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#1
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USB3 thingy
I have two old but fast Win XP pro laptops that have a MMC (or whatever
you call it port.) looks like you can slide in a small deck of cards. Two connectors internally. Two ejector buttons. Anybody have any experience finding and installing a module that will actually do USB3? Yes looking for speed increase read/write to USB3 pen drives. Any speed increase would be nice if not full USB3 speed. Whatdayaknow? --- news://freenews.netfront.net/ - complaints: --- |
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#3
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USB3 thingy
Two slots
Supports Type I and Type II PC Cards and ExpressCardsTM NOT MMC. --- news://freenews.netfront.net/ - complaints: --- |
#4
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USB3 thingy
wrote:
Two slots Supports Type I and Type II PC Cards and ExpressCardsTM NOT MMC. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PC_Card For the PC Card, an adapter would have to be bridged. It's possible the connector may not be able to carry enough current to handle the full USB3 spec for VBUS power. Such a card would likely be limited to 110MB/sec or so, best case. I don't know my Cardbus standard all that well, so the rates may actually be lower than that. +------+ +----+ Cardbus --- bridge --- PCI_Express_x1 --- USB3 --- USB3 port chip chip +------+ +----+ There might only have been a couple desktop cards of this bridged-design variety. So even on the desktop, the idea is not popular, and costs about double what a USB3 card might. On Expresscard, it would look like this. The card is more likely to be missing the correct VBUS voltage, and putting a power converter on the card wouldn't be all that clever (it would get warm). +----+ PCI_Express_x1 --- USB3 --- USB3 port chip +----+ Such a design, may top out at around 200MB/sec, depending on the standards version of PCI Express. On modern laptops, I haven't seen an ExpressCard slot in a while, but I'm sure someone still incorporates them. Of the latter type, I see a narrow ExpressCard USB3, with an external adapter for more VBUS power. I could also find a double-width design. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16839139004 The following one is ExpressCard 54. Another poorly documented product, that looks a little too small for proper connectors on the external interface end. You want good mechanical properties on a USB3 connector, so it can withstand 5000 connector insertion cycles. http://images10.newegg.com/productim...sFVKAYe5QH.jpg ( http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...9SIA4B41UZ4489 ) ******* The Cardbus version appears to be made by Munchkins. No proper specs. Mentions a power cable, has a hole on the side for a barrel connector, but the power cable is not shown, there is no +5V wall adapter, and so on. Still, it's interesting that a bridged design exists at all. Not a lot of room for two chips, especially if bus power needs have to be handled. No idea how fast it goes, as it has absolutely nothing technical in the description. No evidence it comes with a driver CD, for those OSes where the XHCI driver is not native. So if you want to buy this one, it's a gamble. For small electronics, I recommend locating the drivers first, so you won't be left with hardware that has no driver. Even some products on Ebay have more information than this one does. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...9SIA4SR1PN4833 Paul |
#5
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USB3 thingy
On 12/17/2015 6:26 PM, Paul wrote:
wrote: Two slots Supports Type I and Type II PC Cards and ExpressCardsTM NOT MMC. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PC_Card For the PC Card, an adapter would have to be bridged. It's possible the connector may not be able to carry enough current to handle the full USB3 spec for VBUS power. Such a card would likely be limited to 110MB/sec or so, best case. I don't know my Cardbus standard all that well, so the rates may actually be lower than that. +------+ +----+ Cardbus --- bridge --- PCI_Express_x1 --- USB3 --- USB3 port chip chip +------+ +----+ There might only have been a couple desktop cards of this bridged-design variety. So even on the desktop, the idea is not popular, and costs about double what a USB3 card might. On Expresscard, it would look like this. The card is more likely to be missing the correct VBUS voltage, and putting a power converter on the card wouldn't be all that clever (it would get warm). +----+ PCI_Express_x1 --- USB3 --- USB3 port chip +----+ Such a design, may top out at around 200MB/sec, depending on the standards version of PCI Express. On modern laptops, I haven't seen an ExpressCard slot in a while, but I'm sure someone still incorporates them. Of the latter type, I see a narrow ExpressCard USB3, with an external adapter for more VBUS power. I could also find a double-width design. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16839139004 The following one is ExpressCard 54. Another poorly documented product, that looks a little too small for proper connectors on the external interface end. You want good mechanical properties on a USB3 connector, so it can withstand 5000 connector insertion cycles. http://images10.newegg.com/productim...sFVKAYe5QH.jpg ( http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...9SIA4B41UZ4489 ) ******* The Cardbus version appears to be made by Munchkins. No proper specs. Mentions a power cable, has a hole on the side for a barrel connector, but the power cable is not shown, there is no +5V wall adapter, and so on. Still, it's interesting that a bridged design exists at all. Not a lot of room for two chips, especially if bus power needs have to be handled. No idea how fast it goes, as it has absolutely nothing technical in the description. No evidence it comes with a driver CD, for those OSes where the XHCI driver is not native. So if you want to buy this one, it's a gamble. For small electronics, I recommend locating the drivers first, so you won't be left with hardware that has no driver. Even some products on Ebay have more information than this one does. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...9SIA4SR1PN4833 Paul I have one that looks exactly like that picture. It's a Patriot PCUSB3EXP. No driver info anywhere. IIRC, Patriot won't even admit that they ever sold it. The USB connectors seem to be rugged enough. I worry more about torquing the narrow card sideways in the wide slot and breaking the motherboard. Took me a LONG time to find a driver for it. USB3-200-200A-DR-WIN-20110218\ZIP\RENESAS-USB3-Host-Driver-20340-Setup-x86-x64-Binary.zip Works in windows 7. I stuck it into a Dell Inspiron E1705 2GHz. Dual-Core. It worked OK with a USB3 flash drive. Don't remember the numbers, but my reaction was ho-hum. More hassle than speed improvement. Stuck it back in the drawer. |
#6
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USB3 thingy
mike wrote:
I have one that looks exactly like that picture. It's a Patriot PCUSB3EXP. No driver info anywhere. IIRC, Patriot won't even admit that they ever sold it. The USB connectors seem to be rugged enough. I worry more about torquing the narrow card sideways in the wide slot and breaking the motherboard. Took me a LONG time to find a driver for it. USB3-200-200A-DR-WIN-20110218\ZIP\RENESAS-USB3-Host-Driver-20340-Setup-x86-x64-Binary.zip Works in windows 7. I stuck it into a Dell Inspiron E1705 2GHz. Dual-Core. It worked OK with a USB3 flash drive. Don't remember the numbers, but my reaction was ho-hum. More hassle than speed improvement. Stuck it back in the drawer. Sometimes, it is the USB3 flash stick which is the limiting factor. My first one would only do around 45MB/sec. It was barely better than USB2 rates. Paul |
#7
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USB3 thingy
Thanks all for the replies.
There is an mechanical adapter for some types of cards to hold them aligned. I see that the one with external black protrusion has a hole for power and the newegg says a power module is included. On Amazon there is a mixed bag of customer feedback ranging from it being junk to it works to there are no drivers provided. Probably because laptops do not have this slot any more the mfrs just don't want to spend the time advertising correctly and even supporting these things. At least on Amazon the prices are very low and maybe I will take a chance and try. |
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