Implementing USB: discussion



Bought Microsoft intellimouse USB windows 98....and a logitech quickcam pro 4.0.1. ....both USB. I have an old CPU that was updated to PentiumS and win98. There's no matching plug for the USB connection. Is there an adapter of some kind I can get to connect these two items?

sdmike1 (106) on 08/05/99 at 15:18:39 PDT

tootsietoe - does your motherboard support USB? It's unclear from your post what MB you're using. If your motherboard does not support USB, there's nothing you can do about it unless you want to replace your motherboard or replace the mouse and camera. If your motherboard DOES support USB, then it's probably just a matter of buying a USB port at your local electronics/computer shop, plugging it in, and enabling it in the BIOS.

Mike! Listen, I had never heard of a USB before! How would I go about determining if the motherboard supports USB? Off the top of my head I know I've got 32MB working memory..a gig something of hard drive..120mhz..the camera requires a minimum of 100.. I had an old 486 Dx and found this CPU for $50 at a yard sale. The guy had just upgraded it to win98.. but went out and bought a whole new setup. This USB is a new concept for me. Thanks! Connie PS>..my goal is to get a laptop I can carry around and use with one of these quickcams. Got any suggestions there? Who would I log on with to get internet service with a laptop? I'd get some kind of card for it for global hook up?

Mike! I just thought of a computer swap meet that meets once a month locally...how much does a USB port cost retail? I got such a deal on the camera and mouse as the guy had bought them recently brand new, but decided to move cross country...so I negotiated and got them for less than 25% of what it would have cost retail. I'll grow into them eventually if I can't change this computer to accommodate them.

sdmike1 (106) on 08/05/99 at 15:37:33 PDT

tootsietoe USB stands for Universal Serial Bus. It's been around for a while, but you really didn't see it much before the last couple of years. Your computer is older than that, so I have a sneaky suspicion your system was built several years before USB came out. The only way to check, unless you know exactly what you're looking for with the case apart, is to read the manual. If you don't have a manual, you can go check the www site of the computer manufacturer and see if there is any information there. Unlike parallel (printer) and serial (mouse) ports that have pins, USB plugs look more like little phone plugs. Of course, on the motherboard the pins look just like....two short lines of pins! Again, I don't think your system supports USB. Unless you want to replace your motherboard, you will likely need to get a serial mouse (plugs into a standard COM port) and a parallel port camera.

As for your laptop question, almost any new laptop will support USB. Just check the specifications before you buy. If you get a laptop with a modem (either built in or included as a credit card looking device), you should be able to log into the internet wherever there is a phone line. If you travel to a lot of different cities, you may want to consider an internet provider like AOL (America OnLine) that has local phone numbers in all major and most minor cities in the US.

Buying a USB connector won't do you any good if there aren't USB pins on the motherboard to plug it into.

captain-kirk (184) on 08/05/99 at 15:43:18 PDT

There are parallel port adapters for USB that you should be able to use, and I've seen USB port adapter cards that only claim to need PCI and Win98 to work (not a USB enabled motherboard) (but I'd check out this latter option carefully). We may be able to get you using those devices before your next PC yet..

kenintenn (153) on 08/05/99 at 15:52:59 PDT

tootsietoe Office depot among other places carry the parallel port to USB adapter. They are kind of pricey though, Around 30.00. Most small shops that I frequent don't have them. But the larger chain stores have them. they only have one outlet. So to operate both devices at once you will also need a USB hub. Which come with up to 10 USB ports.

Hey, guys! I've got this thing going...with a regular mouse and I'm using a casio qv100 digital camera (I'd advise strongly against getting this model.. it's been a nightmare!) This will be the third time in.. the first time they had it for four months! I may get it replaced or even an upgrade(I'm praying!) next week when a bigshot at Casio comes back from vacation...........when I saw the quickcam at the yard sale.. I said, "Oh, boy!" I can take the CPU apart and check out the motherboard. I just came back from doing a USB port search on eBay. I thought there was some kind of global satellite card you could get and you didn't need a phone line..(that's a ?) I think the entire guts of this CPU were upgraded.. so who knows who made what til I get the screwdriver! OK, there are parallel port adapters.. and adapter cards.. hmmm.. I'm OK on the Win98, but what does PCI mean? I taught myself how to use a mouse two Novembers ago.. and I understand a lot of concepts, but don't have all the terms down. So I would need both adapter and card? I can see the rectangular plug has four gold or copper wires in it to make contact.

kenintenn (153) on 08/05/99 at 16:02:03 PDT

tootsietoe What about your printer and scanner? You probably will want to use a Parallel Switch Box, connect your Printer and scanner, ton a port on the switch box if you have a scanner, then on another port on the switch put your Parallel USB adapter, then a short USB cable from the outlet side of the USB to a USB hub and then your mouse and Camera to the hub. The USB hub is a good Idea any way, Because USB devices are coming in finally their time has arrived. Most computers that have USB ports only can operate 2 so a hub is necessary. The nice thing is you can run over a 140 peripherals on one computer.

Ken, I saw mention of 2 and 4 plug and something about hubs in the eBay ads. I saw some things on auction from $8 on up into the $20's. We've got office depots in southern Cal. I'll have to stop and eyeball what they've got after I investigate my motherboard. A lot of times I can find things at the swap meets and yard sales locally and score on some good bargains.

I'm assuming peripherals are functioning items outside that you need to lead a line into the computer. This little bit is enough for me to figure out!

kenintenn (153) on 08/05/99 at 16:10:08 PDT

tootsietoe PCI is one of the architecture terms for the Cards there are ISA which are 16 bit and there are PCIs which are 32 bit and Now we Also have AGP cards which work at 64 bit and up. PCI cards don't have the connections coming all the way back to the end of the card and go in a Black or Dark Brown socket. and ISAs are longer and the contacts go nearly to the end of the card, and fit in a white colored socket. Don't worry about AGP . You do not need both the card and adapter. either one or the other. You will need to find out what type of card will fit your puter

I don't know what use a person could have for that many devices but that's what USB will support. I hope you can get things working. but remember If you do the parallel adapter trip you will not be able to use your printer, with out disconnecting and reconnecting every thing The card If useable would be the best.

I had the socket colors reversed. PCIs are for the white sockets and ISAs are for the black sockets

Ken, I'll copy your last post, too! I know it's 32 bit in the Pentium S. I was miffed when my slack off computer man's ass istant put in a 16 bit video card...and they charged me $40 for it.. one of my friends told me it was obsolete and they charged too much for it. I'd taken it in to have my computer man load my qvlink program. Anyway, I love to figure things out myself(or I'm going to learn to love to!!)..and I'm trying to avoid the computer shop again at all costs. I think the new assistant is sabotaging the computers he fixes so they have to be brought back in. He's not very knowledgeable about what he's doing...and I'd told my computer man to keep him away from my computer. The guy mentioned to me that he'd put it in when I complained that I couldn't believe Dave put in a 16 bit...

kenintenn (153) on 08/05/99 at 16:28:39 PDT

xyste They should make peripherals to work either way. But they want your money. Most newer TAX form mainboards do have 2 USB ports. ATs have to make use of an add on. The architecture and circuitry are there but you have to put on a cable and the ports. You only need a hub if you are planning to use more than 2 devices, Maybe you want to put in 3 ditto drives. USB is much cheaper than SCSI and can be hot swapped. That is with out shutting down your computer. By the way USB devices are much faster than parallel

devices. captain-kirk (184) on 08/05/99 at 17:36:30 PDT

If you go the "USB to Parallel port" route, you may want to get a cheap parallel port card, so that you can hang your printer/scanner off one port, and your USB off the other. If you have a spare slot for the card.

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