Reddit mentions of Satechi 12 Port USB Hub with Power Adapter & 2 Control Switches for 2015 MacBook Pro, 2014 MacBook, iMac, Surface Pro, Dell XPS, PC and More

This is the exact USB hub they had

(6) Satechi 12-port Hub - $168

Everything else were freebies lying around. Here's an estimate:

• 5U blank - $15
  
• 100 pk small zip ties - $2
  
• APC PDU cord retention tray/brackets - $20 (included with PDUs we use on the cluster)
  
• 5V/5A Power Supply - $15
  
• ring terminals - $2
  
• machine screws and nuts - $2
  
  Total: ~$225
  
  Time: ~4 Hours

I got it off of Amazon. It's USB 2.0 with 12 ports (one is on the back that you can't see).

Glad you like it!

USB hub:
http://www.amazon.com/Satechi-Power-Adapter-Control-Switches/dp/B0051PGX2I/ref=cm_cr_pr_pb_i

Stand:
http://www.thinkgeek.com/product/d522/

[I know it's not star wars, but here's a pretty sweet USB expander] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0051PGX2I/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=thisistuesday-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0051PGX2I)

Here it is on Amazon
The price is the same, but it's free shipping if you have Prime.

> i find the best solution to my computing setup is just using laptops

I do use a laptop, but I still need to use a lot of stuff attached on a daily basis: UPS, printer, scanner, headset, webcam, mouse, keyboard, external drive, card reader, cable for my phone, FitBit dongle. (I have this model of USB hub, but it sounds like you don't need it! :) )

> What do you use your dashcam for; sorry if it seams obvious.

A friend had a car accident and it got me thinking about how it's their word against yours unless you have witnesses or the evidence is clear. They're also growing in popularity as a result of videos like this... so I picked up a cheap low-definition one to give it a try. If you want to find out more, you might find this guide informative.

Limited by 2A for the whole hub

Well, I'm kind of a hard drive junkie. I have 6 internals, and no more will fit in my case, so I started tacking on externals whenever I could afford it. I do a lot of digital video work, and also have far too many games and HD movies, anime, backup, you name it, and though I'd love to trade my smaller drives for one big one, hard drive prices are somewhat prohibitive to me at the moment.

Those tubes look pretty boss, and could be just what I need. I've been considering hubs as well, and found this one that looks awesome. I should probably turn my case so the cables aren't so visible, but I like to look through the window, and my desk (a fold up table, haha) has supports that block me from pushing the case to the side. Also, I'm using a Wacom Intuos3 6x11 tablet as a mousepad. Thanks for the tips!

> If you expand too much you will end up being disappointed in the reliance on USB of any of the single board computers.

I built my server around a Raspberry PI and currently have four 4+ TB drives hooked up via a powered USB hub. I've had as many as six drives hooked up, but I consolidated my drive-mapping and storage sizes a bit ago.

(Note: If you buy through the Amazon Smile link I posted for the USB hub, proceeds go to benefit the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a very worthy cause!)

Phew. I was super scared for a second there.

In that case I'm probably gonna get the 12 port USB 2 hub as it'll take all my devices, leave me with a couple ports to spare, and keep me going until USB 3.0 hubs work properly with Mac OS X allowing me to upgrade later.

Thank you again for all your help.