Micro USB (2.0) is already vexing.
Posted on 12/07/2009 11:16:55 AM PST by ShadowAce
Technically, this is a protocol/technology review, rather than a single product that is based on the technology. I don't like to post product reviews, but I do like the technology advancements.
Perhaps I misunderstand what you are saying. If so I apologize. You do realize that Gigabit ethernet is much much slower than what we are talking here?
>Taking into account SuperSpeed USB’s 8b/10b encoding, flow control, packet framing, and protocol overhead reduces effective throughput to a “realistic” 400MB/s for actual applications.
What is interesting is that FireWire’s original spec was generally faster than USB 2.0’s when you compare the two on the actual throughput; now with USB 3.0, perhaps it would be best to compare it to FireWire’s third revision (3200) as the following article tries: http://www.techiesouls.com/2008/12/03/usb-30-vs-firewire-3200/
I am in full agreement with the commentator there who said:
“I’ve been a fan of firewire for many years. It has never let me down.”
“I only have on problem with USB and that is they have always claimed speeds of 480mpbs while only delivering about 65% of that. Firewire on the other hand runs at about 97% of its claims. With that said I’m guessing Firewire 3200 will blow USB 3.0 out of the water. Just my $.02”
Just a few days ago, someone posted pictures of a truly filthy interior of a desktop PC, and it was pointed out that there are two advances in technology that have lagged since the very first IBM PC.
The two are connected, because they both exist because of the same problem: cabinet heat. Because of cabinet heat, desktops use “gawky” and primitive electronic boards, instead of sealed cases, and use fans that expel hot air away from hot components. Which bring in copious amounts of dust.
If you can overcome the problem of cabinet heat, the entire computer could be modular and tidy and assembled in just a few minutes.
It would seem that the way to do this would be for the computer cabinet to be sealed, so no new external air and dust is introduced, and the ambient air temperature inside the box is low, even cold. In turn, cabinets would be vacuum insulated, to keep the inside cold.
Fans would still be used, but smaller fans on each module that generated heat.
Initially, when the computer was turned on, the heat exchanger would take a minute to cool down the ambient air. In turn, an external heat sink would get hot for a bit. But during normal use, the external heat sink would be a little warm, just exchanging heat as it was generated inside the box, warming the air that was then cooled.
>xternal USB disks have been clunky and really only good for occasional archiving. FireWire was going to revolutionize that segment, but it never took off.
I use Firewire for archiving, I like it a lot. It’s also nice that it doesn’t bog my systems down when I am doing so too, but that’s the synergistic effect of having SCSI hard-drives for my working-machine.
(If the CPU doesn’t NEED to be involved, why MAKE it be involved?)
Ooops. I saw the rates for USB 2.0
(I now have a total of 11 external USB 2.0 ports.)
HEY! Who's been messing with my pc?
I'm guilty of baaaaaaad maintenance (slapping myself).
Because they didn't really want you to buy the cheapest one. VGA connectors are cheap and don't require license fees like displayport and HDMI do.
Well, the cool think about the Ethernet ones is that they’re their own node on your network, so they end up working kind of like a server. The data on the drive is accessible to any machine with access to the network. There’s no one host machine that has to be left on for others to get at the data.
Well, I’d rather use FireWire, but the peripherals all come with USB. Drive enclosures, printers, digital cameras, cell phones, etc. To a lesser extent you have the same problem with laptops, which always have USB but rarely FireWire. That can be fixed with a PC Card, but what are you going to do about the peripherals?
Everything you suggested is available now for industrial system on a chip PCs, sealed cases with peltier exchanges, the cases themselves milled aluminum with 5 sides having radiator fins, external power supply, SSD, etc.
The system costs about $3000 for a single core pentium though.
I’m all for speed but USB 2.0 transfer rates are hardly objectionable in all but the most demanding or extreme circumstances.
With multiple-terabyte drives USB 3.0 will definitely be of use but like all things adoption will be mostly dictated by OEMs building it into their products.
I move a lot of multi-gigabyte video files around all the time. The increase in speed is substantial for me.
But I’d still prefer the next FireWire. The protocols were designed for high-speed from the ground-up, while USB was designed for low-speed, but had high-speed tacked on. It’s also not host-based, so it doesn’t require a computer and thus no CPU or main memory. It also carries more power (you can run a desktop hard drive without a power brick).
Micro USB (2.0) is already vexing.
I have a product from Netzero Netgear(?) that I plug a 500 gb USB drive into and then into my wireless router. All my computers in the house can access it.
When I first set it up I could access it from an IP address outside the network, but something isn’t working and I haven’t gotten around to getting it right to access it outside the network. Great idea, but kind of a stupid interface with the software.
Another drawback is the drive needs to be formatted in a proprietary formant for it to work. You can’t just plug a USB drive into it.
HDMI requires a fee, but DisplayPort doesn't. Apple saw the light and realized that going open standards with no fee was the best way to achieve wide DisplayPort adoption.
>Well, I’d rather use FireWire, but the peripherals all come with USB.
I agree that you DO have to keep your eyes open.
>Drive enclosures,
I’ve seen plenty for FireWire.
>printers, digital cameras, cell phones, etc.
Printers and cell phones, nope.. I haven’t seen any of those that were FireWire enabled; digital cameras if they are video and somewhat higher quality are typically FireWire enabled (I believe they call it DV and often use the 4-pin Sony i.Link connector).
>To a lesser extent you have the same problem with laptops, which always have USB but rarely FireWire.
Really? I’ve seen a lot with the i.Link FireWire connection, my one and only laptop has an i.Link port.
>That can be fixed with a PC Card, but what are you going to do about the peripherals?
Good point. I guess I’ll just have to start up a business specializing in FireWire enabled devices... Sadly I don’t have the capital to do that.
http://www.superperolas.com/qual-foi-a-ultima-vez-que-voce-limpou-seu-computador/
Really dirty computer pics, though refreshingly SFW.
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