;quot; Audio&lt;br /&gt;
:1/8&amp;quot; Video&lt;br /&gt;
:Parallel Port&lt;br /&gt;
:S-Video&lt;br /&gt;
:Airline Pneumatic Tube Audio&lt;br /&gt;
:PS/2/3/4&lt;br /&gt;
:120V AC&lt;br /&gt;
::[pointing to ground pin:]&lt;br /&gt;
::Removable&lt;br /&gt;
:Floppy/IDE/2.5&amp;quot;/SCSI&lt;br /&gt;
::[pointing to sections in IDC connector:]&lt;br /&gt;
::Break here&lt;br /&gt;
:USB&lt;br /&gt;
:USB with (weird other end)&lt;br /&gt;
:Mini-USB&lt;br /&gt;
:Micro USB&lt;br /&gt;
:Macro USB&lt;br /&gt;
:F Connector&lt;br /&gt;
:Fiber&lt;br /&gt;
:RJ11&lt;br /&gt;
:Ethernet&lt;br /&gt;
:Token Ring&lt;br /&gt;
:MagSafe&lt;br /&gt;
:MagSafe 2&lt;br /&gt;
:MagSafe 3&lt;br /&gt;
:MagSafe 4&lt;br /&gt;
:Bluetooth Dongle&lt;br /&gt;
:SCART&lt;br /&gt;
:String (fits most cans)&lt;br /&gt;
:[Fuel nozzle with selector for:]&lt;br /&gt;
:87/91/93/Diesel&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{comic discussion}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Computers]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>GotNoTime</name></author>	</entry>

	<entry>
		<id>https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1406:_Universal_Converter_Box&amp;diff=73460</id>
		<title>1406: Universal Converter Box</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1406:_Universal_Converter_Box&amp;diff=73460"/>
				<updated>2014-08-11T12:55:23Z</updated>
		
		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;GotNoTime: Octane + misc changes&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;{{comic&lt;br /&gt;
| number    = 1406&lt;br /&gt;
| date      = August 11, 2014&lt;br /&gt;
| title     = Universal Converter Box&lt;br /&gt;
| image     = universal_converter_box.png&lt;br /&gt;
| titletext = Comes with a 50-lb sack of gender changers, and also an add-on device with a voltage selector and a zillion circular center pin DC adapter tips so you can power any of those devices from the 90s.&lt;br /&gt;
}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Explanation==&lt;br /&gt;
{{incomplete|Needs explanation of each device and explanation of title text.}}&lt;br /&gt;
Converter boxes are used to connect two devices together which otherwise couldn't be, due to different shaped plugs, different voltages, or different protocols of communication.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Converter boxes or converter cables are commonly found for several of the plugs at the top of the list - such as from USB to micro-USB.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The humour from this comic comes from the progressively ridiculous conversions that this box is capable of doing, for example, converting audio from a 1/8inch / 3.5mm headphone jack, into a variety of petrols suitable for running your car.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Different connectors===&lt;br /&gt;
*{{w|VGA_connector|VGA}} (Video Graphics Array): A type of video connector, it has fifteen pins in a D-shell (a trapezoidal metal skirt that protects the pins, prevents the connector from being plugged in the wrong way, and makes the physical connection more secure). First used in 1987, and with new versions being developed since then, it is an extremely common type of video connector.&lt;br /&gt;
*{{w|Digital_Visual_Interface|DVI}} (Digital Visual Interface): Another type of video connector, it also uses a D-shell connector, except the pins are flat instead of round. DVI is not compatible with VGA ports, though DVI can transmit an analog signal.&lt;br /&gt;
*{{w|HDMI}} (High Definition Multimedia Interface): A connector that can transmit both video and audio over the same cable, HDMI has slowly been replacing DVI and VGA ports on newer devices due to the simplicity (both audio and video in one connector) and the smaller footprint and overall dimensions.&lt;br /&gt;
*{{w|Thunderbolt_(interface)|Thunderbolt}}: A multimedia/data connector, Thunderbolt can transfer both video signals to a monitor, audio signals to speakers, and send and receive data at the same time, over the same port. However, the limited adoption by manufacturers, the higher costs of the hardware, and the security concerns inherent to the interface have limited the adoption by consumers.&lt;br /&gt;
*{{w|IEEE_1394|Firewire}} (IEEE 1394): A bidirectional data transfer connector, similar to USB, Firewire can be used for many applications (e.g. networking computers), but it mostly finds use connecting audio/video equipment to computers.&lt;br /&gt;
*{{w|Component_video|Component}} and {{w|RCA_connector|RCA}}: Both component video and RCA are ways of transmitting video and audio signals. Technically, RCA is the name of the connector type that they share; the &amp;quot;RCA&amp;quot; video connection is also called composite video. Both use two plugs for audio (left and right channels), but RCA (composite) uses one plug for video where component uses three.&lt;br /&gt;
*{{w|Phone_connector_(audio)|1/8&amp;quot; audio/video}} (3.5 mm phone connector): A very common type of connector, perhaps best known as a headphone plug, but also used for other audio equipment and (as the comic indicates) for some video equipment. The video plug only has 3 contacts (Tip, Ring and Sleeve) so it isn't the reasonably common 3.5mm video + audio plug on some equipment which has 4 contacts (Tip, Ring, Ring and Sleeve).&lt;br /&gt;
*{{w|Parallel_port|Parallel port}}: A now-obsolete computer interface, mostly used to connect printers to PCs.&lt;br /&gt;
*{{w|S-Video_(analog_video_standard)|S-video}}: Another video standard similar to component and RCA.&lt;br /&gt;
*{{w|In-flight_entertainment#History|Airline pneumatic tube audio}}: Connector for pneumatic headphones used by in-flight entertainment systems until 1979.&lt;br /&gt;
*{{w|PS/2_port|PS/2}}, PS/3 and PS/4: The PS/2 connector was used for mouse and keyboard connections in older computers; it has been superseded by USB. There are no such connectors as PS/3 and PS/4 -- the joke here is that the {{w|PlayStation 2}} console is also abbreviated to PS2, and there have been two models of PlayStation since, abbreviated PS3 and PS4.&lt;br /&gt;
*{{w|NEMA_connector|120V AC}}: This style of plug is used for domestic power outlets in the US, Canada, Mexico, and some other parts of the Americas. (Interestingly, while AC adapters are necessary -- and widely available -- to suit sockets in other countries, this &amp;quot;universal&amp;quot; convertor does not feature any other AC power plugs.) The pin marked &amp;quot;removable&amp;quot; is the ground pin; not every device requires a ground pin, and some (older) sockets do not have a hole for it.&lt;br /&gt;
*{{w|Floppy_disk|Floppy}}, {{w|Parallel_ATA|IDE}}, {{w|Hard_disk_drive|SFF-8212 (2.5&amp;quot;)}}, {{w|SCSI_connector|SCSI}} ({{w|Ribbon_cable|Ribbon cables}}): These various disk drive connectors all use ribbon cables with different numbers of pins and the end, and hence different widths of cable. Despite this similarity, real plugs do not have break-away parts for different devices as the pinout has no similarities at all.&lt;br /&gt;
*{{w|USB#Connectors_and_plugs|USB}} connectors: This bidirectional data connection is used for connecting many different devices to computers, each other, and to power supplies and chargers. The USB standard has many different types of plugs, necessitating convertors like the one in the comic (though generally less featureful). The types present here are USB-A (&amp;quot;USB&amp;quot;), USB-B (&amp;quot;USB weird other end&amp;quot;), mini-USB, micro-USB, and the non-existent &amp;quot;macro-USB&amp;quot; (a joke on the previous two as a macro i.e. larger version of USB).&lt;br /&gt;
*{{w|F_connector|F connector}}: A type of coaxial plug used for various television signals and for cable modems.&lt;br /&gt;
*{{w|Optical_fiber_connector|Fiber}}: Optical fiber cables are used for various data transmission purposes. Interestingly, the fiber depicted does not seem to have any of the (many) typical optical fiber connectors; it may be simply a loose end.&lt;br /&gt;
*{{w|Registered_jack#RJ11.2C_RJ14.2C_RJ25_wiring_details|RJ11}}: The &amp;quot;smaller than RJ45&amp;quot; connector which is used for land-line telephones.&lt;br /&gt;
*{{w|Registered_jack#RJ45|Ethernet}} (RJ45): The most common consumer-grade fixed wire connection for computer networking.&lt;br /&gt;
*{{w|Token_ring|Token ring}}: A now-outdated networking technology, token ring was a late-80s competitor to Ethernet for fixed-wire network connection.&lt;br /&gt;
*{{w|MagSafe}}: Magnetically-attached power connectors used on Apple devices. The original MagSafe (introduced in 2006) was later replaced by MagSafe 2 (introduced in 2012); both come in &amp;quot;L&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;T&amp;quot; shapes (as shown here for MagSafe and MagSafe 2, respectively), but are incompatible. MagSafe 3 and 4 do not actually exist (yet). Also, the MagSafe 4 &amp;quot;connector&amp;quot; appears to be broken; this may be a joke about the poor quality of MagSafe cables.&lt;br /&gt;
*{{w|Bluetooth#Communication_and_connection|Bluetooth dongle}}: A wireless network standard mostly used to connect accessories to phones and computers.&lt;br /&gt;
*{{w|SCART}}: An audio/video connector mostly used in Europe; it replaced other connectors like component video, but has itself been superseded by HDMI. &lt;br /&gt;
*{{w|Tin_can_telephone|String}}: For connecting to a &amp;quot;tin can telephone&amp;quot;, an analogue device for transmitting sound through a physical connection rather than electronically or via radio waves.&lt;br /&gt;
*{{w|Fuel_dispenser#Nozzles|Fuel nozzle}}, with a switch to choose between different {{w|Octane_rating|octane ratings}} and {{w|Diesel_fuel|diesel fuel}}: Dispensers for fossil fuels used to power internal combustion engines. There are two common systems for showing octane numbers on fuel pumps; the numbers shown (87, 91, 93) most closely map to {{w|Octane_rating#Anti-Knock_Index_.28AKI.29|Anti-Knock Index}} values which is used for the North American market and a number of other countries. In the AKI system; 87 octane is regular US, 91 octane is regular European and 93 octane is premium/super US.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The title text is referring to connector &amp;quot;gender,&amp;quot; which is a further complication in getting a connection. A connector is capable of making a connection to another device only through another connector of the opposite gender. Gender adapters flip the gender of a connector, so that two connectors of the same gender can connect. Due to the number of connections this box is capable of, there would be a significant number of connectors, which would lead to them weighing 50-lbs in all. The weight of the petrol pump gender adapter is probably responsible for the bulk of this.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The &amp;quot;circular center pin DC adapter tips&amp;quot; in the title text are barrel jack power plugs. These were developed in the 1980s, and come in a staggering variety of dimensions. The &amp;quot;barrel&amp;quot; has both an inner diameter and an outer diameter, so even if the outer diameter of the barrel jack (which can be easily measured) is correct, the inner diameter might not be. Furthermore, there is the complication that the device requires power at a certain voltage and the supply must provide the correct voltage, and the polarity also has to be correct: positive on the barrel and negative on the inner pin, or vice-versa. This leads to frustration on the part of users when the original power supply cannot be found.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Transcript==&lt;br /&gt;
{{incomplete transcript}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{comic discussion}}&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>GotNoTime</name></author>	</entry>

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