4 port USB hub and active repeater

[milan]

Just trying to streamline my AP setup while the weather is grim and one thing is the amount of cables etc.

Ideally i would like to be able to keep the netbook inside and work from there, in order to do that i need a long active USB cable and noticed the following on Maplin

USB 2.0 12m 4 Port Hub and Repeater Free Delivery : USB Cabling : Maplin

Just wondered if anyone had direct experience of one as ive done a search and read some of these things can be a bit tempermental. I presume that it draws the power it needs from the netbook, so it would be sensible to keep it plugged into the wall.

Would it be worth seperating some of the compoents out to reduce dependancy down one cable etc?

Will be running:

QHY5

EQ6 Mount with EQDIR

Canon 5D

Rumblepad

GPS dongle

For anyone interested the best price ive seen for the above is at 'Cablestar'

[MarkF]

I think you need to work out the max current draw for your bits which you intend to plug in, I do believe that 500ma is the max supplied by a single USB port.

I bought three 5m active USB cables and taped them together to run the mount, QHY5 and connect the Atik which has its own power supply. But if you need to run more than a 5m length then its not really much use to you. I bought all three from Ebuyer for 14 quid but they have been discontinued now.

[milan]

So a powered hub (from power tank? if so how (inverter?) as the one i have is 240v) and then a single repeater back to the PC sounds more feasible.

[martin_h]

I use the 5mtr active usb cable + a 2mtr ordinary usb extension and a 4port powerd hub from Maplin.

[Merlin66]

I bought a 6 port powered USB hub for all my cables (NEQ6pro) and power it from a 6V inverter from the 20Ah batteries. Maplin #A92JH Auto DC Power regulated adaptor input 12V output 1.5/3/4.5/5/6/9/12V

Works 100%

ken

[milan]

So your hub is powered from the Maplin A92JH adaptor which is plugged into your 20Ah batteries?

I was under the impression that hubs needed 240v? having said that the plug is large on mine so i presume it includes a step down transformer?

(Electrics arent my thing!)

[Merlin66]

Yes.

I power a couple of cameras, spectroscope etc etc

Just remember to plug the bits into the SAME ports everytime. Then you don't have the issues of reinstalling the drivers etc.

The wall plug supplied with the unit has a built-in transformer down to 5.5V.

Ken

[milan]

Thanks Ken.