USB Resources

If you aren't familiar with USB flash drives or USB technology, this page can help. Here are some basic definitions:

What is USB?
Universal Serial Bus is what the acronym stands for. USB is a standard developed by the USB Implementors Forum to define how peripherals can be connected to computer systems. There are several classes of USB devices, the most common are Mass Storage Device, Human Input Device and Composite Device.

Mass Storage Device defines USB flash drives as well as other flash storage products. Mass Storage Devices use a standard software protocol to universally connect to any operating system. A Human Input Device , or HID is a keyboard or touch pad which works as a computer input device. A Composite Device is a combination of USB classes, for example a USB keyboard which also has a USB hub.

What is USB 2.0?
USB 2.0 is the most recent version of the USB standard. USB 2.0 specifications are updated protocols for hardware designers to obtain a maximum transfer speed of 480 megabits per second or Mbps. This translates into about 48MB per second in data transfer speed.

The reason for updating the older USB 1.1 standard was to increase the use of USB as the connectivity method for faster devices like video cameras, hard drives and higher performance USB flash drives. It's important to note the 480 Mbps transfer rate is the theoretical maximum speed and most devices have a hard time doing that, especially USB sticks.

What is USB 1.1?
USB 1.1 uses many of the same connectivity standards as USB 2.0 however the specification limited the data transfer speed to just 12Mbps or 1.2MB per second. Many devices still use only USB 1.1. The types of devices used for USB 1.1 are slower input devices like key boards, mouse and USB gadgets such as lights, calculators, fans etc.

Do USB 1.1 and 2.0 Work Together?
The nice thing about USB is their backwards compatibility. The connector is universal for all USB standards. USB 2.0 devices work fine with USB 1.1 interfaces or devices. All USB devices will work with a USB bus on your computer.

The only difference being a USB 2.0 device used on a USB 1.1 bus means the transfer of data is limited to that of 12Mbps. It would be hard to find a new computer using USB 1.1, but for older computers a USB stick will work just fine on a USB 1.1 bus.

Does A USB Flash Drive Work On All Operating Systems?
For the most part yes. There are rare situations that a USB drive would not work on all systems. To summarize, the point of a USB flash drive is to have 100% exchange rate … meaning it should work on every computer. 99% of flash drives are FAT formated or FAT32 formated. This means the USB device will be recognized on all computers, Macs, Linux boxes and any Unix type computer.

The only time you'll see problems is when a UFD (USB Flash Drive) is formated as NTSF (windows only) or formated as a RAW device. Here at USB Copier all flash drives are formated as FAT to insure compatibility on all computer operating systems.

How Do I Know My Flash Drive Is USB 2.0?
There is no easy way to tell if a USB flash drive is USB 2.0 compliant other than asking the manufacturer, reading the specifications of the drive or buying utility software to perform the investigation.
Media Supply has the ability to test the USB compliance so please Contact Media Supply for more information about your drive.

How Do I Know My PC Is USB 2.0?
Any PC or laptop will tell you if the computer is USB 2.0 compliant.

• Go to “ My Computer ” and while hovering over it, right click and
• Select “ Properties .” From there, click on the hardware tab and
• Open the “ Device Manager .” From here a pop-up box opens and you may
• Scroll down to “ Universal Serial Buss controllers ” and there you should see a line item with the world “ enhanced .”
• If you do not see the word “ enhanced ” for one of the USB controllers then your computer is not USB 2.0 compliant.

Jump into this new way to distribute data and marketing information.

The USB Pen Drive goes by a few different names, like “Flash Pen”, “Jump Drive”, Mini USB Drive” or “Flash Drive”, depending on the manufacturer’s name. These devices vary in size and in memory capacity (32MB to 1GB), allowing for complete customization of your look and presentation*. The versatility and convenience of these pens leave the customer with a nice data or music storage device that will be used many times, even after the initial impact has passed.

Pre-recorded USB Pen Drives are fast becoming a popular method to distribute marketing and sales materials in a convenient and usable format. Media Supply now offers color printing and copy services on pen drives, so you can take advantage of this new and useful media.

Imagine the convenience of taking a palm-sized device containing the memory of your computer hard drive with you wherever you go! You could store, transfer and update your files anytime on virtually any computer! Once plugged in, the device is recognized by any computer and treated as a removable disk. You are able to begin saving/transferring your business or personal data just like you do on your computer’s own hard drive. No physical drive or external power supply is needed.

GREAT MARKETING TOOL!

Copying:

Custom Printing:

Packaging:

For pricing information please call 1-800-944-4237 ext 121 or complete a Quick Quote Request Form.