Re: filmscanners: which scanner for slides ? ( SCSI vs USB )

["Richard N. Moyer" <dickmoyer@mail.earthlink.net>]

"Hot Swappable means only one thing: It can be plugged/un-plugged 
while the computer (and the cable connection) is in operation and 
active. Firewire (1394) and USB have that property. SCSI does not, 
although you can optain special connectors that allow 
hot-swappability at those connections, but you need to know what you 
are doing.

On Apple Macs, you can turn on or off all SCSI (notice I didn't say 
unplug or plug) devices anytime. Harddrives (external) will need to 
be "mounted" if turned on after the computer is booted. Execute 
mounting software utility. Ditto for unmounting. Scanners however 
will become active on SCSI connections immediately without doing 
anything, even if not on initially when the computer boots. Auto 
recognition built in Apple OS without special drivers. Hot 
Swappability is only built into USB and 1394 IEEE standard, not SCSI, 
albiet the special purchase connectors that allow such connectors 
without high risk of frying your SCSI PCI board or your motherboard. 
Or, causing massive errors and crashing of your SCSI hardrives. Can't 
speak for ATA, EID drives, but generally speaking most "parallel" 
protocol communication technology can't be hot swapped. 1394 and USB 
are serial technology.

>If you want to turn on your SCSI device after your computer is already
>booted, No problem. Just right click on  MY
>COMPUTER, left click on properties,select DEVICE Manager tab and left click
>on REFRESH and then OK. This is for a windows machine. I don't know what you
>need to do for an Apple machine.
>Regards, Ron
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Steve Greenbank" <steve@gccl.fsbusiness.co.uk>
>To: <filmscanners@halftone.co.uk>
>Sent: Sunday, June 03, 2001 5:08 PM
>Subject: Re: filmscanners: which scanner for slides ?
>
>
>>  > 3. Minolta may be USB, but USB devices has the advantage of being
>>  > hot-swappable which means they can be turned on after the computer has
>>  been
>>  > booted, and it will be detected.  If I remember correctly, SCSI devices
>>  need
>>  > to be turned on before you boot the system, in order for the SCSI
>>  controller
>>  > to detect it.
>>
>>  Generally in Win 9x/ME you can turn any device on and go to "device
>manager"
>>  of "system properties" and click on "refresh" and the device will work.
>>
>>  Remember with USB you can take your scanner anywhere and plug it into any
>>  modern machine - you'll probably need to install some drivers as well. The
>>  downside is speed and some USB devices don't like some USB controllers. My
>>  USB controller on a Via KT133 motherboard is a complete PITA.
>>
>>  Steve
>>
>