Launchkey Mini mk3 and iPad8 mobile settings...

DMfan

@steve99 said:
@arfo62 Also I think your confusing the usb names which might be hindering your cable search? USB3 (or 2) doesn’t come into it. It doesn’t make any difference for supplying power.

USB-A is the older flat rectangle connector, USB-C the newer smaller connector.

@steve99 is right here @arfo62.

/DMfan🇸🇪

steve99

@DMfan said:

We have different experiences here. I used to have an LK mk1 and always powered it off my then Lightning iPad with no issues.

And my bad there - you’re indeed correct about the LK mk1, thanks for clarifying.

Just plugged mine in and had a quick go with RD4 by mikrosonic, a very underrated Rebirth/Pure Acid type app that has full integration with the LK mk1, gave me a warm acidic feeling all over - but I digress…

Definitely though for the OP, if adding more devices is the plan, a powered hub is the way to go. Then, if you move from lightning to usb-c you no longer need to power the hub (or switch to a multi usb usb-c adapter with PD).

My original post with my DIY hub was to demonstrate that, sadly, there’s never really been a satisfactory solution for a battery powered hub. So, if you want to be fully mobile, you have to cobble your own together with a powerbank and, optionally, glue / rubber bands / Velcro.

arfo62

@steve99 said:>
In your drawing number 2, you need to power the usb hub rather than the cck. Power both if you want to keep your iPad charged (both off the same power bank should be ok).

Thank you for all your replies @steve99 !
So, if I've understood well, you suggest to do this kind of linking:

@steve99 said:>
USB-A is the older flat rectangle connector, USB-C the newer smaller connector.

I know they have different shapes but I was thinking that 1-2-3 type (white, black, blue) was important; as @DMfan explained (I can't find where but I remember he wrote something like that...) it's my mistake; can you confirm it?

@DMfan said:
@steve99 is right here @arfo62.

/DMfan🇸🇪

Ok!

Art

arfo62

Just to be sure: one of these cables should be what I need...

https://www.amazon.it/Anker-Lightning-certificato-sincronizzazione-compatibile/dp/B07Q4V9HPN/ref=sr_1_2?crid=3AN9LV8P2I986&keywords=anker+cable+lightning&qid=1667949354&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIwLjk5IiwicXNhIjoiMS4wMCIsInFzcCI6IjEuMDAifQ==&sprefix=anker+cable,aps,105&sr=8-2&th=1

https://www.amazon.it/Anker-Lightning-Powerline-Certificato-Compatibilità/dp/B071JQSQLN/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3AN9LV8P2I986&keywords=anker+cable+lightning&qid=1667949354&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIwLjk5IiwicXNhIjoiMS4wMCIsInFzcCI6IjEuMDAifQ==&sprefix=anker+cable,aps,105&sr=8-1

Thank you again!
Art

steve99

@arfo62

Yes your drawing is exactly right.

Both your cables would be fine, but for power just about any old cable will do, only the 2 internal Red and black wires will actually be doing anything, nothing special needed.

The trickier one is a usb cable to power your hub, as hubs have different size connectors and different polarities. In my experience most take 5v centre positive and a 1.35mm dc plug, but there is no general rule. If you have a plug-in power supply see what it says on that - you can’t do much damage with the wrong size plug (it just won’t fit) or too low a voltage from a 5v powerbank (it’s going to be 5v or more, so just won’t work if it needs more), but if the polarity of the plug tip is wrong you will probably fry the hub.

I’ll go get a link to a 5V/1.35mm positive tip cable and add here (not endorsing Amazon, just to show the kind of cable):

https://www.amazon.co.uk/CableDeconn-1-35-Barrel-Power-Cable-black/dp/B01F1VT2X8

steve99

@arfo62 and I think the usb 3 confusion was that Apple chose to brand the CCK with both the lightning power and usb-a inputs as the ‘USB 3 CCK’. That’s never had any significance for me for music interfaces and controllers, I guess it might for hard drives and transferring data? It was though a welcome revolution when it arrived to avoid running out of battery

arfo62

@steve99 said:
@arfo62

Yes your drawing is exactly right.

Both your cables would be fine, but for power just about any old cable will do, only the 2 internal Red and black wires will actually be doing anything, nothing special needed.

The trickier one is a usb cable to power your hub, as hubs have different size connectors and different polarities. In my experience most take 5v centre positive and a 1.35mm dc plug, but there is no general rule. If you have a plug-in power supply see what it says on that - you can’t do much damage with the wrong size plug (it just won’t fit) or too low a voltage from a 5v powerbank (it’s going to be 5v or more, so just won’t work if it needs more), but if the polarity of the plug tip is wrong you will probably fry the hub.

I’ll go get a link to a 5V/1.35mm positive tip cable and add here (not endorsing Amazon, just to show the kind of cable):

https://www.amazon.co.uk/CableDeconn-1-35-Barrel-Power-Cable-black/dp/B01F1VT2X8

You're really very kind @steve99 ! Hope I can return, one day...

I've this hub, that I bought with the power bank, and it's USB C powered so, if I understand well, I can power it with a USB A > USB C cable coming from my PB ...

Hope I'm done now! I'll let you know...

All my best,

Art

steve99

@arfo62

No problem, it can be a painful journey.

I can’t see your hub from that link, but usb-c powered sounds ideal - wish I’d had one of them

arfo62

@steve99 said:
@arfo62

No problem, it can be a painful journey.

I can’t see your hub from that link, but usb-c powered sounds ideal - wish I’d had one of them

Maybe not painful, fortunately , but a bit tricky...

This is the hub

and this the power bank

Thanks again!

steve99

@arfo62
Hmmm…. That being a usb-c hub I’m not sure what would happen, I would have said you needed a usb 2 or 3 hub (numbers come back into here, but for music gear it doesn’t matter which).

As I’m sure you’ve discovered, you’ll need an adapter to get that into a lightning iPad CCK. Has that worked for you? I have one similar and a usb-c female to usb-a male adapter, I’ll try it out.

Any powerbank with a 2v output should do the job, that one looks good.

arfo62

Hi @steve99 it seems I have made it…
I could play LKey with all my compatible apps and I also added a ZOOM H4N to the hub, that I can use as a soundcard…
Tomorrow I’ll post a photo and/or a drawing.
I needed the USB C > USB A adapter, actually, but I had it yet

steve99

@arfo62 that’s great to hear and we’ve all learned things along the way. Like @DMfan advised, let’s go make some music

arfo62

Hi everybody,

here my ultimate setting (I post a photo using Koala, as it is clearer, and a drawing that tries to explain everything:

I can use every app like I didn't until @steve99 suggested to power USB hub and aìeverything is fine but...
...as I realized this afternoon iPad is not in charge

So I have one more question (hoping is my last one... ): do I need to link USB hub even to Lightning port on CCK? Is it correct? I still have to test How long can I work with my current setting?

Thanx to everyone who answered my questions!

Art

espiegel123

@arfo62 said:
Hi everybody,

here my ultimate setting (I post a photo using Koala, as it is clearer, and a drawing that tries to explain everything:

I can use every app like I didn't until @steve99 suggested to power USB hub and aìeverything is fine but...
...as I realized this afternoon iPad is not in charge

So I have one more question (hoping is my last one... ): do I need to link USB hub even to Lightning port on CCK? Is it correct? I still have to test How long can I work with my current setting?

Thanx to everyone who answered my questions!

Art

To charge the ipad, you need to connect a lightning power source to the cck. the usb port is only for data. the lightning port only for power.

steve99

@arfo62

As @espiegel123 says, but if you have a choice of voltages on your powerbank run the higher one (2A) to the CCK iPAD.

At the risk of over-complicating things again, there are some USB 2.0 hubs like this one by D-link I use on my ‘big rig’ that pass 2.4A through the ports, so you can run a charge cable from the hub (but still ultimately the same number of cables as having 2 from your powerbank):

https://www.amazon.co.uk/D-Link-7-Port-External-USB-DUB-H7/dp/B0002AFZVM?pd_rd_w=veNpB&content-id=amzn1.sym.2fea9265-6ce8-40b5-908e-3e55f1bdf7f9&pf_rd_p=2fea9265-6ce8-40b5-908e-3e55f1bdf7f9&pf_rd_r=GFMCDSK7AEZ5YDMMNGD0&pd_rd_wg=tkuNH&pd_rd_r=f416afba-068d-48d0-9dbd-94a127377d1e&pd_rd_i=B0002AFZVM&psc=1&ref_=pd_basp_bia_rpt_ba_s_13_sc

steve99

@arfo62 so to be clear, run a second power cable (a regular usb-a to lightning charge cable) from your power bank to the lightning port on the CCK and you should be good.

arfo62

@espiegel123 said:

To charge the ipad, you need to connect a lightning power source to the cck. the usb port is only for data. the lightning port only for power.

Thank you @espiegel123 , this is what I intended, probably as @steve99 suggests in his following posts: USB port two on Power Bank going to Lightning port on CCK

arfo62

@steve99 said:
@arfo62 so to be clear, run a second power cable (a regular usb-a to lightning charge cable) from your power bank to the lightning port on the CCK and you should be good.

I was first thinking going from a Hub port to Lightning port on CCK but this second one is possibly the simpliest solution.
Mobility is definitely not an easy way

steve99

@arfo62 said:

@steve99 said:
@arfo62 so to be clear, run a second power cable (a regular usb-a to lightning charge cable) from your power bank to the lightning port on the CCK and you should be good.

I was first thinking going from a Hub port to Lightning port on CCK but this second one is possibly the simpliest solution.
Mobility is definitely not an easy way

Yes, unlikely the hub will provide enough Amps to power the iPad (unless it’s by design like the one I linked above).

(I mixed up my ‘V’s and ‘A’s in the post above which I’ve now corrected). Everything is 5 Volts, iPad needs 2 Amps to charge properly.

arfo62

Hi friends,
I eventually got the ‘missing cable’ and now I ha ve a complete mobile setting, as you can see in the photo.
I think I’ll use the LaunchKey mainly but this way I can plug LaunchControl XL and Zoom H4N too (this one not always works correctly, for the truth, and I can’t figure out why, but this is for another thread…)
Thank you everybody for helping and being patient! 🙏🏻😊

Arturo