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Is it possible to connect a USB harddisk to an XDA II

Is it or will it be possible in the future to connect a USB harddisk to the XDA II. There seem to be a few possabilities for it. But are any of these workable.
It would be great to hook up a 120 GB Harddisk to it especially in your car for PDF files, Tom Tom maps and lots and lots of music.
I have listed the possabilities that seem to be around please feel free to comment.
1. The XDA II has a video chip which supports IMAGEON 3200 USB On-The-Go ( designed for mobile interconnectivity by allowing a USB device to communicate with other USB peripherals (such as printers) without the need to go through a PC). Would it be possible to use this chip to connect to a USB hardisk.
Was posted by IKIRA in the thread "The XDA2 Video processor features"
2. Buy the expanssion pack and a "Dual Port USB Host CF Card" this would propably be the only working system at the moment.
3. There are already bluetooth > USB printer units on the market that allow USB printers to interface with a PDA using bluettooth. There does not seem te be a Bluetooth > USB host interface. :?:

References
References to pages on the internet about my last post.
CF > USB Host http://www.twin-paradox.com/SEPDA.html
Deja mass storage driver http://www.deje.gmxhome.de/
Imageon in the XDAII http://www.infosyncworld.com/news/n/2853.html
ATI Imageon USB On The Go http://www.us.design-reuse.com/news/news4636.html
Bluetooth > USB printer http://www.11wave.com/main/product/bluetooth_printer.htm
Toshiba USB host cable and Deja driver http://www.anypakdevices.com/PPC/
Toshib aUSB hist cable http://www.skycattech.com/toshiba_pocket_pc_usb_host_cable.html
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ah you also saw the cf adapter ;-)
i was hoping they also could make an external version, so we can connect through the connector.
mabe we can hack it ;-)
i think the cf card only uses, power, and usb in and out data transfer

There are specs from transdimension in this pdf file, don't know if it is the same chip as in the XDAII
www.transdimension.com/assets/products/ 243%20Product%20Brief%209-24-02-MU2002.pdf

1. The XDA II has a video chip which supports IMAGEON 3200 USB On-The-Go ( designed for mobile interconnectivity by allowing a USB device to communicate with other USB peripherals (such as printers) without the need to go through a PC). Would it be possible to use this chip to connect to a USB hardisk.
Was posted by IKIRA in the thread "The XDA2 Video processor features"
I was notice the USB OTG function in the ATI IMAGEON 3200 chip.
if the OTG function pins was connect to the CPU and layout on the PCB,
It is maybe add the OTG function,then we can use USB devices like mass storage drivers,HID drivers,Printer and so on!it enjoy!

If i remember correctly, the XDAII does not use the Imageon chip to provide USB, but instead uses the XScale processor (or was it just a seperate chip... I forget...) which does not support OTG, only USB slave.
As such USB OTG is not supported by the XDAII, so unless you can find a USB harddisk which does something clever to allow the harddisk to be the master device, this can't work...

Am I being Daft
I have been trying to solve this problem for a whhile (in a non technical fashion of course).
I synch my MDAIII with my PC but in the near future I would like to be able to save work from other peopls computers to my device and vice versa without the need for cables and cradles.
I have seen some usb pendrives that rather than actually containing memory as such are actually sd card readers (and other cards too). It looks like it would be quite simple to remove the sd card from my MDAIII and pop it into the pen drive reader' and plug it into a computer and vice versa.
Is this too simple - am I missing something and being dense or is this a viable possibility. If it is - its very cheap - it would cost me about £4.50! ???
Can anyone help me out here?

Raphael - USB Host?

I am wondering whether or not the Raphael has USB Host functionality? I read this on some internet sites, but searching the Wiki and other avaliable informative websites couldn't bring light to this issue. I know that HTCs ExtUSB only is a proprietary connector, enhancing the USB Port with audio and video functionality. This is not what I'm talking about!
Host USB allows devices to act as an USB host (like a computer) and as such access USB-Devices like harddrives or USB sticks, which is more than convinient. As some other Pocket PC have it, I'm hoping deeply my future playmate has it also.
Maybe some of the lucky users could verify?
Thanks!

Doesn't look like it'll have any host facility no. The only HTC device ive seen with host are the bigger HTC Advantage's which have a normal USB port. I dont think the Qualcomm chipset offers USB host either.

This would be a nice thing to have...
I am still owner of a PocketLoox 720 which is capable of accessing USB sticks and USB HD.

It'd be nice. But I guess it would eat the battery.
I think I saw somewhere a USB bluetooth thingy that enables you to read USB sticks via Bluetooth.

well to be precise both the diamond and raphael have some interesting host ability - in SPL you can set usb host to read NBH file off usb. however you need the right adapter cable, so I haven't tried that yet on the diamond (and no raphael yet).

cmonex said:
well to be precise both the diamond and raphael have some interesting host ability - in SPL you can set usb host to read NBH file off usb. however you need the right adapter cable, so I haven't tried that yet on the diamond (and no raphael yet).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What an interesting feature... Maybe it's for service centres to unbrick warranty returns easily?
Rory

cmonex said:
well to be precise both the diamond and raphael have some interesting host ability - in SPL you can set usb host to read NBH file off usb. however you need the right adapter cable, so I haven't tried that yet on the diamond (and no raphael yet).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you tried with the Athena USB host cable?

Pantaloonie said:
Have you tried with the Athena USB host cable?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
oh hmm. does that cable plug in the miniusb port of the athena?

cmonex said:
oh hmm. does that cable plug in the miniusb port of the athena?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes it does, I was hoping it would work with the Diamond and Raphael.

Pantaloonie said:
Yes it does, I was hoping it would work with the Diamond and Raphael.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
mm, thought it plugged in the other port on the athena...because it also handles vga out (the 4 in 1 cable). and this other port (beside the miniusb sync port) has the icons vga out and usb host.
that is clearly not the same socket as the miniusb (i.e. the sync port).
the diamond & raphael unfortunately only have this miniusb (which is for the sync on athena).

You're right - It's been so long since I used the USB host on the Athena I'd forgotten which port it uses.
Back to the drawing board on that one I guess.

Pantaloonie said:
You're right - It's been so long since I used the USB host on the Athena I'd forgotten which port it uses.
Back to the drawing board on that one I guess.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yeah, I also have the 4 in 1 somewhere in the drawer
I only got it to have all cool accessories for my Athena.
anyway, I'll update the thread if I find out more about the cable needed for diamond/raphael

I read in the Diamond service manual (foeund somewhere on the forum here) about using an USB SD-card reader on the sync port on the Diamond. It is used when servicing the phone to upload firmware and test software to the internal storage.
On the picture it looks just like a normal sd card reader that is plugged into a standard USB port on one of the ends on the cable. it is a Y cable where one end is power, one USB and one mini usb to plug in the phone.
I am just doing some tests on this now. I made a usb cable with mini usb in one end and normal usb in the other end. On the on ememstick I have here in the office nothing happens.I will continue to look into this matter.

holy moses. I got something working here!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I had to rebuild my cable a little bit here to get this working.
The new external USB port is now powered from a 5Volts source. I have cut the 5 volts connection between my Diamond and my USB memory.
I am using a standard USB flash memory which i got at some commercial stuff long time ago.
I formatted the USB stick to FAT32 on my computer first.
The thing I tried was:
downloade a custom firmware.
copied the xxx.nbh file to the flash
renamed it to "DIAMIMG.NBH" Capital letters!!
Started up the phone holding VOLUME DOWN and RIGHT button down while giving the power button a short push.
It fired up the Olimex boot scene and asked me to push power button to confirm flashing.
After that it flashed my phone for about 10 minutes (from the USB flash memory)
So there is NO DOUBT, the Diamond has USB master capabilities!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
When I am in file explorer I still can't get in contact with the memory.
Anyone that has the USB drivers from som larger HTC device????
Can anyone try to flash a phone with an un signed firmware or a firmware from wrong region on a phone that has the original bootloader using this method?

Does anyone know how to use external memory by usb hosting

zeb crs said:
holy moses. I got something working here!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I had to rebuild my cable a little bit here to get this working.
The new external USB port is now powered from a 5Volts source. I have cut the 5 volts connection between my Diamond and my USB memory.
I am using a standard USB flash memory which i got at some commercial stuff long time ago.
I formatted the USB stick to FAT32 on my computer first.
The thing I tried was:
downloade a custom firmware.
copied the xxx.nbh file to the flash
renamed it to "DIAMIMG.NBH" Capital letters!!
Started up the phone holding VOLUME DOWN and RIGHT button down while giving the power button a short push.
It fired up the Olimex boot scene and asked me to push power button to confirm flashing.
After that it flashed my phone for about 10 minutes (from the USB flash memory)
So there is NO DOUBT, the Diamond has USB master capabilities!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
When I am in file explorer I still can't get in contact with the memory.
Anyone that has the USB drivers from som larger HTC device????
Can anyone try to flash a phone with an un signed firmware or a firmware from wrong region on a phone that has the original bootloader using this method?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
heh, you were faster at building the cable congrats.
btw, what special modifications did you need to make? just the 5V source?
anyway, this just confirms what i found in bootloader disassembly then.
not sure on the availability of usb host drivers. maybe we will need to implement it ourselves
and sorry, but i do not understand the question about flashing unsigned stuff. the stock bootloader will not accept unsigned NBH, no matter where it comes from, sorry to disappoint you.
EDIT: I downloaded the service manual now, thanks. wasn't aware this was out in the open
anyway, the text mentions you must plug in AC power for the USB host. what a shame.

zeb crs said:
When I am in file explorer I still can't get in contact with the memory.
Anyone that has the USB drivers from som larger HTC device????
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just an idea, have you tried to start WM5torage on Diamond ?
It lists the MovieNAND and the system partition. OK, you can't take access to it, but maybe WM5torage recognizes the USB stick from OS.
If it does, maybe a modified version of WM5torage can do these job ?
For short test download here:
WM5torage
Ok, WM5torage isn't the right way to test the access from OS, because it needs at last a running driver.
Qualcomm was running Oxford Semiconductor solutions, maybe the integrated USB OTG is a license from this company ?
@cmonex:
Is it possible to adapt the integrated bootloader driver to WM ?

USB drive is HTC supported
I just read through the US user manual and Section 1.13 Using you Device as a USB Drive. http://member.america.htc.com/downl...al/HTC_Touch_Pro/HTC_Touch_Pro_English_UM.pdf
Quote:
To easily carry media and other files with you, you can use your device’s storage
card as a USB flash drive. Touch Start > Settings > Connections tab > USB to PC
and then select Disk Drive mode. This allows you to copy files from your computer
to the device’s storage card and vice versa faster.
Note You need to have a storage card installed on your device to be able to use your device
as a disk drive.
When Disk Drive mode is used:
You will not be able to use your device to access files from the storage card
or run applications that are installed on the storage card while the device is
connected to your PC.
Your PC will only connect to the device’s storage card. When you access your
device from the PC, you will only see the contents of the device’s storage card.
Remember to change back to ActiveSync mode when you need to synchronize
data between your device and your PC.

USB Host is different.

Mechanicaldan said:
I just read through the US user manual and Section 1.13 Using you Device as a USB Drive. http://member.america.htc.com/downl...al/HTC_Touch_Pro/HTC_Touch_Pro_English_UM.pdf
Quote:
To easily carry media and other files with you, you can use your device’s storage
card as a USB flash drive. Touch Start > Settings > Connections tab > USB to PC
and then select Disk Drive mode. This allows you to copy files from your computer
to the device’s storage card and vice versa faster.
Note You need to have a storage card installed on your device to be able to use your device
as a disk drive.
When Disk Drive mode is used:
You will not be able to use your device to access files from the storage card
or run applications that are installed on the storage card while the device is
connected to your PC.
Your PC will only connect to the device’s storage card. When you access your
device from the PC, you will only see the contents of the device’s storage card.
Remember to change back to ActiveSync mode when you need to synchronize
data between your device and your PC.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry to dissapoint you, but this is just the other way arround. This enables you to use your phone as a flash drive from a PC. In this thread they want to access a flash drive (USB stick/HD etc) from their phone

ipod connected to winmobile as usb host

although it may be possible now but i do not know ,
1. is there any winmobile or pocket pc which can act as usb host or not.
2.will it be possible to interface and read ipod 80 gb through that interface of usb and use S2V player (read only- means i can still manage to upload to ipod via winxp if there is no app like winamp or itunes for winmobile yet).
although there might be a possibility of getting a hard drive on winmobile memory by now but usb host functions to read usb pendrive is most important to me right now ,which is why i ask it as i cannot carry laptop everywhere.
also zune might be able to connect wirelessly to winmobile but i do not have one.someone might have tried it with zune too.
concept here is to 1. be able to view videos on ipod (large storage) ,2. to be able to download songs via gprs or wifi to pocket pc or winmobile and then transfer to ipod as external drive. i know its close to impossible but usb pendrive reading or usb harddrive reading should be there ,someone must know.

infra-red connector for modern HTC phones

Hi,
I am using an application on my HTC Prophet, to connect via IRDA to a bike computer, to download information on rides, routes etc.
Now, I'm looking to update my phone to a Touch Pro or SE X1, but it seems that modern phones no longer have an IRDA port...
Do you know of a way to create an IR connection from the phone, say using the mini-USB port??
For example, for modern laptops that no longer have an IR port, you can buy a USB IR.
Thanks
Paul

Nope. No native IrDA and no USB host functionality, so you can't use the external adapter. With X1 microSD SDIO IrDA adapter can be an option, but I've neer seen one available for sale.
See
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=337641
for a similar discussion.

Thanks Stepw for your comments. It seems a complex topic (some phones - like the X1 don't even have a USB host connection via the mini-usb port). I was in contact with VidaOne to see if they had any ideas (they have a WM software that connects to Polar exercise devices via IR).
Since "nothing" can be done via adding hardware - given the variety of terminals -, they are looking at syncing the exercise files that are downloaded onto the PC from teh exercise device . Not quite as immediate as device -> phone, but a good second best.

Flash Support for Non-Supported USB OTG Devices

Noobie question here. Is there any way to transfer files to and from directly to flash if the phone you have DOES NOT have USB OTG support? No PC in the mix, just a flash, cable adaptor and phone itself. If so, is it possible to do it without rooting? I've tried the PNY Duo-Link as well, without success (r/w from the laptop, phone does nothing). See I prefer to have the flash as my main datastore, independent of internet transfer and local to the PC, laptop, phone, etc.
Recently purchased a Verizon LG Transpyre, Model Number: VS810PP. The closest solution I've found is WiFi File transfer. However, I want to take the PC out of the equation (don't run M$) for the driver:
http://androidxda.com/download-lg-usb-drivers
Any help would be appreciated, maybe I should have gone the Moto E?

Wifi File Transfer does require not only Mobile Hotspot, but Mobile data too ;( You get an ugly Verizon subscription message with Mobile data even though you want to tranfer from YOUR PC to YOUR flash. Still a lot of hassle to go through though all you want is a non USB OTG phone to flash.

I can use bidirectional transfers via a miniUSB to USB cable on the Transpyre, but the flash isnt there. Had a talk with Sandisk technical support about non USB OTG solutions they may have for file transfers. Basically with OTG (MTP) only Microsoft supported scenarios work to a PC, there are no flash options and to to try Amazon. Bottom-line is, according to them, is if you have a non USB OTG phone, your only option is a SD option.
I just like everything I have on one media i.e. not multiple, SD, CD, flash etc. On top of that I want a bootable media. What would fit the bill would be a male SDmini cable into the phones slot to a female USB adapter for the flash drive, I dont think thats possible. So, some sort of SD adapter for the non USB OTG device is all I can come up with. What do others use for their main bootable datastore media for the phone, PC, Stereo, etc. i.e. the flash drive, SD, SD to USB adapter, DVD, etc.? Or should I just throw the phone and get a USB OTG one

Now the question is bootable SDCard vs USB for all around bootable media for storage to any device. This is what I did, almost there...
Bought a neat little kit from Walmart, Mobile Junkie's 3-in-1 mobile Kit. Basically, I took it's miniSD stuck it in my phone. I can use a miniUSB toUSB cable to the PC and pull the miniSD when I want and slide it into the kit's USB for the PC or booting. Getting close to all the functionality I want other than it's a pain to open up the phone and the bootable USB image I have did not work on the miniSD. The kit also has a regular SD, i.e. miniSD > USB > SD. Not sure if this type of USB/miniSD connection is bootable. But I think all I need to do is create a bootable to the miniSD from the PC.
Any experiences out there between bootable USB's vs SD's?
Conclusion - I'll never buy a phone again without USB OTG support.