One complaint that I have about the iMac systems compared to many of the new PC systems is the number of high speed USB ports that are provided. On my iMac (17" G4 LCD) there are only three (3) USB ports, one of which is consumed immediately by the keyboard. Yes, the keyboard adds two (2) ports, but one is consumed by the mouse, and the other is not a full-powered port. On my system the two remaining USB ports are used by the UPS and printer.
I recentlt purchased a USB 2.0 micro drive unit to permit the transfer of files between Mac and PC systems (I had used a USB memory stick before, which worked fine being plugged into the keyboard). The new drive is 120GB nominal, and it seems to be quite a fast drive.
The problem is that the drive draws its power from the USB connection, and the connection on the keyboard does not work for this drive! When I plugged it into the keyboard it reported that there was insufficient power and that it was shutting the port down. My son had also seen this on his system before with another device.
In addition to being too few in number, the main USB ports on the iMac are located on the rear of the unit, making it awkward to plus new devices in for temporary use. My old USB memory stick and my digital camera are convenient to use on the keyboard connection, but having to remove the printer connection to use the micro drive is a pain (but it does work).
So, I guess that I am looking for a USB hub. I do not want to spend a lot of money, and I only need a 4-port hub (or even a 2-port unit), but the ports need to pass enough power to permit the new micro drive to work. This will be the only USB device I plug in that draws significant power, so I do not believe that I need a powered hub.
Any units that people would suggest?
I recentlt purchased a USB 2.0 micro drive unit to permit the transfer of files between Mac and PC systems (I had used a USB memory stick before, which worked fine being plugged into the keyboard). The new drive is 120GB nominal, and it seems to be quite a fast drive.
The problem is that the drive draws its power from the USB connection, and the connection on the keyboard does not work for this drive! When I plugged it into the keyboard it reported that there was insufficient power and that it was shutting the port down. My son had also seen this on his system before with another device.
In addition to being too few in number, the main USB ports on the iMac are located on the rear of the unit, making it awkward to plus new devices in for temporary use. My old USB memory stick and my digital camera are convenient to use on the keyboard connection, but having to remove the printer connection to use the micro drive is a pain (but it does work).
So, I guess that I am looking for a USB hub. I do not want to spend a lot of money, and I only need a 4-port hub (or even a 2-port unit), but the ports need to pass enough power to permit the new micro drive to work. This will be the only USB device I plug in that draws significant power, so I do not believe that I need a powered hub.
Any units that people would suggest?