Here's my daily dilemma. Between work and family, we own 6 iPods (this includes our two iPhones), each of which has its unique playlists, podcast subscriptions and so forth. We also have a printer and scanner -- both used regularly, and an EyeTV tuner, again critical. We have an external microphone connector for Skyping and no fewer than three external disks. One is used for Time Machine, one for EyeTV recordings, one for my G4 backups.
My G4, with its ten built-in USB ports and connection to a single powered USB 4-port hub, is on the fast-past to dying. It's not right on the edge yet but all the signs are there. It's time to move on. But what is going to replace that G4 with its surfeit of USB ports?I'm not holding my breath waiting for Apple to release a mini-tower any time soon. And that's a shame. Between my disk needs and USB port needs, a mini-tower would give me all the peripheral power I needed without committing me to an overpowered, overpriced Mac Pro. Even the refurb Pros are priced beyond what I can spend, before adding disks and USB cards.
Minis are a problem too. The Mac mini with its 4 ports and no drive bays ends up a Franken-monster rather than "simple elegance" after you somehow add on 10 additional USB ports and 3 external disks. And I haven't found any really good hubbage solutions out there.
I don't understand why Apple, supplier of USB-based iPods hasn't realized that its consumer base needs lots and lots of USB ports on their standard models. And I don't understand why Apple hasn't yet delivered any wire-free iPod docking and powering solutions. The iPhone and iPod touch are meant to live by your side. So where is the WiFi sync that would allow the iPhone to sleep on your headboard in your bedroom while connecting to the iTunes computer in your office?
As for me, I'm stuck between buying a Mini and complaining that it doesn't have enough ports, disk space or dual monitor support, and buying a refurb Tower and having to outfit it with ports and disks. Are you in a similar situation? What's your advice? How would you handle this challenge?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)
5-19-2008 @ 1:09PM
Achal said...
go for a refurb tower...
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5-20-2008 @ 9:40AM
eric f. said...
And add a nice powered USB 2.0 Hub. I have a 7 port Dlink. small, cheap, works good.
But if you do get a tower, be aware that all PCI cards I have found for the Mac Pros have issues with deep sleep, so I would recommend against adding the ports internally.
5-19-2008 @ 1:13PM
Jenneke said...
When we sold our PM G5, we bought a Mini and equipped it with a LaCie 320 GB HD underneath it. That gives you 2 extra USBs and 1 extra FW. The HD is sold in 500 GB versions as well and you can always add a USB+FW hub like the Huby if you need extra ports.
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5-19-2008 @ 1:13PM
bcompton said...
Buy more hubs and get clever with your cable routing and hiding, especially with respect to devices for which you don't need physical access, like external hard drives.
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5-21-2008 @ 9:59PM
mabhatter said...
the problem is that hubs aren't reliable past the first. Sure they "say" you can use up to 127 devices, but not really. Many devices really don't like one hub.. iPods won't recharge properly, etc. ...and then you have to deal with 3 more power bricks? and more cords? for less performance because they all share 2 physical ports, not to mention trying to keep high-speed and low-speed devices on separate plugs to not slow down your already shared access.
5-19-2008 @ 1:14PM
Tim said...
Well I run my Macbook Pro with 3 USB ports and have a 6 port hub (one on the top which I expand out to 4 more ports) so I use on a daily basis all 10 of those and then some of the onboard ports so there are solutions out there
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5-19-2008 @ 1:16PM
Jon said...
why don't you just buy another g4 tower?
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5-19-2008 @ 1:16PM
Rowan said...
Steve suggests you purchase 10 Macbook Airs.
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5-19-2008 @ 1:17PM
yorgle said...
I'd say get a tower, drop disks inside it, and throw a few USB cards in it.
I really wish apple would have put higher power ports on the keyboards. It'd be really convenient to plug my SD card reader into the keyboard port.
I've got a Mac Mini with a LaCie 500 gig external drive/hub which gives me 4 extra USB 2 ports, which is nice. (and it's quiet now that I've cracked it open and disconnected the fan inside. heh)
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5-20-2008 @ 11:25AM
ted said...
Apple can't add power to the usb ports on the keyboard without plugging it into a wall or using batteries. Usb has a standard power output and the keyboard needs to use some of it.
5-19-2008 @ 1:18PM
krye said...
What about building a mini PC with a small footprint? Maybe mini-itx. With a few PCI slots you can add as many USB ports that you want and maybe take all the external drives and make them internal. This would serve as the ultimate file server. You can network all the machines to save all the data there. I know Windows is a dirty work, so Linux I think would be more than good enough for this. And a small linux distro will minimize disk usage.
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5-19-2008 @ 1:23PM
johnjohn said...
It seems silly to buy a mac pro just because you need more USB ports. The price difference is so extreme, and if a Mac Mini would be suitable for you, surely a mac pro would be complete overkill. While it's true a Mini gets cluttered quickly once you start adding hubs and external drives, if the power is suitable for you it makes little sense to spend an extra few grand just for more USB ports/a more visually elegant solution.
That being said, based off your complaints, the mini isn't good for you (lack dual monitor support is enough to keep me away from a mini) Go with the tower for its power and easy upgrades
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5-21-2008 @ 10:51AM
Vince said...
Adding a Dual Head 2 Go; the company and Apple claim that the Air can support only one external monitor, but I have a friend that's currently using the DH2G to extend that to TWO external monitors.
5-19-2008 @ 1:24PM
Julie said...
I just picked up a Logitech laptop stand for my MacBook Pro that has a 4-port hub in it, so I've got a total of 5 usable ports. Not as many as the 10 you're used to, but I have similar demands and have made it work. But I'm not adverse to having to switch out devices on occasion (swap the port from the iPod to the MyBook, for example). The only downside is that the laptop stand blocks access to the DVD drive and I have to remember to tilt it up before I eject a disk.
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5-19-2008 @ 1:26PM
Aron T said...
You could buy 5 Apple Cinema Displays - each one has a two-port (powered) USB 2.0 hub and a two-port Firewire 400 hub.
If you used FW external HDs you could probably shrink that number to 3 or 4 displays.
I'm sure it sounds impractical, but be honest with me, what's impractical about 4x30" displays? We're talking 10,240x6,400 resolution here! That's /way/ more impressive than crummy HD (31x better!!)
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5-19-2008 @ 4:41PM
Ket said...
I'll take one 2560x6400 resolution monitors you speak of.
5-19-2008 @ 7:48PM
Aron T said...
30" ACD = 2,560x1,600
2560*4 = 10,240
1600*4 = 6,400
4x30" = 10,240x6,400
HD = 1,920x1,080
x1 * y1 = 10,240 * 6,400 = 65,536,000px
x2 * y2 = 1,920 * 1,080 = 2,073,600px
65,536,000 / 2,073,600 = 31.6
Total number of USB ports added: 8
Total number of FW ports added: 8
Total number of people who thought this was a good idea: I don't know, but I know Erica wouldn't turn it down!
5-19-2008 @ 8:33PM
matt said...
Aron T:
Your math is for EIGHT 30" ACDs, not four.
The correct formula is "n(x*y)" or "4(2560*1600)". This can be configured as one 2560x6400 desktop, one 5120x3200 desktop, or one 10240x1600 desktop.
5-19-2008 @ 9:22PM
Aron T said...
By george you're right!!
I really /am/ stupid.
I blame it on the lack of Dr. Pepper at work today and the resulting stressful day that followed.
That's no excuse - I'm a failure
5-19-2008 @ 1:28PM
Nick said...
Well Why doesn't apple want to put more USB?
I'm no fortune teller nor an apple insider therefore this could just be a myth but you remember how they started decreasing? I think they're going to try to push the whole "Over the Air" Idea. There are now wireless printers although they haven't exactly caught up yet, cameras now able to sync wirelessly, now they have Time Camsule for backup there's the bluetooth keyboard and mouse...and I have a feeling that they're pushing the whole mac towards that but its unfortunate that they've started to cut down the USB on macs but most of those "Over the Air" connections doesn't exactly work on Macs...some does but all the other softwares that it requires you to install and the limitations on how to use them is crazy to the point that you need to resort to using USB. I bought my nikon camera than can upload photos wirelessly but its so annoying having to transfer from their app to iPhoto.
And now recently and I think we all know but we have yet to receive the final confirmation from apple that iPhone will be able to sync "Over the air" I think they just might really push all of these to the whole apple computer line up.
So for now, you can either buy a hub or hope for two things....that apple will add more USBs or as I mentioned above, that at least they create a software that is able to sync over the air without all the hassle.
Most people will think that thats not a safe bet but come on, when I first found out I can sync my nikon wirelessly and I can print wirelessly and that I didnt even need to plug in my speakers directly to my computer and or now to be able to back up over the air and heck even ask to use someone else's disk drive and use it like it was your own...well I think we get the picture..
Just a thought.
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