Where can I buy TAIYo makes good USB cables?

Wrong. There are junk cables, and really bad junk cables. Overpay if you want to, but I rarely pay more than $1 for a USB cable and have never found a bad cable. I've had soe really bad junk shipped with items, though. One place I buy them is Dollar Tree. If I have time I'll buy a batch on Ebay, or if I need a specail like the cables with two "Type A" plugs to supply more current for an external drive.

Any USB cable from a computer or electronics store should be fine. I've never had one that didn't work (including those that came with my cameras).

The "cylinders" are ferrite chokes intended to keep the cables from radiating RF.

A quick comment about external hard drives... Several months ago I got a standard (not SS) external hard drive with USB 3.0 interface from Seagate in exchange for reviewing it. It simply would not work on my computer's front-panel USB 3.0 port -- it jerked and sputtered and beeped.

Seagate told me I should connect to a USB 3.0 port wired directly to the main board -- and that fixed. It seems that USB ports connected to the main board with a cable cannot supply the spec'd maximum current. This should not be a problem with your SSD drive, which has no motor.

The A male to A female cables at Dollar Tree can't supply the current necessary to transfer file from most digital cameras, power external hard drives or power an usb wifi adapter. They work well with a mouse or most thumb drives. Chuck

According to what I read a few months back, male-to-female A cables aren't officially endorsed by the USB gods. Some USB devices aren't able to drive more than the cable supplied with them. * Adding an extension might result in erratic or non-behavior.

• Are USB cables transmission lines (as Ethernet cables are)? If so, the length shouldn't make much difference.

OK, if those cylinders are ferrite "chokes" intended to prevent the USB cables from radiating radio frequency waves, the question remains:

For ensuring the most reliable data transmission between solid state hard drive and computer, and vice versa, am I better off buying a cable with those ferrite chokes, better off buying a cable without them, or it don't make a lick of difference if the cable has them or not. (?)

Really? I've never had a problem with any of the dozens I've bought there.

My digital camara warns you to use fresh batteries, or an AC adapter, not USB for power. Most external hard drives require more than the original 500mA from USB 1.0 That is why they sell the 'Y' cables with two type 'A 'male plugs and either a type 'B' or mini plug for the device. I don't know of any hard drives that would start & run properly with only 2.5 Watts availible. You WILL have problems if you try to use the cables for the the wrong applications.

Yes, and they make extender cables with built in repeaters to keep the timing correct, and the edges of the waveforms clean.

You want to see something really interesting? Take a look at the 'Grass Valley 8937 SDI/ASI Reclocking Equalizing Distribution Amplifier' They are required in complex digital video processing systems to maintain proper timing throughout a modern studio. If the timing changes due to cable length, it all goes to hell. The card cages hold ten crds, and have a built in web server to allow you to monitor & control the selected cards.

I have an Olympus DSLR, 2 Kodak bridge cameras and a Concord digital camera; none of which will transfer files with a Dollar Tree usb cable but work fine with more expensive cables. I have 2 external hard drives which will power up and work fine with other M to F extension cables but not the Dollar Tree. Chuck

Sorry, but my experience has been exactly 180° out of phase.

Why not buy the cheap cable and compare transfer speeds between your Digital Camera USB cable and the cheap USB cable. Then you can tell us if there is a problem with the cheap USB cable. If it doesn't work well, return it and get your $1.99 + tax back.

Mikek