I'm looking recommendations on a reliable 4-Port USB sharing switch, manual or auto, that would allow me to connect my Fanatec CSW to PC, PS3, or PS2 without having to unplug the USB cable each time.
I'm looking recommendations on a reliable 4-Port USB sharing switch, manual or auto, that would allow me to connect my Fanatec CSW to PC, PS3, or PS2 without having to unplug the USB cable each time.
In short don't, a LOT of hardware like Wheels and Joysticks do not like running through Hubs and switches. They each behave differently and don't like switching particularly either, honestly what is the issue with unplugging and moving the wheel anyway.
I made my own using a 4PDT (four pole, double throw) toggle switch. It's a huge chunky thing designed for high currents (15A at 230V AC) but all I had to do was solder up the four USB wires to the three groups of four contacts (centre group of four for the wheel input, one group of four for the PS3 cable, the other group of four for the PC cable), connect all the shields together and that was it. Now I can switch between PS3 and PC, the key thing being that it travels through a not connected state between the two devices so that the wheel is never shorted between the two, so it sees the switch exactly the same as it would see unplugging and replugging the cable.
You could also use a 4 pole rotary switch like this one (no idea where you'd get one in the States, though) as long as it's Break Before Make and not Make Before Break. BBM means it will be completely disconnected in the transition from one output to the next, MBB will short the two together and probably cause issues.
Might be worth pointing out that I have a G27 wired up to my switch and nothing else. It is entirely possible that any other device might be upset by the capacitance, resistance and/or inductance introduced by the switch, not to mention any external noise sources which may be a problem. So far I haven't had a single issue with any of the above, though.
