Strange Laptop Speaker(??) Noise Interference ?

[slickcondo]

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.

[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.

[slickcondo]

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 ?

[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.

[slickcondo]

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.

[Train]

And each port is limited to 500ma of power.

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

[slickcondo]

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 ?

[Steve R Jones]

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

[slickcondo]

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.