Internal USB HUB

darthdvd

Newbie

Wednesday, January 9th 2008, 9:15am

1

G'day,

I was wondering if you guys (aqua computer) would be making a 4+ port internal usb hub, so i can connect all my (future) aquacomputer products (usb muti-switch and aquaero) plus a few internal usb devices like SoundGraph's "Ultrabay", silverstone's flash-media bay (with 3 external usb ports) plus a few other internal usb products.
I fear that i will not have enough internal usb ports to meet my needs if im forced to rely on the mainboards usb headers (normaly they have only 4 internal ports and 4 external ports on the back)
now i have made my own internal 4 port usb hub with internal headers but its rather... getto.

as ive taken a 3.5" bay 4 port usb hub and taken the internals and shoved it in a project case and then pluged some external to internal cables on it

so its not the nicest thing to look at... and is hard to hide... however if you guys can make one thats as big/small as the aquaero boards and can go into the same stack as the aquaero then its going to be easy for me to hide it

If you think this is a good idear forum readers... speak up...

drbo

Full Member

Re: Internal USB HUB

Thursday, January 10th 2008, 1:35am

2

This is an excellent idea!

I am about to to make my own getto style, and would by one of these at once

Mike44

Junior Member

Re: Internal USB HUB

Wednesday, February 6th 2008, 6:32am

3

That would be an excellent idea!! As it is, I think I will have 5 separate internal USB connections that I will have to make just from Aqua Computer products alone!! An internal USB hub that you could mount off the back of the aquaero or something would be perfect!

That way, I could still have room to plug in my front I/O panel USB ports onto the motherboard header.

Mike

drbo

Full Member

Re: Internal USB HUB

Wednesday, February 6th 2008, 11:25am

4

Quoted from "Mike44"

That would be an excellent idea!! As it is, I think I will have 5 separate internal USB connections that I will have to make just from Aqua Computer products alone!! An internal USB hub that you could mount off the back of the aquaero or something would be perfect!

That way, I could still have room to plug in my front I/O panel USB ports onto the motherboard header.

Mike

I second this.

My mobo (Asus P5E3 dlx/wifi-AP) has only 4 internal USB contacts.

I need 2 for my card reader, 2 for the I/O of the chassis, 1 for aquasteam, 1 for aquaero and 1 for multiswitch, a total of 7.

I would really like AC tho make an internal USB hud that could fit in an 3,5" bay, or alternativly fit on the back of the aquaero, with indicator leds for connections and activity. 8-10 internal USBs would make wonders for me

Mike44

Junior Member

Re: Internal USB HUB

Thursday, February 7th 2008, 4:04am

5

Yeah, It'd definately be worth it, especially for end-users with a ton of AC stuff plugged in!!! But something like this would (probably?) take a while to develop since it might not be the biggest market for it really (although there are quite a few people who probably could benefit from it, instead of using an external USB port and routing the wire back into their case, ugh!!!).

But! In the mean time, I was doing some searching and found this guy who put up a blog about how he made his own internal USB hub: http://www.ultramobilegeek.com/2007/08/a…d-internal.html Now, he's doing it in a laptop so that he can install a bluetooth reciever inside, but it's the same principle. Just basically look at the first few pictures. Here's another site where the guy did it a little bit simpler: http://www.tygatech.com/Project001/ . At least the pictures are a little easier to follow.

He just used an old 'flash-drive' type hub that is the small portable ones (without the need for a power connection). And then you basically swap out the ports and solder on wire connections to your actual device (or an internal USB connector port, then plug your device into that).

But anyways, the point is that this is small enough that you could mount this in some kind of way behind or next to the aquaero (may take some jimmy-rigging). And then you could just run a single wire from your motherboard USB header and up to where this is behind your aquaero. And all your connections would be short and the wiring hidden within the drive bay slot behind the aquaero!

Mike