Universal Serial Bus is the most popular interface in electronic equipment for establishing communication between computers and external devices like printers and cameras among others. While some devices like flash drives can plug straight into a USB port, others rely on a USB cable to connect to computers.An upgrade of the first USB interface, 2.0 was released in 2000 and Is the most common variant in use now. USB 2.0 cable has the capacity to move 480 megabits of data per second; a data speed 40 faster than the previous version. Cameras, scanners and portable music players are a few of the many electronics where 2.0 cables are used to connect to computers.

Because of global use of this port, most devices are now manufactured with USB-compatibility. However, devices like some BMA technologies navigation systems, sensors and loggers still depend on using Serial RS-232 ports. To connect to these devices, it is essential to use a USB to serial port.Most adapters are compatible with Windows 95, 98, 2000 and XP, but not all work with Windows Vista and Windows 7. Trying to use a USB to serial adapter that is incompatible with your operating system may cause your computer to freeze up.Furthermore, a reliable USB adapter should.

• Have a data transfer speed capacity of over 500 kilobytes per second.
• Supply 96 byte buffer for upstream and downstream data flow.
• Provide remote support for computer performance features like wake-up and power management.
• Be compatible for use with cell phones, personal digital assistants PDAs digital cameras and modems.

USB 3.0 is a quicker version of the interface which was released in 2010. USB 3.0 cables have a five Gigabyte per second transfer speed, allowing files to be uploaded to computers dramatically faster than through 2.0.USB 3.0 wires are also much more efficient with power supply management. This feature is particularly beneficial for devices like portable hard drives that require extra power from a second USB port.Physically, usb cable manufacturing is a lot thicker than 2.0 cables because of the Addition of five lines which allow for the faster transfer speed. Regardless of the physical differences of this new version, 3.0 cables are compatible with 2.0 ports, eliminating the need to buy an adaptor.This is just an overview of the capabilities provided by the most popular cables available on the market today. If there is uncertainty about which cable would work for your situation, it is best to speak with a provider of computer, media and audio visual cables.