Belkin Hi-Speed USB 2.0 4-Port Hub
Written: Mar 01 '03
|
Product Rating:
|
|
| Ease of Installation: |
 |
|
| Ease of Use: |
|
|
|
Pros: As USB2 devices become more common, this device allows you to use several simultaneously.
Cons: USB2 requires special cables to maintain performance capability.
The Bottom Line: This hub multiplies my USB2 capability and is backward compatible with USB1.
|
|
|
| lucie30's Full Review: Belkin Hi-Speed USB 2.0 4-Port Hub |
USB has been a real boon to those loath to open the computer case and start messing with expansion cards. The biggest drawback to USB was its relatively slow data transfer rate of 12 MB/sec. High speed data transfer is essential for many of the newer PC applications such as video processing, graphics manipulation, writing CD’s and drive back up. With the proliferation of scanners, video cameras, digital cameras and audio devices, high speed data transfer as well as hot pluggable capability are highly desirable user requirements. The drawback has been overcome by the new version of USB called USB 2. With this new version, USB 2 devices can achieve up to 480 MB/sec data rates while retaining the hot pluggable characteristic. Of course the USB 2 port will accommodate the older USB devices but at their 12 MB/sec transfer rate. Your old USB cables will also work with USB 2. Most new motherboards have built-in USB ports, but you will most likely require an expansion board host adapter for USB 2. I recently had a need for USB 2 capability, so I acquired a Belkin PCI-bus USB 2 host adapter. Of course more USB 2 devices became available, so I now had the need to add more USB2 ports.
Once again, I turned to Belkin, a long time provider of quality hardware, for a High speed USB 2 4-port hub. This is a powered hub and is stackable for future expansion. A powered hub is important, devices such as scanners draw large amounts of power and several can exceed the power available from the USB bus that non-powered hubs rely upon. If history is a guide, this will become an important feature.
The installation of the hub is simplicity itself; no need to open the computer case. I just plugged the hub into a USB 2 port, attached the power supply and windows recognized the new hardware and I was up and operating in moments. One of my prime USB 2 uses is for a drive enclosure so I attached the cable from my drive enclosure to the port and it too was recognized. My USB 2 hub was now in place, so I am ready for more USB 2 devices. I was impressed with how easy it was and how well it worked. The speed of the USB 2 is vital to my drive enclosure. This is a device within which I placed a spare hard drive. It makes a great means of rapid backup and the restore is simple, just unplug a malfunctioning drive, plug in the backup drive and you are back in business in a matter of minutes. Then reformat the corrupted drive and use it for the backup. The cycle can go on forever. Hard drives are relatively cheap now. Any other device where speed is important is a candidate for USB 2.
To verify the backward compatibility with USB 1 devices I then plugged a USB 1 device into the other slot and it worked just as it always had. Remember, to fully use the USB 2 capabilities, you must use USB 2 cables. USB 1 devices will work at USB 1 capability with their old cables.
Devices that are compatible with the USB 2 standard will have the notation “Hi-speed” on the USB logo.
This Belkin hub is compatible with Windows 98/Me/XP/NT 4.0/2000. I tried it on machines running under windows 98SE and Windows XP Professional. All worked as advertised. This USB 2 hub maintains the tradition of quality and performance that have characterized previous Belkin products.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 50
Driver Availability: Windows only
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
lucie30
|
 - Top 500 |
|
Location: A small island in the Intercoastal.
Reviews written: 252
Trusted by: 53 members
About Me:
3 University degrees. 30+ years in Electronics R&D. Registered Professional Engineer. Graduated USAF Flying School.
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.