USB Confusion - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

tinfoil · 06-18-2003, 05:34 PM

Quote:

USB was agreed to as a standard by Microsoft, Compaq and the usual suspects back in the 90s and a standard was issued in 1998. This was called USB 1.0 and then modified to USB 1.1.

It was excellent but slow, especially when compared with Firewire, the competition provided by Apple. So slow that at 12 Mbps it would not easily allow the downloading of video images from a camcorder to a PC. But fast enough so that all computers sold after 1999 pretty much were sold with USB 1.1 ports and most peripherals could be connected in that way.

But speed was a problem and so a faster standard was agreed and this was called _ pretty logical this _ USB 2.0. It was nearly as fast as Firewire at 480Mbps, and it was the way forward.

In fact, it will be a rare PC that goes on sale after the end of this year without USB 2.0. It is backwards compatible so no USB device is rendered out-of-date.

At the end of last year the USB Implementation Forum met _ Microsoft is on the board of directors while the chairman/president is Jason Ziller of Intel _ and decided that the matter was perhaps too clear, too transparent to the customer. Rotten customers were asking what version USB was installed on a machine and if it was USB 1.1 they thought it inferior to USB 2.

The Forum came up with a clever way of dealing with this.

In December it announced that henceforth USB 1.1 would be called USB 2 and USB 2 would continue to be called USB 2.

To help the public grasp this subtle distinction USB 2, which was the old USB 1.1, would have ``Full Speed'' added to its title and USB 2, which was USB 2, would have ``Hi-Speed'' added.

Not only did the consumers not get the subtle beauty and usefulness of this change. Neither did the retailers.

They, unstudied clods that they are, thought that if a device said USB 2 they could sell it as being to the old USB 2 standard. In their ignorance they did not realise that USB 2 could be USB 1.1 or USB 2 depending.

Even the manufacturers were fooled at some levels.

Sony and Toshiba issued laptops with USB 2 on them when they were the USB 2 that was the USB 1.1. Many peripherals were sold in the same way. The help desks did not understand the difference.

The USB Implementation Forum refuses to comment in any way on this contentious matter. But someone has plainly pointed out to them that these actions are possibly illegal and they could be charged with misrepresentation. This is certainly true under the laws of the European Union.

Now USB has put on its web site _ www.usb.org _ a statement that states: ``The correct nomenclature for high-speed USB products is ``Hi-Speed USB.'' The correct nomenclature for low or Full-speed USB products is simply ``USB''. And in the FAQ section it states: ``High speed USB products have a design data rate of 480 Mb/s. Full speed USB devices signal at 12Mb/s.''

Trust. It is a lovely thing when you get it on both sides.

Article

Sion · 06-18-2003, 06:21 PM

these dipshits at the USB implementation board should be politicians.

what a load of (hi-speed) horseshit

The_Dude · 06-18-2003, 07:13 PM

are we that stupid?

portwineboy · 06-18-2003, 07:24 PM

Someone over at /. pointed out that www.usb.org doesn't really phrase it the way this article does.

"Old USB 1.1 devices aren't renamed. New devices that support the USB 2.0 signalling (even if they do not support the 480Mb/s speed,) are USB 2.0 devices. 2Mb/s is 'Low Speed', 12Mb/s (the USB 1.1 maximum) is 'Full Speed', and 480Mb/s is 'High Speed'."
by Anonymous Freak (16973)

Why they decided to do it low, full, high instead of low, high, full I'll never know.

06-18-2003, 06:21 PM	#2 (permalink)
Sion Dumb all over...a little ugly on the side Location: In the room where the giant fire puffer works, and the torture never stops.	these dipshits at the USB implementation board should be politicians. what a load of (hi-speed) horseshit __________________ He's the best, of course, of all the worst. Some wrong been done, he done it first. -fz I jus' want ta thank you...falettinme...be mice elf...agin...

06-18-2003, 07:13 PM	#3 (permalink)
The_Dude The GrandDaddy of them all! Location: Austin, TX	are we that stupid? __________________ "Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity." - Darrel K Royal

06-18-2003, 07:24 PM	#4 (permalink)
portwineboy Master of No Domains Location: WEEhawken, New Joisey	Someone over at /. pointed out that www.usb.org doesn't really phrase it the way this article does. "Old USB 1.1 devices aren't renamed. New devices that support the USB 2.0 signalling (even if they do not support the 480Mb/s speed,) are USB 2.0 devices. 2Mb/s is 'Low Speed', 12Mb/s (the USB 1.1 maximum) is 'Full Speed', and 480Mb/s is 'High Speed'." by Anonymous Freak (16973) Why they decided to do it low, full, high instead of low, high, full I'll never know. __________________ If you can read this, thank a teacher. If you can read this in English, thank a veteran.