Strange Laptop Speaker(??) Noise Interference ?

On my laptop, I have 2 USB slots. On each slot, I connect a 4 way USB platform to it (I think this is the word for it - it let me have the ability to connect 4 USB items to each of these platforms).

My USB powered modem is connected to one of these platform outlet and it has been working without any problem for years until a few days ago. I then started to get interference sound from the speaker (like from a old vinyl record that is dirty while it is being played - if you are from that era when these are popular !). This only happens when I am watching a video from YouTube or other online files, but not when I play a video that is already downloaded in my latop before this problem started.

1) I then connect the modem to the other platform thinking that the first one may be causing the interference, but still no improvements.
2) Next, I changed the modem, but it still give the same problem.
3) I have no addirional new hardware connected that may cause this interference.
4) Finally, I connect it directly to one of the laptop USB slots and this seems to solve the problem.

Does anyone know why connecting to a USB platform is causing this interference and not when connected directly to the laptop USB slot ? Doing it this way meant I can only have one 4 way platform connected.

I am using Windows XP Pro with SP3 and IE7.

Many thanks in advance for your help and comments.

Sounds like it might be a flaky/failing USB hub, or maybe one that isn't designed well enough to protect against crosstalk and/or outside interference.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SpywareDr

Sounds like it might be a flaky/failing USB hub, or maybe one that isn't designed well enough to protect against crosstalk and/or outside interference.

---

I have 2 different brand USB hub for each of the USB slot on the laptop. Surely both can't have failed at the same time ?

If they were in use at the same time and something happened ...they yes, in theory they could have died at the same time... Do you really need to connect 8 USB devices in at the same time?

Hopefully the hubs have their own power supply and aren't all using the power from the mobo.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Steve R Jones

If they were in use at the same time and something happened ...they yes, in theory they could have died at the same time... Do you really need to connect 8 USB devices in at the same time?

Hopefully the hubs have their own power supply and aren't all using the power from the mobo.

---

Ooops ! Yes, they were both in use at the same time. I split their use between them as follows:

Hub A: USB Modem, USB Webcam*(pointing out toward the front of house), and USB Mouse

HUB B: USB External Hard Drive, USB Webcam* (next to the laptop), and USB Keyboard

*NOTE: two webcam hooked up, but only one in use at any one time. But both are connected so that I can change to either webcam.

Question: If I connnect Hub B to Hub A, will that work or will it gave erratic performance ? I tried it twice and at boot up, sometimes it works and sometimes it hangs at the "Welcome to Windows" page. I was wondering if this was just a one of those one off thing or becuase the Hubs were connected in series.

But if I connect the first Hub which is a USB2 Hub to the laptop and a USB1 Hub to the USB2 Hub, it seems to work ok.

Any thoughts on this ?

Oh by the way, both Hubs were powered by the laptop USB port.

And each port is limited to 500ma of power.

Use a externally powered hub should take care of the lack of power situation.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Train

And each port is limited to 500ma of power.

Use a externally powered hub should take care of the lack of power situation.

---

I assume you are referring to my question if I connet 2 hubs in series, will it cause erratic behavioural problem on the laptop ?

It can cause problems... You can always test it for yourself.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Steve R Jones

It can cause problems... You can always test it for yourself.

---

yes, I did get erratic system behaviour, but was not sure if this is caused by the hubs connected in series or part of the problem that I am having with the AVG Watchdog blocking bootup problem I posted in another thread here.

So just needed confimation which you have made. Thanks.