Does the new USB3 on my Gigabyte MB need special headers/connections on my case?

[soarwitheagles]

Hi everyone!

Merry Christmas.  I hope you've behaved well this year and that Santa was good to you!

Ok, here is my question:

Does the new USB3 on my Gigabyte MB need special headers/connections on my case?

Maybe I can ask this a little differently:

Can I attach my case front header USB 2 cables to the USB3 ports on my Gigabyte 890XA-USB3 MB and expect it to work or not?

I suspect the USB3 uses a totally different cable for transferring data.  Am I correct in assuming this?

Finally, is there a way I can purchase a special mod to make my computer case have USB3 available on the front of the case.

Whew!  Now I am out of breathe after asking so many questions...

Breathlessly waiting...

Soar

[soarwitheagles]

Hi everyone!

Merry Christmas.  I hope you've behaved well this year and that Santa was good to you!

Ok, here is my question:

Does the new USB3 on my Gigabyte MB need special headers/connections on my case?

Maybe I can ask this a little differently:

Can I attach my case front header USB 2 cables to the USB3 ports on my Gigabyte 890XA-USB3 MB and expect it to work or not?

I suspect the USB3 uses a totally different cable for transferring data.  Am I correct in assuming this?

Finally, is there a way I can purchase a special mod to make my computer case have USB3 available on the front of the case.

Whew!  Now I am out of breathe after asking so many questions...

Breathlessly waiting...

Soar

Hi everyone!

I just googled the question and I think I found the answer:


Although USB 3 is going to be backwards compatible with USB 1/2 devices, I understand it will use an additional four data wires with USB 3 devices. It will also have different receptacles than the current USB 1/2 and send more power through the lines. As such, a case receptacle designed for USB 1/2 will not be compatible with USB 3.

*USB 3.0 receptacles are compatible with USB 2.0 device plugs for the respective physical form factors. However, only USB 3.0 Standard-B receptacles can accept USB 3.0 Standard-B device plugs.

*The protocol uses Dual-simplex, over four additional wires, differential signaling separate from USB 2.0 signaling (thus six wires total) to achieve the full Superspeed 5.0 Gbit/s

*The bus power spec has been increased so that a unit load is 150mA (+50% over USB 2.0). An unconfigured device can still draw only 1 unit load, but a configured device can draw up to 6 unit loads (900mA, an 80% increase over USB 2.0). Minimum device operating voltage is dropped from 4.4V to 4V.

Guys, if I am reading this article correctly, configured devices will be able to draw nearly one full amp of power from these ports!  Wow!

Now I have my last question:

Ok, does anyone here know where I can locate/purchase a USB 3.0 front panel header port or should I ask this question in 2012?

It's me,

Soar

[Dark Mantis]

Hi Soar and a very merry Christmas to you and yours.

I think you have answerewd your questioon yourself quite admirably. Yes the USB3 can provide a good deal more power output for connected devices  than USB2. Makes life a lot easier as most don't need an external power connection now to run.

I would imagine these front port connectors must be available as I see thewm in cases now but I must admit I haven't actually seen anywhere advertising them. Maybe you could try somewhere like Tandy or Radio Shack in the States.

[jannie]

hi soar and a merry Xmas mate,,,I have usb3 on my hafx case,,,Maybe if you was good then santa would have given you new case..lol
I am waiting for a corsair usb3  pen drive to appear in the shops.as my corsair 16g usb2 has got as old as me..They seem to be very slow in releasing usb3 pen drives
Cheers

[Dark Mantis]

To be honest there is a distinct lack of USB3 devices so far full stop. A few are seeping out onto the market now but very slowly.

[soarwitheagles]

hi soar and a merry Xmas mate,,,I have usb3 on my hafx case,,,Maybe if you was good then santa would have given you new case..lol
I am waiting for a corsair usb3  pen drive to appear in the shops.as my corsair 16g usb2 has got as old as me..They seem to be very slow in releasing usb3 pen drives
Cheers

Jannie,

Thanks for the reply.  Well, I have behaved quite well over the last year but Santa did not give me a new case...I think he didn't bring me one because I did not ask him for one...

I have been looking at the HAF X a number of times now and it sure is impressive.  You have a very, very nice computer case there!  Please take some pics and show us how you have it set up!

Ok, I finally did find the USB 3 Front Header Panel.  You can see them here at New Egg:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817364030&nm_mc=OTC-Froogle&cm_mmc=OTC-Froogle-_-Hubs+-+Network+/+USB+/+Firewire-_-Koutech-_-17364030

I'll probably wait for the prices to drop because right now they are more expensive than the price I just paid for my brand new HAF 932!

Happy New Year everyone!

Soar

[soarwitheagles]

Hi Soar and a very merry Christmas to you and yours.

I think you have answerewd your questioon yourself quite admirably. Yes the USB3 can provide a good deal more power output for connected devices  than USB2. Makes life a lot easier as most don't need an external power connection now to run.

I would imagine these front port connectors must be available as I see thewm in cases now but I must admit I haven't actually seen anywhere advertising them. Maybe you could try somewhere like Tandy or Radio Shack in the States.

Happy New Year DM!

Ok, I did find the USB 3 Header Panel as shown in my post above.  It is too expensive right now for me to want to buy it.   I will simply wait until the prices drop.

When I looked more carefully at the pic, it appears to require another wire that connects the header to the MB!  The package contents on this item do not show it comes with the required cable.

I need to look at this a little more carefully!

Soar

[Dark Mantis]

Happy New Year Soar,

Yes it does appear to require two cables unless it's an either/or situation.  Pleas epost back when you have more information on it as I must admit to not knowing exactly why they are both there.

[taoj]

Thanks for those pictures. The newegg link seems to have expired by now but, looking at the rear view, it seems that this is more than a bare front panel. I can see a chip which could be the Etron EJ168 controller on my new GA-Z68X-UD3H-B3 board. Not sure why the maker would put the controller in the front panel rather than on a PCI card. Incidentally, the USB3 front panel header on my board appears to have 19 pins unlike the standard USB2 headers which have only nine, the point raised by the OP.

I have spent some time persuading my external USB3 hard drive to work properly. It seems very quick and I would certainly like to fit a suitable front panel to my case. Unfortunately, they seem to be very thin on the ground at the moment in the UK though Amazon list at least one for connection to USB3 socket rather than motherboard header.

I realise this is an old topic but I have posted here as this is where google pointed me.

[Gloup_Gloup]

Hi all, 

I add this products from Koutech:

IO-PEU434
http://www.koutech.com/proddetail.asp?linenumber=542

IO-FPH430
http://www.koutech.com/proddetail.asp?linenumber=491

IO-FPH431
http://www.koutech.com/proddetail.asp?linenumber=515

IO-HIU430
http://www.koutech.com/proddetail.asp?linenumber=490

IO-PEU232
http://www.koutech.com/proddetail.asp?linenumber=476

IO-PEU433
http://www.koutech.com/proddetail.asp?linenumber=541

IO-ASU330
http://www.koutech.com/proddetail.asp?linenumber=511

Gloup_Gloup

[Dark Mantis]

Interesting collection there Gloup_Gloup. There are so many more connectors and devices on the market now withing a few months. Not so long back it was hard to find a USB3.0 device.

[Gloup_Gloup]

Hi Dark Mantis,  

Thanks for your comments... 

If you want more collections, check here:

http://forum.giga-byte.co.uk/index.php/topic,7695.msg60894.html#msg60894

Gloup_Gloup