Plus there will shortly be a USB 3.0 spec. I don't know if the connectors will be the same, or how backward compatible it will be with USB 2.0 (I assume 100%).
There's a danger of linking your radio too closely to the world of PC's; the rate of technological change is incredible, and the rate of obsolescence is commensurate with that. That is something which I keep very much in mind with radios like the Flex, and the idea of PC-dominated radios in general - really, you're always potentially one Windows update away from breaking the rig. If the company goes out of business, or does not feel like supporting an X-year old, non-current version of their product, you are done. Over and out. Just my opinion. 73, Steve NN4X On Thu, Jun 18, 2009 at 5:35 PM, David Woolley (E.L) < for...@david-woolley.me.uk> wrote: > Joe Subich, W4TV wrote: > > > > > For those who would want USB support for the K3 ... the cost > > and red tape required for Windows Certification are very > > significant for a small company. > > > > > > Also, it is an ongoing cost. Most vendors nowadays support at most two > generations of Windows. I've just reached the point where I've upgraded > to XP because more and more stuff won't run on '98 and more and more > hardware doesn't have drivers for it. In the process it looks like I > have lost a sound card and a scanner, because they are considered > obsolete models by their vendors and do not have XP drivers. (They do > have Linux drivers, and Linux support is potentially indefinite, as long > as parallel ports and PCI last.) > > Although the sound card is more recent than the SB Pro, even though that > established an interface standard, it looks like that isn't supported. > You have to go back to serial ports and Epson 9 pin printers to find > standards that have survived. > > USB devices come into two categories, ones which can be handled by class > drivers, e.g. memory sticks, and some USB sound devices, and more custom > ones. The customs ones will tend to die in one or two generations of > Windows. The class ones will survive longer, but USB itself will > probably be superceded, and, unlike RS232, it is too complex for an > individual to host it on top of the latest and greatest technology. > > Whilst Elecraft remain in business, under the current management, they > may well be prepared to update drivers, at a price, but if they don't > USB radios will rapidly become doorstops. > > > -- > David Woolley > "The Elecraft list is a forum for the discussion of topics related to > Elecraft products and more general topics related ham radio" > List Guidelines <http://www.elecraft.com/elecraft_list_guidelines.htm> > ______________________________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
