Need more USB!

[CalBoy]

How do you tell if you have firewire a or b? I didn't even know there were two different kinds.

I think they mean FW 400 and FW 800. You can tell the difference by their external appearance. I think FW 800 is slightly smaller and is a boxed shape, while FW 400 has a somewhat pentagon-ish thing going on.

 

[NYRngrs24]

calboy is correct.

i know the new macbook pros have them, and also the generation before SR i think? and mac pros.

 

[NYRngrs24]

Firewire 400 is faster than USB 2.0 more often than not. there are a few reasons for this. USB uses your processor so it has to go though a longer pipeline and it also uses burst of data instead of a steady stream. FW needs a chip at both ends for it to work, which is part of why its more expensive and once its up to speed, you'll get a consistent high data transfer rate.

you are right. at least, for me, seems like USB is slightly faster than my firewire hard drive. It is all about the consistent bus speed, but even on firewire you sometimes dont even reach peak speed. i actually prefer firewire though, since i dont need to use up a usb port and it can power external hardrives. large external harddrives, if compatible use two usbs just to power. well, i dont know for sure, it could be one for signal, and one for power...

 

[Chef Medeski]

I didn't foresee a USB (or lack of USB port) problem but some posts got me thinking. My USB devices on my PC all fit with their own slot because I have about 8 of them total but 15" MBPs only have 2.

My devices are as follows:
-USB Mouse
-USB Keyboard
-Internal-turned-external Hard Drive
-Digital Camera Cable
-iPod cable

The USB Mouse/Keyboard can be fit into one port using this Y device I saw and most likely will have to buy. The Digi-cam/iPod don't always have to be plugged in obviously. My problem is that without buying a wireless mouse and keyboard OR hooking my External HD to my router I'm gonna have to disconnect one or the other to plug in my Digi-cam or iPod.

What option is the cheapest 😵? I could:
-Buy Bluetooth keyboard/mouse (expensive)
-Buy Media Storage ready router (since I need a new router anyway..but the media routers I've seen seem like junk)
-Buy a USB port hub type deal (does this work well with laptops? Under-power issues?)

Long post. Advice please 😛

-Rich L.

Fire wire enclosure for HD.
Bluetooth Keyboard and Mouse.
Then you have two open slots for your ipod and Camera!

Bam!

Should be able to do the whole thing for $100. Ever since I got a BT equipped mac I've been using wireless. Its the best. No cables, no dongles. Just connect.

 

[RichL]

Firewire 400 is faster than USB 2.0 more often than not. there are a few reasons for this. USB uses your processor so it has to go though a longer pipeline and it also uses burst of data instead of a steady stream. FW needs a chip at both ends for it to work, which is part of why its more expensive and once its up to speed, you'll get a consistent high data transfer rate.

You say once it's up to speed? So, if the external drive is simply for storing music and playing a random mp3 every so often USB or firewire doesn't matter? I don't do any editing of movies or rendering or anything like that so it's not like I am transferring 20GB files every day.

 

[iBookG4user]

You say once it's up to speed? So, if the external drive is simply for storing music and playing a random mp3 every so often USB or firewire doesn't matter? I don't do any editing of movies or rendering or anything like that so it's not like I am transferring 20GB files every day.

When I moved from a USB hard drive to a firwire hard drive, I saw a noticeable difference in speed even in every day circumstances. I would highly recommend a FireWire hard drive over a USB one.

 

[NYRngrs24]

Chef Medeski - where can you get good quality blue tooth mouse/keyboard for $100? and firewire enclosure...

im looking for that stuff now, and i cant find it for that cheap. lol