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USB 2.0 in iMacs?

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Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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Previous reports of USB 2.0 chipsets built into PowerMacs led to some conflicting reports regarding the activation of this hidden functionality through experimental drivers.

Recent reports suggest that the iMac may contain the same functionality and will receive an unexpected update from Apple this Wednesday to enable this functionality.

Correction : Well, looks like the reports were too cryptic. :) The update on Wednesday will be a security update. Future iMacs will get USB 2.0.
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2003/07/20/usb-2-0-in-imacs/
its true firewire is faster even regular 400 firewire is faster then 480mbps usb2. especially regarding external hard drrives

but usb2 expands compatibility.. i dont think firewire has anything to worry about..
 
maybe it's just me but this doesn't make sense, if they had usb 2 capabilities then why hide it and then release an update to enable it later on?
 
Originally posted by MrMacman
USB 2.0 is good, I just hope they still have USB 1.1 in there also.
Click to expand...

You know that 2.0 and 1.1 are frontwards and backwards compatible right?
 
Now if apple would only enable USB support in iTunes for the iPod... I know many mac users would like this...
 
2.0 would be nice, it's a technology that's not going to go away, so apple might as well take advantage of it. Holding out on us doesn't do any good.
 
There is no PCI-based USB controller in the new iMacs, which means the functions would have to be built into the Intrepid Controller chip.

kum01a.gif


If you look at the Rev. B MDD PowerMac you'll see that the USB 2.0 functionality was inside the PCI-USB Controller chip.

jos01.gif


The KeyLargo didn't have USB 2.0 capability (it was a 1999 design), the new KeyLargo2 in the G5 does.

The PCI-USB chip in the Rev. B MDD PowerMac did, or at least the 3rd party specs put out by the chips manufacturer says it's capable of it.

The Intrepid from the DDR iMac is the question mark, the docs don't say anything about it. But the capabilities of the Apple chips are not alway fully known, as Apple may choose not to use a capability (such as the Modem built into the MDDs UniNorth2 chip).

Should be interesting if Apple does make a Jaguar update available for the iMac.

But since this chip is also in the new PB12 and PB17 -- they should also be capable of USB 2.0.
 
so this would make USB2 availiable on my Rev A, FP iMac? If so , then its about flucking time. :)
 
Originally posted by mac15
so this would make USB2 availiable on my Rev A, FP iMac? If so , then its about flucking time. :)
Click to expand...
Probably not on any of the old SDR iMac machines since they were using older chipsets, only the new DDR machines...

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Heck don't ask me to post any more of the iMacs befor this, there's a bunch of different chipsets in the CRT iMacs. :p
 
Originally posted by TyleRomeo
does this go just for the recent imacs or does it also include MMD powermacs?

tyler
Click to expand...

I think I read somewhere that there was a way to activate USB 2 on the 2nd revision of the MDD PowerMacs, but I really didn't hear much success or failure about it. I do know that there was something different about the two machines, and the article distinctly differentiated between the 1st and 2nd revisions. But it makes me wonder if it is possible that the iMacs would have it (which began production in early 2002) but not the 1st PowerMacs (which started production in August of that same year). All in all, I don't think Apple can magically flip on the proverbial USB 2 switch with a software update.

It would be nice though.

Edit: While I still don't think it will happen, I mistakenly though they article was talking about the first batch of FP iMacs. I forgot about this spring's revision.
 
Originally posted by ZildjianKX
Anyone else think its pretty ****ty this wasn't enabled previously?
Click to expand...

Not especially....

It's not like you knew you had it, and even if you did, they never advertised it as a feature, and never promised to implemented.

If Apple put a five grand inside my computer and didn't tell me, and hid it where I couldn't find it, would that be pretty ****ty? No. Just mildly curious.

I think it's possible that they always knew of the indirect capability for their USB1 ports to reach that speed. They had probably just never considered an advantage to implement it. If this rumor is true, which is a large if, then maybe they just thought it might make a bit of press or something.

Frankly, I'm not expecting to see this pop up in software update relatively soon. Now that USB2 is entering the product-lines the normal way, why would they give up the chance to leverage another incentive to upgrade to a new system?


-Hertz
 
Originally posted by noverflow
You know that 2.0 and 1.1 are frontwards and backwards compatible right?
Click to expand...

Uh... I don't think you mean forward compatible. USB 1.1 (port) is not forward compatible with USB 2.0 (device). However, USB 2.0 (port) is backward compatible with USB 1.1 (device).

Originally posted by Sun Baked
But since this chip is also in the new PB12 and PB17 -- they should also be capable of USB 2.0.
Click to expand...

Now that would be a nice surprise. My 12" PB won't be quite as obsolete quite as fast...
 
Originally posted by Sun Baked
If you look at the Rev. B PowerMac you'll see that the USB 2.0 functionality was inside the PCI-USB Controller chip.
Click to expand...
Originally posted by Freg3000
the 2nd revision of the MDD PowerMacs
Click to expand...
Er, yeah, there is no MDD Rev. B or the 2nd rev of the MDD. The name of the series that supports USB 2.0 functionality is "Power Mac G4 (FireWire 800)". I'm using such a machine now.

"Power Mac G4 (Mirrored Drive Doors)" is the previous one without USB 2.0 functionality. These, by the way, are the G4 machines Apple is currently selling. No FireWire800, no USB 2.0 capability, no AirPort Extreme, no built-in Bluetooth.

Yes, the case looks the same, but Apple only calls the earlier line MDD and the newer one FW800. Look it up on KBase.
 
Originally posted by nichrome
Er, yeah, there is no MDD Rev. B, the series name is "Power Mac G4 (FireWire 800)". I'm using such a machine now.
Click to expand...

Not that I don't admire your eye for detail, but for any intents and purposes does the above factoid have any effect on the point he was making? I'm afraid if you keep correcting posters' errors I'll have nothing to use against them when I post my disagreement.

-Hertz
 
Originally posted by MhzDoesMatter
Not especially....

It's not like you knew you had it, and even if you did, they never advertised it as a feature, and never promised to implemented.

If Apple put a five grand inside my computer and didn't tell me, and hid it where I couldn't find it, would that be pretty ****ty? No. Just mildly curious.

I think it's possible that they always knew of the indirect capability for their USB1 ports to reach that speed. They had probably just never considered an advantage to implement it. If this rumor is true, which is a large if, then maybe they just thought it might make a bit of press or something.

Frankly, I'm not expecting to see this pop up in software update relatively soon. Now that USB2 is entering the product-lines the normal way, why would they give up the chance to leverage another incentive to upgrade to a new system?


-Hertz
Click to expand...

Well, I think this just goes to show that Apple has some pretty manipulating marketing people...
 
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