USB Hub/SMP Question

So being that I have 2 3TB HD’s and they do not seem to work at the back USB port on the SMP I was wondering if anyone has tested this out…

Can a self-powered USB hub connected to the FRONT USB port and power a 2nd HD and possibly even a USB keyboard?
So I can have 3 USB devices connected via the HUB from the front port on the SMP.

I think that I have seen posts about this before, but I want to double check before I buy a USB Hub.

Any recommendations on good USB hubs?

Thanks…

I also have 2 3TB drives that both work from the back USB port (one at a time of course).  I don’t know if the brand of drives matters, I just went with the same company to keep it in the family so to speak and minimize potential incompatibilities.

Mine are both WD My Book Essentials drives and each was hooked up one at a time to the back port with no problems. I also have a wireless keyboard which I had plugged into the front port.

I have since purchased a Belkin USB 4-Port Hub (F4U020) powered hub (under 20 bucks). I now have both external drives and the keyboard hooked up to the Belkin and the Belkin connected to the back USB port on the SMP.

No problems what so ever.

I use a cheap wireless keyboard with my WDTV SMP.  It came with a USB dongle (very small) that I plug into a USB splitter box which allows me to also have a WD 3TB Essentials HDD plugged into the same port on the WDTV as the keyboard.  Another WD 3TB Essentials HDD is plugged into the other USB port.

 btw… this also worked with my WDTV Live before I upgraded to the SMP…