USB 2.0 and Mac OS9.x?

randycat99randycat99
Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
Does this support even exist, or is USB 2.0 exclusive to OS X? I noticed that in nearly every PCI upgrade card product I've examined for USB 2 that is Mac-compatible, there is also a fine print note that OSX is required for USB 2 functionality. Now here is where the wishful thinking comes into play...



http://eshop.macsales.com/Catalog_It...&Item=MACUH241



It mentions compatibility with BW G3 and OS9, and full-speed functionality in either USB 1 or USB 2 modes. Yet, there is no fine print saying OSX is required to make USB 2 work. So do I have a solution here for my beloved smurf Powermac, or did they just forget to specify this exception?

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 4
    beigeuserbeigeuser Posts: 371member
    Randycat99,



    The only way to be sure is to write the manufacturer of the card that you intend to purchase. But that being said...



    I have a USB2.0 card made by a Japanese Manufacturer called Ratoc Systems. They use the NEC uPD720101 chipset which Apple supports natively since 10.2.8. This card does not run at full speed in OS 9. It slows down to USB 1.1.
  • Reply 2 of 4
    randycat99randycat99 Posts: 1,919member
    Yes, this is true. I was just wondering if there is an unwritten reality that OS9 was never to support USB2- like maybe there was no such thing as USB2 when OS9 drivers were actively kept to up to date?
  • Reply 3 of 4
    beigeuserbeigeuser Posts: 371member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Randycat99

    Yes, this is true. I was just wondering if there is an unwritten reality that OS9 was never to support USB2- like maybe there was no such thing as USB2 when OS9 drivers were actively kept to up to date?



    I think the most recent USB driver for OS 9 is version 1.4.1 which was released on 4/4/2000. I don't think that USB 2 was available back then.



    Orange micro is supposedly doing a feasability study for OS 9 USB2 drivers but that is probably on indefinite hold. You might want to contact them.



    http://www.orangemicro.com/updateusb2mac.html
  • Reply 4 of 4
    randycat99randycat99 Posts: 1,919member
    I suppose it is mostly a lost cause. Like what would be the point of investing development time to make an OS9 driver for a demographic that is "inherently cheap", in that they wouldn't need USB2 support if they were just willing to buy more pricey firewire alternatives to do the same thing, in the first place.
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