Posted to News on 10th Sep 2007, 19:33
Isochronous USB-to-Ethernet device server is 'world first'
Lantronix is launching the UBox 2100, which is claimed to be the first USB-to-Ethernet device server to support the USB isochronous data transfer standard, typically used for audio and video applications. With UBox 2100, users can put virtually any off-the-shelf USB 2.0 peripheral device on an Ethernet network.
Removing the distance limitations normally associated with USB, users can access and share a variety of devices such as web cams, speakers, microphones, sensors, security access equipment, multi-function printers, hard drives, scanners – even Apple iPods – over the Internet. Isochronous data transfer is typically used for time-dependent applications, such as multimedia streams with synchronized audio and video where the data must be delivered within specific time constraints. Along with its support for isochronous data transfer, the UBox eliminates the need to connect devices directly to a PC, thereby IP-enabling the USB devices. For example, users can access and share web cams with fully synchronised audio/video in real-time over a network or the Internet without needing to connect them directly to a computer.
Lantronix CEO Marc Nussbaum comments: "The launch of the dual-port UBox 2100 further demonstrates Lantronix' leadership in device networking technology. As the first USB-to-Ethernet device server to support isochronous data transfer, the UBox enables a wider range of USB products to be networked and brings multimedia into the realm of M2M communications."
User-friendly software
The UBox includes software designed to identify, access, configure, upgrade and secure each UBox unit on the network as needed. Once the software is installed and the UBox is configured, it runs seamlessly in the background, enabling USB equipment to be connected automatically to PCs in the same manner as if they were connected locally.
In addition, the UBox 2100 includes an Auto-Connect feature that automatically connects and disconnects shared USB printers based on need. So the UBox enables a PC to connect to the printer when it needs to print, then automatically disconnects it when the job is finished, thereby freeing the printer for other users.
Flexible network configuration options make it easy to use the UBox in local area networks (LANs) or wide area networks (WANs). Rather than require administrators to install drivers on each computer when each UBox is added, its Active Discovery feature automatically loads the software on each computer so that networked USB devices are available for immediate use over a LAN. For WANs, administrators can set up passwords and use static IP addresses to connect UBoxes to the network.
The UBox 2100 supports USB 2.0 high-speed and is housed in a ruggedised metal enclosure. It will be available globally later in September 2007 through Lantronix' channel and other sales partners for $154 US MSRP. The current four-port version, the UBox 4100 (USB 2.0, full speed), has also been updated to support isochronous audio and is currently available through the Lantronix channel and other sales partners. Users can upgrade existing UBox 4100 units with a simple firmware upgrade.
