SV: [sdiy] OT: sequencing over the internet

[Karl Helmer Torvmark]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Torbjörn Hörnfeldt <torbjorn.hornfeldt at telia.com>
To: <synth-diy at node12b53.a2000.nl>
Sent: Wednesday, March 14, 2001 9:51 PM
Subject: Re: [sdiy] OT: sequencing over the internet


> Not updated on problems with "collision detection" (concept right?) of USB and Firewire. Like to know more...
> 
> Torbjörn

USB supports a special mode, isosynchronous, which is especially made for real-time data -
you get a guaranteed bandwidth - but no error detection/correction (this is used to transfer 
digital audio to USB speakers, for example). Firewire supports something similar.
In other words, they are FAR more suited to real-time applications than Ethernet-TCP/IP.

The big technical difference between USB 2.0 and Firewire is that USB is centered around the concept
of one master (the computer) - the only message a device can send without being polled by the
master is a wake-up token (enabling a pheripheral to wake up the computer). Firewire supports
several masters, and is therefore somewhat more complex.

Thinking of conventional networks, with a local LAN running 100Mbps or more, I think pretty good real-time
performance may be achieved in practice. Over the Internet? Not for a long time, especially if
you think MIDI doesn't have acceptible timing....


-------------
Karl H.