Multi USB connections - Advice please.

Question

Soon I will be upgrading my G4 to a Mac Pro.
I am very inexperienced when it comes to connections, etc.
At present, my G4 has approximately 7 USBs connections via an old external Belkin hub.
I am guessing the transfer speed will be slow if I used it on the Mac Pro?
Please, can anyone give advice on how to collect these USB's. Should I purchase a multi USB PCI card?
Thanks from the UK.

Answer 1

Hi mooblie,
It's all digital, and if it works at all, it's likely to be working at full spec.
With respect, mooblie, your argument does not hold water.
Not all cables handle digital signals equally. Signal quality deteriorates over distance. The longer the cable, the more important it is to have the best quality interconnect. Also, the best quality interconnects have better quality plugs, which again have an effect on the signal.
And, if what you are saying was true, why does every single Hi Fi/Audio/Video/TV magazine conclude otherwise in their reviews of digital interconnects and video cables.
For instance the difference in image and sound quality varies tremendously between different HDMI cables. The very best are the most expensive, and not justifiable in a budget home cinema system. A mid-range system warrants a decent HDMI cable, starting from around £50.00 ($78) upwards (think QED Qunex). Some of the HDMI cables around that price are good enough to be used with more expensive systems, but the very best home cinema systems will benefit from the very best, but more costly, video cables.
Likewise with Hi Fi system interconnects, whether analogue or digital, and with loudspeaker cables.
A budget system justifies the use of interconnects up to a certain price level, but go above that level and you are wasting your money. A mid-range system deserves better interconnects, but again only up to a certain price level. Top-end hi-fi systems warrant the very best, and most expensive cables.
Those who invest in the best interconnects for their budget,mid-range/top-end systems, within the respective price bands suitable for each category, reap the benefits of improved image and sound quality, and in many cases the improvement is vast.
The Mac Pro is a top-end workstation, in my opinion the best there is, and justifies the use of top quality, and even the very best, interconnects. Particularly where the best image and print quality are a necessity.
Fortunately, USB 2.0/Firewire 800 prices bear no comparison to those of video/audio cables. Even the very best USB 2.0 cables cost no more, if not less, than budget system rated video/audio interconnects.
Incidentally, I have spent less than £50.00 ($78) on top of the range USB 2.0 cables, with the most expensive being a 3m Lindy Premium Gold (currently £18.99/$29), which runs from one of the Mac Pro's rear ports to my Epson Stylus Pro 3880 A2 Colour Inkjet Printer.
It is imperative that I obtain the absolute, best quality print up to A2 size, and I am obtaining this with my system via an interconnect costing a fraction of the cost of the printer.
It is a case of horses for courses. If the cables which are supplied with whatever ancillary equipment you are using are inadequate (most are, and some devices do not even come with any), buy the best interconnects you can afford.
Regards,
Bill
Message was edited by: Biltan-Wales