USB hub from touchscreen port?

**sama** · 03-22-2006, 10:01 AM

in a bid to run less wires to the front, I'm thinking of cutting the usb wires that run to the touch screen circuit, connecting them to a female port, then running a powered usb hub off that, which the touchscreen will plug into. In so doing, I would end up with some extra ports up front.

Anyone think that's a bad idea? reasons?

**dmcdlrn** · 03-22-2006, 02:30 PM

That sounds confusing. What do you mean? My usb cable comming out of my screen is at most 4 feet long and is only about a foot long out of the vga connector. I wouldn't think you would gain anything by cutting anything there... unless you have a super long lilli or xenarc cable or something that I'm not familiar with.

I would just run a usb extension up from the back to a powered up in the dash then plug everything into that hub... no cutting... everything is reusable in the event of car pc removal.

Maybe I'm way off what you mean... if so... sorry

**Scouse Monkey** · 03-22-2006, 02:47 PM

WTF sama?

just run a powered usb hub off your PSU 5V and then plug the touch screen into it.

**EricE** · 03-22-2006, 04:02 PM

I think I get what he means. This is what I got from his post. He has the screen in the front and the computer in the back. The distance is like 10’ (like mine is). He also needs more USB ports up front in the cab than he has. His idea was to put a USB hub off the LCD USB so that he could add ports up front rather than putting a hub in the back and then running additional USB wires for each device he needs up front.

Of course, alternately, he could just run a new USB cord up front and put a hub up there. Accomplishes the same thing but with one more 10’ USB wire needed.

**sama** · 03-22-2006, 05:33 PM

precisely EricE.

there's already a usb cable run up to the screen, in the all-integrated 5m cable, which I had to slave to stick in there. So I figured the screen already has usb wires running to it. If I disconnect those, and connect them to a powered hub up the front, then plug the touchscreen's usb into one of those ports, then I have saved myself running another cable to the front.

so, my question stands... anyone think that's a bad idea? reasons?

**Specimen** · 03-22-2006, 05:54 PM

I get it now. Essentially you’re going to use the provided Xenarc cable as an USB extension cable. If you’re familiar with USB cables and soldering I would say go for it. Not really sure how you’re going to attach a new USB cable to the touch screen though. Are you going to open the case and attach a new USB cable, or are you going to use the same connector from the Xenarc cable and just split the USB wires and attach a Male USB connector to the Xenarc connector side and a Female connector to the computer side? Placing the USB HUB in between the new connectors.

**ric355** · 03-22-2006, 06:16 PM

During my installation I bought some USB connectors and soldered them up, but bascially the outcome was low quality so I just threw them away and bought proper USB cables. You just can't achieve the same level of shielding around the connector that you get with a bought cable. Your ability might well be better than mine though!

Given the choice that's what I'd do with your installation - buy a USB hub, buy a USB extension cable, and plug it all together, screen into the hub, hub into extension, and extension into PC. You might find you reach the max length of a USB cable on your touch screen though in doing this. If so, next step would be to chop the cable off your touchscreen to shorten it, then solder on a new connector (or I guess you could do a wire joining exercise instead, but that feels a bit of a botch).

**sama** · 03-23-2006, 02:53 AM

yo peeps... thanks for the input so far. I'll clarify a little more so there are no open ends.

this is how I currently have my screen mounted in the car:

using the cutting mat's squares as a crude coordinate system, and starting at the top left, count three squares down and then across 5 squares. In that square you can see the white connector that runs to the USB circuitry of the touchscreen. Those wires are the USB wires coming from the integrated cable.

I plan to hack cut those, and on the side that goes into the circuit I want to connect a usb plug. and on the side that goes to the cable, I want to attach a powered hub. That way, I can mount the TS plug and hub on the frame somewhere, and ensure a very small cable is fitted between the TS and hub.

I can then power the hub from another source (probably branch off the lighter socket).

**redbullah** · 04-11-2006, 03:36 PM

Originally Posted by Scouse Monkey

WTF sama?

just run a powered usb hub off your PSU 5V and then plug the touch screen into it.

I bought a usb 2.0 hub with 4 usb ports and no power needed but it requires two usb ports on your computer. I plugged my touchscreen in this hub.
This hub had a short adaptor with two usb cables merges into one usb male plug as shown on first picture.
I cut the strange plug and put a female usb plug.
it should work cause there are simply 4 cables +5v gnd data+ and data-
but now windows requires a driver. There was no media in the box.
windows asks usb 2.0 hub cd now which i don't have. My hub won't work unless i install the driver. There is also no brand name or something that i can search thru.

My touchscreen won't work too. It may have something to do with usb hub cause it was attached to usb hub. Any idea? + wtf?

"search guy"s no worry i've been searching for this issue.