LCD monitor or multimedia keyboard with working USB hub?

~
Many devices such as keyboards and monitors have a bulit-in USB hub,
but the thing is they would only handle pen drives
~
I do know a desktop or laptop would handle micro drives, but I need
for the USB hub of such a peripheral to do so
~
Do you know of any LCD monitor or multimedia keyboard which would
power an external micro drive?
~
Thanks
lbrtchx

 

lbrtchx

In 'Theory' any USB socket 'should' be able to power an external "micro"
drive (I assume you mean external 2.5" Hard Drive)
The USB specification allows 'up to' 500 milli amps of current to be drawn
from one USB socket, be they V1.1 or V2.0
Most external 2.5" Hard Drive's these day's will run quite happily of this
500 ma, however 'some' older external 2.5" Hard Drives needed to be plugged
into two USB sockets in order to have 1000 ma available to power the drive.

Provided the Monitor or Keyboard USB sockets are compliant then yes they
should 'power' an external 2.5" Hard Drive

What is more likely to be of practical concern though is

a) The speed of the Monitor/Keyboard USB socket.
With Monitor's the one's I've seen claim they are USB V2.0 compliant this
means they can handle up to 400 Mbits / sec, you will have to check this
though for each candidate.
The Keyboards with USB sockets that I've seen on the other hand only had USB
V1.1 compliant sockets, mainly I think because keyboards are only built to
use V1.1 speeds.
Maximum V1.1. speed is 12 Mbits/sec which is a 'lot' slower than V2.0

b) how your system reacts to your external 2.5" Hard Drive being plugged
into an external USB hub.
Both Monitors and Keyboards usually provide these extra USB sockets by
placing the equivalent of an external Hub in their case.
Monitors can have either powered or unpowered USB hubs in them so will you
have to check up on the spec for each particular model.
Keyboards are unpowered so the USB hub outlets will allways have the same
issues as other unpowered hubs.

A more detailed explanation of the standards and ways USB works can be read
at Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usb

Best way to test is to take your external 2.5" Hard Drive down to the store
and try them out.

Best
Paul.