What's the difference between Int & Ext USB2.0??

[js2000]

Hi, Thinking of purchasing a combo pci card, been doing some researches and found 2 cards, which have usb2.0/firewire ports. But can't decide which is better or the adavnatages over another, Pls help.

Card 1:
3* USB2.0 Ext ports + 2* Ext Firewire

Card 2:
3* USB2.0 Ext Ports & 2* Internal USB2.0 + 2* Ext Firewire

For the apps i wanted to use - i might not need card 2. But just a query, of what 2* Internal usb2.0 port do??? So far i haven't seen any device use internal usb2.0 ports, may some1 can how a picture of this sort devices?? Is this the future of devices??


THX alot!!

[Van Nugent]

The internal ports are useful for connecting internal USB or Firewire hubs (the ones that you mount on either 3.5" or 5.25" drive bays) or internal card readers. Sometimes they are used to connect to the front USB/Firewire ports of the case.

[js2000]

Hi, thx for the reply. I was wondering, if get a combo card with the additional both usb2.0/firewire internal ports:

Q1: To connect to a front usb2.0/firewire bay, do they work as a single port to make several ports @ the front bay. ie., a single cable from 1 int usb2.0 port to make 4 ext usb2.0 ports?? The same goes for firewire as well??

Q2: My main use is to hook up ext drives and video capturing devices, suchas hdd/dvd-rom etc... Do they takes alot of the sys memory, will it cause the pc to become unstable?? Are there any other restrictions???

Q3: I have heard that i can connect upto 127 devices thru cascading usb/firewire hubs, does this applies to all combo cards or just depend which u getting?? Again will my pc become unstable??

Thanks alot!!

[Van Nugent]

Theoretically, you can connect up to 127 USB devices or 63 Firewire devices (in a subnet) but I do not think we want to connect that too many. :)

Normally, front ports on a case only go 1 to 1. That means 1 port from the add-in card or from the mobo can only connect to 1 front port. Front ports on different cases require different connectors so make sure you have the right type. For ex, some require a header with individual pins, others require a female connector. If you want to connect an internal port to make several front ports, you'll need to buy an internal hub that can be mounted on a 3.5"/5.25" bay.

With proper driver, external USB/Firewire drives won't make your system unstable. You won't be able to use the drives in DOS or to boot up from them, though.

[js2000]

Yeah i was meant to say an internal hub, sorry. To make several usb ports @ the front bay via a single internal usb port is possibel with a hub. It also seem firewire hub works slightly different to usb2.0?? Could u explain?? I mean i can get a dual front bay hub that's no prob, ie 4x usb2.0 & 2 firewire for the front bay. But unsure whether i requires 2 int firewire to make the 2 front firewire?? Saw an item which i am interested

http://www.rlsupplies.co.uk/products/product.asp?id=1866

Not sure whether a 1x int usb & 1x int firewire will fully make all ports functional with this item. May be u can explain this for me pls?? How the connection works?

[Van Nugent]

Yep, you only need 1 internal USB 2.0 port & 1 internal Firewire port from the PCI card for that hub. Make sure it comes with all needed cables.