USB 2.0 vs Firewire: Which should we use?

cubitcubit
Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
Will USB 2.0 really be as fast and flexible as Firewire? If not, should we care that people think it is? If it is, should we worry about those trashing Fireware (and by implication its proponents like Apple and me)?



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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 11
    hmurchisonhmurchison Posts: 12,425member
    no



    Use Firewire if possible.
  • Reply 2 of 11
    cubitcubit Posts: 846member
    APOLOGIES for the "web page" IT was supposed to be a link to a LA Times page telling us the PC iPod will never catch on because PC users would have to put in a $50 Firewire card into their machines [another reason to switch to Apple, since they are included ] and "USB 2.0 is just as flexible and fast." <img src="confused.gif" border="0">
  • Reply 3 of 11
    cubitcubit Posts: 846member
    [quote]Originally posted by hmurchison:

    <strong>no



    Use Firewire if possible.</strong><hr></blockquote>



    Thank you hmurchison. That is where I am in my thnking, but I wonder why there is the need to claim otherwise? I'm looking forward to all the firewire products that will emerge and I'm using my Cube to pump out music to my little iPod and have played a bit with video on my iMac---luckily I don't own my own video camera, so settle for iPhoto and my Canon G1.
  • Reply 4 of 11
    zapchudzapchud Posts: 844member
    USB2 is not as fast (on paper and in few circumstances) and flexible as FW. Tests have shown that FW is much faster at streaming, and afaik is there no such thing as USB Target Mode (is it that the FireWire feature is called, that allows a device to be startup volume?).

    I will now shut my mouth and leave it up to others to explain the other pros of FW.
  • Reply 5 of 11
    cindercinder Posts: 381member
    USB is faster in optimal conditions - but requires certain things to run "optimally"



    A USB will slow down if there is a slower device on it downstream.
  • Reply 6 of 11
    ast3r3xast3r3x Posts: 5,012member
    USB is processor intensive...on average slower, it needs a computer for devices to talk and over all stinky compared to FW. I'm not sure how USB 2.0 even gets any hype because FW has been doing what it does and more for as long as its been out. Once FW 2.0 comes out then that will USB be when its becomes USB 3.0 (880MB/s?)
  • Reply 7 of 11
    hmurchisonhmurchison Posts: 12,425member
    Cubit..sorry had to break my message off fast. I think Firewire is taking off nicely. Many of the Taiwanese Mobo manufacturers are going to incorporate Firewire into their mobos. The nvidia nForce has Firewire as well. I doubt that the FW card mentioned is absolutely necessary unless it's special. Apple wants the ipod to succeed but in this case it's not a priority for iPods to excel on windows. Apples seems to have begrudgingly added support due to iPods popularity.





    Firewire will make more an more sense when people realize that it's a flexible connection that will soon show up in more consumer electronics. It's future is bright but Apple will have to push the market forward.
  • Reply 8 of 11
    gamblorgamblor Posts: 446member
    None if this long-haired gobbledy-gook matters... Simple fact is that USB2 is an easy upgrade for USB1, which is already on everybody's machines. Within a year or two, every consumer grade printer, scanner, external CD burner, CompactFlash/Smartmedia/MMC/SD media card reader, etc., is going to be a USB2 device. THAT'S why Apple needs to support USB2.



    Firewire will probably continue to dominate the pro market for such devices, simply because it's already entrenched, but consumer grade stuff is going USB2.
  • Reply 9 of 11
    rickagrickag Posts: 1,626member
    USB 2.0 vs Firewire: Which should we use?



    Both



  • Reply 10 of 11
    fran441fran441 Posts: 3,715member
    Despite the fact that Apple isn't including USB 2.0 on any machines, cards are out there allowing Macs to use USB 2.0.



    This is going to general discussion, as it is a 'debate' about USB 2 vs Firewire.
  • Reply 11 of 11
    slackerslacker Posts: 127member
    Yes, use both.



    If you had to choose to buy a device with one option or the other, there are advantages to Firewire in some situations.



    Power - Charge your iPod just by hooking it up to your computer and updating your playlists and songs, no need to hook up a brick.



    Peer to Peer - No need for a computer to negotiate the data. Have a digital camera with firewire? You can send it directly to another firewire device. I wouldn't be surprised if the iPod couldn't hook up to a digicam and act as extra storage space in the near future (if it doesn't alread?).



    You can boot off of external firewire HDs, I don't think this is true of USB2.



    Because it is peer to peer there is no drag on the computers CPU.



    Ext CDRW, HD, & DVD I would recommend firewire. Digicams are obvious. Scanners, printers, and other devices i would take either since speed is not so critical (well actually my scanner is Firewire).



    Both are nice, just make sure you chose the port that fits the application best.
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