USB Hub + MAME?

[cboy]

The project I'm working on has only 2 usb ports. I wanna know if I can run my ipac + turbo twist spinner thru a usb hub without issues? The other usb port is for my power (led + usb fan) I have NO way of tapping into pc power supply.

[arzoo]

As long as the usb hub is powered you should be fine. Another option would be a usb pci card for your pc.

[cboy]

Will the controls stay the same? I dont want to have to reconfigure it constantly. I thought i read somewhere that because its on a hub it possibly changes the order of device bootup (which changes the device ID or something) there wasnt many details other than that


i will have to find a powered hub then.

i cant use a pci card as its an All In One PC (no expansion)

thanks!

[jasonbar]

I have 11 USB things plugged into my cab (no joke).  4 in the PC & 7 in a Belkin powered hub.

Except for when I unplug items, I've had no problem with reconfiguring devices.  (It always did blow my mind when I plug a USB device into a different port on my PC & have to reinstall drivers & all that nonsense all over again--don't get it... ).


Oh, "13???", you ask?

Trackball 2
Trackball 1 light
Rotary sticks
Spinner
Push/pull spinner
Analog stick
Steering wheel
Gun 1
Gun 2
Gun light bars
& hub (into PC)

(and I'm using both PS/2 ports for Trackball 1 & IPAC4/admin keyboard!)

 

-Jason

[cboy]

sweet.  thanks for the replies.... THATS A LOT OF DEVICES!@

does it NEED to be a powered hub? could i get away using a 3-4 port non powered?


(if the devices dont add up to a total of more then 500ma)


if not, i guess i'll have to find a mini power strip to power the usb hub inside the cab....

[jasonbar]

Sorry, can't answer your current draw question--perhaps look for spec sheets or mfger claims on current draw & see how that compares to your PC power supply...

...or, just try it & see what happens...?

Sorry, I'm just grasping at straws here...

Good luck.
-Jason

[cboy]

i'm sorry i wasnt more clear, i wasnt actually asking about power draw...but more so that i was trying to clarify if it is a requirement for mame to interact with the devices properly.

guess it shouldnt be...ill give it a shot =)

[u_rebelscum]

i'm sorry i wasnt more clear, i wasnt actually asking about power draw...but more so that i was trying to clarify if it is a requirement for mame to interact with the devices properly.

guess it shouldnt be...ill give it a shot =)

You shouldn't be worried about mame, but whether it's a requirement for the PC & windows to interact with the device properly.  If they work with windows, they will work with mame.

As jasonbar has mentioned, it depends on the devices' current draw.  Based on USB standards:
A full powered USB power is required to supply 500 mA. 
An "unpowered" port is required to supply at least 100 mA.
A USB device is required to ask for at least 100 mA, up to a max of 500 mA (if it needs more, it needs to power itself).
If you plug in the hub to the wall, all USB device should work.
If you don't, the hub standard is to have 400 mA (and a nonstandard max of 500 mA) to supply the device(s) you plug into it.  If that's enough for all the the devices, it will work.  If that's not, then it won't.

Easier to just plug and try than try to understand why.