USB hubs *sigh*

[Feek]

I needed USB hubs so I dived onto Scan and found their "Hot Selling" line - 7 ports for about six quid. Perfect, so I bought three.

I wasn't quite expecting this.

http://ocukroguesgallery.com/feek/temp/hub_1-20100806-202053.jpg

Turn the light off in here and it's even more impressive.

http://ocukroguesgallery.com/feek/temp/hubs-20100806-202138.jpg

They glow all the time whether the ports are active or not and the light in the middle continuously pulses and changes colour. LMF thinks they're awesome, I'm already working out how to get them apart and give the insides a thick coating of black!

Everyone round to my shack for a disco?

[Dymetrie]

They.

Look.

RAD!!!!!

:D

*snigger*

[divine]

What on earth are you doing that requires more than the 9 or 10 USB ports most machines come with these days? :p

[Feek]

My Mac Pro has three USB ports on the back.

I'm using:

1 to each monitor
Keyboard
Mouse
USB<>Serial
Scanner
Printer
2 x iPod Docks
1 x iPod Shuffle
Mini USB cable dangling for anything that needs it

And there's something else, can't remember what.

[divine]

3? That's a bit stingy, i'm sure there must have been room for more! :O

[Mark]

Insulation tape around the outside will dull them until you have time to get them apart (even if it does look ugly). That's what I do with glowing USB cables.

[Stan_Lite]

Makes you wonder who would buy that intentionally :shocked:

[Tak]

ooo pretty ...

[Burble]

Oh my good god. I'd be ripping them to pieces and either spray painting the inside of the case black or attacking the LED's with my soldering iron.

[Desmo]

Makes you wonder who would buy that intentionally :shocked:
LMF thinks they're awesome
;D

[Feek]

Not quite so simple - Black paint on the inside of the case won't work because the case actually has cutouts for the connectors. The LEDs are soldered directly to the board and I think removing them may prove tricky.

It looks as though I can remove the plastic surrounds of the connectors which will stop the light from spreading so much.

I've got three and am only using two so I'll experiment with the unused one and it's not the end of the world if I break it.

[Feek]

I desoldered three LEDs and then decided to do it brute force.

Grasp LED with long nose pliers, twist and pull. Sorted :)

[Burble]

Good stuff, I'd most likely do the same. My SMT soldering skills are not what they once were.

[kaiowas]

Grasp LED with long nose pliers, twist and pull. Sorted :)

I'd have probably resorted to that before even starting the thread. ;D