USB + Firewire combo cards

[GizmoFreak]

I need to add a few additional usb 2.0 ports to my computer and was looking into pci cards. But then I got to thinking of getting a usb 2.0 + firewire card instead. Why not kill two birds with one stone? I don't really need firewire right now but it'd be nice to have the option.

So my question is, are there any disadvantages to getting a combo card like this? I'm primariy concerned with performance and throughput rates. But perhaps there are quality control issues with 2 in 1 devices. Any thoughts?

I was looking at something like this:
http://www.newegg.com/app/View...=15-108-107&depa=0

Or maybe the combo card from Adaptec.

 

[kamranziadar]

$20 bucks no way. Well i think you should get both seperate from Pricewatch.com $6 for Firwire and same for USB. And you saved some money free shipping.

 

[GizmoFreak]

Are you saying the $20 card is probably poor quality or simply too expensive?

I'm not too concerned about the price right now. I'm just curious if I'll get the same performance in a combo card as I would in two separate ones.

 

[gokuhama]

it should do the same thing as two separate cards. however, for the usb 2.0 look for a card with an onboard controllers so then you won't have a transfer rate drop when you are heavily using more than one port on the card at the same time.

 

[GizmoFreak]

Can it be assumed that most of them have one? Almost all USB 2.0 PCI Card products don't seem to mention it.

 

[gokuhama]

nope it can't be assumed. try your best to find documentation on it. oh and you should really try to get one with an nec chipset.

 

[GizmoFreak]

What's wrong with the VIA or other chipsets?

 

[GizmoFreak]

Do EHCI and OHCI compliance indicate that it has a controller?

 

[gokuhama]

Originally posted by: GizmoFreak
What's wrong with the VIA or other chipsets?

there's nothing really wrong with them, it's just that windows xp has nec drivers for high speed usb drivers as the default. if you install other high speed drivers then it may "overwrite" the nec ones as the default. you may run into problems if you want to hook up other hubs to your computer. I have an ALI chipset card so i've run into these annoying problems.

 

[GizmoFreak]

http://www.ppa-usa.com/product_pages/usb/1509.htm

Any idea if this card has a controller? And what chipset it has?

 

[GizmoFreak]

OK, looks like this one has the VIA chipset. But I don't know if it has a controller.

Should I avoid the VIA chipset?

 

[gokuhama]

It's not so much good or bad. It's just a matter of convenience. If you are going to have external usb hubs on your computer which don't come with drivers then you may run into problems when you try using them. Otherwise you're pretty safe getting whatever you want.