What do the USB ports on monitors do?

Soapy Sam · 22nd May 2012, 02:15 PM

There are 2 USB ports on my HP monitor. It dawns that I have no idea what they are for.

I tried plugging various things in, but Windows doesn't notice.

A kindle doesn't charge from them, so they are not even power supplies.

So , at the risk of seeming extremely dim... what are they for?

ETA- I just looked underneath. There's what I think of as a USB printer connection. Does this have to be connected to the PC to activate the ports?

*Sam goes grubbing in cable box*

Well. Dang me. That's exactly what it does.

OK. Nothing to see here. Move along...

Captain_Swoop · 22nd May 2012, 02:43 PM

What you have is a built in USB Hub
Somewhere on the monitor will be one of the square Peripheral usb sockets as seen on peripherals.

Plug a cable from your PC to the Monitor then you can plug your mouse and keyboard into it

Soapy Sam · 22nd May 2012, 02:45 PM

Yep. I figured that out, after turning the monitor upside down and knocking a heap of stuff on the floor.

The mouse & keyboard are wifi and plugged in at the back, where I rarely need to go. I guess it's a handy idea, but I already stuck a USB3 card in , for a 1TB external drive , so there's no port shortage.
I do wonder why they put them so close together. There's LOADS of space.

commandlinegamer · 22nd May 2012, 03:16 PM

If it's an old monitor it's very likely USB 1.1, so you'd be better off using the ports on the PC directly.

JoeBentley · 22nd May 2012, 04:47 PM

They make handy charging ports since they are usually more easily accessed then ports on the computer itself.

Wudang · 23rd May 2012, 01:08 AM

And they can be used with products like Matrox Dual Heads to tell the Matrox box what they are.

LarianLeQuella · 23rd May 2012, 04:21 AM

Originally Posted by JoeBentley

They make handy charging ports since they are usually more easily accessed then ports on the computer itself.

This is what I use mine for.

BenBurch · 23rd May 2012, 11:16 AM

Originally Posted by commandlinegamer

If it's an old monitor it's very likely USB 1.1, so you'd be better off using the ports on the PC directly.

Well, a mouse or keyboard would never notice the change.

Sam.I.Am · 23rd May 2012, 11:38 AM

Originally Posted by BenBurch

Well, a mouse or keyboard would never notice the change.

Or a printer. Or a game pad\joystick\steering wheel. Even USB speakers.

Unless it's a data storage device (hard drive, flash drive, mp3 player etc) USB 1.1 is just fine.

BenBurch · 23rd May 2012, 03:54 PM

Originally Posted by Sam.I.Am

Or a printer. Or a game pad\joystick\steering wheel. Even USB speakers.

Unless it's a data storage device (hard drive, flash drive, mp3 player etc) USB 1.1 is just fine.

I have a Sun giveaway five port USB-1.0 hub and it does just fine with most things.

Sam.I.Am · 23rd May 2012, 06:04 PM

Originally Posted by BenBurch

I have a Sun giveaway five port USB-1.0 hub and it does just fine with most things.

The only thing is that 1.X is very slow compared to 2.0 or 3.0. Data rates in megabytes per second:

USB 1.0 = 0.192 MBs
USB 1.1 = 1.5 MBs
USB 2.0 = 60 MBs
USB 3.0 = 625 MBs

Just to compare:

CD (1X) = 0.176 MBs
DVD (1x) = 1.32 MBs
802.11b wireless = 1.375 MBs
802.11g wireless = 6.75 MBs
802.11n wireless = 37.5 MBs

1.x is all well and good for things like mice and keyboards and so on where the data is in the form of a very short burst of information that's only a few bits in size at a time, the bandwidth is rarely in use and spends 99.9% of it's time waiting for input. For moving large amounts of data it's not great (it's doable but you really don't need to move more than a few hundred megs at a time (tops) over 1.x unless you really have to and you have no other option). 3.0 came about because of the increased popularity of very large USB portable hard drives.

Soapy Sam · 26th May 2012, 03:23 PM

Originally Posted by commandlinegamer

If it's an old monitor it's very likely USB 1.1, so you'd be better off using the ports on the PC directly.

HPw2228h
The ports are USB 2.0

22nd May 2012, 02:15 PM	#1
Soapy Sam NLH Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 25,885	What do the USB ports on monitors do? There are 2 USB ports on my HP monitor. It dawns that I have no idea what they are for. I tried plugging various things in, but Windows doesn't notice. A kindle doesn't charge from them, so they are not even power supplies. So , at the risk of seeming extremely dim... what are they for? ETA- I just looked underneath. There's what I think of as a USB printer connection. Does this have to be connected to the PC to activate the ports? Sam goes grubbing in cable box Well. Dang me. That's exactly what it does. OK. Nothing to see here. Move along...
Soapy Sam NLH Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 25,885	Last edited by Soapy Sam; 22nd May 2012 at 02:25 PM.

22nd May 2012, 02:45 PM	#3
Soapy Sam NLH Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 25,885	Yep. I figured that out, after turning the monitor upside down and knocking a heap of stuff on the floor. The mouse & keyboard are wifi and plugged in at the back, where I rarely need to go. I guess it's a handy idea, but I already stuck a USB3 card in , for a 1TB external drive , so there's no port shortage. I do wonder why they put them so close together. There's LOADS of space.
Soapy Sam NLH Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 25,885	Last edited by Soapy Sam; 22nd May 2012 at 02:48 PM.

22nd May 2012, 03:16 PM	#4
commandlinegamer Philosopher Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Mazes of Menace Posts: 5,904	If it's an old monitor it's very likely USB 1.1, so you'd be better off using the ports on the PC directly.
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22nd May 2012, 04:47 PM	#5
JoeBentley Self Employed Remittance Man Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Norfolk, VA Posts: 1,766	They make handy charging ports since they are usually more easily accessed then ports on the computer itself.
	__________________ - Opinions require evidence and no before you ask defining something as "Something doesn't require evidence" doesn't count. - In extreme cases continuing to be wrong when you've been repeatedly proven to be wrong is a form of rudeness. - Major in philosophy. That way you can also ask people "why" they would like fries would that.

23rd May 2012, 01:08 AM	#6
Wudang BOFH Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Sheffield Posts: 8,247	And they can be used with products like Matrox Dual Heads to tell the Matrox box what they are.
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22nd May 2012, 02:43 PM	#2
Captain_Swoop Illuminator Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: North Yorkshire Posts: 3,940	What you have is a built in USB Hub Somewhere on the monitor will be one of the square Peripheral usb sockets as seen on peripherals. Plug a cable from your PC to the Monitor then you can plug your mouse and keyboard into it

23rd May 2012, 04:21 AM	#7
LarianLeQuella Elf Wino Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: 3rd Rock from the Sun Posts: 1,995	Originally Posted by JoeBentley They make handy charging ports since they are usually more easily accessed then ports on the computer itself. This is what I use mine for.
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23rd May 2012, 11:16 AM	#8
BenBurch Gatekeeper of The Left Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: The Universe 35.2 ms ahead of this one. Posts: 32,193	Originally Posted by commandlinegamer If it's an old monitor it's very likely USB 1.1, so you'd be better off using the ports on the PC directly. Well, a mouse or keyboard would never notice the change.
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23rd May 2012, 11:38 AM	#9
Sam.I.Am Illuminator Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Hunting Moose and Squirrel Posts: 4,154	Originally Posted by BenBurch Well, a mouse or keyboard would never notice the change. Or a printer. Or a game pad\joystick\steering wheel. Even USB speakers. Unless it's a data storage device (hard drive, flash drive, mp3 player etc) USB 1.1 is just fine.
	__________________ "Swift, silent and deadly" was a part of my job description Upon hearing me say that my friend asked me "So you're a fart?"... About my avatar.

23rd May 2012, 03:54 PM	#10
BenBurch Gatekeeper of The Left Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: The Universe 35.2 ms ahead of this one. Posts: 32,193	Originally Posted by Sam.I.Am Or a printer. Or a game pad\joystick\steering wheel. Even USB speakers. Unless it's a data storage device (hard drive, flash drive, mp3 player etc) USB 1.1 is just fine. I have a Sun giveaway five port USB-1.0 hub and it does just fine with most things.
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23rd May 2012, 06:04 PM	#11
Sam.I.Am Illuminator Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Hunting Moose and Squirrel Posts: 4,154	Originally Posted by BenBurch I have a Sun giveaway five port USB-1.0 hub and it does just fine with most things. The only thing is that 1.X is very slow compared to 2.0 or 3.0. Data rates in megabytes per second: USB 1.0 = 0.192 MBs USB 1.1 = 1.5 MBs USB 2.0 = 60 MBs USB 3.0 = 625 MBs Just to compare: CD (1X) = 0.176 MBs DVD (1x) = 1.32 MBs 802.11b wireless = 1.375 MBs 802.11g wireless = 6.75 MBs 802.11n wireless = 37.5 MBs 1.x is all well and good for things like mice and keyboards and so on where the data is in the form of a very short burst of information that's only a few bits in size at a time, the bandwidth is rarely in use and spends 99.9% of it's time waiting for input. For moving large amounts of data it's not great (it's doable but you really don't need to move more than a few hundred megs at a time (tops) over 1.x unless you really have to and you have no other option). 3.0 came about because of the increased popularity of very large USB portable hard drives.
	__________________ "Swift, silent and deadly" was a part of my job description Upon hearing me say that my friend asked me "So you're a fart?"... About my avatar.

26th May 2012, 03:23 PM	#12
Soapy Sam NLH Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 25,885	Originally Posted by commandlinegamer If it's an old monitor it's very likely USB 1.1, so you'd be better off using the ports on the PC directly. HPw2228h The ports are USB 2.0
Soapy Sam NLH Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 25,885