 |
 |
USB Hub
|
|
|
|
|
Forum Regular
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Status:
Offline
|
|
Hello all, I need to get a USB hub for my macbook and was hoping to get some input from others about good and bad ones.
1-Powered USB Hub
2-Non Powered USB Hub
3-Max Ports
thanks
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Moderator  Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: inside 128, north of 90
Status:
Offline
|
|
I also just started looking for hubs. The one I have is only USB 1.2 and slows things down.
I think you only need powered if you are plugging high-need things (printers, external drives) into them. I've seen 2 port versions out there, but don't see the point... for the price and space on your desk at least 4 seems best.
Thinkgeek has fun ones but I've been shopping at newegg. Any brands to recommend?
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mac Elite
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Washington state
Status:
Offline
|
|
Originally Posted by andi*pandi 
I also just started looking for hubs. The one I have is only USB 1.2 and slows things down.
I think you only need powered if you are plugging high-need things (printers, external drives) into them. I've seen 2 port versions out there, but don't see the point... for the price and space on your desk at least 4 seems best.
Thinkgeek has fun ones but I've been shopping at newegg. Any brands to recommend?
I bought a 4 port D-Link, powered, USB2 hub several years ago for about $20 at my local Office Depot. I strongly recommend a powered one and at least USB 2 for speed. I use external, USB powered portable disks (Transcend Storjet) that are happy with it.
sam
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Moderator Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Gothenburg, Sweden
Status:
Offline
|
|
4 ports is the biggest you can get for an unpowered USB 2.0 hub and stay within spec, so it is a common size. Many 4 port hubs are either powered or unpowered, with an optional AC adapter. 7 is a common size for powered hubs, but there are even bigger ones. I have one 7 port powered hub, plus the one in the keyboard.
USB 3.0 really made this much more complicated, but basically, it works like this: If you want to plug in things that get their power from USB, ie do not have a power plug of their own, get a powered hub. Printers, scanners and 3.5" HDDs generally have external power and can be plugged in to anything. Smaller 2.5" HDDs, opticals and anything that is charging generally draws power from the port, and should be plugged in to a powered hub or directly to the computer. It CAN work to plug them in to an unpowered hub, especially if not everything is used at once, but it will also lead to strange errors from time to time.
|
|
The new Mac Pro has up to 30 MB of cache inside the processor itself. That's more than the HD in my first Mac. Somehow I'm still running out of space.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Forum Regular
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Status:
Offline
|
|
Great help thanks guys, I will go to my local MicroCenter and see what they have to offer, I think I will stay away from the thinkGeek place they seem more pretty and fun than functional, and I want to use it for a while so I will look for a name brand. Again thanks
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Moderator Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: San Jose, CA
Status:
Offline
|
|
Originally Posted by Nassifer
Great help thanks guys, I will go to my local MicroCenter and see what they have to offer, I think I will stay away from the thinkGeek place they seem more pretty and fun than functional, and I want to use it for a while so I will look for a name brand. Again thanks
Microcenter? Wow I thought they were out of business.
Steve
|
|
Celebrating 10 years and 4000 posts on MacNN!
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Moderator Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: inside 128, north of 90
Status:
Offline
|
|
There's one in MA too that still seems to be functioning, despite being surrounded by Apple stores.
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 
|
|
|
Forum Rules
|
|
|
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
|
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Top