Revealed: USB 3.0 jacks and sockets
Next incarnation of the bus standard makes an appearance
CES USB 3.0, the upcoming version of the universal add-on standard re-engineered for the HD era, made a small appearance at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES). It wasn't demonstrated in operation, but we did get to see what the new connectors look like.
Not, alas, the optical one, we have to report, but the electrical connectors. On show in public for – we believe – the first time, we got to see the new full-size connector, the socket it slips into and the new mini-socket. You can see the optical port here.
The USB 3 connector...
...and in close-up...
...and in diagrammatic detail
Here's the socket:
The standard USB 3 socket...
...which you can see more clearly in this diagram
And, finally, the mini-socket:
Dubbed SuperSpeed USB, the third major incarnation of the serial bus standard is set to deliver data transfer speeds of around 4.7Gb/s - ten times today's 480Mb/s limit.
The new spec will be compatible with older USB 1.1 and 2.0 products, cables and connectors, and you can see from the diagram of the standard connector how that's achieved: the extra pins are placed behind the USB 1.1/2.0 ones. USB 3.0 connectors and receptacles will be deeper than the current ones.
An initial USB 3.0 spec is due to be reviewed later this month. The full USB 3.0 specification is expected to be completed by the end of June 2008.
COMMENTS
re:analog modem
actuley I used one of therm recently I needed to test a phone line in the opffice and it was the only phone jack we had (all the phones are voip things)
RE: Parellel lines
To the anonymous coward who rant about the Serial and parallel port on PCs. I am sure glad that mine got it because it is in daily use. Lots of consumer electronic devices use serial port for debuging and that is very needed for development. I had to add an additional serial card because Dell thought that routing out one port was good enough (eventhough the chipset has 2). USB to serial converter? Thanks have tried it, it sometimes work, sometimes not.
About useless port, rather complain about the bloody analogue modem connector on notebooks. Analogue modem port is like the floppy disk of networking.
About the shape of the USB plug. Actually the mini USB plugs are D shaped. I doubt there will be a mini USB 3 plug compatible with current mini USB plugs.
Change Plug to a ROUND plug or a Double USB Stacked back to back
I would suggest that the USB 3.0 plug change to ROUND Plug that you would not be able not to be plug in the wrong way... I am constant struggle plugging in a USB drive. ( Oh wrong way switch it around ).. Why not make it ROUND. It would be great if you could cover the connectors within a cylinder tube connector that you would push in and turn to lock. Something like a arming cylinder used to arm Genesis Device in Star Trek 2 ( see video ) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbaKMXHhfhk
Or... if you want to use the same plugs.. then why not stack two of the current usb connectors not one on top of the other, but with two stacked top to top.
[| ] [| ] current usb 2.0 arranged sideway. The | is the blade in side the USB Connector
[ |] [| ] usb 3.0 would be two usb 2.0 connectors wide connector ( standardize on the spacing and position the top to top ) that would use two/double connectors/power ( in a single double usb plug ) and be smart enough ( reverse connectors/lines like current ethernet works like a cross over cable ) to figure out if both connectors are used for one USB 3.0 device or used on a single USB 2.0 device using one connector. The upside is that you could also plug in a single USB Device into it.
Not that anyone would take any advice from a BB boosting. Just a few thoughts
Thanks...
Firewire & USB
Firewire - great for sustained data transfer for cameras and removable drives.
USB - great as a means of connecting a wide range of peripherals that don't require sustained data transfer.
All the moans about USB forget what a huge convenience USB is with external hubs when you have a huge amount of devices and limited ports on the computer. Imagine the pain involved daisy chaining firewire gadgets!
re: poweed usb
wow I have seen thouse in all the dells at work and I never knew it was a standard!!! I thought it was some dell propirty for they external cd's yer we should push this standard.
