USB Hubs


G

Garg

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My Pandora is on the way, so it's probably time to pick up the accessories I'll need.


I'd love to have a compact USB hub that sort of hugs the back of the Pandora, to keep the bulk down. Does anyone have any suggestions?


Also, I need some clarification on what I need to run USB 1.1 devices from the full-sized Standard A port. Will any hub do, or must it be powered? If I don't need a powered hub, I'm guessing that a USB mouse + flash drive would probably be okay for current draw, but that adding a WiFi adapter would probably be too much. Does that sound about right?
 
Garg said:
I'd love to have a compact USB hub that sort of hugs the back of the Pandora, to keep the bulk down. Does anyone have any suggestions?
Click to expand...
How many ports are you after? The Griffin SmartShare USB is rather well-suited to the Pandora, but it has only two ports (so really, it's more of a USB 2.0 splitter), and I'm unsure if it's still in production.

Also, I need some clarification on what I need to run USB 1.1 devices from the full-sized Standard A port. Will any hub do, or must it be powered? If I don't need a powered hub, I'm guessing that a USB mouse + flash drive would probably be okay for current draw, but that adding a WiFi adapter would probably be too much. Does that sound about right?
Click to expand...
The hub must be a USB 2.0 High Speed one - anything else won't work. My experience is that if it's two or four ports, they don't seem to need to be powered, but I only have a few hubs, so I may not have tried enough of them to find unpowered ones that won't work. Try to avoid unpowered ones with long cables (long in this case being around a couple of feet or so) to connect them to the host device, if you can, though - such hubs tend to play hell with things that need a bit more power, like USB flash-drives and card-readers.


Your guess on the power-draw seems to be right on the money, by the way - I've found with my four-port hub that I can't hook up, say, a USB flash-drive and a USB SD Card reader at the same time, but a flash-drive and a lower-powered item or two (such as a mouse) seems to be just fine.
 
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I know you want something small, and so did I... I ordered something from ebay, and I got sent the wrong hub.


I was disappointed when I opened the package, but have to admit I'm now completely sold on the hub they sent me.


http://www.zapsonline.com/43067-canyon-white-and-blue-7-port-self-powered-hi-speed-usb-hub-ascnr-usbhub9.html


It's a 7 port hub, and amazingly can support every device I have for my Pandora at once without even being plugged into mains.


So far I've had a flash drive, USB mouse, micro SD reader, external HD, and Joypad all running perfectly at the same time.


Plus it has a short cable that's integrated into the hub - so compact no mess no fuss.


It looks a little ugly with their logo on it, but I took the hub apart and sanded off the logo from the inside of the glass disk with very fine sand paper and now it looks very sexy. (all the internal components are now visible.)


A highly recommended hub. :)
 
FWIW I bought the "HIGH SPEED 4 PORT MINI USB 2.0 HUB FOR LAPTOP PC (non powered)" listed on the wiki as working and I just get "failed to enumerate device" problem when I connect it to the Pandora.
 
Transcend RDP7 Multi Function Card Reader and USB Hub W/ Built In USB Cable (Black):


With three integrated USB ports, the RDP7 card reader not only bridges the gap between your computer and digital gadgets, but also allows you to add multiple USB 2.0 peripherals. The RDP7 has a built-in USB cable that brings conveniences to travel without messy USB wires. Inheriting the advantages of Transcend’s current card readers, the RDP7 supports today’s most popular memory cards and includes a useful RecoveRx Tool*, offering unmatched security and versatility. Not for external hard drives.


I've got them for $15 and shipping


http://www.ithic.com
 
I like this type:


200863012124114256.jpg



https://www.pricelover.com/product/Saitek_Peripheral_4_Port_Flexible_Smart_Hub/P240A/


It doesn't hang down from a wire, so it's good to use while holding the Pandora. Can reorient the positioning to preference.


Works well unpowered but can be powered when needed.


Mine says Synapsis not Saitek but I think it's just rebranded. Maplin appear to have discontinued their 'Synapsis' version.
 
I've been using the Sitecom 4-Port Micro USB-hub. It's foldable, tiny, posable and works simultaneously with keyboard, mouse, controller & USB-stick. Also, it's got soft-touch plastic, goes neat with your pandora. Sweet little device.
sitecom-4-port-micro-usb-hub.jpg



Check it fully connected -> http://www.youtube.c...?v=aG5wIqUaias.
 
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Prometheus said:
How many ports are you after? The Griffin SmartShare USB is rather well-suited to the Pandora, but it has only two ports (so really, it's more of a USB 2.0 splitter), and I'm unsure if it's still in production.
Click to expand...
If anyone finds these for sale, snap one up. They're very nice. (Probably the only USB hub I would ever think of as 'nice').


Mine is an amputee now. I loaned it to my dad for his bike trip around the country, and it came back wounded. So now it's a one port hub - or to look at it another way, an inline USB2 -> USB1.1 converter, which is actually pretty useful.
 
I use a Manhattan 3 port unpowered USB hub, it's pretty small. I really use it mostly for adding a wireless mouse, it doesn't add much to the size of the Pandora. I'm lucky in that my external hard drive plugs into the Pandora's USB port port directly and seems to work without issue!
 
Sorry if this counts as a necropost.


AirLink101 AWLL5088 Wireless Ultra Adapter


16GB SanDisk Cruzer Fit Flash Drive


Hopefully the picture I attached will actually show up...I was thinking of jury-rigging a 2 port hub together that would plug into the back of the pandora and allow me to attach two micro-sized usb devices(the above wifi adapter and flash drive would be awesome together). Ideally, it would be flush with the back of the Pandora itself, and small enough that it wouldn't fall out or block the shoulder buttons. The video cable port might be blocked, but I was thinking of this as an on-the-go solution to include better wifi and extra storage in one fell swoop. The tricky part will be rigging up some kind of case so the unit can plug in flush with the Pandora(since i'd basically just be transplanting the hub guts into a new case).


I've tried finding something that might be similar online to use instead or as a good starting point, say for a laptop or something, but so far I haven't seen anything that matches what i'm wanting. Does anyone have any leads on such a hub?

0PandoraHubIdea.jpg
 
That's what I figured, but any pre-existing starting point would help tremendously. Unfortunately, I haven't found many suitable T-shaped hubs so that's a bit of a bust.
 
TheGrandPubaa said:
I was thinking of jury-rigging a 2 port hub together that would plug into the back of the pandora and allow me to attach two micro-sized usb devices(the above wifi adapter and flash drive would be awesome together).
Click to expand...
I doubt that a single USB port can provide sufficient power for both a WiFi adapter and a flash drive without some external power source.
 
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