USB Sharing Hub for Canon T3i?

[theloadedbowl]

Hey everybody, I'm using my T3i to do a solo project with me as the only crew member. There are two camera accessories that I want to use at the same time with my canon T3i, but both operate by being plugged into the camera's one and only mini usb port! I want to be able to plug in a focus controller and a wifi module into the T3i's mini usb port at the same time. Can this be done with a usb sharing hub of some kind and if so, does such a hub even exist? Basically, I want to be able to focus my lens using the remote whilst also using the wifi module to use my smart phone as a video monitor...but I gotta know if it's possible to be able to plug in both at the same time! Wish that t3i's came with two mini usb ports instead of one 😞 

[ebiggs1]

Never tried that but my experience tells me it won't work.  There is a reason why there is only one port.  Give it a go and report your findings.

[RobertTheFat]

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@theloadedbowl wrote:

Hey everybody, I'm using my T3i to do a solo project with me as the only crew member. There are two camera accessories that I want to use at the same time with my canon T3i, but both operate by being plugged into the camera's one and only mini usb port! I want to be able to plug in a focus controller and a wifi module into the T3i's mini usb port at the same time. Can this be done with a usb sharing hub of some kind and if so, does such a hub even exist? Basically, I want to be able to focus my lens using the remote whilst also using the wifi module to use my smart phone as a video monitor...but I gotta know if it's possible to be able to plug in both at the same time! Wish that t3i's came with two mini usb ports instead of one 😞 

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All the hubs I ever saw go at the "A" end of the USB cable, and that's the end opposite to where the camera goes. IOW, if a device (e.g., a computer) connects to a camera's mini-USB port, then you could use a hub to connect the computer to more than one camera. But I don't think you could use it to connect the camera to more than one computer. You should probably google some of the USB vendors to see what kinds of tricky devices might be out there, but I'm inclined to doubt that what you're trying to do is possible.

[Skirball]

A host can manage multiple peripherals/slaves, but a peripheral can't juggle multiple hosts without something controlling the traffic.  A computer, or any host USB device, has host controller drivers to manage this function.  Your camera on the other hand is a peripheral, or slave.  It just does what the host tells it to do.  I would guess that even if you were able to physically connect both devices, without a controller to manage traffic and decide which information goes to which host, it's not going to work, at least not stable.