What is the advantages for using USB instead of Parallel Port?

[robinhung]

I've got a new laser printer Samsung ML-4600. It can use USB or Parallel Port. I just wonder what is the advantages for using USB instead of Parallel Port?

 

[TimeKeeper]

faster data transfer rate, and save an IRQ when you disable parallel port in your BIOS.

BTW, great choice for your printer! I save extra $50 on the 4500 model, and I love it!!!!

 

[potz]

use usb. better performance, and it's a lot faster. also, devices are detected automatically. but other than that, there's no big difference.

 

[sciencewhiz]

Advantages of USB:
free up an IRQ (IF you don't have any other parallel port devices)

Advantages of Parallel:
Works in all operating systems
faster data transfer than USB (but both can probably transfer data faster than your printer can print)
less headaches (in my experience)

edit: since the people above me are spreading mis-information I will clarify

USB has a maximum transfer rate of 12 megabits/s (1.5 megabytes per second)

EPP and ECP parallel port modes (all recent parallel port devices use one or the other) have a maximum transfer rate of 16 megabits/s (2 megabytes per second)

Both are faster than your printer is physically able to spit out paper. So speed isn't an issue.

 

[ALstonLoong]

just like the others said........faster and more convenient

 

[HawkeyeColt]

Awhile ago I wanted to hook up my old HP to USB. I went out and bought a parallel to USB adapter. I noticed no speed increase and had more problems than it was worth. So my new printer I bought has the option of USB or parallel. I went straight for the parallel connection.

 

[jaywallen]

One distinct disadvantage of USB is that you can't print from true DOS, if that happens to be a consideration for you.

Also not likely to work from NT4 unless you can get ahold of a specially designed driver for the printer.

Regards,
Jim

 

[TravisBickle]

if you have several parallel port creations, then you may not wish to unplug and reboot for your scanner, printer and external drive! and if you do have these creations then you may want them all plugged in at once. you can get usb hubs with printer and modem ports on them.

 

[nweaver]

one quick note
USB= Universal Serial Bus
Serial means 1, Parallel means more than 1...

Besides, most printers are still designed for parallel.

But none of us will see a difference between the two, and USB is usually more convienent, But really, it is a simplified 9 pin Serial port on Steroids.

 

[esung]

Parellel port has 8 data wires sending simultaneosly instead of a single connection in a serial port, that's how it's named..

but modern technology favors serial connection rather then parallel, since it's much easier to control a single data connection at high speed rather then multiple connections.. that's why you see most of
the new data bus are serial rather then parallel design.

USB is design to replace most of the computer peripheral connection bus, PS/2, serial, parallel, game port.... etc.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Having tried my Epson Stylus 740 on both USB and Parallel, I'd have to say that Parallel does seem to be faster than USB. The only advantage that USB has for me is that the USB cable fits through the wiring hole in my desk, while the Parallel cable does not. Since I don't want to have the Parallel cable running through the work area on my desk, I use USB. It is really six in one and a half dozen in the other, both interfaces can send data to your printer faster than it can print. Unless you will be printing in DOS or you need the extra IRQ, there is no compelling reason for one connection over the other outside of personal preferance.

Zenmervolt

 

[Noriaki]

Parallel is faster...especially when you consider that USB is shared. I dunno if that's a concern, but I've seen people send PDFs to the printers at my Unviersity network and some of those are MBs in size (I know because our printers can't print PDF directly, so every time somone does it, it f*cks up the printer).

But USB saves an IRQ. Besides USB will make you feel more modern

I doubt it makes a signficant difference.

Just drop the USB and Parallel, get a printer server and attach it via CAT5 (of course that only works if the printer supports internal print servers, if you use an external one then you have to attach the printer to the server with parallel, so you lose all the speed benefit heheeh )

 

[nweaver]

Once again, Parallel is faster, but not really Better. The Bottleneck is and will be the Printer for a long, long, long, long Time.

And you could disable usb and save an IRQ.....