USB 2.0 manual mechanical Switch

You really want break before make, otherwise you will get data colliding on the bus.

Also, USB is fairly fussy about the condition of the data on the bus, so you will need to keep everyting as short as possible. You are gettting into an are that will more likely cause you greif rather than success. Its pretty much the same reason as why your purchsed 2.0 switch will only run at 1.1

You would be honestly better off spending the money on a decent quality unit that probably terminates the bus correctly when switching.

Why manual? You can get 4 port USB 2.0 hub for around $15, I've seen some at my local Woollies supermarket. You'll probably spend more on parts...

Tom

The USB bus operates at a high frequency and requires properly terminates lines, and properly laid out PCB tracks etc. If you add a switch you upset all this it may or may not work depending on how careful you've been with your wiring. USB1.1 is lower speed so you may get it to work for that, but USB2.0 would be much harder with a manual switch.

Why do you need a manual switch anyway?

Dave :)

What is your application? Why do you want to switch manually when hubs do it automatically?

It says there's an unrecognised device connected because the drivers for the printer aren't installed.

USB hubs and other components are powered either by the +5V from the USB port on your pc, or by another power supply inside your equipment, ie printer. So, if you're switching the +5V, and data lines on and off with a manual switch, you would be getting corrupt data from the USB device because of the bouncing of the switch contacts.

You've probably got the port connected to a USB1.1 port. Either that, or you have connected to a USB2.0 port, and there is signal degradation so the USB controller switches to a lower speed.

Get yourself a USB hub. They are low cost, and are designed to switch data to different devices as needed, without having messy manual switching.

Jaycar have the following hubs which they say comply with USB2.0

Then again, some of the computer shops will be likely to have cheaper hubs.

Short the unused ones with a 10kohm resistor across the data and you should see improvement.

"Dac" wrote

Short the unused ones with a 10kohm resistor across the data and you should see improvement.

The mind boggles.

Brian Goldsmith.

EASY !! Just apply it across 66kv mains.

. . .

Cut one wire off the resistor.

Solder one end of the wire to one of the pins.

Solder the other end of the wire to the other pin you want to short.

Wrap the rest of the resistor carefully in tissue paper.

Chuck the wrapped resistor in the bin.

Andy Wood snipped-for-privacy@trap.ozemail.com.au

The same way you "short" something with a zero ohm resistor.

Dave :)

"David L. Jones" wrote > ***** Could someone explain how does one "short" anything with a 10k

The same way you "short" something with a zero ohm resistor.

Dave :)

If it is Zero Ohms,it has NO resistance therefore it cannot be called a "Resistor".

Brian G.

Yet one can buy a "zero ohm resistor"

Even a zero ohm resistor has *some* resistance. So when you "short" something you are actually just using a very low value resistance.

Dave :)

how

Yet, as I'm sure you know, they're not an uncommon component, and supplied by most, if not all manufacturers of resistors.

Hi, many thanks for all the answers :-)

I need a USB switch for the following reason:

I have a 2PC network. I have bought a Canon PIXMA MP760 Multifunction which is USB2 but not network enabled. I have avoided the HP network-enabled multifunction (because I heard its s'ware was terrible - anyway, now I may regret that a bit).

I have now got a D-Link router with USB print server. Thius works great for pirnting but NOT for scanning or mem card reading.

So to be able to scan from both machines, I need to shift the USB cable from one to another. I do NOT believe I can use a USB hub - can I really ? That would be nice, I have not tried - so i would connect the input to the hub tio the printer and the outputs to the 2 PCs ? I do not think this would work. - hmm

Anyway, the 'manual' switch comprises the *break before make* (sorry I got it wrong first time) rotary, 3 way 4 positions and the connectors.

In the meantime I also got the wizz-bang ATEN US-421 4 port USB2 switch. Well this one has all the features including hotkey switchign and software switching and you name it, BUT one of the PCs still cannot scan. Scanning stops and I get 'connection lost'. The other PC has no probs. Both use PCI USB cards so I am lost as to the cause of the prob - but that is off topic I guess.

So the answer is NO because USB2.0 needs proper 'termination' ? Meaning what ? a 10k resistor from Data A to Data B on each port EXCEPT the one being switched on ? That is a bit hard to do with the rotary.

In the end if I did get the HP I did not need all this. The HP also works wirelessly I understand, so the wire crossing the room would not be there. Ughhh. On the other hand there is a new Canon wireless printer available now !

Many thanks

----- Original Message ----- From: "AdvarP" Newsgroups: aus.electronics Sent: Monday, July 10, 2006 11:20 PM Subject: USB 2.0 manual mechanical Switch

Jaycar have a share switch, which may be what you require.

XC-4862 @ $59.95

It allows 2 pcs to communicate with up to 4 USB devices, and is USB 2.0 compliant.

Yes I looked at that but I though for the same money I cvan get the ATEN US-421 which also has hotkey switching and software switching. Maybe the Jaycar one works, but for how long am i going to try stuff \? I am thinking of getting the MP800R in fact and ditch the MP760 and end this kind of prob once for all.

Thank you

. . .

How can that be the same? You would need a zero ohm 10k resistor. Try asking for one of those at DSE - you could get an interesting reaction.

Andy Wood snipped-for-privacy@trap.ozemail.com.au

I get an interesting reaction when I ask for most things I want from DSE :-)

I saw zero ohm resistors in the mid 70's, used on DEC PDP/11 computer boards. Yes, it was simply a shorting link, but an offical part with a part number.

Used for board configuration, much the same as you now use shorting blocks (or links) and header pins to hardware select drive config for instance.

Don...

On Tue, 11 Jul 2006 12:59:33 GMT, "Poxy" put finger to keyboard and composed:

They even come with a datasheet.

For example, here's a datasheet for a Vishay zero ohm (metal film?) resistor: http://www.ortodoxism.ro/datasheets/vishay/frj5055.pdf

The maximum resistance is 10 milliohm, and the max current is 25A at

- Franc Zabkar

. . .

So at 150 degC you have a zero amp zero ohm resistor. Maybe you can use it as a zero amp fuse?

Andy Wood snipped-for-privacy@trap.ozemail.com.au