USB adaptor

rmg1

Hi all

I'm fairly certain I'm looking for a unicorn but thought I'd ask on here just in case......

My car has a single USB port for media.
I could do with a second port so I can plug in a USB drive (for music) and my phone (for maps, etc) at the same time.

I know, for computers, you can get a USB hub to increase the number of ports but I'm not what connection it uses.
Is such a thing available/suitable for cars?

I'm not very hopeful but thought it worth an ask (bigger/better brains than mine on here).

TIA

Richard

Brie

I've got a usb hub for my pc and have several things plugged in to that.  I bought something similar for my car so I now have 2 usb sockets available so I can be charging both my tablet and my phone at the same time.  There are lots available online.  I have found, though, that charging takes longer when having 2 items plugged in.

DullGreyGuy

A basic USB hub just has a USB connector (A or C shape typically) for connecting up to the source. In principle it should work with the car but the power is going to be shared between the hub and all the devices connected to it. Modern computers can provide a notable amount of power over USB so this works ok but the car may be more limited and so it may or may not work (I'm assuming connecting the phone is just for power and not to hook up to the head unit)

Does the car have what formally would have been a cigarette lighter? If so you can get a USB adapter for those. 

Emmia

If you have a cigarette lighter socket, you can buy USB plugs to go into them, which would power/charge things.

And there are things like this: available which are mini usb hubs https://amzn.eu/d/e2cLJjW

Whether you could control the devices through your car systems though is a different question.

rmg1

Thanks for the quick responses.
To answer a few questions, I would like the choice of USB drive (for music) and my phone (connected to the head unit for maps) so would need both.
It's not just for charging (which is a shame)

@Emmia - That looks like it could be useful

Ayr_Rage

I doubt that a car's USB port will support a hub in the way you want.

Andy_L

Can the media port access the music if you copy it onto the phone? or can the phone connect via Bluetooth to the stereo?

Cisco001

Store the music in phone connect phone with bluetooth/ andriod auto/ apple carplay.

rmg1

Going to be a bit outlandish here so feel free to chuckle.......
Get two USB female connectors and connected the powerlines together, that should give power to both.
I then put a switch on the data line(s).
Obviously, I'd need to connect it to a USB male to plug into the current port.

Would that work or am I totally insane?

PHK

It's unlikely to work because USB is a negotiated connection. When two devices connect they communicate  to set how they will operate. 

So you'd need to switch all the lines, power and data making sure the switch is break before make (other wise you run the risk of connecting the two slave devices together) and the devices are okay with being unplugged while working. 

RumRat

If your phone is supplying maps via Android Auto or Carplay to the cars head unit, could you not use Spotify or similar for music?