USB 3 - PG Music Forums

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Spent the past week really researching this topic. Looking for new external HD and the big 1 - 2 -3 TB drives are on Sale ($99, $149, $199) with the new USB 3.0.

OK, I quickly discover that you need to add a PCIe 1x adapter for the USB 3 ports to my desktop. Got lots of PCI slots (1x and 4x) in my Dell, so No problem, I can pick up one of these for ~$30.

Then I get home open the case go to insert the new PCI card and, "Hold on!, What this??" ...this card needs to be powered separately from the slot. There is a connector to plug in a power cable to the card, similar to those cables used for the hard drives But, my internal hard drive power cables are all the slim line SATA design and this thing needs one of those old big 6 pin square plugs I used to have with my old IDE hard drives in my last computer.

So looks like I need a power adaptor cable, has to go from my SATA power to the old 6 pin connector type. Has to be at least 10 inches long to reach from one side of the computer innards to the other. A trip to CDA - no such beast available.

Ain't technology fun!

So what does this have to do with music?? I took my favorite Guitar in to have the pickups replaced..... but that is another story.

http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Other%20W...aign=productads or

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230549811381

Can't vouch for the vendors, but the connectors seem available.
I thought older IDE was 4 pin, not 6 pin
(??)

Check your power requirements before proceeding; not sure if a simple adapter will do the job.
I realize these aren't 10" long. I can't account for everything.
(Still married)

This is one of the consequences of a Dell or HP. They save money by not giving you anything extra. My home-built PCs with an Antec power supply each have lots of extra power connections in several forms. The one time I bought an HP desktop, I regretted it when I attempted to upgrade it.

Quote:

http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Other%20W...aign=productads or

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230549811381

Can't vouch for the vendors, but the connectors seem available.
I thought older IDE was 4 pin, not 6 pin
(??)

Check your power requirements before proceeding; not sure if a simple adapter will do the job.
I realize these aren't 10" long. I can't account for everything.
(Still married)

Sure enough Rharv, that looks like the little beastie that I needed (SATA to Molex). Unfortunately, I got frustrated and just returned the card. Maybe I'll try again in the future.

What I would like to know, and don't really have a clue yet, is how well USB 3.0 is going to work in audio as an audio interface.

As far as audio is concerned, Firewire is dead. There are legacy devices, but from what I've heard, Apple is getting rid of it, and a lot of companies are no longer going to be producing new Firewire audio devices. USB 1.1 and 2.0 aren't really fast enough to support multiple channel devices at 96kHz, but if they truly can get 5Gb/s of bandwidth out of these new devices, you should be able to do...God, a lot of stereo tracks at 24/96.

Time will tell.

Other than that, and hard drives, what real use do you have for USB 3.0?

Gary

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Other than that, and hard drives, what real use do you have for USB 3.0?

Gary

Well, I've got a hunch that the Video aficionados are gonna find a use for it.

And who knows what future technology shall bring forth? Might be something in development somewhere that represents one of those abrupt technology changes as well.

BTW I hear that the BIOS is about to be declared obsolete. Fast boot times are apparently on the near horizon.

--Mac

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Other than that, and hard drives, what real use do you have for USB 3.0?

Gary

The need for speed

At this time, the theorectical 10x over 2.0 with a more typically reported 3x is exactly what I am looking for to help manage the collection of external Hard Drives for file storage and backups.

Supposedly, Light Peak will be even faster than USB3 AND be backwards compatible with Firewire via adapters. Really, the 'new' Firewire.

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The one time I bought an HP desktop, I regretted it.

I agree with Matt. The built-to-order and off-the-shelf PCs are built to lower manufacturing costs and maximize profit for the manufacturers. When I've attempted to order good purpose built computers that have everything that I want and need, the quote is always a budget buster. PCs are relatively easy to put together these days and there are some some good web sites that give you free assembly instructions and links to sites that sell motherboards, power supplies, RAM, and everything else that you need. I'm in the process of making a purchasing list and I'm going to start buying the components to build my next PC from scratch. Its going to be a doozy when I'm done, cost much less than a name brand computer.....and the USB 3 is already built into the motherboard.

Mac,
Video. Yup, didn't think about that, since I just usually pull out my memory card and stick it in my card reader attached to the computer. But, that really is USB 2.0. So, yeah, that should be much faster.

As to the BIOS comment, I understand. I don't know about Firewire's future. I only relate what I've heard. I probably came across as too definitive. I have not heard of LightPeak yet, so that's a new one on me.

But, here were are now. You can buy an USB 3.0 PCI-x card, and I know there are some devices out there that support it, but until it becomes 'mainstream' and you see it on the computers you're buying off the shelf in WalMart, and all the devices are USB 3.0 capable, we'll be waiting. We just have to wait and see.

Gary

Historically speaking, faster always wins out.

I do expect the USB 3.0 port to start showing up on mobos in the near future.

--And I also expect there to be just ONE USB 3.0 port, with the rest of the ports on the box or lappy being either 2.0 or possibly even 1.1 on the cheaper offerings, just like we've seen with the 2.0 port that can be ridiculously difficult to sort out from the remaining 1.1s on these things.

--Mac