Why not?

[KillerBug]

Why did 10/100 base T never do anything more than networking? It has a higher throughput than COMM or LPT, even the 10 base, and with fewer wires than either, even for 100 base. So why did it never go to anything more than networking, it could have been used to replace 25 pin printer connections with 4 pin ones, make scanners transmit at 100mbps with only 8 pins, get digital audio into a subwoofer at 100mbps and have the most perfect, clear, beutiful audio ever experienced, hell, 100 base is still faster than USB. For all of that, 100 base T, with only 8 wires, transmits faster than ATA/66 with 80 wires! Mice could cut down their wires from 9 fro a COMM or 5 for a PS/2 to only 4, joysticks would go from 15 to 4 or 8 pins, why was this technology never fully utilized?

[bdog]

whoa! Good point. Ever thought of becoming an inventor?

[CMonster]

I think you are talking about the upcoming USB standard.

[Axel]

Most peripherals which use a connector with more than 4 pins typically don't use all of the feeds. They were set as an "industry standard" connector with thoughts of expanding capabilities in the future.

So that's why the different connectors are the way they are - has very little to do with how many of the leads are actually hot.

[KillerBug]

Ok, think about this though, the best LPT printer port with 25 leads, most hot, does not stand up to a 4 pin 10 base t network cable, and no matter what you say, you cannot convince me that my printer will work just fine with only 4 working leads on the LPT cable, nor my scanner. As for the new USB, it is about time. It is too late, as this technology has been around for decades, and was never actualy used for anything but LANs. Also, the hard disk connector, you cannot tell my that an ATA/66 ribbon cable has 8 or less utilized lines, the rest or just for show. As for the invertor thing, I tried it, my first invention I tried to sell to hoover, based on the beta models performance, I should have sold it to the department of defence.

[Banti]

KB,
What Axel meant to say is that most EXTERNAL connectors have unused leads. Until recently, making a small e-net device to fir into printers, fax-machines, cameras, etc. was not cost preductive. The solution was to create a new standard for the devices i.e USB/Firewire


Banti