Tech Education
5 old cables that went the way of dinosaurs
2 September 2022
Out with the old! Apple has officially embraced USB-C, sending the Lightning cable into retirement. Reflect on tech nostalgia with relics like DVI and VGA cables.
The shift to USB-C for all iPhones is now a reality. This standardisation was mandated by the European Union (EU) common charging port law to tackle global concerns over sustainability and e-waste, highlighting the inevitability of technological obsolescence.
Don’t feel too sad though. The Lightning cable is certainly not the first to go obsolete. Neither will it be the last.
In the grand scheme of things, technology advances and cables come and go. This constant evolution is key to innovation in Singapore and globally, and chances are, you’re holding on to some of these old cables in some hidden corner of your house.
How many of them do you recognise?
Apple 30-pin
Found on: Old Apple devices
Making its debut in 2003 on another extinct device—the iPod classic—the Apple 30-pin went on to appear on many iconic devices of the early 2000s. The first-generation iPhone used this, so did the iPod touch.
But it wasn’t just Apple that utilised the 30-pin. The rise of Apple throughout the decade also meant that many third-party manufacturers incorporated the 30-pin into their designs. If you look at hotels that were last renovated before the 2010s, you can sometimes still find the 30-pin dock in their entertainment systems. Of course, all good things come to an end. The Lightning cable appeared in 2012, and Apple’s love affair with the 30-pin died with the iPhone 4S and iPad 3 in 2014.
DVI
Found on: TVs and monitors
Long before HDMI in the late 1990s, humans used DVI (Digital Visual Interface). This old, clunky cable allowed you to reach resolutions of up to 2,560 x 1,600, and while it did not provide any audio connections, it was groundbreaking for sure back then. Less so today.
Experiences with the DVI cable were mostly frustrating and fiddly. There was always a chance you could bend the pins inside, damaging the cable. Fortunately for us, the reign of the DVI lasted around a decade. By the 2010s, newcomers such as DisplayPort and HDMI began offering much higher-quality imaging. Most monitors today come with HDMI ports that support audio.
VGA
Found on: TVs and monitors
Even older than DVI is VGA, or Video Graphics Array. This cable often comes in black and blue and debuted in 1987 on ultra-boxy IBM computers. The cool thing about VGA, which hipsters might enjoy, is that it’s analogue technology. That means signals were transmitted via digital pulses. Not 1s and 0s.
Say what you will about the VGA cable, but it has had a remarkably long career for a cable. The DVI replaced it in 1999, yes, but you can still find some VGA adaptors sold at electronics stores today, mostly to ensure backwards compatibility. That’s 34 whole years! And it's just about time for retirement.
Composite cables
Found on: TVs, some very old monitors, VCRs, and game consoles
Like the mythical hydra, the legendary composite cable has—you guessed it—three heads, in red, white and yellow. These old cable types are analogue technology that is past its heyday, which was in the pre-2000s.
If you owned a PlayStation (1) in the 1990s, you might have remembered using these to connect to your television. Same with the Video Cassette Recorder (VCR). Like the VGA and DVI, HDMI and display have more or less replaced them.
For some weird reason though, modern-day TVs still have these ports. Our guess is that it’s used to ensure backward compatibility with VCRs, which amazingly still see use. It’s only a matter of time — so don’t feel too attached to them!
Coaxial
Found on: Set-top boxes, TVs, wall ports (which connect to networks)
When we say this cable is old, we mean it. The submarine transatlantic cables that facilitated telegraphy first used an early variant of this technology, back in 1858! Amazingly, this cable is still used for cable and the internet in some parts of the world. Make no mistake, when they say ‘cable TV’, this is the cable they are talking about.
If you subscribed to Singapore Cable Television (later Starhub Cable TV) in the 1990s to early 2000s, you might recognise this cable. It’s used to transmit signals from a satellite to a TV or a set-top box.
Most consumers won’t need this one though, at least in Singapore. Singapore completed its national Fibre Optics Network as early as 1998, which is why coaxial cables are being replaced worldwide. For cable users, Starhub Cable TV migrated all its customers to a fibre-optic network in November 2019, firmly cementing the fate of the trusty coaxial cable as an obsolete tech locally.
What should you do with your old cables?
As we embrace new standards, like USB-C, and technology in Singapore, the issue of e-waste from defunct gadgets and cables becomes critical. Given that Singapore produces about 60,000 tonnes of e-waste a year, it’s a question of sustainability that we must address. If you’re wondering what to do with old cables, the answer is simple: don’t bin them. Or at least, don’t bin them irresponsibly.
The National Environment Agency (NEA) has rolled out an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme to manage e-waste across the country. You can find over 870 E-Bins operated by ALBA E-Waste scattered across the island at HDB blocks, malls, and community centres. Cables, chargers, and adaptors are among the ICT equipment that can be deposited in these bins, ensuring the valuable materials within them are recovered and recycled, rather than ending up in a landfill.
This integrated and efficient recycling system is a clear reflection of how a Smart Nation operates. Want to see more digital innovations that are improving Singapore? Find out more about GovTech’s services, such as myENV and TreesSG, today.
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