Cables & Connectors: Plug Type Charts
A visual hub for identifying any plug or connector — power (NEMA), USB, video/display (HDMI, DisplayPort, VGA, DVI), and audio (TRS, XLR, RCA, optical). Pick a chart, search the shape, and learn what each connector carries.
How to Use
- Pick the chart that matches what you are holding — power plug, USB, video, or audio.
- On the chart, search the shape or a device name, or filter by the connector's specs.
- Match the drawn silhouette to your plug or port to identify it.
- Read the card to learn the voltage/speed/resolution and what the connector carries.
- Follow the linked knowledge-base article for the full background on that family.
Four searchable, illustrated charts for identifying any plug or connector. Pick a family, match the shape, and read off what it carries.
North American power plugs & outlets — household, dryer/range, EV, RV, and twist-lock.
Type-A, B, C, Mini and Micro plus the SuperSpeed variants — with the speed-name decoder.
HDMI, DisplayPort, VGA, the DVI family, USB-C video, and the legacy analog set.
3.5 mm & 1/4" jacks, XLR, RCA, optical TOSLINK, banana, Speakon and MIDI.
How to identify any connector
Read the full guides
Each chart pairs with an in-depth article that explains the system behind the shapes:
- NEMA Plug Types Explained — reading 5-15 / 14-50, 3-wire vs 4-wire, and EV/RV outlets.
- USB Connector Types Explained — why USB-C isn't the same as USB 3, and what the speed names mean.
- Video Connector Types Explained — HDMI vs DisplayPort, DVI links, and passive vs active adapters.
- Audio Connector Types Explained — TS/TRS/TRRS, balanced vs unbalanced, and optical vs coax.
About this reference
Connectors are confusing for one reason that runs through every family: the part you can see — the shape — is only half the story. The shape tells you what physically fits, but the version, rating, or spec behind it determines what actually flows through. A NEMA 5-15 and a 5-20 differ by a single sideways slot but one is a 20 A circuit; an HDMI port from 2009 and one from 2021 are identical plastic but a generation apart in resolution; two USB-C ports that look the same can differ by a factor of 160 in data speed. Every chart here is built to surface both: identify the shape, then read the spec.
These four charts cover the connectors most people actually run into — the power plugs on the wall, the USB and video cables behind a desk, and the audio jacks in a studio or living room. They are searchable and filterable, they draw each connector so you can match it by eye, and they cite the real voltages, speeds, and resolutions rather than vague descriptions. Everything runs in your browser; nothing you look up is uploaded or tracked.
About the Cables & Connectors: Plug Type Charts
Use the Cables & Connectors: Plug Type Charts — a free, easy tool for electronics and circuit design. Nothing is uploaded, and you do not need an account. A visual hub for identifying any plug or connector — power (NEMA), USB, video/display (HDMI, DisplayPort, VGA, DVI), and audio (TRS, XLR, RCA, optical). Pick a chart, search the shape, and learn what each connector carries.
How it works
Everything is laid out so you can find what you need fast. There are no long tables to dig through. The page also works without internet once it has loaded, so you can use it anywhere.
Want the deeper story? The Knowledge Base explains the ideas behind the tools in more detail.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the one rule for reading any connector?
The shape is not the whole story. A connector's <em>shape</em> tells you what physically plugs in; its <em>version or rating</em> tells you what it can actually do. An HDMI 1.4 and HDMI 2.1 port look identical; a NEMA 5-15 and 5-20 differ by one slot; two identical USB-C ports can range from 480 Mbps to 80 Gbps. Always identify the shape first, then check the spec.
How are the charts organized?
By family: <strong>power</strong> (NEMA wall plugs and twist-locks), <strong>USB</strong> (Type-A/B/C, Mini, Micro), <strong>video</strong> (HDMI, DisplayPort, VGA, DVI and the legacy analog set), and <strong>audio</strong> (TRS/TS jacks, XLR, RCA, optical and more). Each chart is searchable and filterable, and each pairs with an in-depth knowledge-base article.
Do these tools work on a phone, and is anything uploaded?
Yes and no — every chart runs entirely in your browser and works on mobile. Nothing is uploaded; there are no accounts and no tracking of what you look up.
Are the connector diagrams drawn to scale?
They are accurate, recognizable schematics rather than exact mechanical drawings — enough to match a plug or port at a glance. The voltage, amperage, speed, and resolution figures in each card are the authoritative reference.
How do I use the Cables & Connectors: Plug Type Charts?
Just type your numbers. The answer shows up right away — there is no button to press. Change anything and it updates by itself.
Do I need to install or sign up for anything?
Not at all — it runs in the browser with nothing to install and no account. After it loads once, it even works without an internet connection.
Is my information private?
Yes. Everything happens in your browser. Nothing you type is sent to a server or saved anywhere.
Common Use Cases
Identify a mystery cable
Found a plug in a drawer? Pick the family and match the shape.
Buy the right adapter
Confirm both ends and the spec before ordering a cable or adapter.
Learn the systems
See how NEMA numbering, USB naming, and video versions actually work.
Teach AV & electrical basics
A clean visual map for students and new technicians.
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