When Hubs do more than add more ports (Belkin TuneSync for iPod)

Member Name: tlmartin

Product:	Belkin TuneSync for iPod
Date:	26/05/09 (14 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: 5 USB2.0 Powered sockets, iPod Dock, 3.5mm Stereo Jack

Disadvantages: it only comes in white

I got 5 of these from Boffer (read my Boffer review) for around £35 in total.
1 Made a great christmas pressie to a friend that had a couple of Ipods, I have personally used one now I changed my PC set up, and now I have 3 left that I am gonna bung on eBay.

Belkin always has been a top quality brand, and I do like their equipment. The TuneSync just makes perfect sense. I have used USB hubs from Belkin before and never previously needed to use the iPod one, however when I got my new Vauxhall Insignia with its built in USB port for the iPod I decided to leave my iPod cable and add this docking point for the iPod, to charge or sync. The other bonys being with my iiYama B2409HDS (see that review too excellent monitor) and its built in speakers if i need some music i can use the 3.5mm jack out of the USB TuneSync dock through to the input in the monitor to play some basic music that way, if I am getting sound out of my main speakers while marking work.

So back to the features of the TuneSync.
It is a 5 port USB 2.0 hub, it is a powered hub so make sure you have a power socket near by. The Hub naturally plus into a USB socket on your PC, and has the 5 ports hidden in the back.
On the top as you can see is a very open plug for all standard iPods
(nope I do not think this will work for the iPhone or iTouch, although i could be wrong, but i believe they have different connectors to the other iPods)
You can place in 1 of the 9 dock adapters that come with it for various models of the iPod. My friend has a newer 160GB classic and that fits perfectly, as does the 80GB classic I got my partner.
I personally have the 80GB 5G which also fits in perfectly.

Now when I come in from work I can plug the iPod into the dock, use it if i need to, charge it, synbc it, either way it no longer rests on the desk taking up space it has a designated spot and looks stylish. I can plug any devicesd i need into the 5 USB in the back and have them all linkled through to my PC< so now on the desk I have 12 USB 2.0 ports available to me easily wihtout having to route behind my PC.

he other bonus this has is it has a 3.5mm Stereo jack out on the side, so you can output what is being played into speakers/headphones,e tc. and as my main PC uses decent speakers for its normal use, I will have occaisons when I can;t use those when marking multimedia work, but I still want some music on, althought the 2w speakers ion my monitor will not be great I can actually put them to good use, so all my equipment is used effectivly and I don't go with out.

This is a fantasitc bit of kit, well worth having one of. I am considering putting one downstairs hooked up to the hifi with 3.5mm jack to phono conenctors, and using the powered USB ports to charge the 360 and Wii controller batteries that have USB charging facilities, and save on ahving to plug them into the consoles themselves (while keepign them tidyly away in a cupboard)

NB on the box it says it is for;
iPod 3G, 4G, 5G Video, mini, nano and photo
but the classic also fits in one of these adapters (it just wasn't out at the time this product was released)

Summary: Fantastic bit of kit, well worth getting if you have an iPod