Overview
The Universal Serial Bus (USB) is a low-to-high-speed technology that provides a shared-access, highly available, robust, self-configuring, extensible, and easy-to-use serial bus that is host-computer independent and consistent across computer architectures. The advent of multimedia and the proliferation of relatively inexpensive processing power has left the venerable RS-232 a relic of times past. The USB was invented and standardized by a group of computer manufacturers and peripheral vendors in early 1995 under the auspices of an organization called the Universal Serial Bus Implementers Forum. It's goal was to define a high-speed serial bus technology to replace, or phase out, the existing RS-232 serial port technology. Today's serial bus technology must cover a full range of technology that can deliver everything from digital joysticks for high-precision game playing, to digital audio peripherals to high-resolution "live" video inupt and output devices to data networks and telephony equipment. The USB can do all of this at speeds faster than the RS-232 serial port was designed to handle. The biggest difference between a single-ended serial port (like RS-232) and a serial bus like the USB is that the traditional serial port is a point-to-point connection between a computer and a device, whereas on a "serial bus" many devices can communicate and share the connection to the computer. In the USB, up to 128 bus devices can simultaneously communicate with the host computer.Synopsis
8115C-5.TXT
- The complete guide to the revolutionary new USB standard.
- Written for everyone-from users to engineers.
- Operating system support and troubleshooting techniques.
- USB hubs, bus interconnects, devices, hosts, protocols, and more.
The new Universal Serial Bus standard handles everything from joysticks to live video, all at breathtaking speeds. USB devices are coming fast, and built-in USB support is a key feature of Windows 98. Now there's a complete guide to making the most of this hot new connectivity standard: Universal Serial Bus Explained.
Co-authored by the best-selling author of RS-232 Made Easy, this book is written in layman's terms for every interested computer user-and it's comprehensive enough to serve the needs of hardware and software developers. You'll find thorough coverage of:
- Setting up USB hardware and interfacing peripherals.
- USB protocols and data flow: what actually happens “on the wire.”
- A close look inside USB hubs, bus interconnects, devices, and hosts.
- Troubleshooting USB: Analyzing bus traffic and device configuration.
- USB support in Windows and other operating systems.
Universal Serial Bus Explained shows how the USB standard delivers easy peripheral expansion, fast data transfer, guaranteed bandwidth for multimedia, low cost, true “plug-and-play” support, and a whole lot more. It answers today's most frequently asked questions about USB and the new generation of devices that utilize it. Detailed appendices provide more information about the USB specification; Internet-based resources, periodicals and technical conferences; and an extensive source list for USB devices and software. Whether you want to use USB devices or invent them, this is the only USB book you'll ever need.
Booknews
Explains what the Universal Serial Bus (USB) is and how USB devices work, as well as how the USB standard delivers easy peripheral expansion, fast data transfer, guaranteed bandwidth for multimedia and true plug-and-play support. A full half of the book is appendices of cables, connectors, buses, and pinouts. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)