LaCie USB 2.0 / FireWire 400 & 800 PCI Card • DESIGN BY SISMO USB 2.0 Q & AUser Manual page 10What Are The Benefits Of The USB Interfaces?✦ Cross-platform: Use your USB peripherals on both Mac andWindows platforms.✦ “Hot Swappable”: No need to shut down or restart yourcomputer when adding or removing a USB device. Plug itin and its ready.✦ Automatic configuration: Once your device is connected,your computer recognizes the device and automaticallyconfigures the necessary software.✦ Daisy-Chaining: with USB ports on your computer, you canconnect up to 127 peripherals using hubs.✦ Easy Installation: One standardized port and plug combi-nation makes it simple to connect.What Are The Ideal Uses For USB 1.0?USB 1.0 is perfect for more traditional connections such askeyboards, mice, joysticks and scanners. These types of devicesdon’t require fast data transfer rates, and operate very success-fully at the slower speeds.What Are The Ideal Applications For Hi-Speed USB2.0?Digital cameras, CD/DVD drives, hard drives and scanners willall benefit from the added bandwidth and performance gainsof the new implementation of the USB standard. Hi-Speed USB2.0 provides the necessary fast data transfer rates that today’sdevices require, and combines the earlier specifications so olderdevices that operated under the original USB standards will stillwork with Hi-Speed USB 2.0.Will USB 1.0 Devices Run Faster When ConnectedTo A Hi-Speed USB 2.0 Bus?Unfortunately, no. USB devices will still operate at 12Mb/s atfull-speed and 1.5Mb/s at low-speed on a Hi-Speed USB 2.0bus. Even though USB 1.0 devices won’t run any faster, theycan work alongside Hi-Speed USB 2.0 devices on the same bus.However, if you plug in a Hi-Speed USB 2.0 device to a USB 1.0bus, the speed of the Hi-Speed USB 2.0 device will decreaseto 12Mb/s.What Is A USB Hub?Technically, you can connect up to 127 devices to a single USBbus. For more than two devices, though, you must make newconnections using a peripheral called a “hub.” A hub, which youhook up directly to a USB connector on your computer, usuallyhas 4 or 7 output connections enabling you to connect the samenumber of peripherals. Some hubs have no power supply andothers are self-powered. When you choose a hub, opt for theself-powered variety, as they have their own AC adapter. Themost powerful hubs provide 0.5A of power to each port.Will Hi-Speed USB 2.0 Devices Work On USB 1.1Hubs And Vice Versa?You can use your Hi-Speed USB 2.0 devices with USB 1.1 hubs,but the peripherals will be limited to USB 1.1 performance levels.Hi-Speed USB 2.0 is backwards compatible, so you will be ableto connect USB devices to Hi-Speed USB 2.0 hubs; however, theUSB devices will still maintain their normal performance levels(i.e. 12 Mb/s).In order to achieve the fast data transfer rates of Hi-Speed USB2.0, you must connect your Hi-Speed USB 2.0 device directly toa Hi-Speed USB 2.0 port on either a computer or hub.For more information about the USB interface, please visit:www.lacie.com/technologies4. USB 2.0 Questions & Answers