Embedded Card Reader

[MaiDong]

I recently bought an embedded card reader as I don't like farting around with pieces of hardware hanging off my computers, when it arrived I tried to install it into my PC tower but it didn't quite fit properly, the adaptors my tower came with were able to bridge the gap between the 6" slots to enable the 4" unit to sit in the centre but the slot in the grill didn't align vertically with the card reader unit.

I initially drilled new holes in the card reader to try to align it but I couldn't get the screws to hold tight, I then tried to solder the brackets in place but my skills were defeated so I just got out the good old epoxy and glued the card reader unit to the adaptor brackets and it ended up fitting in ok(see pic)

My real issue is that I had to unplug and disable 2 of my 4 front USB ports as I only have 2 USB sockets on my motherboard(able to support 2 USB ports each), it's not urgent that I get more USB sockets as a few recently purchased wireless devices have created some gaps but I know as things build up again, new devices get added to my collection and I'll end up needing more than the 10(8 functional) USB ports I have now.

Apart from using a previously ebay-bought USB extension, what other options do I have? As I said before, I don't really want things hanging off my computer, I like things nice and tidy...

Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

[Tywais]

A PCI USB card

[Deke]

Get a USB card to fit into one of the expansion slots on your mainboard.

[MaiDong]

Thanks for your replies, I'd really prefer to get my two disabled front USB ports back in action though...

[Tywais]

Thanks for your replies, I'd really prefer to get my two disabled front USB ports back in action though...

You mentioned future expansion and is why my suggestion. To use the existing onboard dual USB ports than a rear panel connector, often comes with the mainboard, will do it.

[MaiDong]

Thanks for your replies, I'd really prefer to get my two disabled front USB ports back in action though...

You mentioned future expansion and is why my suggestion. To use the existing onboard dual USB ports than a rear panel connector, often comes with the mainboard, will do it.

but my card reader is not USB, it's the same as the black adapter in your pic, so even using that I would still be using 1 of my 2 needed USB sockets on my motherboard

[Tywais]

but my card reader is not USB, it's the same as the black adapter in your pic, so even using that I would still be using 1 of my 2 needed USB sockets on my motherboard

I'm getting confused now. That 'black' adapter is a dual USB port connector and plugs into the USB header on the mainboard. Your card reader black connector is a standard USB dual port connector. I have a similar card reader and I guarantee that the card reader is using USB.

An example mainboard. Two blue connectors on the bottom right support 4 USB ports (2 x 2).

[MaiDong]

The board in this pic is an LE whereas mine is an M but it's almost identical, you can see the 2 USB ports circled in red...

1 of these ports is being used by 2 of my front USB ports and the other 1 is being used by my card reader, leaving the remaining 2 front USB ports disabled

[MaiDong]

I'll try to put it clearer

previously my 4 front USB ports were using the 2 dual USB port connectors but I have had to unplug 2 of the front 4 dual USB connectors to house the card reader - yes it's USB but it's using a dual USB socket...

[MaiDong]

So in theory I'd need to get another dual USB port so I could fit in my 2 dual USB/4 front USB ports AND my card reader which is greedily using up a single dual USB port...

Sorry it's so convoluted, my terminology needs some improvement

[Tywais]

1 of these ports is being used by 2 of my front USB ports and the other 1 is being used by my card reader, leaving the remaining 2 front USB ports disabled

Now I get it. You only have 2 onboard dual USB connectors. I'm used to mainboards having a slew of them. My mainboard supports 16 USB devices.

The only way to do it is a PCI USB card like I mentioned above. It has the rear USB connectors (external) and it has on the card itself USB headers that the standard USB connector (the black one) plugs into like the blue ones you circled.

[MaiDong]

1 of these ports is being used by 2 of my front USB ports and the other 1 is being used by my card reader, leaving the remaining 2 front USB ports disabled

Now I get it. You only have 2 onboard dual USB connectors. I'm used to mainboards having a slew of them. My mainboard supports 16 USB devices.

The only way to do it is a PCI USB card like I mentioned above. It has the rear USB connectors (external) and it has on the card itself USB headers that the standard USB connector (the black one) plugs into like the blue ones you circled.

I understand

Thanks for your patience Tywais!

Could you recommend any?

Thanks!

[Tywais]

Thanks for your patience Tywais!

I used to be a field engineer and often had to troubleshoot problems by phone. Can get confusing understanding the customer.

Could you recommend any?

Really doesn't matter for that type of item, they'll generally use the same chips. Just shop around and be sure it has the onboard headers and not just the rear panel ones.

[MaiDong]

Thanks for your patience Tywais!

I used to be a field engineer and often had to troubleshoot problems by phone. Can get confusing understanding the customer.

Could you recommend any?

Really doesn't matter for that type of item, they'll generally use the same chips. Just shop around and be sure it has the onboard headers and not just the rear panel ones.

Thanks again Tywais, I'll go looking tomorrow, what's a reasonable price to pay for one here in BKK? That one you linked to earlier is only $11 but that's not here and it only has 1 internal dual USB port, I assume they come with more than 1 internal, if needed?

I also assume there are no moving parts so I won't spoil my silent machine again

[Tywais]

Thanks again Tywais, I'll go looking tomorrow, what's a reasonable price to pay for one here in BKK? That one you linked to earlier is only $11 but that's not here and it only has 1 internal dual USB port, I assume they come with more than 1 internal, if needed?

I also assume there are no moving parts so I won't spoil my silent machine again

I would not expect it to be much more than that. Most of these in Thailand are Chinese branded. If you have an Amorn electronics store, they would probably have them.

[MaiDong]

Thanks again Tywais, I'll go looking tomorrow, what's a reasonable price to pay for one here in BKK? That one you linked to earlier is only $11 but that's not here and it only has 1 internal dual USB port, I assume they come with more than 1 internal, if needed?

I also assume there are no moving parts so I won't spoil my silent machine again

I would not expect it to be much more than that. Most of these in Thailand are Chinese branded. If you have an Amorn electronics store, they would probably have them.

Thanks again!

[MaiDong]

A PCI USB card

I've tried 2 Amorn shops; 1 at TescoLotus Charan Sanitwong and the other at the Old Siam shopping centre in the old town and neither had one of these cards

Can anybody give me any more tips on where to try, locally?

I could get one off ebay, from the US, originally manufactured in China, but that would be silly wouldn't it!

[MaiDong]

Card eventually acquired, mentioned here