JEH, fluid hydraulics are about like electrical wiring: There is one safe way to do things, and many other ways to make it work. There are so many different valves & ports & spools & combinations.
But it all starts with a real simple concept, so we all think we can master it. We end up with something that looks like it might be working, but probably really isn't right. Like in electricity, you can pretend the ground & common wires do the same thing & get by not using one - but if you ever actually would have needed the ground wire, you just hurt something or someone! With hyrdaulics, you can use the return line sometimes for a pressure port, but it wasn't meant for that.
You want to use a true power beyond port, which was designed to supply full hyd pressure to a hose. From that hose you need to add a valve(s) and plumbing to whatever the oil will operate. A power beyond port is more like a junction box on electricity - it offers you a place to connect into the system properly. You still need to add the outlet & cords from there...
Now, 'power beyond' is a truely generic term used in all of hydraulics by all companies. Perhaps JD used it a lot more, but it is wrong of you to 'blame' JD for using it. I think (and you asked) what people are looking for is you to say, "Whoops, I goofed, I didn't realize PB was a generic hydraulic term! Sorry." and leave it at that. I am not really a JD fan, & can find enough fault with them on many issues, but this issue has nothing to do with JD & I don't understand your defensiveness about it? There is an appearence you want to chuck rocks at JD, and for no good reason here - your error. I goof many times a day, oops, I'm sorry, and move on. It's easy. Don't be defensive.
As to hydraulics, it is best to order what you know you will use to begin with on the tractor. What if you don't know? If your budget allows it sure is nice to have at least _one_ set of hyd ports on the back of your tractor. It is cheaper to get this stuff at the time of purchase, but if you never use it, then it was a waste. But, one set of ports is a good idea if you are considering needing them.
Most tractors offer a spot for stackable spools (a valve with lever) for adding these ports. Pretty easy to do, custom and expensive stuff from the dealer.
Most tractors offer a power beyond port somewhere, from which you can add hose, a valve (or multiple stacking valves) with a lever, and run hose from the valve to wherever you want a set of ports (or several sets from your several valves). This may be a kit from your dealer, or it may be assembled from hyd suppliers & common parts. It is often cheaper (if you get good asvise on how to do it) to buy from a supplier. But it almost always 'looks' messier. Works just as well. You need to have everything working together - open or closed center, power beyond compatable, and so on when you get to buying valves & such. This is beyond my abilities to advise.
If you have a set of ports anywhere on your tractor, you can buy a gadget called a multiplier that will take the output from that hyd port & direct the output to several different hyd ports. This gives you multiple hyd ports form one set if that is all you have. It is just a bit less convienient than true multiple ports on your tractor, but not a big deal & cheaper most of the time.
If you have a loader on your tractor and the joystick/ levers stay with your tractor when you remove the loader, you can just connect to those ports for hyd power & use the loader control levers. The problem is that often we want to keep the loader on when we use something else hydaulic....
The 'Bobcat' quick attach style is becoming quite universal with many manufaturers, and is worth looking into as the way of attaching things to your loader. Probably give you the most common deal, altho there are reasons to go a different route. Depends on what you want to do down the road. But you sure want to strongly consider the Bobcat universal quick tach.
--->Paul
