USB Question

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I just wanted to get some opinions. If you ran out of USB ports on your PC, (which I did) and you needed another, what is the better soloution: A USB hub or try to add a USB expansion card?

I have the room on the board for a card. Any one ever do this beofre? Thanks

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[BertImmenschuh]

USB is supposed to support up to 127 devices, which includes hubs. The main reason for USB is it will do this using 1 (ONE) IRQ, which is real important when you only have 16 to begin with. Right-click My Computer, Properties, Device Manager tab, right-click Computer and Properties and you will see how the IRQs are assigned.

If I were doing it, I would get a powered hub, which provides power to those devices like scanners which use power from USB system. Should take a little load off the computer's power supply. And you can daisy-chain hubs until you reach 127 devices between computer and the last one. I haven't checked if this number is for each port or both combined, mainly because I can't afford 127 USB devices.

Another advantage of the hub is you could put it close to hand instead of, on most computers, having to reach behind to plug something in.

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I put in a 4 port USB hub today. It works real well.
Thanks

[BertImmenschuh]

Glad to help.