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Introduction to USB 2.0 and Helpful Tips
USB stands for Universal Serial Bus. It is a standard for connecting external devices to
your computer quickly and easily. One of the nice things about USB is that power can be
provided to the USB device through the USB cable. However, some devices such as
printers need more power than the USB ports can provide, so those devices will have to
use an external power source. USB also allows the device to be connected and removed
from the PC without the need to shut -down the computer.
USB 2.0 is the second generation standard that improves on USB 1.1 to provide faster
and more reliable data transfers. USB 1.1's speed of 12Mbps is extended to 480Mbps
with USB 2.0. The improved speed and bandwidth opens up the possibility for new
solutions such as external backup or data storage solutions, as well as digital audio and
video solutions.
One important feature of the USB 2.0 standard is that it is backward compliant with USB
1.0 and USB 1.1. This means that all of your current USB products will work with USB 2.0
adapters.
Many USB products are widely available on the market and more are being developed for
future release. Because of the high speed of the USB interface, a USB hub can be used
to connect more than one USB device to one USB port at one time. The USB standard
specifies that up to 127 devices can be connected to your comput
er.
Introduction
Helpful Tips
•
Remember that when connecting USB 1.0 or USB 1.1 products into a USB 2.0
adapter, the USB 1.x product will not work faster.
•
To ensure optimal performance when using USB 2.0 devices, use a USB 2.0 certified
cable such as the DUB-C5AB.
