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Kadath

macrumors regular
Original poster
May 28, 2006
117
1
On this boar'ds recommendation I bought this one:
http://www.amazon.com/Oct-2012-Upgraded-Version-Compatible/dp/B006TT91TW/

It sucks. Doesn't work with half my devices. I should have probably returned it but I got tied up with other things. It's on my to-do list.

I need 8 ports
I need USB 3.0
I need it to charge iPads

I see a report on Amazon that some owners are getting that it only reports as a 2.0 hub.

Either way, I need something that is reliable ASAP. Any advice?
 

iCaleb

macrumors 6502
Apr 26, 2010
343
0
USA
If only this was real. :(

Satechi-ST-UHA-4-Port-Aluminum-USB-Hub-apple-keyboardBLUEEEEE.png
 

seanm9

macrumors regular
Dec 29, 2007
143
0
Cape Cod, MA
i dont think anyone makes a hub that can charge an ipad... ipads need a non-standard amperage to charge that is higher than what a USB port provides. I think the Belkin TB dock might have 1 "ipad" USB port, but that only has 3 total USB ports...
 

hfg

macrumors 68040
Dec 1, 2006
3,621
312
Cedar Rapids, IA. USA
On this boar'ds recommendation I bought this one:
http://www.amazon.com/Oct-2012-Upgraded-Version-Compatible/dp/B006TT91TW/

It sucks. Doesn't work with half my devices. I should have probably returned it but I got tied up with other things. It's on my to-do list.

I need 8 ports
I need USB 3.0
I need it to charge iPads

I see a report on Amazon that some owners are getting that it only reports as a 2.0 hub.

Either way, I need something that is reliable ASAP. Any advice?

I have that same USB-3.0 hub and it seems to be working fine for me.

You can't charge your iPad from a normal USB port ... USB-3 ports can source a maximum of 700ma to the device, the iPad need up to 2000ma (2A) to charge while operating.

I have seen at least 1 USB-3 hub which had a special port marked on it which would charge an iPad or iPhone normally.
 

MeFromHere

macrumors 6502
Oct 11, 2012
468
16
On this boar'ds recommendation I bought this one:
http://www.amazon.com/Oct-2012-Upgraded-Version-Compatible/dp/B006TT91TW/

It sucks. Doesn't work with half my devices. I should have probably returned it but I got tied up with other things. It's on my to-do list.

I need 8 ports
I need USB 3.0
I need it to charge iPads

I see a report on Amazon that some owners are getting that it only reports as a 2.0 hub.

Either way, I need something that is reliable ASAP. Any advice?

I have the same hub and I've had no trouble with it. Tech support may be able to help you figure out why some devices don't work. Don't automatically assume the hub is to blame.

As others have mentioned, standard USB hubs don't have enough power for high-current devices like iPads. The hub description at Amazon says this in plain English.
 

Fatboy71

macrumors 65816
Dec 21, 2010
1,489
427
UK
On this boar'ds recommendation I bought this one:
http://www.amazon.com/Oct-2012-Upgraded-Version-Compatible/dp/B006TT91TW/

It sucks. Doesn't work with half my devices. I should have probably returned it but I got tied up with other things. It's on my to-do list.

I need 8 ports
I need USB 3.0
I need it to charge iPads

I see a report on Amazon that some owners are getting that it only reports as a 2.0 hub.

Either way, I need something that is reliable ASAP. Any advice?


I got this one:
http://www.ianker.com/product/68UPHUB-S10U

Although it shows up "Not charging" on the iPad, it does actually charge it up albeit a little slowly.

The hub works flawlessly. I have a variety of USB 2 and a USB 3 device connected to it:

USB 2 devices:

HP Printer (around 6 months old)

2X Western Digital external hard drive (around 5 years old)

Medion external hard drive (around 4 years old)

External Icy Dock hard drive caddy which has a Samsung hard drive inside (around 4 years old)

USB 3 device:

G-Drive 4TB USB 3 external hard drive

Corsair Voyager GT USB 3

I have tried the devices switched on separately, and also a combination of USB 2 devices switched on and my USB 3 external hard drive. All the drives are shown in the correct section in About This Mac/More Info/System Report/USB section (which is down the left side of the System Report window. Has you know USB 2 devices show up in the USB hi-speed bus section and USB 3 devices show up in the USB 3 super speed bus section. All the devices I have connected were getting correctly detected as either USB 2 or USB 3 depending on which they are.

I done a speed test (with the external hard drives connected the hub) by copying firstly a 3.92 GB folder to my USB 2 external Caddy hard drive, the time it took was 1 minute 49 seconds. Copying the same 3.92 GB folder to my USB 3 G-Drive took just 24 seconds. So the USB 3 transfer speed was not restricted by the hub.

I have also tried a variety of USB 2 thumb drives ranging from a couple of years old to around 7 years old and all work fine with the hub.

I can highly recommend it.
 

laryenhilllvr

macrumors regular
Dec 29, 2012
127
2
NYC
If only this was real. :(

Image

actually it does, i bought it on amazon. i think it's called satechi or some variation of the spelling. if i remember correctly the hub is supossedly 3.0, but it ran extremely slow. it estimated 7-8 DAYS to move my 300 gb itunes library. i kindly disconnected my usb 2.0 from the hub and put it directly into the computer and it estimated 5-6 hours. when i woke up the next morning it was finished. either way, i haven't used it since then.

...at least it's pretty! (or maybe it was a user's error, idk)
 

iCaleb

macrumors 6502
Apr 26, 2010
343
0
USA
actually it does, i bought it on amazon. i think it's called satechi or some variation of the spelling. if i remember correctly the hub is supossedly 3.0, but it ran extremely slow. it estimated 7-8 DAYS to move my 300 gb itunes library. i kindly disconnected my usb 2.0 from the hub and put it directly into the computer and it estimated 5-6 hours. when i woke up the next morning it was finished. either way, i haven't used it since then.

...at least it's pretty! (or maybe it was a user's error, idk)

You must have gotten the usb 2.0 version because satechi hasn't released their 3.0 version yet (pictured below).

820891_441060609300308_1401502005_o.jpg
 

hummer28

macrumors member
Aug 6, 2008
73
9
I got this one:
http://www.ianker.com/product/68UPHUB-S10U

Although it shows up "Not charging" on the iPad, it does actually charge it up albeit a little slowly.

The hub works flawlessly. I have a variety of USB 2 and a USB 3 device connected to it:

USB 2 devices:

HP Printer (around 6 months old)

2X Western Digital external hard drive (around 5 years old)

Medion external hard drive (around 4 years old)

External Icy Dock hard drive caddy which has a Samsung hard drive inside (around 4 years old)

USB 3 device:

G-Drive 4TB USB 3 external hard drive

Corsair Voyager GT USB 3

I have tried the devices switched on separately, and also a combination of USB 2 devices switched on and my USB 3 external hard drive. All the drives are shown in the correct section in About This Mac/More Info/System Report/USB section (which is down the left side of the System Report window. Has you know USB 2 devices show up in the USB hi-speed bus section and USB 3 devices show up in the USB 3 super speed bus section. All the devices I have connected were getting correctly detected as either USB 2 or USB 3 depending on which they are.

I done a speed test (with the external hard drives connected the hub) by copying firstly a 3.92 GB folder to my USB 2 external Caddy hard drive, the time it took was 1 minute 49 seconds. Copying the same 3.92 GB folder to my USB 3 G-Drive took just 24 seconds. So the USB 3 transfer speed was not restricted by the hub.

I have also tried a variety of USB 2 thumb drives ranging from a couple of years old to around 7 years old and all work fine with the hub.

I can highly recommend it.

I second this recommendation. This unit has performed flawlessly for me. I have utilized almost all inputs with no trouble.
 

WilliamG

macrumors G3
Mar 29, 2008
9,922
3,800
Seattle
I second this recommendation. This unit has performed flawlessly for me. I have utilized almost all inputs with no trouble.

Looks like a sharp unit. How are the LEDs on it? I really, really don't like LEDs (especially blue ones), so how bright they are is a big factor..

Some days it feels like Apple is the only company out there to understand how much LEDs absolutely stink. I love the iMac because there are no LEDs. I hate my Sony Vaio Z2 because the LEDs are blinding. I feel like there's an LED for EVERYTHING on that darn computer... *sigh*

Anyway, digressing here. :)
 

Fatboy71

macrumors 65816
Dec 21, 2010
1,489
427
UK
Looks like a sharp unit. How are the LEDs on it? I really, really don't like LEDs (especially blue ones), so how bright they are is a big factor..

I have my hub over the other side of the desk from me so I don't find the LED's a problem.

I find that with my hub been on the other side of the desk and with cables connected into it, they obscurer the LED's to a certain extent.

I've taken a couple of pictures to try and show you the LED's.



This is from the position I sit at my desk:

IMG_0096.jpg




This is looking down from directly above:

IMG_0098.jpg
 

Kadath

macrumors regular
Original poster
May 28, 2006
117
1
Thanks for all the responses. Maybe I go one of the ones that didn't have the firmware upgraded?

Those of you who have the same one I do, it connects hard disks and thumb drives with no issues?
 

WilliamG

macrumors G3
Mar 29, 2008
9,922
3,800
Seattle
fatboy71, thanks for taking those pictures. Those LEDs definitely look quite bright to me, but of course this is quite subjective as these things always are. In addition, I don't have the luxury of being able to hide my hub away in the corner, sadly. :(
 

Fatboy71

macrumors 65816
Dec 21, 2010
1,489
427
UK
fatboy71, thanks for taking those pictures. Those LEDs definitely look quite bright to me, but of course this is quite subjective as these things always are. In addition, I don't have the luxury of being able to hide my hub away in the corner, sadly. :(

Just a suggestion. But if you went with the hub that I've got, it would be very easy to put some silver duck tape along the line/strip of LED's. Doing this would mean they would be hidden, this would solve your problem.

It is a really good hub and its worked absolutely flawlessly with both USB 2 (both new and old devices) and USB 3, and its got 10 ports which is more than most others, or and it complements the iMac perfectly as the hub is made of aluminium.
 

Macman45

macrumors G5
Jul 29, 2011
13,197
135
Somewhere Back In The Long Ago
I use the new D-link 4 port powered hub and it works fine...I can't see an 8 port model though...Ustream make one, but I'd stay away from that one, my neighbour bought one and it was unreliable so he sent it back.

Tplink are a reliable company and they do an 8 port model...Can't vouch for it, but I have used their stuff before without issue.
 

WilliamG

macrumors G3
Mar 29, 2008
9,922
3,800
Seattle
Just a suggestion. But if you went with the hub that I've got, it would be very easy to put some silver duck tape along the line/strip of LED's. Doing this would mean they would be hidden, this would solve your problem.

It is a really good hub and its worked absolutely flawlessly with both USB 2 (both new and old devices) and USB 3, and its got 10 ports which is more than most others, or and it complements the iMac perfectly as the hub is made of aluminium.

It really does look aces. Just the idea of silver duck tape makes me cringe a tad... a lot... :D

Very close to just buying the darn thing, though. :D If I could just open it up and disconnect all the LEDs I'd buy it in a heartbeat. :D

Last question: How wide is the unit (length-ways). I'm wondering if I can hide it in my Twelve South HiRise iMac stand, you see. :)
 
Last edited:

Lancer

macrumors 68020
Jul 22, 2002
2,217
147
Australia
After a suggestion I found a 4 port USB3 hub at my local supermarket here in Australia (Woolworths) from a company called Dolphin Peripherals, for some reason it's not yet on the website. It's small and powered perfect for hiding in a corner and but since I'm using it for HDDs with their own power I can run it without the need to use another power point.

All this for just $20.

Also I found a solution for annoying LEDs, black electrical tape! :D
 

Kadath

macrumors regular
Original poster
May 28, 2006
117
1
Simply amazing how much trial and error there is on this stuff...
 
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