Usb 1.1 -> 2.0 Passthrough Device?

[Megatog615]

Is there a sort of passthrough device to convert USB 1.1 to 2.0 without a full-fledged hub? I don't want to carry around a hub with me.

 

[giovanni]

There is a recent thread about that...
You don't have to search, is very recent...

 

[DAP]

Is there a sort of passthrough device to convert USB 1.1 to 2.0 without a full-fledged hub? I don't want to carry around a hub with me.

The only thing in existence that does that is a hub.

You might look into active extention cables for USB. USB has a limited allowed cable length, to get longer than the specified maximum length, one must use a hub. There are some extention cables with a built in hub who's only purpose is to extend the length of the cable allowed, but then you are stuck with a very long cable with a built in one port hub to carry around.

The only clean solution would be a redesign of the circuit board to include a hub. Any other solution is an inconvienient kludge.

 

[foft]

I want one too! I wonder how hard it would be to build. Simple PCB, hub chip, caps, plug and socket... Or perhaps just fit an internal hub chip and wire it in.

 

[Squidge]

Its true, the only thing that can what a hub can, is a hub.

But there are very small ones.

 

[cbox]

This is about the closest you'll get to passthrough:

http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=N-UH034&cat=NET

or http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=US...GRY&cat=NET

 

[gruso]

This is about the closest you'll get to passthrough:

CODE
http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=N-UH034&cat=NET]http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=N-UH034&cat=NET

I bought one of these very units recently. My plan is to remove all four female legs, and mount a single female back into the case. A very easy, beginner level mod.

However, upon cracking it open, the internals are... interesting. There is no IC in sight, just a big spacious PCB with a tiny black blob in the middle. The blob may conceal a tiny IC, but it doesn't look anything like other hubs I've opened. I'll post a picture after work and see what others think.

 

[mindlord]

I was scouring the 'net for information to solve this riddle and I stubled on this:
CODE
http://www.twstore.com/gcusbafxm.html
Which will allow the plugging of devices nicely into the OTG port. Which is a solution to the issue, just not the best one, IMO.

I also found this:
CODE
http://www.macproonline.com/Shop/Control/Product/fp/SFV/32645/vpid/6651585/vpcsid/0/rid/129150

Which *APPEARS* to be a 6" active 2 port USB hub. fo' reer, yo. Which is exactly what the doctor ordered. But it lacks details, and in the missing details fails to explain if it is indeed ACTIVE or just a glorified USB splitter of some kind. So if someone has 18$ to throw away to try it out. Eh, go for it.

 

[gruso]

The only catch with the OTG port is the 100mA limit. No good for 3G modems or GPS units.

That second thing you posted though, holy crap, if that's what we think it is then it's an awesome find. I'll be the guinea pig.

[edit] Confirmed, it is indeed what we think it is:
CODE
http://www.fosh.com.au/products/gr-ssusb.html


Nice find Mindlord! Now to find an Aussie seller.

Funny that this isn't the first Macbook Air accessory that happens to be perfect for Pandora...
CODE
http://free-electrons.com/blog/usbeth/

 

[Squidge]

However, upon cracking it open, the internals are... interesting. There is no IC in sight, just a big spacious PCB with a tiny black blob in the middle.

COB, or Chip-on-board. If you make enough of something, you can get costs down by instead of purchasing ic's and soldering them to the board, you can use DCA, or direct chip attachment. This means theres is no protective package anymore, so they are usually covered in an epoxy substance (which is usually black).

 

[gruso]

Ah, fits the description perfectly. On the whole, the product looks so cheap that the lack of IC made me suspicious!


[edit]

Alrighty. Best deal on the Griffin SmartShare for non-US buyers, is on eBay. Shipping cost to Australia from Mac Pro Online is $31.50 USD!! Shipping cost from eBay, $5 USD.
CODE
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330305344691

My unhealthy level of excitement for a USB trinket... priceless.

 

[WizardStan]

What is the chip (name, part number, anything?) that actually does the conversion? I'm wondering if it might be worthwhile for someone with the soldering skills to buy and then build their own mini one-port hub.

 

[Chip]

What is the chip (name, part number, anything?) that actually does the conversion? I'm wondering if it might be worthwhile for someone with the soldering skills to buy and then build their own mini one-port hub.

There's no point at all to making a one-port hub. If you're going to have something external, you might as well have the extra ports that go with it, and you would be better off buying a cheap hub then go through the effort of making something by hand.

If you really do want to make something, 4 port hub ICs are cheap and easy to find: CODE
http://parts.digikey.com/1/parts/489511-ic-usb-hub-ctrlr-4port-32lqfp-at43301-ac.html


If you've got the stones, you could solder one of these in-line internally and have full USB functionality without any additional dongles or wires. You'd need a very steady hand, as those pins are only 0.3mm wide, and are spaces 0.8mm center to center. It would mean scraping some traces on the Pandora board and you'd definitely void your warranty, but it could be done. I would probably attempt this mod if I had anything that actually needed it. However I don't foresee ever using any low speed devices with my Pandora, so there's no point in risking its destruction just for the hell of it.

 

[Megatog615]

The point being that it would be incredibly small, maybe the size of a usb flash drive, with a male USB on one side and a female USB on the other. The sole purpose of such a device would be to do USB 1.1 -> 2.0 conversion.

 

[DigitalWings]

The point being that it would be incredibly small, maybe the size of a usb flash drive, with a male USB on one side and a female USB on the other. The sole purpose of such a device would be to do USB 1.1 -> 2.0 conversion.

The closest I have seen is
http://www.dse.com.au/cgi-bin/dse.storefro...uct/View/XH0518
The only thing I don't like about that one is it's still a little chunky and it doesn't have a cable, so increase chance of snapping if you drop the pandora or something.

 

[gruso]

Allow me to demonstrate my intentions [st]through interpretive dance[/st] with a picture.

No more bulky than the usual USB cable. Apart from the second USB lead hanging off, which could easily be removed, but I won't be doing that.

 

[marshal]

>Gruso

That's one sexy USB hub

 

[gruso]

Indeed. I've purchased mine, and I'm going to suggest to the team that they stock them. Screw the Macbook Air, this thing was made for Pandora. Props again to Mindlord for the find.

 

[mindlord]

If there were a such thing as a Professional Internet Personal Shopper, that's be me.

 

[DAP]

Allow me to demonstrate my intentions [st]through interpretive dance[/st] with a picture.

No more bulky than the usual USB cable. Apart from the second USB lead hanging off, which could easily be removed, but I won't be doing that.

This would be an "unpowerd USB hub". IF designed correctly (no guarantee and quite a few aren't) then it will limit its outputs to 100 mA (I think, need to check the spec, but I am sure it is substantially less than the 500 mA of a normal port on a powered hub).

So with this, you may be no better off than with the USB OTG port.

How much power can the Pandora actually supply on its USB port? I know that the spec is 500 mA max, but is there any circuitry in there to limit the current? If not, I'm thinking the way to go would be to buy a powered hub whose external power supply uses +5V, and rewire it to get its power from the USB cable. This is a nasty hack, and I would not want to use it with more than one 500 mA device, but as long as the total draw did not exceed 1A, you could probably get away with it.