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USB can suck it

post #1 of 16
1/29/03 at 1:12pm
Thread Starter 
So I've been having USB problems. Basically, it goes like this...

I have three USB peripherals I use regularly.

1. Keyboard/Mouse
2. SoundSticks
3. Sony Clié HotSync Cradle

Now, I know for a rather solid fact that Palms just hate having to HotSync through a hub. I've got the latest version of 'The Missing Sync' for the Clié, and their FAQ confirms my suspicion that the hub is keeping it from HotSyncing.

so my question is this. I have a very cheap POS Xircom USB hub. I have my Clié and keyboard running through it. I have the SoundSticks plugged directly into my G4. What if I were to run the SoundSticks through the hub? Would this be OK? Can anyone recommend a hub that my Clié will like?
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post #2 of 16
1/29/03 at 1:53pm
from experience i've learned to always run printers and/or handhelds direct when possible. handhelds are the worst of the two.

what machine you have? you should have at least one open port on the machine, then one on the keyboard, right?
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post #3 of 16
1/29/03 at 3:36pm
The Clie should run through a keyboard port without a problem, since it's not drawing any power (powered devices on the keyboard HID is a bad, bad thing in my experience). I've got no experience with Soundsticks, so I'll stay quiet on that.
Whatever it is, it ain't rocket science
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Whatever it is, it ain't rocket science
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post #4 of 16
1/29/03 at 3:40pm
Thread Starter 
[quote]Originally posted by alcimedes:
<strong>from experience i've learned to always run printers and/or handhelds direct when possible. handhelds are the worst of the two.

what machine you have? you should have at least one open port on the machine, then one on the keyboard, right?</strong><hr></blockquote>

Well, I have two USB ports on the back. The SoundSticks are in one, and the hub is in the other. The the keyboard and Clié come out of the hub. Palm recommends against plugging a Palm device into the bult-in USB hub on Apple keyboards.

*sigh*

Any ideas how to re-wire this? Will the soundsticks be OK on a hub?
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post #5 of 16
1/29/03 at 4:00pm
My suggestion? Dump the Palm and get a real handheld computer (like the Newton).
francism@mac.com
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francism@mac.com
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post #6 of 16
1/30/03 at 7:07am
Goddamit!

Why the fvck do you use the Missing Sinc!!???


I have a Clie too!

Use the free Palm Desktop! It works much better!

Themissing sinc was for when clie wasn't supported by Palm Desk. Now it is!

So go and get yourself the Palm Desktop!
...nunc et in hora mortis nostrae...
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...nunc et in hora mortis nostrae...
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post #7 of 16
1/30/03 at 12:42pm
FYI, I have Soundsticks, I use them through a hub. Always have, and probably always will. They work fine.
"Oh boy, sleep! That's where I'm a viking!"
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"Oh boy, sleep! That's where I'm a viking!"
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post #8 of 16
1/30/03 at 2:59pm
I've got a G4 with a cheap hub, my Handspring Treo works okay synching through the hub. Maybe you should invest in a better hub?
Dual 2Ghz G5, Single 2Ghz Xserve G5, Dual 1Ghz QS G4, Single 1.25Ghz MDD G4.
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Dual 2Ghz G5, Single 2Ghz Xserve G5, Dual 1Ghz QS G4, Single 1.25Ghz MDD G4.
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post #9 of 16
1/30/03 at 3:09pm
Thread Starter 
[quote]Originally posted by stevegongrui:
<strong>Goddamit!

Why the fvck do you use the Missing Sinc!!???


I have a Clie too!

Use the free Palm Desktop! It works much better!

Themissing sinc was for when clie wasn't supported by Palm Desk. Now it is!

So go and get yourself the Palm Desktop!</strong><hr></blockquote>


The Clié NX60 is not supported by Palm Desktop. I tried synchronizing it with Palm Desktop anyway. This was plugged directly into a Tibook. It didn't work. As soon as I installed 'The Missing Sync', it worked.
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post #10 of 16
1/30/03 at 3:14pm
Thread Starter 
[quote]Originally posted by Gizzmonic:
<strong>I've got a G4 with a cheap hub, my Handspring Treo works okay synching through the hub. Maybe you should invest in a better hub?</strong><hr></blockquote>

Well, a different hub perhaps. This one is a cheap piece of crap. So I guess 'better' is appropriate then.

Basically, it goes like this. Some hubs work better for HotSync than others. Powered Hubs seem to work better than non-powered hubs. The first port on a hub typically works better than any other port. There are just the generalized facts, and are not necessarily USB/HotSync Dogma.

I'm not going to invest in a better hub. I'll try running the SoundSticks through the hub for now. I guess MAYBE if that doesn't work, I'll but a better hub.

And can someone tell me why every USB hub is made out of cheap translucent plastic? Can't I get a normal hub? Maybe one made out of metal? Maybe one in a nice color? I swear, I have spent days locked in a room with an internet connection trying to find a USB hub that doesn't look like an iMac shit it out on a particularly bad encounter with the porcelain God..

Anyhow, USB can suck it
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post #11 of 16
1/30/03 at 6:30pm
You can get a good looking hub from MacAlly:

<a href="http://www.macally.com/spec/usb/input_device/ihub2.html" target="_blank">http://www.macally.com/spec/usb/input_device/ihub2.html</a>

It goes well with Apple's new hardware, I think. Doesn't look like ass.
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post #12 of 16
1/30/03 at 7:14pm
Thread Starter 
There is a FireWire hub that looks similar. Personally I was more fond of the design in the FireWire hub.

Actually, what would really be perfect for me would be a USB/Firewire hub combined that I could rackmount. I guess I could hack that out myself. Then I'd never have to look at the damn things.

Maybe I'll do that
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post #13 of 16
1/30/03 at 9:17pm
Kinda offtopic, but...
[quote] Originally posted by M3D Jack:
There is a FireWire hub that looks similar. Personally I was more fond of the design in the FireWire hub <hr></blockquote>

Here is a really cool looking Firewire hub:
<a href="http://www.charismac.com/Products/firedino/" target="_blank">Hubzilla</a>
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post #14 of 16
1/30/03 at 9:39pm
in an attempt to discourage you a bit, and relay what i've read from harmon/kardon's site a while back; soundsticks don't work as well through a hub. i believe that they can pick up clicks and tings from bad hubs and from other devices on the hub. i always make sure to put my stix directly into the comp, the keyboard into the other 1 on the comp, the mouse into the kboard. if i have 1 more item, i put into the remaining slot on the kboard. else, i plug the hub into that extra spot, and anything else onto the hub.
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post #15 of 16
1/30/03 at 9:53pm
[quote]Originally posted by thuh Freak:
<strong>i believe that they can pick up clicks and tings from bad hubs and from other devices on the hub. </strong><hr></blockquote>

This happend to me when I had my sticks plugged into a Belkin hub. When I pulled them out and plugged them directly into the USB ports, the clicks went away. I've been thinking about getting a USB PCI card instead, but need to find one that allows deep sleep
I was promised flying cars. Where are the flying cars?
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I was promised flying cars. Where are the flying cars?
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post #16 of 16
1/30/03 at 10:39pm
Thread Starter 
Ok, if so many USB devices want their own USB channel and don't like hubs... could someone remind me again why we only have two USB channels on our machines? Was someone sleeping when they were making this stuff up?

This is probably one of those things where it looked really good on paper...
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