Nyko Media Hub adds USB, card readers back to 40GB PS3s

40 Comments by Christopher Grant Jul 2nd 2008 10:09AM
Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3, Peripherals

If you opted to save some green and snag one of the 40GB PlayStation 3s, you may have found you're missing more than just backwards compatibility. You're also missing the flash card readers and two of would-be four USB ports.

Never ones to leave a shortcoming un-peripheraled, Nyko has announced the decidedly fugly Media Hub for the PlayStation 3, a dongle that attaches to one of your PS3's USB ports, adds 2 additional ports, an SD slash Memory Stick reader (no Compact Flash, sorry), all while totally trashing the sleek aesthetic Sony was going for. Now all you need is a backwards compatibility dongle and you're all set.

Tags: Nyko, Nyko-Media-Hub

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(Page 1) Reader Comments

LiqwidZero: Jul 2nd 2008; 10:16AM

NYKO's doing it wrong!

Sooo, looking at this... does this mean I can just hook my CF card reader up to one of the USB ports?

Nate: Jul 2nd 2008; 12:13PM

Yeah, always been able to do that. Any card reader will work, any USB Hub will work. Many USB webcams work... pretty much, the "Universal" part of USB holds for the PS3.

borland502 (SDF - Macross Ring): Jul 2nd 2008; 12:42PM

"Yeah, always been able to do that."

Indeed, given that you could already attach a fugly 52 in 1 card reader and a hub, you think Nyko would put more time into style. My camera uses XD, so I learned about that adapter trick early on.

Jhongerkong: Jul 2nd 2008; 4:42PM

Your camera uses a smiley face?

borland502 (SDF - Macross Ring): Jul 3rd 2008; 7:08AM

"Your camera uses a smiley face?"

Of course, I can't stand the newfangled LOL dongle.

koehler83: Jul 2nd 2008; 10:21AM

It doesnt look great, but considering it doesnt have to stay there, I'd say it does its job adequately... assuming of course it does its job at all.

I never considered the card readers to be anything but an expendable component of the PS3, but its really the best way to port save data from one system to another.. if you find yourself in front of a 40GB with your save data on an SD card.. well you're outta luck.

LaughingTarget: Jul 2nd 2008; 10:29AM

I'm trying to cenceptualize why my saved data would even be on an SD card.

John Z: Jul 2nd 2008; 10:40AM

Unless you happen to have a $5 SD card adapter handy, like you get with, oh, I don't know, almost any mid-quality SD card these days.

I don't think it looks ugly at all, really. It implies the concept of a similar, powered hub for the 360 that's placed on its front ports (and with a power cord longer than a foot and a half).

Haggard: Jul 2nd 2008; 1:15PM

You might have a song on your phone which you want to put on the PS3. Bizarrely, I have indeed been in that situation.

AwesomeTown: Jul 2nd 2008; 10:34AM

I don't think I'd want to put that ugly thing on my sleek PS3.... plus I probably wouldn't use it.

Brodie-san: Jul 2nd 2008; 11:34AM

I have the 60GB version. And have never used the card readers. And probably never will.

Boy With Balls on Chin: Jul 2nd 2008; 11:46AM

I use the memory stick reader all of the time for transferring DIVX videos back and forth between my PC, PSP and PS3. Its actually really handy if you do that.

Akamaru: Jul 2nd 2008; 1:27PM

I have a 4 Gig Memory Stick Duo that I keep all my "personal" images and videos. When I have friends Over I just remove the card and don't have to worry about re-copying and deleting my stuff.

mattclarkie: Jul 2nd 2008; 1:56PM

I copy all my save games to an SD card on a regular basis.

Boy With Balls on Chin: Jul 2nd 2008; 2:19PM

@ Akamaru

Hmmm...4GB pron stick. Nice idea.

Maverick Saturn: Jul 2nd 2008; 10:38AM

Oh well, at least its useful.

Jared Mackenzie: Jul 2nd 2008; 10:52AM

I guess it's either that or have a fugly usb hub hanging off the front of my PS3.

t_m: Jul 2nd 2008; 11:15AM

well. the ps3 is fuggly too, so its a nice fit.

If the usb ports are chainable, then any old usb hub with built in card readers should do the same job. Or just a usb hub if all you want are more controllers.

Brodie-san: Jul 2nd 2008; 11:39AM

Each to their own. I think the PS3 is very aesthetically pleasing. It's a bit big but in terms of sleakness and finish I really like it.

I still have my XBOX in my set up and looking from one to the other you can really see the design advances. THe XBOX is pretty, well, monstrous.

The only reason I still have my XBOX there is because it still plays some (older) AVIs that my PS3 refuses to play ball with. Then again, now that I have Tversity running I don't think I have used my XBOX in months. Hmm, I think it's time for another console to enter the Electronic Graveyard of the Departed (my office wardrobe). Don't worry, it will have some nice company with my PS1, PS2, 3D0 and Dreamcast. They all get along now that their personal wars are over.
:)

ZeroCorpse: Jul 2nd 2008; 11:15AM

"sleek aesthetic" ?

It looks like a giant George Foreman grill. That's hardly sleek. The Odyssey2 looked better, and it was pretty fugly.

JerJerBinks: Jul 2nd 2008; 11:55AM

What are you comaping it to though, the Wii? Please dont say the XBOX360, surplus Dell case designs FTL.

borland502 (SDF - Macross Ring): Jul 2nd 2008; 12:49PM

What console would you consider "sleek" then? The Wii is the only petite bundle of design in several generations. Certainly the PS3 has made a greater effort than the 360 to not look industrial.

hoop: Jul 2nd 2008; 11:19AM

'Dongle' is a funny word.

Heh. Dongle.

NATO_Duke: Jul 2nd 2008; 11:21AM

Damn ugly.

I don't think I have ever used the media card slots on mine anyway. So is this really needed by many people?

Jigsaw: Jul 2nd 2008; 11:24AM

I wouldn't mind getting one of these for my 20GB console... if it weren't for the fact that I haven't once been inconvenienced by its lack of memory card slots. Looks like a really nice product for anyone who feel a need for card readers or USB ports on their PS3 - which I don't.

Elisha Adeagbo: Jul 2nd 2008; 11:29AM

take that Sony!...sorta

BIGGEN (LIVE-PSN: BIGGEN1103): Jul 2nd 2008; 11:40AM

hey! i'll take it. if it's $20 or under that is. i hate where the usb ports are on the 40gb anyway.

JerJerBinks: Jul 2nd 2008; 11:56AM

That was supposed to be "comparing." I need a personal proof reader.

Alexander: Jul 2nd 2008; 12:17PM

looks like 3 usb ports to me

blueduck08: Jul 2nd 2008; 12:55PM

It does look like 3 ports but I think they said 2 because it plugs into one of the existing ports so you get two additional

NATO_Duke: Jul 2nd 2008; 1:32PM

You get a total of four. It takes one to plug into, then adding three, plus the 2nd one you already had next to it still.

Edge: Jul 2nd 2008; 1:06PM

Shoulda put USB ports on the back panel as well. I hate having to plug everything into the front.

On a separate note, I wish MS would have done something similar. The USB bay in the 360 faceplate is just large enough for a USB hub for as many as 4 hubs in the front. It would fit in, nice and flush.

Edge: Jul 2nd 2008; 1:07PM

Rather: 4 USB ports in the front, instead of "hubs"

na2ru1: Jul 2nd 2008; 1:14PM

I always use USBs and card readers because its there!

Card readers are faster than USB. Memory cards are a lot more around than USB drive. People carry some form of memory card all the time nowadays - phones & sometimes cameras. thats the main reason i use my memory card. Save a few snapshot whilst im at it.

The flexibility is just floorless

Jman1236: Jul 2nd 2008; 2:06PM

This is a good option for not only 40GB model users but also 20GB model users(like myself), but the thing looks like it takes up to two to three of the USB ports. Honestly, I've never seen a need to use these types of inputs for anything other than moving files to and from your PS3, but I do that just fine with USB Flashdrives and my PSP's memory stick duo.

Dustin: Jul 2nd 2008; 2:58PM

Also for the 20gb PS3! i dont need a memory card reader. i got a usb stick and i use the media server to transfer files such as songs

Derick: Jul 2nd 2008; 3:29PM

If you're a PS3 owner, you probably already have and use your backwards compatibility dongle quite exstensively.

It's called your PS2.

Rob Accomando: Jul 2nd 2008; 4:16PM

haha, took the words right out of my mouth

Rob Accomando: Jul 2nd 2008; 4:16PM

Maybe Nyko will make a little gadget that adds backwards compatibility back in. :oP

Ethan: Jul 2nd 2008; 4:59PM

It's sleek, but only if you're the kind of person who likes Chryslers. Or if you're a fat guy in an expensive tailored suit.

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