# Mini USB port - what's it for?



## dougdingle (Jul 4, 2007)

Can't seem to find any info on what the USB socket on the mini does...


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## BigJimOutlaw (Mar 21, 2004)

Supports the dongles for the Slide remotes.


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## tarheelblue32 (Jan 13, 2014)

Though the "new" Mini doesn't need the dongle since it has RF capability built in. So I guess the new Mini's USB port is there just in case it's ever needed for something.


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

tarheelblue32 said:


> Though the "new" Mini doesn't need the dongle since it has RF capability built in. So I guess the new Mini's USB port is there just in case it's ever needed for something.


It can power a cooling fan. I use a whisper quiet fan under three of my Minis to keep them cooler. If I had gen 2 Minis I would use the USB port to power the fan. But since I have Gen 1 I need to use the USB port for the RF dongle for the Slide remotes.


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## fcfc2 (Feb 19, 2015)

aaronwt said:


> It can power a cooling fan. I use a whisper quiet fan under three of my Minis to keep them cooler. If I had gen 2 Minis I would use the USB port to power the fan. But since I have Gen 1 I need to use the USB port for the RF dongle for the Slide remotes.


Hi Aaronwt,
Is there any chance that you have either a link or manufacturer, model number etc. I tried some cheap laptop cooler type fans but the one I have is kind of noisy. Thanks.


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## HarperVision (May 14, 2007)

aaronwt said:


> It can power a cooling fan. I use a whisper quiet fan under three of my Minis to keep them cooler. If I had gen 2 Minis I would use the USB port to power the fan. But since I have Gen 1 I need to use the USB port for the RF dongle for the Slide remotes.


Wouldn't the added electrical load and current flow used by the fan end up increasing the mini's internal temp, thereby negating most of the effects of the fan in the first place?


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

HarperVision said:


> Wouldn't the added electrical load and current flow used by the fan end up increasing the mini's internal temp, thereby negating most of the effects of the fan in the first place?


I don't see how. The power usage is small. Without a fan I will see 50+ temps. With a fan the temps are in the 30's.


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

fcfc2 said:


> Hi Aaronwt,
> Is there any chance that you have either a link or manufacturer, model number etc. I tried some cheap laptop cooler type fans but the one I have is kind of noisy. Thanks.


These are the fans I ended up using since they were very inexpensive.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0036RH5ZM?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpage

They were a little large for the Mini but since the cost was so low I got several.(but they are cheaply made hence the low price) Although I did have one fan go out after twenty months of use. So I ended up putting one of my PC whisper quiet fans underneath instead. I just removed the defective fan and put the small pC fan under the housing.


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## HarperVision (May 14, 2007)

aaronwt said:


> I don't see how. The power usage is small. Without a fan I will see 50+ temps. With a fan the temps are in the 30's.


Did you try it with the fan connected to the mini's USB port though?


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

HarperVision said:


> Did you try it with the fan connected to the mini's USB port though?


I did on one of my Minis a long time ago. It seemed to work fine for the short time I had it connected. The results seemed the same whether I was connected to the Mini USB port or to a small USB power adapter. But I did not have it connected for long term use.

In the end the Mini is suppsoed to be designed for passive cooling so the cooling fans I use should not be needed. But I have been using them anyway for three of my Minis. On my fourth Mini, which was free, I don't have a fan on it. I haven't even looked at it in months but I assume the mini is still working.

EDIT: I think I did look at that mini to check for a software update earlier in the Spring.


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## ej42137 (Feb 16, 2014)

HarperVision said:


> Wouldn't the added electrical load and current flow used by the fan end up increasing the mini's internal temp, thereby negating most of the effects of the fan in the first place?


The wattage of a muffin fan is insignificant compared to the watts consumed by the power supply and other electronics. If your supposition were true the cooling fans in a PC would be useless, when in fact they are critical.


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## HarperVision (May 14, 2007)

ej42137 said:


> The wattage of a muffin fan is insignificant compared to the watts consumed by the power supply and other electronics. If your supposition were true the cooling fans in a PC would be useless, when in fact they are critical.


But those are already designed and engineered with the fan in mind while the mini wasn't designed for the constant added load on its USB port.

I'm not saying you're wrong, just that's what popped in my head when I read it.


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## ej42137 (Feb 16, 2014)

HarperVision said:


> But those are already designed and engineered with the fan in mind while the mini wasn't designed for the constant added load on its USB port.
> 
> I'm not saying you're wrong, just that's what popped in my head when I read it.


Please reread my first sentence. If you don't understand what it means I'll send you some links to basic physics texts to review.


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## HarperVision (May 14, 2007)

ej42137 said:


> Please reread my first sentence. If you don't understand what it means I'll send you some links to basic physics texts to review.


Fair enough, thanks for the clarification!  :up:


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## JBDragon (Jan 4, 2004)

Wouldn't adding a FAN really just created unwanted noise and cause the Mini to collect dust built up internally much faster. Your physically blowing air though it when no air is normally blowing through it. I can look at my PC with all it's fan's and see how much dust it collects and I have to clean out of it once in a while. At least it has screens and I can open it up easily and get inside and blow out. 

To me it may work with the fan and cool it down some, does it really need to be cooled down more? It was designed not to need a fan in the first place, but now with a external fan, your blowing air though it which means you are also blowing dust though it which will collect internally and cause it to heat back up and maybe make things worse in the end?!?!


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

JBDragon said:


> Wouldn't adding a FAN really just created unwanted noise and cause the Mini to collect dust built up internally much faster. Your physically blowing air though it when no air is normally blowing through it. I can look at my PC with all it's fan's and see how much dust it collects and I have to clean out of it once in a while. At least it has screens and I can open it up easily and get inside and blow out.
> 
> To me it may work with the fan and cool it down some, does it really need to be cooled down more? It was designed not to need a fan in the first place, but now with a external fan, your blowing air though it which means you are also blowing dust though it which will collect internally and cause it to heat back up and maybe make things worse in the end?!?!


Noise? Not the fans I have. They are whisper quiet. No idea about the dust though. I haven't looked inside my Minis. But there have been no heat issues with dust build up.


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