Printer and USB Cable?

[Spencer]

Anybody know the maximum length these two cables can be without losing signal strength? Thanks.

[bhess]

Heck I have a 16 ft USB cable. I wouldn't think there would be any loss.

[justy]

What length do you want to go to?

With either you can install in-line buffers and drivers that will increase the length, but in general serial cables can go much further without additional buffering.

I've networked RS232 ( basically your comm port )system's over a mile, with three core cable using recieve/transmit/earth and a software handshake ( Xon/Xoff ). No problem's.

This was in the days before comercial internet, and mobile phones. We used big drum's and morse code to talk to clients before we done this, Joking.

It depends on the quality of the cable as well, i.e. low impedance/resistance etc...

All the best justy.

[OuTpaTienT]

hmmm, maybe I'm not current but I remember that printer cables have a very definite, and short, maximum length...something like 10 or 12 feet.

But USB, heck, as far as ya want to go.

Instead of trying to wrestle with an unruley printer cable for long distances, why not look into some sort of wireless technology. The HP Laserjet6 on my desk here already has a built-in inferred transmitter/receiver (even though we don't use it).

[justy]

Out,

The problem with I.R. is that depending on the luminance of where your using it, it can be quite humpy. Also I.R. for sure has a fairly short range, limited to line-of-sight or really good reflections.

If someone came up with a good R.F. transmitter/reciever for peripherals? *****, now you'd be talking fun to play with, imagine the possibilities? Remote access anywhere? Imagine a portable L.C.D. tv screen with a costumised keypad for access to your home P.C., which is connected to the net via a land line?

Food for thought? Maybe I'm talking about technology that's already in place, but I'm not aware of it.

Hey anybody want to patent an idea to make a million, go ahead, but don't forget to pass a few buck's this way!

All the best, Justy.

[Graham]

Spencer,
I expect that you could go quite a way provided you are not using it to power anything.

G

[NDC]

Actually, NO, you can't have USB cable go as far as you want.

USB has a cable length limit of 5 meters (15 feet) so it is best suited to connecting computers to co-located peripheral devices.


http://innerspan.com/inHome.old/usb.htm

http://www.commvergemag.com/commverge/Beats/MUSIC_AUDIO/2000/09/20000915d1.asp



[This message has been edited by NDC (edited 12-15-2000).]

[justy]

NDC,

Those are maximum manufactuer spec's, Manu.. covering their ars£, judging that your using phone/alarm style cable, "YOU ARE CORRECT" no arguement there, but with higher standard cable with lower impedance/resistance you can get further! In real term's it's easier and more cost effective to put a buffer or line driver in.

Therefore if you want to cover long distance's, within reason, it is possible, ( I've done this ), as described before. To do this with serial communication's, ( instant advantage being higher voltge i.e. 12v - 15v ) therefore it will carry better on a higher impedance line ( standard cable ), parallel port work's on the 5v line ( ttl logic ) so that it's backward compatible, why do you think that modern BOIS will give you an option to dedide what way you will operate the port?, so by that logic, if you have to cover distance use a remote serial device. If performance is the option, use the parallel port. ( realistically , speaking your talking second's as opposed to minutes' in the difference ), but at the end of day, IT'S YOUR CHOICE!

All the best, Justy.