Powered Hub

[Daubie]

My powered hub is from Staples.  It has 4 USB 2.0 ports and it can be piggy backed.  The wall wart is a 5 volt, 2.6 amp switching power supply for business applications.

Contrary to CH Products engineers, Skuzzy and Ack-Ack say to hook up flight control sticks, throttle, pedals to a powered hub.

What brand is good for Aces High and how powerful as to DC volts and amps?

[The Fugitive]

This is the one I use.

http://www.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Product_Id=159070

I've had it for years. Plugged all 3 pieces of my CH stuff into it and have no issue at all.

[Pudgie]

My powered hub is from Staples.  It has 4 USB 2.0 ports and it can be piggy backed.  The wall wart is a 5 volt, 2.6 amp switching power supply for business applications.

Contrary to CH Products engineers, Skuzzy and Ack-Ack say to hook up flight control sticks, throttle, pedals to a powered hub.

What brand is good for Aces High and how powerful as to DC volts and amps?

Hi Daubie,

I'm going to give you the short answer:
"Use the 1 that works."

I say this due to the fact that there are just too many varibles that will lend itself to either success or failure concerning using CH stuff w/ a hub, whether the hub is powered or not.

You saw Fugitive's post & so I will give you my own concerning this issue:

I have been using a USB hub on my CH USB Hotas since early 2000-2001. The hub that I use (& am currently using) is a Belkin ExpressBus 4-port USB 1.1 hub that I bought in 12-2000 (this hub has been discontinued by Belkin for the last 7 yrs) to connect my newly purchased used CH USB hotas (bought it off a player that was getting out of flight simming in another game). This hub was designed (read marketed here back in the day) to be used to connect several USB devices to a single USB header & was especially built to connect USB joysticks (the reason that I bought it-I have no other USB stuff plugged into this hub except my CH USB Hotas). The "brick" costs me $99.95 at that time & would work in 2 modes: Self-Powered (using hub's supplied power supply) & Bus-Powered (using power supplied from the USB header it is plugged into). I have used this hub in Bus-Powered Mode since I've had it & have never had 1 issue w/ my CH USB Hotas not working. This hub has been used across a LOT of box upgrades (CPU's--both AMD & Intel, mobo's--both AMD & Intel, 4 different PSU's--1st 2 PSU's came w/ the cases that I bought, the last 2 PSU's were PC P&C units: 1-TurboCool 510W & 1-Silencer 750W) & my Hotas has never failed to work w/ this hub in Bus-Powered mode. This is over a 10-11 yr period of heavy usage. I have worn out 1 set of CH USB Pro Pedals (wiring breaking SEVERAL times--even my rewiring of the pots from the PCB but outside of that the parts are still operational) & 1 set CH USB Combatstick 568 (in defense the stick still works but the gimbal is worn out bad enough that there was too much play in the center). I had intended to send them back to CH for repair some 6 yrs ago but haven't gotten around to it yet (had bought replacements). The replacement CH USB stuff worked w/ no issue on this same hub.

Now my experience here is an example of the other extreme side of USB hub usage w/ CH Products USB equipment (that seems to be rare in here--I don't hear anybody else posting to this type of hub usage). The reason that I posted all this is to give some credence to the statement that I gave earlier in my post.

Depending on the varibles, all can be right & all can be wrong.

One of the main issues for any USB device is that it's getting ADEQUATE power to operate, not necessarily HOW it's powered. Another issue is the quality of the A to B USB cable that is attaching the hub to the USB header. The way I figure it, these hubs are built to an industry standard & "should" work accordingly. As I understand CH USB stuff is built along the USB 1.1 std & so should operate on a USB hub as long as the power supplied is sufficient & the attaching cable is of sufficient quality to supply the power/transmit clean data across.

Well this is my take Daubie. Hope this was of some help. For the technological info that you asked about there are folks in here (you have mentioned some of them in your post) that can give you some good info there so don't dismiss what they've said but take it in perspective.

CH USB stuff has been around for a long time......things do change. Keeping up w/ change can be hard to achieve sometimes.

Just so you know, I was also told that a USB hub wouldn't work back in the day (recommended a PCI-powered USB card) w/ CH Products USB equipment.................... ...................

 

[Ack-Ack]

Contrary to CH Products engineers, Skuzzy and Ack-Ack say to hook up flight control sticks, throttle, pedals to a powered hub.

I find that kind of strange as well that the current crops of CH techs say don't use a powered hub.  Honestly, I don't know where they got that from because at the time CH was designing their USB gear, I was the senior PC tech at the company and we found out that using a powered hub resolved the majority of issues with the USB stuff.  That's why I recommend if someone is having troubles keeping their CH gear stable (calibrated and with no spiking issues) then use a powered USB hub.

ack-ack

[Daubie]

I find that kind of strange as well that the current crops of CH techs say don't use a powered hub.  Honestly, I don't know where they got that from because at the time CH was designing their USB gear, I was the senior PC tech at the company and we found out that using a powered hub resolved the majority of issues with the USB stuff.  That's why I recommend if someone is having troubles keeping their CH gear stable (calibrated and with no spiking issues) then use a powered USB hub.

ack-ack

Yes, I know, I brought this CH Gear / powered hub issue to the board a few months ago, phrased differently.  Got the same answer.

I figure maybe I need a more POWERFUL hub.

To Aces High, I am just trying to find the best setup in all areas to get optimum performance from my rig.  If you guys say jump, just tell me how high.

With another more intense simulator, last year for about 9 months, I immersed myself in it and did not do Aces High at all.   Just loading the modules and setting the sim up was one (choose swear word of choice) of an ordeal and new learning curve for me.

DCS: A-10C Warthog, (Digital Combat Simulator)

http://www.a-10c.com/

It has the easy, already started, either tarmac or in air, arcade type GAME mode, but most available servers fly it in full sim mode, online.

I found inputting my CH gear directly into the back of my PC (USB 2.0) ports greatly improved my Maverick lock on ground targets.  So I was not on top of them and within their kill zone radar ring until I got a lock when using my Staples powered hub.  I called CH Gear, I did what they told me to do not using a powered hub and I got improvements.  In that game/sim, full sim mode, I acquire target from up high, get within the Maverick's lock-on range, as soon as a lock, fire that sucker and turn around before I venture into the SAM's radar circle engagement zone.  Sometimes maybe I can get 2 missles off on 2 independent targets before turning around.  In full sim mode there are no arcade type shortcuts.  Just finding the target is a job all to itself.  There is/are JTAC (basically Special Forces forward observers) in some aspects of the game that will relay target info back to you just like a real war theater in today's combat world.

My power pack (psu) is overkill so I know I have plenty of power:  Cooler Master 700 watt Silent Pro, to a single GeForce GTX260.  I was going to do dual SLI but that did not work out.  The mid-frame case is too small.  I still may rebuild it.

My Staples powered hub is not in the same league as what you guys are using, as I suspected, and is why I asked guys that use them, preferably using CH_Gear.

I am open minded.  I try to stay focused on solution to a problem.  For me there is no right or wrong, only what works best for a specific application.  Arguing (which I am not doing) is not productive to me.

Fugitive's Belkin looks to be what I will try if it is still available.  I just bought a new Alienware Aurora rig basically to play this DCS sim, but also Aces High.

I find the CH Gear community limited both here to Aces High and other sims, maybe it is the cost being too expensive.  But there is a fraternity of guys out there using them and they swear by them as being top of the line.  CH Hangar is a good source of info and help.

Thanks to you and all that have replied to this thread.  

[Skuzzy]

At home I use Belkin's USB powered hubs and at work we have them as well.  Not an endorsement, just a statement of fact.

[Max]

<-- puts sticky note reminder on screen to buy Belkin stock Tuesday morning

[Max]

<-------------- puts sticky note reminder on screen to buy Belkin stock Tuesday morning 

[Rob52240]

Hubs are generally hubs, I'd buy the one that has the biggest power rating.  If your stick/pedals/etc... want to draw more current than you're giving them, there will be problems.

[Delirium]

I use a Belkin hub myself; the one I use is powered but also comes apart so I can use it as a portable hub, if I need to, as well.

[Daubie]

This is the one I use.

http://www.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Product_Id=159070

I've had it for years. Plugged all 3 pieces of my CH stuff into it and have no issue at all.

Hi to, The Fugitive,

Thanks for the link.

Since you have been satisfied with your source, I just purchased two, one for each machine.  They still make the model your link refers to.

I have not found anything in my travels as to USB 3.0, except I have two USB 3.0 ports on my new Alienware Aurora R3.  But my travels are extremely limited locally to just Staples or Best Buy.  I did do a search as to Belkin's offerings concerning the USB 3.0 and it listed 3 different add-ons to the innards of a PC.

Now as to my electronic ignorance:
===========================
I put both, separately, an analog test meter and also a digital test meter to the power plug that inserts into the Staples hub I have.  The hub states input is 5 volts DC at 2.6 amps lettering "stamped" in the plastic molded shell.  I measured the 5 volts in analog and 5.17 volts in digital.  But under no load, the amp value was just .65 amps DC.

How to figure the amperage in use under load to obtain the stated 2.6 amp value?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A couple more days and my Aurora R3 will be ready for a test drive.  I moved my 2 year old home built to where my Pentium 4 Dell was purchased in 2004.  That same desk I purchased in 1985 for my Commodore 64.  My gaming desk is an old, oak, office desk with pull out side pieces, left and right, that I put the Pro Throttle on one side and Fighterstick on the other.  Another guy in here had the identical old desk in a thread for "sim-pits" a few years ago, about how guys setup their rigs.  I moved my old Dell to my basement shop's workbench and thinking of CNC'ing my milling machine with it---that is not a cheap adventure.

Thanks again.