USB 1.1 vs. 2.0

Universal Serial Bus (also known as USB) is a specification that establishes communication between devices and host controllers (generally these host controllers are personal computers). The USB was created in hopes of replacing a wide variety of serial and parallel ports (that is a physical interface that transfers information in or out one bit at a time, and a type of interface that connects various peripherals, respectively). Parallel ports are most commonly known as printer ports (or Centronics ports).

The USB is used mostly to connect outside hardware to the computer – such as the mouse, keyboards, printers, and digital devices (cameras, MP3 players, etc.). It also is a port through which users are capable of inserting flash drives and external hard drives.

USB version 1.1 is an upgrade from the first permutation of the USB. USB 1.0 specified data rates of 1.5 Mbits/s – this is known as a low bandwidth) and 12 Mbits/s – known as full bandwidth. Because of the timing and power limitations, version 1.0 didn’t allow for extension cables, or pass through monitors. The original USB had a very limited distribution. USB version 1.1 fixed those problems found in 1.0; most of the problems usually related to the hubs. This was the earliest version of USB to be widely distributed and put into use.

USB version 2.0 added a substantial amount of maximum bandwidth – 480 Mbit/s, known as hi-speed. This version of the USB includes a plethora of permutations that all offer different modifications not found on the earliest versions of the USB (namely, 1.1). All of these permutations came standard with technology, compliments of Engineering Change Notices (ECN). The latest version of USB 2.0 includes all of the specifications of the earlier models; however, it also includes the capability to add a new power state between enabled and suspended states. Any device that is in this power state does not have to reduce its power consumption. Among other features of the USB 2.0 version are the abilities to allow multiple interfaces to be associated with a single device function, and connect two USB devices to a computer and allow them to communicate with each other without requiring separate USB hosts.

Summary:

1. USB version 1.1 had a minimum bandwidth of 1.5 Mbit/s (which is considered a low bandwidth), and a maximum bandwidth of 12 Mbit/s (which is considered to be a full bandwidth); USB version 2.0 has a maximum bandwidth of 480 Mbit/s (which is considered a hi-speed bandwidth).

2. USB version 1.1 was created in order to fix the problems associated with the earliest version of the USB, most of which were associated with the hubs; USB version 2.0 added many features that were never before accessible to the USB, including allowing two USB devices to communicate with one another without the use of separate USB hosts.

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