USB hub for multimedia stuff?

[futurejp]

Hi. Out of all the forums, I think this was the best place to post this...

My computer has 4 USB ports, and I regularly want these items connected: 2 external harddrives, 1 external DVD player/burner, and a mouse. But on occasion, a few times a week or more, I want other things connected, like other small devices (keypad) or printer, etc. So a USB hub seems like the right thing.

I don't really know about them....if I were to connect my 3 external drives to a USB hub, would I need a kind that has its own power source, or what? Or would you recommend that I leave the 3 drives plugged into 3 of my computer's normal USB ports, and use the 4th for the hub, which would connect the mouse, printer, etc.?

Thanks.

 

[Crysalis]

It really wouldn't matter as long as the hub is 2.0. You do need a powered hub for things that use power from USB such as a flash drive or wireless adapter...etc. Things that already have a power source don't need a powered hub.