Firewire vs USB

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NFS4

NFS4

No Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
72,636
47
91
I always here people downing USB b/c of its CPU overhead and praising FireWire b/c of its speed and bandwidth.

Well, where are all the Firewire devices for the PC? Where are all the low-cost Firewire devices? Where's the integrated Firewire controllers on motherboards (not many available).

USB is all over the place and everone and their grandma has a USB port. It's as simple as plug it in and forget about it. And USB 2.0 should be even better.

All you USB haters can cry all you want, but you know that USB is taking over and is more accessible to the average Joe :D
 
S

Soccerman

Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
6,378
0
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"Well, where are all the Firewire devices for the PC? Where are all the low-cost Firewire devices? Where's the integrated Firewire controllers on motherboards (not many available)."

maybe want to research this before you go posting on this topic.

first off, Firewire hasn't come to the PC much until recently (cough MSI KT7 MASTER cough) becuase it's NOT been integrated into a low cost package until just recently.

even having to buy hundreds of thousands of little chips that add Firewire support makes mobo manufacturers say no. they add cost to the motherboard (case in point the KT7 Master).

the only way Firewire will hit big time on the computer is when it gets integrated into the chipset. for AMD CPU users, that's the Soutbridge.

for BX, 815, and Apollo 133A users that's ALSO the southbridge, however intels i820 is a bit queer (never bothered memorizing how it works).

now before you say, WHY AREN'T THEY INTEGRATING THEM THEN? you might want to know that support SHOULD be here in Via's and ALi's next southbridge (coincidentally, their DDR mobo's have these).

however I'm not totally sure on that, so you'll just have to wait and see!

"Well, where are all the Firewire devices for the PC? Where are all the low-cost Firewire devices? Where's the integrated Firewire controllers on motherboards (not many available)."

first off, to attract device support, you need the motherboard to support it. otherwise no matter how much you bitch about it, you won't be plugging your video camera to your computer any time soon.
 
M

Mday

Lifer
Oct 14, 1999
18,647
1
81
we'll never see a firewire keyboard or firewire mouse. at least i hope no one is that stupid.

firewire devices require a much more expensive repeater compared to that of a cheaper hub for usb.

i am of the camp, why choose when we can have both.

i mean, addon cards with both exist.

and i can't wait until MORE mobos come with both onboard doing away with external serial and parallel ports.
 
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Soccerman

Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
6,378
0
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ahh finally, forgot to add:

stereos soon will be connected to each other through ONLY firewire. things that make you go hmm.. I wouldn't count on USB doing that any time soon!

Tom has done some comparisons between the two as well (with REAL firewire devices, like HD's). Firewire is even EASIER to use! no drivers to install!

remember that time Bill gates was demonstrating Windows 98 and USB before it was released? blue screen of death! you won't get that from a firewire device! hehe...
 
NFS4

NFS4

No Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
72,636
47
91


<< maybe want to research this before you go posting on this topic.

first off, Firewire hasn't come to the PC much until recently (cough MSI KT7 MASTER cough) becuase it's NOT been integrated into a low cost package until just recently. >>


That's why I said NOT MANY. Maybe you should read ;) The MSI board is the only mainstream board I know of with Firewire on board and with an included Firewire header.

USB 2.0 will *prolly* be here before Firewire even BEGINS to make more of an appearance on mainstream motherboards:p


<< first off, to attract device support, you need the motherboard to support it. otherwise no matter how much you bitch about it, you won't be plugging your video camera to your computer any time soon. >>


There's nobody to blame but the Firewire folks and Apple there. If they had moved their asses a long time ago, Firewire would be just as prevelant today as USB is. USB has come and gone and USB 2.0 is almost here and Firewire is just now getting it's foot in the door on the PC mainboard market.
 
NFS4

NFS4

No Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
72,636
47
91


<< Tom has done some comparisons between the two as well (with REAL firewire devices, like HD's). Firewire is even EASIER to use! no drivers to install! >>


Even if they are &quot;easier&quot; to use, they still can't make even a fraction of the dent on the mainstream PC market as USB. Firewire is basically in the same situation as the AMD Duron now. Both are great products. The Duron is clearly faster than the Celeron, but the Celeron still dominates in the OEM sector b/c of cheapass integrated motherboards. The Duron doesn't have that *yet.* So Firewire will contiune to fester until they can garner some support with VIA/ALI/Intel/AMD etc.
 
V

VladTrishkin

Senior member
Sep 11, 2000
421
0
0
Our school has just purchased 20 IBM's with firewire ports, video editing has never been so fast ;)

Many mobo manufacturers will support firewire soon, as soon as they take care of all the compatibility problems. Firewire has 30 times (45MB) more bandwidth than USB after all...
 
NFS4

NFS4

No Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
72,636
47
91


<< Don't you know USB is Intel's baby? >>


But what does that have to do with anything, every chipset manufacturer implements it. And if I recall correctly, Intel is just one of few involved with the USB/USB 2.0 spec:


<< Drafted by Compaq, Hewlett Packard, Intel, Lucent, Microsoft, NEC and Philips, USB Specification version 2.0 will increase device data throughout up to 480Mbps, 40 times faster than USB 1.1 devices. Originally, the new USB 2.0 was only intended to go as fast as 240Mbps but with the team?s engineering effort, the speed was raised to 480Mbps >>

 
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Stealth1024

Platinum Member
Aug 9, 2000
2,266
0
0
In order for any standard to take off, major companies such as Intel and Microsoft are going to have to adopt it. So while several companies may have developed USB, if Intel decided it wasn't going to support it, it would be nowhere.
 
D

Double Trouble

Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
9,270
103
106
Don't forget that while USB has become a universal standard, Apple continues to keep a stranglehold on Firewire, and the last time I checked was still charging a nasty royalty fee to use firewire chips in devices. The nasty royalty fee is what keeps firewire stuff artificially highly priced.

USB plain sucks in many respects (including cpu usage, stability, dependability), but it's absolutely great in two ways: ease of use, and availability at a reasonable price.

Besides, I have yet to hear a single convincing argument why I should ditch my PS2 Keyboard and mouse and get USB versions.......
 
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Remedy

Diamond Member
Dec 1, 1999
3,981
0
0
Soc, i agree with you.

Firewire is 400Mbps, so i wouldn't even bother trying to edit video threw USB. Isn't firewire more comparable to scsi than usb? I have this catalog here thats lets you buy 5 1/2 drive casings with the 1394 hardware built in. All you have to do is put whatever such as a 7200 rpm HD or a CD-RW or a DVD rom or look at iomega there jaz drive and zip drives are in firewire format too. Castlewood and there orb drive are in firewire format, They even have a 5.7 gig orb coming in december that is FW. Anything i just mention i seen for myself at the CompUSA show back on august 29th here in boston so i know for sure 1394 perphips will be taking over.
 
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VladTrishkin

Senior member
Sep 11, 2000
421
0
0
NFS4, its 480Mbps not 480MBps ;) dont confuse mega-bits and megabytes (1/8) :eek:


USB-2 will be just as good as firewire with this amount of bandwidth...
 
D

dl

Banned
Oct 29, 1999
1,633
0
0
LOL! if USB2.0 offers 480MBps....then DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMMMMMMMMMNNNNNNNNNNNNN!

I'm ditching this sorry ass Scsi system for some USB2.0 goodness ;)

Truth is USB devices are CRAP!

Hopefully USB2.0 implementations can redeem the USB name....

I've always been fascinated by IEEE 1394...but never really experienced it's goodness. However, a frien of mine swears that firewire is dabomb...if it wasn't for 1394, his Panasonic DV Cam would playing with itself ;)

Right now, it's too soon to tell who the winner is....but u can be damn sure I will always stand by reasonably priced quality products.
 
NFS4

NFS4

No Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
72,636
47
91


<< Truth is USB devices are CRAP! >>


How do you figure? Do you even use USB devices? I've been using tons of USB devices (actually 7 plugged in as we speak) and am quite happy ;)
 
D

dl

Banned
Oct 29, 1999
1,633
0
0
yes...I have 3 hooked up...mouse, kb, and pc cam...


mouse....I'm thinging hard about going back to serial...

KB...usb???what for??? it does not really add anything...'cept maybe volume control..which is a nice touch...

pc cam....completely useless! total waste of money(this part if my fault) does not work in W2K...this part is USB's fault...

remember the problems(frustration) you had with that smart card reader and that other usb device? as I remembered...you didn't really know how you fixed it did you??? ya just kinda stumbled and all of a sudden all was fixed...does that sound like stability to you?

maybe Crap is a little harsh...still, you can't deny the fact that USB devices are very buggy....which is far from what the USB cult ;) advertised...(just plug and play...more like just plug and pull yer hair! ;))
 
NFS4

NFS4

No Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
72,636
47
91


<< KB...usb???what for??? it does not really add anything...'cept maybe volume control..which is a nice touch... >>


How bout two extra USB ports on the Natural Keyboard Pro ;)


<< remember the problems(frustration) you had with that smart card reader and that other usb device? as I remembered...you didn't really know how you fixed it did you??? ya just kinda stumbled and all of a sudden all was fixed...does that sound like stability to you? >>


I don't blame that on USB itself, I blame that on the manufacturer...manufacturers can still make iffy components be it Firewire or USB. Can you name me one piece of hardware that works without ANY problems on any system no matter what system, chipset, or OS (besides a keyboard and mouse;)). Didn't think so ;)

As for my other devices, they are humming along just fine ;)
 
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