Do not under any circumstances ever use a passive (non-powered) USB hub
for anything but a paperweight. It will fail at the most inopportune and
expensive moment. By no means connect a license key to one of these
devices ever, unless you can afford to lose that key, which you surely
will when you need it the most. Spend the thirty dollars or so and get a
seven-port Anker powered hub which handles USB devices the way they
should be, by giving each one its own address on the universal serial
bus and providing ample power for bus-powered devices like the KK
keyboard, audio interface, etc. Modern computers, *ESPECIALLY LAPTOPS*,
don't have the power to give through USB ports to do what you want
without possible (read "probable") failure. Don't trust them half as far
as you can throw them. The takeaway word here is "DON'T".
On 12/20/2021 1:39 AM, Kevin Gibbs wrote:
Guys,
I was originally thinking of working up a rather intricate KVM switching
scenario to allow me to move between my Windows 10 machine using Reaper and my
new MBP using Logic and Reaper. The idea was to have the MIDI keyboard be the
kind of common element that most people assign to a QWERTY keyboard. Since I
have wireless QWERTY KBs for both machines, each with small footprints, I
figure I have enough space on the desk to swap those without much trouble.
But I think I’m going to put the KVM thing aside in the short run and focus on
learning Logic and simply importing all my Reaper stuff in one go from. Windows
to Mac.
But I still have a problem with not having nearly enough USB ports on the
MacBook to cover the things I know I need.
Here’s the list:
Audio Interface
Komplete Kontrol S61 MK2 keyboard.
Time Machine backup drive.
iLock key and Vienna Key for Vienna Instruments I own. Those are crucial and
you should count two slots here.
I also have a small wireless MIDi keyboard called an Xkey Air 25 and an iPhone
13, either of which might be charging at various times. I don’t imagine
needing to charge both units at the same time. So, count one slot for those
two devices.
If you figure that the S61 and the audio interface occupy two of the MBP’s
three slots, that leaves the third slot for what I’m guessing is a four port
USB Hub. I would not expect this to be powered. Further, I don’t
realistically expect to need passive charging capability since the computer
would be running when I’m charging my phone or Xkey air and I imagine they
would charge if they were connected to a standard USB box.
So, I’m just curious to know if I’ve got my facts right and if I could connect
my two dongles, my Time machine drive and either my iPhone or Xkey to this sort
of box with enough power to get the job done as described. If I’m right, I
should be out the door for less than $30 US.
I guess I don’t really even need USB3 for this though I suppose it wouldn’t
hurt.
Any thoughts?
Thanks,
Kevin
