LaCie SAFE - Manual (Page 31)

LaCie SAFE Hard Drive
User Manual page 1
Helpful Information
The new USB 2.0 standard provides higher
bandwidth for high-speed peripherals such as ex-
ternal hard drives, high-speed scanners and CD-
RW drives. USB 2.0 delivers transfer
rates up to 480Mb/s, while conveniently
maintaining backward compatibility with
USB 1.1 devices.
USB 2.0 can still be used to connect
lower-speed USB 1.1 ports and devices
like digital cameras, scanners, modems,
keyboards, mice, joysticks and printers. In
the USB 2.0 system, existing USB peripherals do
not have to be upgraded, and lower-speed devices
will not require additional performance, instead
operating as USB 1.1 devices.
USB Cables and Connectors
Your LaCie SAFE drive is shipped with a USB
2.0-certified USB cable, to ensure maximum data
transfer performance when connected to a USB 2.0
port. The cable will also work when connected to a
USB 1.1 port, but drive performance will be lim-
ited to USB 1.1 transfer rates.
There are also different types of USB connec-
tions, such as the mini-cable and device end. Make
sure that you have the correct type of connection
on computer. Consult LaCie Customer Support or
your LaCie reseller for more information.
USB 2.0 Host Bus Adapters and Performance
To use the newly-enhanced USB 2.0 perfor-
mances, your computer must be equipped with a
USB 2.0 host bus adapter card (sold separately, such
as the LaCie USB 2.0 PCI Card, or integrated by
your PC manufacturer) and the appropriate drivers.
These host bus adapter cards, which include one
or more USB ports, are shipped with special USB
2.0 drivers that enable the computer to control the
card. These drivers must be installed in order for
USB 2.0 devices connected to the port to work at
their correct speeds. For installation instructions,
please refer to the documentation that comes with
the host adapter card.
LaCie supplies only the appropriate USB 2.0
drivers for its peripherals and does not provide
drivers for third-party host adapter cards. To obtain
the right drivers for your host adapter card, visit
your card manufacturer’s Internet site.
7.3. Optimizing USB 2.0 Connections
The following technical information relates to
your LaCie Drive and gives some practical advice.
What is USB 2.0?
n
USB 2.0 Icon