Project - Internal USB Hub

I just bought the single supply hub from deal extreme... hehe their site is so slow + me not knowing better... atleast shipping was't to bad to Sweden thanks for the advice, bouth the other one too now

 

USB hub connection from webcam connection?

Hi,

I'm definiately going to add an internal usb-hub to the One.

I've being reading through a bunch of posts as I've been planning this.

I ordered one of the usb-hubs recommended in this thread ( http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.9476 )

First I was a little dubius about soldering directly to the motherboard using the WLAN PCI-express usb signals and different places for 5V + Ground. Another option would've been to hijack some of the ports from the daughterboard.

Then I found a much easier and thus safer place for soldering the usb hub. It is on the downside of the mainboard next to the SSD or beneath the HDD.

http://aspireoneuser.com/forum/viewtopi ... tional+usb

I was browsing the Asus eee modding forums, since that has been around for ages and have postings of 80 pages. I found a lot of discussion about connecting the internal usb hub into the camera connection (which is usb). This would be solderless to the mainboard, although needed to solder the JST connection to the usb-hub.

http://forum.eeeuser.com/viewtopic.php?id=5417&p=1

So the connection to the motherboard via a plug-in type connector to a usb-hub and if I wanted to keep the webcam (never used it). I could just solder a female JST connection from the usb-hub to the webcam and still be left with 3 x free USB ports.

A solderless type touch screen is marketed for Acer Aspire One. The internal USB hub would be the replica of this without the touch screen or its controller.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Acer-Aspire-One-Eas ... otohosting

viewtopic.php?f=43&t=6278&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&hilit=solderless

So my question is really, WHERE IS THE FEMALE JST CONNECTION FOR WEBCAM in Acer Aspire One????????????

It should exist, as the touch screen connects using a male jst connection. First I thought it was on the top of the mainboard, but looking at pics that was the speaker connection. Next to that is the touchpad connection. So does the webcam connection run parallell with the screen connection?? Does that mean it's necessary to open the screen to reach the female jst connection?

I'd love an answer and would appreciate some pictures, as I think this would be the easist and least invasive way of adding a USB hub to the One.

I'll pry my One open later to hunt for it, if no one else finds it.

What I'm going to use my hub for:

1. 3G MODEM (Huawei E169) - Internet
2. Super Mini-bluetooth (https://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.11866) - Syncinc calender with phone
3. Mouse RF receiver (Logitech VX) - Ahhh... a real mouse..!
4. GPS? possibly http://www.buygpsnow.com/Canmore-GT-730 ... _1037.aspx
5. Touch screen? probably http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.15611 WARNING - problems with packing though
6. DVB-T usb stick?

Other accessories I'm pimping my One with:

Hardware:

1. Leather case - PDAir style unbranded free shipping - http://www.allfreeship.com/shopexd.asp?id=2559
*already got it - marvelous
2. Superbattery 7800mah 9-cell vs 2200-2400mah original 3-cell - http://premiumbatteries.vstore.ca/produ ... -batteries
*Can't say anything about trustworthiness before I receive it, but if its the real deal then WHAUH! Downside: not going to fit the leather case without modding the leather case

Software:

1. Vista Ultimate - cant say anything bad about it
2. A1Ctl must have software ! http://nodadev.wordpress.com/2008/10/30 ... -released/
*Fan off/low/high totaly customizable temp, HDD not clicking anymore, so silent and beautiful

 

Connection from the Webcam aka solderless USB hub

Since no one has been able to provide me with a quick answer I've tried to look into it a bit.

Someone else in the solderless touch screen thread is thinking about the same mod I'm interested in making.

"Re: Acer Aspire One Easy & Fun Solderless Touch Screen KIT

Postby kghunt on Fri Nov 21, 2008 10:10 pm
does anyone have a clue what those connectors that the camera uses are called? I am not interested in a touchscreen so I would like to make my own solderless usb hub. I just need to find a supplier for those plugs. But I have no idea what they are called.

kghunt"

I'll answer him in this thread since that thread has continued far since his question.

The connector type is a JST, and is heavily discussed in the Asus eee PC user forum (link in my post above)

I'll post here links to the connectors people are succesfully using in their eee PC's.

http://parts.digikey.com/1/parts/305933 ... sr-3s.html (From the mainboard, receptacle ie female)

http://parts.digikey.com/1/parts/312804 ... lf-sn.html (This one is on the webcam bord, header = "male")

They are only available as 10 x packings and costs 3.12$ (female) and 5,66$ (male) + postage (?$?). Ok, the postage fee to Europe is ridiculously high, something like minimum 18€ or 27$, so I guess I'll be looking for the same kind of parts closer to home, except if some kind soul will ship me some for a more decent price =). To the US these parts using First class mail costs $2.36.

Ok, after a bit of searching I found where it connects. The info was in the Aspire One Series Service Guide


Here you can see the JST connecting to the webcam, it seems that the header is on the webcam board and the receptacle connects to it. On the right is the connection to the microphone.


And this is where the cable goes. So it seems that connector going from the mainboard up to the screen integrates the LCD, microphone and webcam all in one, and routing them behind the screen. This way it's real easy to disconnect the screen, but sadly the connector on the mainboard is hard to access.

So there are 2 choices. Either to try to tap the usb signal directly from the mainboard, but that requires to split the original connector, risking the display/mic signal screwing up, and still leaves the question of how to tap into connection. Not a good idea.

The other option is to tap into the JST connection up on the screen either by bending the original flat connector to the side, loosing both the microphone and the webcam (I'm seriously thinking about this option, since I can't remember ever really needing either one).

Or by taking the long route from the right side of the screen all the way up and to the left, there seems to be a lot of room as shown in this picture hijacked from the touchscreen guide thread. I think this would be the optimal way of doing it, since you do have to to crack open the screen bezel, but dont have to touch or move the lcd screen itself, so it's almost non-invasive.



This way You'd end up keeping the microphone, but loosing the webcam. The "perfect" solution would be to route the usb down the screen to the usb hub, and reroute one signal (with JST header, which is male) back up to the webcam. It would only require one long cable back up.

Anyhow my idea of trying to make a usb hub as easily and noninvasive as possibly has become a lot more complicated. Now I really have to think about soldering to the usb connections available on the bottom side motherboard under the hdd, since I wouldnt like to open my screen and taking the risk of breaking it, then again, I wouldn't want to risk breaking my motherboard either. If only Acer wouldn't have integrated all connections coming from the screen to one universal connector!

I edited the products, since I was a bit confused. Seems that Asus eee PC's have a 4pin connector to the mainboard which I posted earlier, both Acer and Asus connects to the webcam by a 5 pin JST connector, so this is the one needed for Acer.

 

Just removed my webcam

So I decided to check this out.

I took out the 4 black round rubber shields on top and 2 down on the screen. These hide the screws beneath.

Taking out the screws requires some carefulness, as not to make them round. I used some precision screwdrivers, pushing down quite hard and turning the first 2-3 rounds using a pair of tweezers.

The screen opens quite easily using a credit card or any other hard plastic card starting from one top corner and sliding it along.

I decided to remove the whole camera to see if I could find a match for the connection somewhere. The camera sticks to the casing with some sticky glue type stuff onto some kind of (grounding?) stickers.

This is what the connector looks like:[



From a fast googeling I'm assuming the fift pin is a backup ground. Since there is a tiny little arrow pointing to one pin, this should be pin number 1, and therefore positive voltage.

So next I'm going to try finding an identical connector. It's dimensions are as follows: 7 mm wide and 3 mm high with a depth of approx. 4mm.

 

Possible complication! Webcam USB power ?

Still in the planning stage.

It is hard to know if the power source from the webcam usb is reliable or not. Since it has only been planned to supply power for a webcam, it might not be able to supply the normal 500 mA. Plus it might not be have a fuse, so if You draw too much power it might break the board.

So I'm still in between soldering to the extra usb connectors on the board, or maybe doing the webcam usb mod, but with the power source coming from somewhere else.

Then again people are using successfully the solderless touch screen mods, which I believe connects directly to the webcam connection. No reports of unreliability of the connection or bricking of the machines.

Perhaps I'll add a safetyfuse to my powerline, and hope for the best.

 

Any progress? I am planning to buy DX touch kit, but I am not sure which wire from webcam goes to where in the usb hub? Your picture is good but have you tested that it is correct? People how have ordered easy kits could you tell me or take a picture at the wires that I know how should I connect webcams wire to usb hub.

 

you could try the touchpad connector that is usb too i think

 

here is another reason to build a solderless usb hub mod.

viewtopic.php?f=43&t=9208

 

first off i know this is an old thread so sorry for resurrecting, but my question is really short.

can someone verify that both the webcam and the microphone JST connection are 5-pin connectors? (i know the webcam one is)

 

Update:

the JST webcam connection is 5-pin

the JST microphone connection is 4-pin

this is for a A150, I dismantled mine today at work lol.


EDIT: I am still unsure if the mic JST connector is a possible USB data wire or if its just a dual input standard mic. If anyone can clear this up I would greatly appreciate it.

 

[Deleted]

 

just a question, do you ever have problems like not enough power to the usb devices?