PCI Card for USB Question for the computer gurus...Need some help please!

[WendyZ]

Hello,

I knew this would be the place to come for help with all the gurus on this board. I got DH a Dell Ditty for Christmas. I recently found out that my USB is not 2.0 and they say that installing a new card is a piece of cake. (read that somewhere )
What I am wondering is...Does it matter what kind of card I buy? Do they all fit in any brand computer? I have a gateway so can I get one from say staples/best buy? I'm sure that I only have 1. whatever because it doesn't say enhanced under my usb spot in the system line up.
Ok...one last dumb question. If I get a 2.0 card and install it, will my usb ports in the front of my computer become 2.0 also?

As you can see I am not very knowledgeable when it comes to computers.
Thanks for any help you can offer!

 

[Towncrier]

What I am wondering is...Does it matter what kind of card I buy? Do they all fit in any brand computer? I have a gateway so can I get one from say staples/best buy?

As long as you have an open slot on your computer motherboard, any brand of USB 2.0 card should work just fine.

If I get a 2.0 card and install it, will my usb ports in the front of my computer become 2.0 also?

Only if you can figure out a way to run the cable from the inside of the front of your computer to the new USB 2.0 card.

 

[WendyZ]

OK...so I don't take out the old card and replace it? I have to put it in an open slot instead. I thought you replaced the old with the new. Maybe this is something I shouldn't mess with.

Thanks for the reply!

 

[safetymom]

Is there a reason you want to upgrade to USB 2? Most things will work even if it is USB 1.

 

[Towncrier]

Typically the USB 1.0 or 1.1 hardware is built into the motherboard. If it is on a PCI card, you can remove and replace it. If it is built into the motherboard, the two versions will peacefully coexist.

USB 1.0 and 1.1 are painfully slow compared to USB 2.0 and, depending on what you are planning to do with that connection, the 10x speed improvement might be necessary.

 

[WendyZ]

We have the DJ Ditty mp3 and hoping to get an ipod in the future. It stated on the apple website for a pc with usb 2.0. So really just for loading songs on to these devices. We did load songs on Dh's ditty, everything worked fine.
I did read on the ipod boards it will work, just will be slower. Everyone said it was an easy upgrade, so I thought I'd check into. But I'm a computer novice, so I'm not sure.

Thanks!

 

[bicker]

If you are going to upgrade, be sure the new card has FireWire as well as USB 2.0. Most of the newer photo and video equipment these days require FireWire for best quality.

I just ordered this one for $28: http://www.iogear.com/main.php?loc=product&Item=GIC430F

 

[Towncrier]

If you are going to upgrade, be sure the new card has FireWire as well as USB 2.0. Most of the newer photo and video equipment these days require FireWire for best quality.

I just ordered this one for $28: http://www.iogear.com/main.php?loc=product&Item=GIC430F

Wow. That's a great price. When I added a Firewire card to my PC a couple of years ago, the combo cards were a lot more expensive.

 

[bicker]

It is still available, for sale, at that price, on Amazon.com:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000BZ2W9

 

[WendyZ]

Thanks guys...I'll check it out!