The latest high-performance peripherals--including scanners, external drives, and DV camcorders--are shipping with new interfaces. USB 2.0 and FireWire offer higher speeds than older USB 1.1 ports, and they're hot-pluggable. Only the newest PCs ship with on-board USB 2.0 or FireWire ports, but you can easily add them to a system by inserting a PCI card.

FireWire ports, which mostly work with DV camcorders and external drives, transfer data at up to 400 megabits per second. USB 2.0 is the successor to USB 1.1, which has been a standard for years and has been popular for connecting keyboards, mice, and printers. USB 2.0 can transfer data at rates up to 480 mbps, compared with USB 1.1's 12 mbps.

USB 2.0 peripherals are likely to grow more common, but you'll need FireWire for video editing. A combination FireWire/USB 2.0 add-in card, such as the Adaptec DuoConnect shown in step 1, can add both to your PC. For about half the price, you can choose one or the other.

One caveat: You'll need Windows 98 SE or a later version; earlier versions do not support FireWire or USB 2.0.

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