Hardware recommendations

Humboldt · Post by **Humboldt** » Fri Jul 30, 2010 4:32 pm

I need to pick up a few small hardware items and am wondering about brand suggestions.

I need a USB hub and a multi-card reader.

I know both are easily found in drugstores even but am wondering a USB hub I buy at a drugstore is going to be substantially slower than one I pay more for from NewEgg or Buy. Haven't had a chance to do any research yet, but I do know the card reader I bought from KMart worked fine for the first year then died completely.

Thanks

Sava700 · Post by **Sava700** » Fri Jul 30, 2010 4:38 pm

I use a belkin usb hub for more ports.. works pretty good for me. I've also got a PCI expansion for more USB ports, LCD's open up 2 more ports which of course they use one to give me 2 each but oh well.. the more USB hook ups the better!

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Fri Jul 30, 2010 6:40 pm

Think about what you're going to plug into the USB hub...for small light devices, a parasitic one is OK..but for other bigger things....printers, scanners, external drives..etc...you're better off getting a powered USB hub.

Humboldt · Post by **Humboldt** » Fri Jul 30, 2010 7:19 pm

YeOldeStonecat wrote:Think about what you're going to plug into the USB hub...for small light devices, a parasitic one is OK..but for other bigger things....printers, scanners, external drives..etc...you're better off getting a powered USB hub.

Why?

Does the power consumption effect speeds?
(thinking of my external hdds)

Would be more for USB card reader, direct camera connections, thumb drives, etc...

Thanks

Humboldt · Post by **Humboldt** » Fri Jul 30, 2010 7:21 pm

Sava700 wrote: the more USB hook ups the better!

I have either 4 or 6 on the back of my machine, but the 2 front ones only work with some devices, not others, and at a slow speed.

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Fri Jul 30, 2010 7:23 pm

Humboldt wrote:Why?

Does the power consumption effect speeds?
(thinking of my external hdds)

It effects the reliability and performance of the connection and said connected device. Timeouts, stalls, brief disconnects...on some larger peripherals if you use an unpowered USB hub.

Sava700 · Post by **Sava700** » Fri Jul 30, 2010 7:55 pm

Humboldt wrote:

I have either 4 or 6 on the back of my machine, but the 2 front ones only work with some devices, not others, and at a slow speed.

The ones in the back, are they built into the mobo or are they a PCI card?

Also the belkin that I have is powered so it works with any device.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6817394043

this is the one I have cept its black, I enjoy the lights on it as it makes for a nice night light in my computer room, they also match the ones on my router and my LED's in my gaming comp and the side LED's on my websurfing comp. When you read the reviews people complained about the power cable being too short but yeah besides that it works great.

Humboldt · Post by **Humboldt** » Sat Jul 31, 2010 12:11 am

YeOldeStonecat wrote:It effects the reliability and performance of the connection and said connected device. Timeouts, stalls, brief disconnects...on some larger peripherals if you use an unpowered USB hub.

Good to know, thanks.

I've never even seen a powered USB hub

Humboldt · Post by **Humboldt** » Sat Jul 31, 2010 12:16 am

Sava700 wrote:The ones in the back, are they built into the mobo or are they a PCI card?

They're part of the Asus P4P800.

The front 2 are built into the Antec Sonata case.
They work with cameras hooked via USB cable but not thumb drives.
When I connect some devices it recommends using the back ones because they have a higher USB speed.

Have tried to update them but it never makes any difference.

Thanks for the Belkin link, cheaper then I thought.

Humboldt · Post by **Humboldt** » Sat Jul 31, 2010 12:20 am

Comparing this one to other models and brands...in the one you got where does it say it's powered?

Not sure what else to look for, and some models do mention "powered" in the name.

Sava700 · Post by **Sava700** » Sat Jul 31, 2010 8:04 am

Humboldt wrote:Comparing this one to other models and brands...in the one you got where does it say it's powered?

Not sure what else to look for, and some models do mention "powered" in the name.

its powered.. remember that I said the power cord was short?

Any of them that are not will likely be around $10

The Dude · Post by **The Dude** » Sat Jul 31, 2010 9:32 am

Just to chime in on the powered versus non powered Hub. The USB port on your PC is limited to 500ma max current draw. Some devices like web cameras that don't have their own power pack can draw a lot of power. Devices that plug into the wall for power like printers, draw very little power from the USB port if any at all. If you use an unpowered USB hub all of the devices plugged into it will try to draw what power they need from the one USB port on the PC that the hub is plugged into. If you try to draw too much current that port will shut down to protect itself. If you use a powered hub, one that has its own power pack, the hub supplies the power to run the USB devices not the PC. As a bonus if you plug in say your MP3 player, it will recharge even if the PC is off. My personal experience has been that the ones with the included power pack are much better quality than the ones that don't.

Humboldt · Post by **Humboldt** » Sat Jul 31, 2010 12:57 pm

Sava700 wrote:its powered.. remember that I said the power cord was short?

Any of them that are not will likely be around $10

lol, I believe you, just wondering how to tell by the descriptions, as some of them say powered in the description and some (including yours) don't.

Humboldt · Post by **Humboldt** » Sat Jul 31, 2010 12:58 pm

The Dude wrote:Just to chime in on the powered versus non powered Hub. The USB port on your PC is limited to 500ma max current draw. Some devices like web cameras that don't have their own power pack can draw a lot of power. Devices that plug into the wall for power like printers, draw very little power from the USB port if any at all. If you use an unpowered USB hub all of the devices plugged into it will try to draw what power they need from the one USB port on the PC that the hub is plugged into. If you try to draw too much current that port will shut down to protect itself. If you use a powered hub, one that has its own power pack, the hub supplies the power to run the USB devices not the PC. As a bonus if you plug in say your MP3 player, it will recharge even if the PC is off. My personal experience has been that the ones with the included power pack are much better quality than the ones that don't.

Good info, thanks

Sava700 · Post by **Sava700** » Sat Jul 31, 2010 3:01 pm

Humboldt wrote:lol, I believe you, just wondering how to tell by the descriptions, as some of them say powered in the description and some (including yours) don't.

no idea... i try to read through reviews good which helps or find other pictures of the device.

Humboldt · Post by **Humboldt** » Sun Aug 01, 2010 5:29 pm

I'm seeing a few combo card reader/hubs.

Anyone have any experience with those?

The Dude · Post by **The Dude** » Sun Aug 01, 2010 5:38 pm

Most of the ones I've seen mount in your case's 2.5 inch floppy drive bay and are powered by a floppy drive power cable on your power supply. The trade off is only having 1 or 2 USB ports versus 4 or more on a regular hub.