A gender changer is an adapter that changes a port to its opposite version. They are used to connect cables together and have a variety of names. The gender of connectors is based on male and female animals. Gender changers are small and used to adapt a lead or port from one genre to another. They are used to connect two cables to form a longer cable but can result in signal loss.
A gender changer is an adapter that changes a port to its opposite version. These devices are typically used to connect standard cables together to increase their overall length or change an existing port into its opposite version. These adapters have a wide variety of similar names such as gender bender or sex changer. Also, common cable types will have a specific name for adapters that are used only with that specific cable. The names derive from the common use of male and female to describe the construction of cable ends and system ports.
The gender of connectors is based on the basic similarities between their design and that of male and female animals. A plug connector is usually the part with the protruding end, and socket connectors have the notch or socket that accepts it. Male systems are usually on the outside of a device while female connections are common as part of a larger device such as a computer port or wall outlet.
By playing with these names, a gender changer will adapt a lead or port from one genre to another. These devices are usually very small, often no bigger than two connectors joined together. This makes it easy to place one on the end of a cable without creating extra clutter.
These devices have come into common use with the advent of digital technology. Originally, a gender changer was a specific adapter used as part of a multi-pin computer connector, such as a serial port, but the name quickly became a generic term for many types of cables. Those early money changers were often bulkier than modern ones, as they had less precise methods of making connections between devices.
The main purpose of a gender changer is the connection of two cables to form a longer cable. For example, a coaxial cable has a male connector on each end. In the case of coax, the male boss is the thin piece of metal inside the cap, rather than the post that the cable is screwed onto. An f-connector, the name of a coaxial gender changer, is screwed into the end of the cable. This makes for a cable that actually has a male and a female end, allowing it to plug into any part of the system.
The only real downside to a gender switch is the loss of basic signal. As with most cables, the more connections, the more signal degradation. In the case of a gender switch, there is one connection between the first lead and the coupler and then another between the coupler and the second lead. If possible, it’s generally best to just use a longer cable.
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