FireWire 2, USB 2 - When on Macintosh?

fryke

fryke

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TechTV has tested Firewire 1 performance against USB 2. External harddrives were tested, and you can see the results in the following link: http://www.techtv.com/screensavers/supergeek/jump/0,24331,3393574,00.html

To quote the final thoughts: "Despite the speed advantage USB 2.0 offers over the old v1.1 standard, FireWire remains the performance king of plug-and-play connections."

However: USB 2.0 is getting attention in the market. You can get external CD-RWs and DVD-writers cheaper than with a Firewire interface, and that alone makes many a Mac user wish he/she had the interface. Maybe not for external harddrives - but as an extra. An iomega zip750 for example. Or a CD-burner, which doesn't _have_ to be on that fast a connection (although it might save you CD-Rs).

I suspect Apple won't introduce USB 2 before Firewire 2, just not to distract users. Clearly, Firewire was a replacement for SCSI (and a good one, too!), and USB was rather one for serial connections and ADB devices (keyboards, mice, tablets etc.).
 
i can only hope that apple doesn't incoroporate either until they can do it right. and until the peripherals that use it are built right. i'm yet to buy one of the early supporters of new techonolgy that still needed to tweek a few things. i'd hate to see apple add something to satisfy people who are in a hurry and not make sure it was perfect when they did.

oh, and just forget the usb2, firewire is so much betterin so many ways, speed is just one of them.
 
I hope that apple will include usb2 and firewire2 in the next uppgrade of the PowerMac, there's alot of scanners, printers etc coming out now with usb2 and they cost less then a firewire device.

Viktor
 
Is the test about Firewire 2 vs USB 2? Cause people always said to me that USB2 was faster than Firewire ...
 
Nope. Read the test. USB 2 only has a 'max throughput' that is higher. Sustained throughput on Firewire is higher.
 
Originally posted by fryke
Nope. Read the test. USB 2 only has a 'max throughput' that is higher. Sustained throughput on Firewire is higher.
Click to expand...

And even at USB2's highest speed - is not impressively more than FireWire's IMO.
 
We won't see USB2 on a mac until firewire's cold stinking corpse is forcing people to leave the room.

I have to suspect that there are some unforseen roadblocks to firewire2, or we should have seen it by now. If only for bragging rights (I sure as hell don't need it - I'm barely using firewire).
 
firewire 1 is quite alive and kicking. that you're not using it doesn't mean it works and is cool, and as the tests show, still faster than usb 2. i rather wait 'til apple has a good product for firewire 2. i don't want to early-adopt hardware with 'beta' issues.
 
Originally posted by fryke
firewire 1 is quite alive and kicking.
Click to expand...

Uhm, that's not what I was suggesting. As long as firewire is around, I don't expect to see USB2 on a mac.

Originally posted by fryke
that you're not using it doesn't mean it works and is cool, and as the tests show, still faster than usb 2.
Click to expand...

I have no idea what you're saying here. That I don't use firewire much has nothing to do with it's lifespan (unless I'm the computer equivalent to the nielsen family and no one told me).

Originally posted by fryke
i rather wait 'til apple has a good product for firewire 2. i don't want to early-adopt hardware with 'beta' issues.
Click to expand...

As far as Firewire2, it's not a product it's a technology. You can't implement it into a product until the technology is released.
 
i thought it _was_ released?

and what i meant was that certainly apple won't let firewire die to adopt usb 2, they will adopt usb 2 along with firewire 2.
 
Since FireWire is Apple's technology, it will definitely take precedence over USB 2 in Macs. However, many consumers will believe the hype surrounding the "higher" speeds of USB 2. Thus, I think Apple should continue to promote FireWire as much as possible in order to not lose ground against USB 2.
 
Since I was a former PC user, I dont own any firewire devices. My mp3 player is USB2.0..... and thus I cannot use it on my brand new Powerbook G4, which is pretty agravating. I dont have the money to go out and spend 300+ dollars on another MP3 player like the I-Pod.
 
btw, Just to keep everybody updated... the new PowerMac G5 has FireWire 400, FireWire 800, and USB 2.0... so.... everybody's covered.
 
Yeah, everyone with $2000+ to spend on a new Power Mac when Apple finally releases them.

However, it's good to see that they're taking steps in the right directions.
 
I don't remember where I posted here in www.macosx.com but I will repeat that again:
You can buy from ANY quality Wintel store a FireWire to USB1&2 adaptors, cards, whatever...

Basically, ANY Mac with a FireWire can use USB2 devices with little money spend... Certainly NOT having to buy for USB2 usage those G5 beasts :p :D
 
I'm a little confused. When referring to Firewire 2, are people talking about a new protocol or a faster Firewire implementaion (800, 1600, 3200 kbps)? I hadn't heard mention of Firewire 2 until now.
 
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