LaCie Mobile Drive User’s Guide 04/17/2003 v.2
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8. Appendix 1 – USB 2.0 Questions & Answers
What are the benefits of the USB interfaces?
The USB 1.1 and 2.0 interfaces provide many of the same benefits, particularly:
•
They are based on serial bus technology.
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Cross-platform capabilities: you can use your USB peripherals on both Mac and
Windows platforms.
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“Plug and Play” capability: this incredibly convenient function eliminates any need
to turn off or restart the computer when connecting a new peripheral. Just plug it
in and off you go.
•
Automatic configuration: your new device is automatically recognized and
installed by your operating system, which makes setting up and using your
peripherals a snap.
•
The ability to connect several peripherals on the same bus: with USB ports on your
computer, you can connect up to 127 peripherals using hubs.
•
No need for peripheral addresses or terminators, easy-to-install cables and other
features.
What is the difference between USB 1.1 and USB 2.0?
The main difference is speed. USB 1.1, the original version of the interface, is
capable of throughput up to 12Mb/s. USB 2.0 supports data speeds up to 480
Mb/s, making it 40 times faster than its predecessor. This increased bandwidth
translates into higher performance in demanding applications requiring high transfer
rates.
What are the ideal uses for USB 1.1?
USB 1.1 is ideal for more traditional connections such as keyboards, mice, joysticks
and scanners. With its 12Mb/s speed, it can also be used for more advanced
applications such as games and audio software, as well as storage on hard disks,
CD-RW, and other drives. USB 2.0 devices will have far superior performance in
these more demanding applications, however.
What are the ideal applications of USB 2.0?
Except low-end devices, such as mice and keyboards, virtually any hardware will
benefit from the extra bandwidth provided by USB 2.0. PC video conferencing
applications will be further enhanced by the usability of USB 2.0 digital video
cameras. The new breed of USB 2.0 video capture adapters will enable professionals
and consumers alike to record the highest video quality possible. USB 2.0 scanners
will raise the performance bar by offering speeds that match SCSI and FireWire
scanners, at a more affordable price. And USB 2.0 storage devices, such as CD-RW,
DVD-RAM and DVD-R/RW, and removable cartridge drives, will also benefit from
the new I/O performance.
Will USB 1.1 devices run faster when connected to a USB 2.0 bus?
Unfortunately, no. The USB 2.0 specification is specifically written to allow developers
to design higher speed peripherals that can take advantage of the extra bandwidth.
USB 1.1 devices, though, will still operate at 12Mb/s at full-speed and 1.5Mb/s at