Solved I would like to know what my USB port descriptors mean

[MetalMan228]

Hello all, I am hoping someone can decipher my USB port descriptors.

My PC documentation states that all USB ports are 2.0 which is nice. The reason for woundering is if any 2.0 port may be better than another for use with a FULL bus speed, (which is even higher than HIGH)

I just installed a new USB DAC and was trying to figure which port would be best in terms of sound quality.

My rear ports, (3 of 4) use the descriptor: Standard OpenHCD USB Host Controller.

My front ports (2) and one rear port: Standard Enhanced PCI to USB Host Controller.

Currently the DAC in connected to a standard port. Would this device work better with an enhanced port, even if both are 2.0?

 

[Berton]

"Standard Enhanced PCI to USB Host Controller" is USB 2.0, key word is Enhanced.
Read this explanation of Full Speed versus High Speed:
USB 2.0 Hi-Speed vs. USB 2.0 Full Speed - Photoxels

 

[MetalMan228]

That was good information. I guess that means my standard ports are 1.0 and the enhanced are 2.0, but i am not sure whether or not the 2.0 ports are full speed or high speed.

 

[TVeblen]

Go to Device Manager and right click on any one of your USB hubs. Choose Properties and go to the Advanced Tab. Your hub speed will be shown there.
There can be up to 4 USB ports connected to one hub.


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[ComputerGeek]

Go to Device Manager and right click on any one of your USB hubs. Choose Properties and go to the Advanced Tab. Your hub speed will be shown there.
There can be up to 4 USB ports connected to one hub.
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When you connect a USB device to a physical USB port, the subsequent connection from physical USB port to USB Controller is a dynamic Windows decision. (Root hubs are part of the controller and reside on the motherboard)

For the full picture, in Device Manager, click View->Devices by connection. Expand ACPI devices until you get down to the PCI Bus. Expand the PCI bus till you see the USB controllers. Expand USB Controllers so you can see which controller your device is connected to. You can then verify

• If it's connected to the right type of controller (e.g. sometimes Windows may connect 2.0 device to a 1.1 controller. That's when you can get a "This device can perform faster" pop up message)
• Then you'll also know which one of the many Root Hubs to check for Hi Performance

p.s. Note 2.0 Controllers will have 2.0 or the word Enhanced as part of its name

In my attachment, you can verify my web cam has been correctly connected to a 2.0 controller You also know which Root Hub is part of that controller.

 

[MetalMan228]

I actually have done as you guys wanted me to do, but my PC would not disclose which device is attached too each port, nor will it tell me the speed. I installed usbview and now i can see which port goes to which device as well as the speed of the device attached to the port, but not port speed. This is the reason for my thread. I did not know if the Standard Enhanced PCI to USB Host Controller ports support FULL speed as my DAC is full speed.

And, will it make a difference if my PC may run a device thru a different controller than the one its plugged into?

Here is a screenshot of usbview with the DAC highlighted.

 

[ComputerGeek]

The reason for woundering is if any 2.0 port may be better than another for use with a FULL bus speed, (which is even higher than HIGH)

I just noticed this statement in your first post. You have it wrong. USB 2.0 FULL speed is slower then HIGH speed

That said, by definition, any USB 2.0 port can operate at either Full or High speed. It depends on the connected device.

In your screen shot, your AudioQuest Dragonfly is connected to a port on a USB 2.0 Controller. If you look at the Connection Status data, you'll see it's connected with Device Bus Speed= FULL. It appears the DAC is a USB 2.0 full speed device

 

[MetalMan228]

Ok, I think you are correct, I am wrong!! Sorry about that, I had it backwards.

So would connecting this DAC to an enhanced port offer any performance benefits over a std port?

(or at least offer the DAC an opportunity for increased performance?)

 

[fireberd]

The specs on this motherboard state 4 USB 2.0 ports on the rear,

One thing I missed on your post in the audio section. System Specs list 3GB of RAM. The motherboard specs list 4GB max. You list Win 7 64 bit OS. 64 bit OS uses more basic memory than a 32 bit and the main plus of a 64 bit OS is that it will address more than 4GB of RAM.

 

[MetalMan228]

Yes, I only have the stock memory on the board. Would buying/installing more memory help out my situation?

 

[MetalMan228]

I just tried to move my DAC to an enhanced port, but every time i do that it reverts back to std port. MY Canon printer was connected to an enhanced port, but when i switched the position of attached devices the enhanced port "followed" the printer. No matter what port i hook the DAC to it will not be an enhanced one.

Therefore my thread about what the different port names mean is meaningless

 

[Berton]

No matter what port i hook the DAC to it will not be an enhanced one

That does suggest the limitation is with the DAC but it could be working as designed.

 

[fireberd]

Comment about the memory. According to Pegatron the maximum memory on your motherboard is only 4GB. Upgrading from 3 to 4GB will get you a little extra memory for programs, but it has the memory limitation. If you want it for gaming, you will need to upgrade to a different PC.

 

[MetalMan228]

Yes, I am going to guess the limitation is with the DAC, as I was in error about full vs high speed.

No, this PC will not be used for gaming, a normal multi-use home application, with music too.

Thanks for every ones excellent input!!

 

[ComputerGeek]

USB 2.0 "full" speed is the same as the maximum speed you can get from USB 1.1

I couldn't tell which device you had highlighted in your USBView snapshot which revealed the descriptor data so I couldn't tell which controller it's connected to (the Enhanced controller is USB 2.0). But in any case, both USB 1.1 and USB 2.0 controllers support "full" speed so it shouldn't make any difference. Also note the Connection status in USBView indicates you're DAC is getting a full speed connection.

IMHO Adding more memory to your PC can give you better overall PC performance if you have many things running concurrently but your DAC is already running at maximum speed so i wouldn't expect any change there.