Will a USB2 card make my scanner faster?

[fahdoul]

I got an Epsom 3170 scanner which is USB2, but my MDD G4 is only USB1.

I was thinking about getting a card for it but i am hearing rumors that according to some tests going from USB to USB 2 just doesn't seem to make much difference with a scanner. But I know my old Microtek SCSI scanner was a whole lot faster (when it would deign to work, which wasn't often) than the new Epson is.

Anyone tried it both ways, and can give an authoritive answer on this?

[BigGuynRusty]

My Epson wasn't faster when I went USB2 on my DP450, but it became Buick GNX TurboCharged when I went DP2GHz G5.

BGnR
As RacerX knows, Buick GNX TC'ed is SMOKIN'!

[Ted King]

I have an Epson 1670 scanner, a MDD G4, and I wish I could answer your question, but I can't because when I put a USB 2 PCI card into the computer I started having big problems before I could even test out the difference in the scanner speed. There is a known problem with MDD's and USB 2 PCI cards - very often the computer will not wake up from sleep with one of those cards installed, especially if there is some kind of drive attached to the USB 2 card. I had a USB 2 hub connected to the card that also was a flash card reader (like for digital camera cards) and my computer basically "freaked out" - a had a whole slew of problems beyond just the sleep issue. The most peculiar thing is that after I removed the USB 2 PCI card I still had problems with the hub/card reader. I even tried the hub/card reader on another computer and it made that computer freak out as well. I had had the hub/card reader for several months before connecting it to the USB 2 PCI card and never had any problems with it. Somehow, the USB 2 PCI card seemed to have ruined the hub (I ended up throwing it away).

I don't suppose it is likely you would be unfortunate enough to have the odd problems I had with a USB 2 PCI card, but the sleep thing is a definite issue to watch out for and if you are especially unfortunate (like me) it may cause even bigger problems.

[Jimmypoo]

I had no idea magnesium sulphate cold do so many things!

[fahdoul]

Thanks. I am fairly aware of those problems but thought they'd been mostly solved, or at least umnderstood, by now. But I guess not - I've heard several similar stories of stuff getting permanently screwed.

Still, every once in a while need to do a big scanning job so I figure I can plug the scanner in to the USB port and disable sleep while I am using it, and the rest of the time leave the scanner on a USB1 port for casual use. Though maybe completely removing the USB2 card in between would not be overkill.




Ted King Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have an Epson 1670 scanner, a MDD G4, and I wish
> I could answer your question, but I can't because
> when I put a USB 2 PCI card into the computer I
> started having big problems before I could even
> test out the difference in the scanner speed.SNIP

[ka jowct]

I've had no problems with my USB 2 card. But as I've probably said before, my computer is set to never sleep. It's turned off when not in use.

I'd much rather have the USB2 card than the sleep feature.

I had a USB 2 hub connected to the card that also was a flash card reader (like for digital camera cards) and my computer basically "freaked out" - a had a whole slew of problems beyond just the sleep issue. The most peculiar thing is that after I removed the USB 2 PCI card I still had problems with the hub/card reader.

Media readers cause problems with sleep on some systems whether they are attached to a USB card or to a built-in port.

[LyleH]

I just did a test on my 1.25 MDD dual and Canon Canoscan 8400F with a multicolor document.

On my system it appears USB 2.0 is three to six times faster than USB 1.1.

A very unscientific test. I'm using OWC's OWCFWUSBPCI card.

It does have issues with sleep, but only when I have a FW drive attached to the card and mounted.


LyleH

[anonymouse1]

Here's my understanding (assuming you're using OS X, right)

If you install the USB2 card, the Mac usually will not sleep. Some cards and Macs will sleep if either no storage device, or no device is attached.

I haven't heard anything about massive screwups due to the USB2 card. I'd bet that the problem was with the hub/card reader.

I'd install it and see what happens.

[rexrzer]

Here's the XLR8YOURMAC.com USB card compatibility web page(s), which may help you pick a USB 2.0 PCI card that will work with your MDD PowerMac:

http://www.xlr8yourmac.com/firewire/fw_u...sleep.html

There's a lot of reading there, and many conflicting reports with various combos of OS's and PowerMac versions. I used a SIIG 5-Port USB 2.0 card with my former G5, a 1.8GHz DP Rev. A PCI-X PowerMac, without any problems. Although I had that computer set to never sleep, I did test that USB card with peripherals attached (USB printer, scanner, microphone, and card reader), and didn't have any issues with waking from sleep.

http://www.siig.com/product.asp?catid=99&pid=308

________________

[Ted King]

anonymouse1 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------rage device, or no device is
> attached.
>
> I haven't heard anything about massive screwups
> due to the USB2 card. I'd bet that the problem was
> with the hub/card reader.
>
> I'd install it and see what happens.

I had problems with the computer with the USB 2 card installed without the hub/card reader connected to it (not as many or as severe, but more than just simple sleep issues). I had the hub/card reader for months - and it worked fine - before installing the USB 2 card, at which point the hub/card reader went screwy (even on other computers).

I don't doubt that such occurances are rare - and I said so in my post - but it happened to me so I know it can happen.