Do I actually need a usb hub?

[Treguard]

Initially i did purchase a zero4u to allow me to use a usb dac and also have a port for a keyboard.
Now i'm not using the dac, is there any reason why a hub would be needed? Ie i could just get away with the one micro usb port on the pi and use an adaptor to plug a keyboard in.

I cant think of any other components that would use a usb port.

[Chedda]

If you are not having anything else inside, nope. No need for a USB hub.

[Treguard]

If you are not having anything else inside, nope. No need for a USB hub.

Thanks for the reply. I was trying to think about it logically, but logic seems to have escaped me today!

[Chedda]

Thanks for the reply. I was trying to think about it logically, but logic seems to have escaped me today!

No prob. Trying to start a community and help people learn in the process is fun. Glad to help.

[Zero]

If you edit everything via the sd card in a card reader in a pc then no. If you want to edit files on the pi you need keyboard/mouse combo which you can get away with not using a hub for by using an otg cable. If you want to edit via a pc over ssh you need a wifi dongle, if you don't use a hub you will have to swap out the keyboard/nouse combo with the dongle to juggle setting up the wifi settings which is quite annoying.

I find ssh the easiest method overall personally so prefer to have a hub. This allows a usb dac and spare usb port to be used together easily for whatever I want later on. It's all personal preference of course and you can get away with no hub if you wanted. I find it's easier to use one initially for all the setup steps and usually end up leaving it in.

[Treguard]

If you edit everything via the sd card in a card reader in a pc then no. If you want to edit files on the pi you need keyboard/mouse combo which you can get away with not using a hub for by using an otg cable. If you want to edit via a pc over ssh you need a wifi dongle, if you don't use a hub you will have to swap out the keyboard/nouse combo with the dongle to juggle setting up the wifi settings which is quite annoying.

I find ssh the easiest method overall personally so prefer to have a hub. This allows a usb dac and spare usb port to be used together easily for whatever I want later on. It's all personal preference of course and you can get away with no hub if you wanted. I find it's easier to use one initially for all the setup steps and usually end up leaving it in.

Am I right in thinking that when you exit retropie, there isnt a graphical interface...isn't it just a linux command line? Hmm i know I'm not a fan of using notepad to edit the config as it doesn't put each entry on a separate line...it looks very untidy to use.
Having said that I think id struggle reading and editing on a 320x240 screen.
I'm somewhat tempted to put the pi against the side of the card so i can cut a hole and access the hdmi port.

I didn't realise a mouse would be needed though?

[Zero]

Yes it goes to a command line. Some people run Raspbian as well as Retropie on their cards, so a mouse is useful there. Notepad is crap for editing files, I suggest Wordpad instead. And yes, the screen resolution makes it hard to read anything unless you change the text size. Yet more reasons I prefer using a hub and my wifi dongle with ssh from a pc.

[aaronk]

Makes a lot of sense, but what about the Teensy? If you hook it up using the USB pads on the pi, doesn't that mean that the jack will be dead when you want to put a keyboard to it? will you have to desolder the teensy every time?

[Zero]

A teensy isn't needed at all if you have enough gpio pins spare, it's just an extra expense and takes up more space in the case, and more time. Not really sure why anyone uses them to be honest. Maybe they have some special functions?