Mini USB on the front panel VS regular USB

[yogev_ezra]

It would be better if you put 1 normal USB port in front rather than 2 mini-USB. This way if someone wants to use it as HTPC, then he just plugs in the disk-on-key and watches, and does not have to rotate the computer to plug the disk-on-key from the backwards. Although I agree that if you put a regular USB port at the front, then Fit-PC 2 will not look so beautiful as it is looking now.

[irads]

Right, but the depth of USB A socket is too high to fit on the front side. It collides with the hard disk.

[yogev_ezra]

Oh. Did not think about it. Since when I looked inside the mini-USB connectors, the hard disk was out (to make a photo of the board). Obviously I should have taken the hard disk size into account. Thanks and sorry.

[ender]

Would it work if the socket was mounted vertically (with the opening at top side)? Though that might cause problems with dust...

[irads]

Case would be about 15mm taller this way.

[Auke]

I have not seen the case, but it is really small. Now there are some things (mini usb and mini sd) on front which will not be used by the majority of users. That 15mm extra and usable normal usb and sd. Would be a better choice i think... Ore just don't put it in at all, so it would be al little bit cheaper. But that's my opinion without knowing all the facts...

[irads]

We are providing an optional mini-USB to USB-A adapter that makes it easy to use the front USB ports. The front ports are very convenient for casually connecting devices such as MP3 players, cameras and syncing PDAs.

[ender]

15mm? Is the USB port that tall? What if it would be turned to a side instead (though looking at the PCB photo, that might interfere with one of the screw holes)?

[irads]

No room on the side. Nearly all underside of the PCB is taken by the hard disk.