Can I use a USB Keyboard AND Plug in Power (hub) ?

jgbout · 03-12-2021, 07:21 PM

So, I'm wondering if I want to use an e-ink Android device as a word processor with a keyboard, can I use a USB keboard and still be plugged in?

That is, where these devices only have a single USB-c port for power or devices, can I plug the Tablet into a USB Hub to have charge, and have a USB keyboard plugged into the Hub and both work?

OR is there a way to set this up?

I want to be able to be working on wall AC power and have a USB Keyboard plugged in.

Thank you.

note--- I suppose if I'm using a USB Keyboard then I won't be drawing on the battery of the Tablet so bad because it won't have Bluetooth turned on, it will just be page refreshing from typing/scrolling, right?

Is that enough of a save to not bother with having the Tablet also plugged in?

ottischwenk · 03-13-2021, 12:11 AM

No - that doesn't work.
Active USB hubs do not charge the tablet, they only provide power for the connected devices.
If you want to work with wall power, why not use a multi-port wall adapter?
Apart from that, continuous charging is neither healthy for tablet nor for BT keyboard - both can last more than 1 day of work and if necessary they are then charged during the night.

Quoth · 03-13-2021, 10:59 AM

Very very few tablets or phones can charge from the USB socket when it's in USB2Go host mode connecting to a hub, keyboard or anything. Most only charge (take external power AT ALL) when in slave mode, to a charger or a USB host port.

It's not an Android issue. It's a non-standard hardware design on some phones and tablets. Some are Windows and some are Android.

I have two special power splitter cables. One only works with the special hardware of phone or tablet. The other is simply powering a slave device from your charger to save the tablet battery, which a powered hub can also do. Neither the in port of a hub, nor the splitter cable will power the phone or tablet.

You can simply uses a BT keyboard and have the ink tablet on the charger. If it's properly designed it won't do it any harm. Similarly you can charge the BT Keyboard from a separate charger or a dual outlet charger. There is no point to a hub.

Any OUT port on a hub can charge the tablet, but it is then in slave mode and can't connect to the OUT port with a USB keyboard.

A few current tablets (not eink) do have a separate coax socket for power. Mostly those are the only ones that can use USB slave devices and charge.

Few BT keyboards are as good as a USB slave.

03-12-2021, 07:21 PM	#1
jgbout Groupie Posts: 190 Karma: 20210 Join Date: Feb 2021 Device: none	Can I use a USB Keyboard AND Plug in Power (hub) ? So, I'm wondering if I want to use an e-ink Android device as a word processor with a keyboard, can I use a USB keboard and still be plugged in? That is, where these devices only have a single USB-c port for power or devices, can I plug the Tablet into a USB Hub to have charge, and have a USB keyboard plugged into the Hub and both work? OR is there a way to set this up? I want to be able to be working on wall AC power and have a USB Keyboard plugged in. Thank you. note--- I suppose if I'm using a USB Keyboard then I won't be drawing on the battery of the Tablet so bad because it won't have Bluetooth turned on, it will just be page refreshing from typing/scrolling, right? Is that enough of a save to not bother with having the Tablet also plugged in?

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03-13-2021, 12:11 AM	#2
ottischwenk Wizard Posts: 2,910 Karma: 3933245 Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Salzburg AT Device: Bigme 3/3, Boox 4/14, Like-/Meebook 2/8, Tolino 1/10, Ki/Ko 0/8	No - that doesn't work. Active USB hubs do not charge the tablet, they only provide power for the connected devices. If you want to work with wall power, why not use a multi-port wall adapter? Apart from that, continuous charging is neither healthy for tablet nor for BT keyboard - both can last more than 1 day of work and if necessary they are then charged during the night.

03-13-2021, 10:59 AM	#3
Quoth Still reading Posts: 14,022 Karma: 105092227 Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Ireland Device: All 4 Kinds: epub eink, Kindle, android eink, NxtPaper	Very very few tablets or phones can charge from the USB socket when it's in USB2Go host mode connecting to a hub, keyboard or anything. Most only charge (take external power AT ALL) when in slave mode, to a charger or a USB host port. It's not an Android issue. It's a non-standard hardware design on some phones and tablets. Some are Windows and some are Android. I have two special power splitter cables. One only works with the special hardware of phone or tablet. The other is simply powering a slave device from your charger to save the tablet battery, which a powered hub can also do. Neither the in port of a hub, nor the splitter cable will power the phone or tablet. You can simply uses a BT keyboard and have the ink tablet on the charger. If it's properly designed it won't do it any harm. Similarly you can charge the BT Keyboard from a separate charger or a dual outlet charger. There is no point to a hub. Any OUT port on a hub can charge the tablet, but it is then in slave mode and can't connect to the OUT port with a USB keyboard. A few current tablets (not eink) do have a separate coax socket for power. Mostly those are the only ones that can use USB slave devices and charge. Few BT keyboards are as good as a USB slave.

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