Wireless USB for only $30 per foot!

I just received the new Belkin "Cable Free USB Hub".  For those who
don't like to read much, here is the bottom line first: Don't buy
this piece of junk!  Now the details.

The Belkin Cable Free USB Hub looked like a good way to do wireless
MIDI from a notebook computer to a piano, much better than the various
wireless MIDI devices.  I have been waiting for this device to be
available for over a year.  Belkin issued a press release for it about
1.5 years ago at a price of $129.  Shipping has been delayed several
times and the price has risen to $229.  I just got mine yesterday.

In spite of delays in shipping, supposedly due to FCC compliance
problems, Belkin didn't find time to test the system in the 1.5 years
they had.  They also never found the time to put any useful information
on their web site nor to answer technical questions sent in E-Mail.
They still have no useful information on their web site.

My test of the Belkin Cable Free Hub was with a 1 GHZ Pentium III
notebook computer running Windows XP professional with all the latest
updates.  The first surprise was that the USB dongle requires a USB 2
connection.  This is pretty crappy programming as virtually every other
USB device will operate on USB 1.1 at a lower speed.  My notebook
computer has only USB 1.1 so I had to buy a PCMCIA to USB2 adapter card.

Even though the dongle transmits only 80 microwatts of power it is
draws more power than the adapter can provide so an external power
supply is needed.  I never intended to use the thing and only wanted to
test it so this was no big deal.  The real problems are that the thing
is not compatible with many USB devices, including the M-Audio USB MIDI
interface, and that the range is pitiful.

I finally got the thing to work, after many reboots and crashes, with
a Roland Sound Canvas 8820 acting as a MIDI interface and had a chance
to test the "range" which is advertised as "up to 30-60 feet".  It
might as well be up to infinity because it is really about 8 feet
maximum.  You need a clear, unobstructed "line of sight" between the
dongle and the hub.  If someone passes a hand through the line of sight
between the two devices, the connection crashes and most likely will
bring down other stuff with it and necessitate rebooting the computer.

About half of my USB devices worked, and when one that did not work was
tried it usually either crashed the computer or messed it up enough
that it needed to be rebooted.  Not knowing the details, I am guessing
that Belkin has some serious driver or firmware problems.

It is very difficult to crash Win XP with a "Blue Screen of Death".
You have to write to protected memory and most software engineers know
that they have to be careful about what they are writing and where.
Belkin didn't seem to care about this.  It is one thing if a device is
not compatible because they never tested it, but it is another to write
carelessly to system memory.  All of the USB devices that did not work,
worked perfectly with other USB ports including the USB 1.1 native port
of the computer and the USB 2 adapter.

If putting up with all of this is worth the avoidance of an 8-foot MIDI
cable, then by all means spend the $240 dollars or so with tax and
shipping and enjoy the care and feeding of this finicky little piece
of junk.  Better yet, buy mine so I don't have to return it to Belkin.
I got a good price and will pass it along but will take no responsibility.

Belkin is supposed to get back to me once they determine why connecting
the M-Audio interface causes a Blue Screen of Death crash and why other
devices, that work fine on any other USB port, will not work with
theirs.

Best regards,
Spencer Chase
Laytonville, Calif.
http://www.spencerserolls.com/

 [ A recent review of the Belkin Cable-Free USB Hub is at
 [ http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/05/hands-on-with-belkins-cable-free-usb-hub/