Entrega Launches New Products to USB-Enable Serial and Parallel Port Devices; New Multi-function Hubs Give Users Simple, Cost-effective Port Replication Solution.

LAKE FOREST, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 10, 1998--Entrega Technologies, the leader in Universal Serial Bus (USB) connectivity solutions, Tuesday announced three new multi-function hubs and a USB-to-serial converter, broadening its popular USB product line.

Expanding peripheral options by providing the needed ports, the new products are designed to easily accommodate multiple types of peripherals on desktop and notebook computers.

The hubs offer a variety of serial, parallel and USB port configurations to address different types of user needs. The converter allows the addition of a single serial port device such as an external modem, palmtop computer, digital camera, or ISDN terminal server unit to a USB-enabled computer.

One of the greatest advantages of USB technology is the ability to hot-plug peripherals into a computer or hub, then have them automatically recognized and configured by the system to which they are being attached without having to reboot. The new products extend this hot-plugging capability to serial and parallel devices. For example, users can switch printers without shutting down their system.

Peripheral Proliferation Propels Plug-and-Play Potential

According to David Murray, vice president of product marketing for Entrega, these products are designed to meet the growing complexity and system requirements of today's computers, where it is not uncommon to have more devices than there are interrupt request (IRQ) addresses to accommodate them. "The chief limitation of plug-and-play is that computers run out of IRQs depending on the number of devices that are installed. Because USB is IRQ-independent, our multi-function hubs eliminate this problem by USB-enabling serial and parallel devices," said Murray.

The two driving factors behind the introduction of these products are 1) the need for more serial and parallel ports to accommodate the wide assortment of PC peripherals that users are now attaching to their computers and 2) the elimination of IRQ conflicts between those devices.

In PCs, an IRQ is assigned by the operating system to each device that is connected to the computer. IRQs are responsible for directing data to and from these devices. If two devices such as mouse and modem have the same IRQ, the operating system (OS) will not know how to handle information input and output, resulting in a conflict that will render one or both devices inoperable.

The concept behind plug-and-play is that the OS (i.e., Windows 95/98) will automatically regulate the assigning of IRQs. When the computer is turned on, if the OS detects a new piece of hardware, it will give the device an IRQ, thus allowing it to communicate with the computer. Problems arise though because there is a limited number of available IRQs. If a computer has too many attached devices, the OS will not be capable of recognizing them all.

"With system configurations, growing more complex because of all the new computer gadgets that are available, users can quickly exhaust all their IRQs and not be able to support all their devices. Because USB does not require IRQs, users can attach up to 127 peripherals including serial and parallel port devices with no configuration hassles," added Murray.

New USB Product Line-Up

Entrega's new 2U1S1P multi-function hub provides two USB ports, one serial port, and one parallel port. According to Murray, "The product is geared for applications where users may have a handful of assorted devices like a Zip drive, printer and a couple of other peripherals."

The 4U2S1P multi-function hub comes with four USB ports, two serial ports, and one parallel port. The product is tailored for users who need more ports to connect their peripherals but do not have the available IRQs.

"The 4U2S1P hub is a terrific fit for mobile computer users who can hot-plug all their peripherals at home or on the road. They only need to connect their peripherals once instead of every time they move their notebook. In a sense, the hub can take the place of a docking station," noted Murray.

The 2U4S model multi-function hub offers two USB and four serial ports. This product gives users who have a lot of serial devices the ability to USB-enable them for approximately half the price of similar competitive solutions.

Each product is fully USB compliant, with the proper power distribution per port (500 milliamps) to support any number of peripherals that are attached. Dual-color LEDs indicate the power and port status at all times.

System requirements to support the hub and converter include a 486DX66 CPU or faster PC with a USB port and Microsoft(R) Windows(R) 98 or Windows(R) 95b operating system as well as a PowerMac(TM) or faster Macintosh system with a USB port and Mac(TM) OS with USB support.

Pricing and Availability

The products are priced as follows: the 2U1S1P model is $149.95; the 4U2S1P model is $199.95; the 2U4S model is $179.95; and the USB-to-serial converter is $79.95.

The four products are available in all distribution channels, and all Entrega products are covered by a three-year warranty.

Background on Entrega Technologies

With headquarters in Lake Forest, Entrega Technologies is a privately owned company formed in 1997 to develop and market a wide range of USB-enabled solutions, and promote worldwide consumer acceptance of USB technology. Entrega has been honored by the retail community through numerous awards for its products and packaging, and is a member of the USB Implementers Forum and a Windows 98 and MacOS logo partner. The company's senior management brings together eminently successful careers in retail channel marketing of computer products and major contributions to the creation of the USB technical specification.