User Guide

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1. What is USB 2.0?
USB 2.0 represents the next generation of PC peripherals and connectivity.
USB 2.0 is the rst major evolution of the Universal Serial Bus standard,
which was originally designed to bring low cost connections and
“plug-and-play” consumer devices to the PC world. USB 2.0 adds new
functionality to your laptop, by allowing faster connections and greater
exibility without the need for upgrading your existing USB devices.
2. Why USB 2.0?
Modern PC peripherals can run faster and do more than the original
USB designers ever dreamed. The USB standard was upgraded to keep
pace with the rapid advances in technology, and the explosion of new
consumer devices. USB 2.0 host controllers add the faster speeds and
greater exibility than these new devices require. USB 2.0 will allow your
computer to connect to the newest USB devices: High-Speed Video and
Ethernet, ultra-fast scanners and disk drives, etc.
3. How much faster is USB 2.0?
USB 1.1 devices can communicate at about 12 Megabits/sec. USB 2.0
devices can communicate at speeds of up to 480 Megabits/sec.
4. What is FireWire?
FireWire is actually a brand name used by Apple and a few other
companies. There are three other names that can refer to this same
interface: IEEE 1394 (original standard and is most often used by the
computing industry), iLink (brand name for Sony), and DV (Digital Video
- used mostly on video camcorders). IEEE 1394 is a serial bus interface
standard offering high-speed communications and isochronous real-time
data services.
5. Why IEEE 1394 or FireWire?
IEEE 1394 allows for 63 peripherals to be daisy-chained together and use
a single bus port. Peer-to-peer communication, such as communications
between a scanner and a printer, take place without using system
memory or the CPU. IEEE 1394 is designed to support plug-and-play
and hot swapping. The six-wire cable can supply up to 60 watts of
power, allowing low-consumption devices to operate without a separate
power cord.
10. FAQS