USB Hub

Get a powered USB hub and eliminate USB power problems (and not enough ports)

USB Hub

If there's one thing that's for sure for an Astropotamus, you'll never have enough USB connections on your computer, and you'll never have enough places to plug stuff in. A powered USB hub solves the first problem and offers potential solutions for the second. In my case, I use a SABRENT 10-Port 60W USB 3.0 Hub that has individual power switches and LEDs for each port, plus a 60W 12V/5A power adapter. Now, I'm not going to run that power adapter into my AP rig for power, but I will move anything that can get its power from USB over to the powered hub. This also frees up USB slots on the Mele Quieter 4C or Raspberry Pi 4B imaging computers, or the Pocket PowerBox Advanced, and makes sure that devices get full power from the USB bus.

I especially like that there are switches on each port so I can turn things on/off or reset them and have the computer rescan the bus rather than disconnect things entirely. In the dark, the LEDs also offer a slight light source that is nice enough to add some light to the interior of my SkyShed POD. If it's too much for you, you can put a strip of masking tape or gaffers tape across them to dim them or block them completely. Having one USB cable to plug into the computer also cuts down on cable management, though there is a second power adapter that needs to be plugged in.

Now, USB hubs are not going to be the most glamorous part of your astrophotography rig, but they are important. Anything that draws power from the USB bus needs to have a solid power supply, and the ports on PCs and Pis can sometimes provide less power than you think they do. This is a great way to move things like Wifi Routers, thumb drives, SSDs, and other devices that get their power from USB off of your PC ports and onto a dedicated, powered USB hub.

Until next time, I'll see you...in the dark!