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subego · Sep 13, 2005, 05:15 AM

Well, my problem involves my USB devices conflicting with each other, and/or not running on the hub.

I imagine I need a better hub, but I have no idea how I can gauge reliability before I buy.

Any wisdom about these sorts of things?

I'm assuming a list of devices prolly won't be any good, but just in case, I'll give it anyways.

Mac Mini running Tiger. Plugged into it is:
Original Soundsticks
"Dynex" 7-port USB hub

The hub has plugged into it:
SmartHome PowerLinc (Home automation controller)
Ovolab Phlink (Phone Controller)
APC Uninterruptible Power Supply
Hub from a Apple Display

The display has a Griffin PowerMate plugged into it.

The way I have it set up now, the Phlink flakes-out after a few hours. If I plug the Soundsticks into the hub, they flake out after a couple hours, so, for the moment Soundsticks are hogging the only available built-in port.

Thanks!

Apfhex · Sep 13, 2005, 02:19 PM

I don't really get it. You have a 7 port hub, with a hub from an Apple display plugged into it? How does THAT work? And what's an APC power supply doing plugged into a USB hub (I don't know much about power supplies)?

Is the hub powered? Maybe you just have too many devices on it? I have a Belkin 4 port powered hub, but I had to figure out a balance of what I could plug into it without the whole thing deactivating.

subego · Sep 13, 2005, 02:44 PM

Originally Posted by Apfhex

I don't really get it. You have a 7 port hub, with a hub from an Apple display plugged into it? How does THAT work? And what's an APC power supply doing plugged into a USB hub (I don't know much about power supplies)?

I'm not sure what you're asking with the first question, there's generally no problem plugging one USB hub into another. The one thing plugged into the monitor hub (the PowerMate) works fine. As for the APC power supply, it has a battery in it in case the power goes out. Once this happens, the power supply sends a signal to the computer (over the USB) and the computer shuts itself down automatically.

Is the hub powered? Maybe you just have too many devices on it? I have a Belkin 4 port powered hub, but I had to figure out a balance of what I could plug into it without the whole thing deactivating.

It's powered.

orbital~debris · Sep 16, 2005, 09:40 AM

I have a Kensington 7-port 'dome' hub attached to my iMac G5, via a USB extender cable that came with my original Apple Pro Keyboard.

Last night, when I took the Canon digital camera cable out of the top port on the hub, the music from iTunes disappeared - it seemed that somehow the signal to my (original) SoundSticks had been dropped by this action (the cable had been connected to my PSP which I'd just tried uploading some photos to for the first time). I don't know if it's a problem with OS X, the SoundSticks (i have had USB problems with them before, not being picked up or sound disappearing), the Kensington hub, or the other devices plugged into the hub...

As an aside: the hub itself seems OK, but the LEDs don't work as I expected - they light when a device is in use, not just when plugged in. However, the SoundSticks, even when not playing any sound, cause their LED on the hub to light…

subego · Sep 28, 2005, 07:39 PM

Bump.

tooki · Sep 28, 2005, 09:08 PM

Try a different hub.

tooki

budster101 · Sep 28, 2005, 09:11 PM

Try a bigger computer... you are running all that from a Mac mini?...

An iMac would have been much better... and you get 3 usb ports...

and an audio in/out port.
Who sold you on the mini?

The iMac would have probably been less money just looking at what you have and it would have been a G5.

tooki · Sep 29, 2005, 12:10 AM

Nonsense.

tooki

subego · Nov 5, 2005, 07:23 PM

Well, 10.4.3 seems to have fixed the problem.

2 days 23 hours 50 minutes and it's rock solid.

Yay Apple!

Of course, I had already bought a Belkin TetraHub as a means of dealing with the problem, I just hadn't gotten around to installing it.