PCI cards or hub?
in [UK Mac]
|
From: Andy Hewitt on 4 May 2008 12:58 Chris Ridd <chrisridd(a)mac.com> wrote: [..] > > If I went the PCI card route, are there any problems with fitting two > > identical cards, or should I fit two from different vendors (say a VIA > > one and an NEC one). > > I wouldn't have thought that would be a problem. What sort of current > is each of your devices going to draw from the USB port, and how much > current can a single PCI card provide? I was thinking more of the identity of the cards. Current shouldn't be a problem, most things are self powered. The media card reader, iMic, EyeTV Hybrid and keyboard are USB powered. I could easily share those between the cards and the original ports. -- Andy Hewitt <http://web.mac.com/andrewhewitt1/>
From: Andy Hewitt on 4 May 2008 19:30 Jaimie Vandenbergh <jaimie(a)sometimes.sessile.org> wrote: > On Sun, 4 May 2008 17:29:20 +0100, wildrover.andy(a)googlemail.com (Andy > Hewitt) wrote: > > >I need to plug in at least 6 extra USB devices. One of these is my UPS, > >which obviously needs USB power after a power failure, so needs to be > >plugged into the Mac directly really. > > Wait, what? The UPS will be running of its own battery, as will > (presumably) the Mac. It certainly won't be pulling power from the Mac > via USB. No, it'll need power to the USB just for communications, otherwise the Mac doesn't know it's on UPS power does it. If I stick it through a hub that has its own power, it'll lose comms when the power to the USB hub fails (the hub isn't on a UPS powered socket), and thus the G5 won't know to shutdown before the battery runs down. The best way to ensure this, is to connect the USB link for the UPS to a USB port that will stay live when only the UPS is powering the system - i.e. a built-in USB port on the G5. -- Andy Hewitt <http://web.mac.com/andrewhewitt1/>
From: Rowland McDonnell on 4 May 2008 21:15 Andy Hewitt <wildrover.andy(a)googlemail.com> wrote: > Ok, so I can no identify suitable PCI cards for the G5 - the 5v and 3.3v > ones are quite clearly obviouse now. > > There are shed loads on eBay, but I'm still wary of these. However, I'm > also sure my current (Trust) hub is playing up too. > > I need to plug in at least 6 extra USB devices. One of these is my UPS, > which obviously needs USB power after a power failure, so needs to be > plugged into the Mac directly really. > > If I went the PCI card route, are there any problems with fitting two > identical cards, or should I fit two from different vendors (say a VIA > one and an NEC one). I'd go for a hub if I were you. I've had trouble from plug-in cards on Macs. Don't trust 'em at all. Don't like kernel panics. Rowland. -- Remove the animal for email address: rowland.mcdonnell(a)dog.physics.org Sorry - the spam got to me http://www.mag-uk.org http://www.bmf.co.uk UK biker? Join MAG and the BMF and stop the Eurocrats banning biking
From: Andy Hewitt on 5 May 2008 03:40 Rowland McDonnell <real-address-in-sig(a)flur.bltigibbet> wrote: > Andy Hewitt <wildrover.andy(a)googlemail.com> wrote: > > > Ok, so I can no identify suitable PCI cards for the G5 - the 5v and 3.3v > > ones are quite clearly obviouse now. > > > > There are shed loads on eBay, but I'm still wary of these. However, I'm > > also sure my current (Trust) hub is playing up too. > > > > I need to plug in at least 6 extra USB devices. One of these is my UPS, > > which obviously needs USB power after a power failure, so needs to be > > plugged into the Mac directly really. > > > > If I went the PCI card route, are there any problems with fitting two > > identical cards, or should I fit two from different vendors (say a VIA > > one and an NEC one). > > I'd go for a hub if I were you. > > I've had trouble from plug-in cards on Macs. Don't trust 'em at all. > Don't like kernel panics. Aye, I've had trouble with waking from sleep, although no kernel panics from them (I'm not denying the possibility though). However, I've also had trouble with hubs too - which is the current situation I have. I have recently been getting bother with my media card reader not working correctly, where it will load a card into the OS, but then refuse to download any images. If I plug it directly into a built-in port, it works OK. -- Andy Hewitt <http://web.mac.com/andrewhewitt1/>
From: Jaimie Vandenbergh on 5 May 2008 05:40
On Mon, 5 May 2008 00:30:01 +0100, wildrover.andy(a)googlemail.com (Andy Hewitt) wrote: >Jaimie Vandenbergh <jaimie(a)sometimes.sessile.org> wrote: >> On Sun, 4 May 2008 17:29:20 +0100, wildrover.andy(a)googlemail.com (Andy >> Hewitt) wrote: >> >> >I need to plug in at least 6 extra USB devices. One of these is my UPS, >> >which obviously needs USB power after a power failure, so needs to be >> >plugged into the Mac directly really. >> >> Wait, what? The UPS will be running of its own battery, as will >> (presumably) the Mac. It certainly won't be pulling power from the Mac >> via USB. > >No, it'll need power to the USB just for communications, otherwise the >Mac doesn't know it's on UPS power does it. Yes, it will - it's not a dead-man-switch connection, the UPS actually talks data to the computer. Battery life, mains status, depends on what the UPS mfr makes available. > If I stick it through a hub >that has its own power, it'll lose comms when the power to the USB hub >fails (the hub isn't on a UPS powered socket), and thus the G5 won't >know to shutdown before the battery runs down. (I would recommend putting the USB hub on a UPS-powered socket, since it hardly draws any juice and at some point you'll discover that you've got your mouse and/or keyboard through it, thanks to Murphy) >The best way to ensure this, is to connect the USB link for the UPS to a >USB port that will stay live when only the UPS is powering the system - >i.e. a built-in USB port on the G5. That's definitely true, but for not for the reason you have in the first para. Cheers - Jaimie -- "I have an asteroid named after me. Isaac Asimov's got one too. It's smaller and more eccentric." -- Arthur C. Clarke |