Notes on USB interface, hub and power supply
The MIDI HUBBLE USB interface is based on the USB 1.1 bus, but can of course also be
connected to a USB 2.0 port. The MIDI HUBBLE provides three additional USB 1.1-
compliant ports for connecting additional peripherals. In addition to the 2 x 2 MIDI
interface, it therefore contains a complete 3-port USB 1.1 hub. Virtually all USB 1.1 and
many USB 2.0 devices can be connected to the additional ports. USB 2.0 devices can, as
a rule, be connected to USB 1.1 ports, but please note that devices such as USB 2.0
video grabbers or USB 2.0 audio systems need the higher bandwidth provided by USB
2.0 and therefore may not function correctly or at all on a USB 1.1 bus. But no need to
worry—connecting a USB 2.0 device to a USB 1.1 port will not result in damage to the
MIDI HUBBLE, so you can attempt it completely without risk.
Bus-powered operation without separate AC adapter
In bus-powered mode, the complete power supply is realized via the USB port of the
computer and any intermediate USB hubs. Please note that the port can deliver a
maximum current of 500 mA. Normally all USB ports on a computer, or on a hub with its
own AC adapter, will provide a full 500 mA. Please check the documentation of your
computer or hub in this regard. Hubs that draw their own power via the bus cable (such
as the USB port on a Macintosh keyboard) can deliver a maximum of 100 mA per port
and are therefore not suitable as a power supply for the MIDI HUBBLE system. In these
cases, the MIDI HUBBLE system must be used in self-powered mode (see below).
In bus-powered mode, a total of 500 mA is available to the MIDI HUBBLE. The electronics
of the MIDI HUBBLE requires around 60 mA, leaving 440 mA for all three USB ports.
When using the MIDI HUBBLE in bus-powered mode, you should therefore use its USB
ports for devices with low power consumption such as software dongles, USB mice, or
USB devices with their own power supply. If in doubt, consult the documentation of the
individual devices. For example, combining a TerraTec Audio System PHASE 26 USB, a
USB mouse and a software dongle will definitely not be a problem in bus-powered mode.
MIDI HUBBLE (English)
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