Database Users

External USB hard drive

Does anybody know if it is possible to connect the phone to a USB hard drive?

only with flame and Athena as they are the only ones which support usb host
other devices cant use usb devices only be used by usb hosts normaly a pc

There was actually someone who developed a working hard disk storage driver for windows mobile but last I checked the site no longer offered it. Searched for days trying to find the file elsewhere. No luck. Cant think of the company that made the driver.

I'm bumping this as I am also after the same sort of program / utility.
I want to be able to access my External HD and view / play files off it... anyone able to help me out?

Maybe with a external powersupplied disk
Rudegar said:
only with flame and Athena as they are the only ones which support usb host...
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Correct
Our Hermes has no usb host support. I found a topic at forum.brighthand.com which suggested the host functionality could be added with a usb host driver. I found the software (attached zip) but alas... Though I did exactly as the 'manual' (readme.txt) explained, the usb-stick did not appear in my explorer.
Possibly an external drive with external power supply might work because the hermes usb port is simply not powerful enough to supply the power to the usb-stick. However I did not "explore that possibility" (don't have one ) and chances are 'just a driver' is not enough and hermes lacks "usb host hardware".

dident read the post because you dident give a link to the post just the forum
but i doubt that it's a general thing
many pda's have usbhost in the cpu itself but htc never connected those connectors
so it's not wired to the connector they have their own usb chip
so if the post you read said it about any other pda then htc based one it could be that that manufactor did connect the usb but dident supply the driver which would then be fixed with what you found

Rudegar said:
many pda's have usbhost in the cpu itself but htc never connected those connectors
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Sounds like there could be the potential for a hardware hack...

heh, nice try. but it will end like GPS HW hack on the TyTN (aka Hermes). it is not worth it, I mean there is easy way, just buy device with GPS integrated, or buy external. I have electronic skills and proper tools, I can do such things but it is too complicated. in that hermes was problem, that antena was not properly connected and you can never get a GPS lock. I guess that with usb host is the same. missing circuitry.
Deuce Nitro said:
Sounds like there could be the potential for a hardware hack...
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Yepp!
Hi,
this is correct
sinmae said:
heh, nice try. but it will end like GPS HW hack on the TyTN (aka Hermes). it is not worth it, I mean there is easy way, just buy device with GPS integrated, or buy external. I have electronic skills and proper tools, I can do such things but it is too complicated. in that hermes was problem, that antena was not properly connected and you can never get a GPS lock. I guess that with usb host is the same. missing circuitry.
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The USB host port of the Samsung CPU is used to connect to the internal GSM/GPRS chipset. So no chance to break it up!
If someone would ever hack this hardware part, the result would be a hermes without radio.
The engineers at HTC used the USB host port to achieve the necessary bandwith for high speed data connection to the GSM/GPRS chips from Qualcomm.
Best regards,
scholbert

thats an interesting information, thanx
scholbert said:
The engineers at HTC used the USB host port to achieve the necessary bandwith for high speed data connection to the GSM/GPRS chips from Qualcomm.
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USB data input use on a non USB Host smartphone

Hy everyone,
First of all, thanks for this great forum which never fails to impress me.
I have a question which some of you might help answering: I'm wondering if it's possible to use the mini-usb port of my smartphone to get some data input.
Let me explain myself a bit more: I know that smartphones (HTC Touch for me) aren't USB hosts. However, the data connexions are still present.
Here's what I'd like to do: even though the smartphone can't control another peripheral, I'd like that external peripheral to send data to the smartphone, and the smartphone to use that data to control the screen. That would give an alternative way of controlling the screen.
The input would come from another touch surface, so my guess is that using the data to control the screen shouldn't be much of a problem.
So? Any idea if it's possible? What kind of platform/language would be nice to do that? C#?
(I have JAVA development experience, but I'm quite a newbie as far as Win Mobile devs are concerned. I'm willing to learn though
I think I searched this forum (and others) quite extensively before posting. If by any chance I missed a related post, I'd be glad to know about it

No ideas? Anyone?

Last up before I stop...

prob. not
i dont think that is technically possible. i think one has to be the host, and that host provides power. so to power the input device(im thinking keyboard) it would need the smartphone/ppc to be a host....
but i have no clue in this area...maybe someone could prove me wrong?

Hey, thanks for your answer.
The powering issues could be overcomed by cutting the cables and giving power from an external power source (I think several people have tried doing it, I need to find the links again). By the way, the peripheral itself is plugged on 110V, so there's plenty of available power
I'm not seeking here to "control" the device, just to aquire the signal it's sending... Does that seem feasible, or does the peripheral need to be somehow "activated" by a Host before sending anything?

Well, in order to get data, the host must ask the slave each time it needs some. Other things must be done by the host, like usb enumeration. That means there has to be a host or it won't work, unless you use usb on-the-go, but I do not know many devices that support it.

according to the qualcomm website, the msm chipsets support otg

USB Host disconnected pin?

hello,
i've heard that the universal WOULD support USB host drivers if an unconnected pin inside the universal was connected... could anyone tell me;
- if i manage to get the pin connected, would i get usb host features like on any other usb host phone with proper drivers?
- how hard is it to do?
- WHAT to do?

Oh man,really really nice interesting idea,hope it's true and possible,i hope someone knows all about that and soon writes here how that is possible maaan,would be really awesome to play with that

PalDragan said:
Oh man,really really nice interesting idea,hope it's true and possible,i hope someone knows all about that and soon writes here how that is possible maaan,would be really awesome to play with that
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nice to hear someone else would like to get it to work too
EDIT: just found this on another thread on another forum about a PXA270 phone, someone was trying to get it to work, seems like all we need is
- switch the pin to host mode
- a driver (maybe zenos latest ones?)
After about 6 months of not touching this project, I decided to take another quickie look at the PXA270 docs and programmers reference. What I now see is very interesting.
Originally, I was looking at bringing out the USB Host 1 interface pins to the outside world as they were only terminated internally on the motherboard. Only about 1% of users might be able to do that.
I then started to look at the USB OTG (On The Go) interface that this chip supports. The USB OTG interface can be used as both a client and host. It shares the same pins as the Axim's serial port. Unfortuately, there are two serial control lines pins that are not brought out to the connector, so I scrubbed that idea.
This past weekend I picked up the programmer's design reference book to look at how the various USB interfaces are programmed and I saw something that I missed before as this was in the USB Client section. It appears (to me anyways) that the USB Client pins can also be programmed to act as a USB Host when in the USB OTG low power operation mode. The manual discusses how the additional control registers are used along with an output mux and charge-pump circuit (to provide the +5v). Refer to the PXA27x Processor Family Developer's Manual - dated Jan 2006, sections 12.5.2 and 20.
I will be looking at this more closely to see if a simple driver can be written (Afarre, where are you...) to switch the USB client pins into Host mode. In addition to this, the USB device drivers would be needed. Please remember, an additional IO interface circuit will be needed to connect between any USB device and the Axim as the proper voltages are not on the sync connector.
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the_fish said:
nice to hear someone else would like to get it to work too
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Suuuuuuuuuure,every crazy idea to abuse my PPC and i'm in for the quest

PalDragan said:
Suuuuuuuuuure,every crazy idea to abuse my PPC and i'm in for the quest
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haha same, btw thats the link to the topic:
http://www.mobilitysite.com/boards/x50-x51-forums/140071-hacking-pxa270-internal-usb-host-24.html
Unfortunately, this means it's not for 99% of users as it requires a delicate hardware mod/addition to the motherboard (see my earlier posts & photos in this thread).
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seems like they were still working on the driver (which we already have(?)) so we only need the hardware mod.... i guess...

the_fish said:
haha same, btw thats the link to the topic:
http://www.mobilitysite.com/boards/x50-x51-forums/140071-hacking-pxa270-internal-usb-host-24.html
seems like they were still working on the driver (which we already have(?)) so we only need the hardware mod.... i guess...
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Ummm it's definately a crazy idea. We were discussing with mamaich (our guru) last year. Unfortunately it's not that simple to provide the power in sync connector, which is acting as a usb client (connector) at the moment.

tomal said:
Ummm it's definately a crazy idea. We were discussing with mamaich (our guru) last year. Unfortunately it's not that simple to provide the power in sync connector, which is acting as a usb client (connector) at the moment.
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did you read in the thread i posted a link to? they had the same problem, but also found out that it maybe is possible to provide the nessecary +5v too, they were not sure tho, and i thought maybe zenos drivers contain the code to do that.

the_fish said:
did you read in the thread i posted a link to? they had the same problem, but also found out that it maybe is possible to provide the nessecary +5v too, they were not sure tho, and i thought maybe zenos drivers contain the code to do that.
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Ok, seems there is a new idea of power injection from outside.
Anybody tried it...?

Couple of months ago, I was trying with outside +5v power but nothing happens

Win_XP said:
Couple of months ago, I was trying with outside +5v power but nothing happens
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did you use one of those special USB cables that have two female USB-A, one for power and the other for the device to plug in?

http://htc-tytn-ii.handster.com/software.php?id=3339&for=HTC+TyTN+II
i don't know anything about this.. i'm actually looking to hook up something that normally has a rs-232 port.. but is also made in usb.. It draws power from another source
with something like that program doesn't that suggest usb host is possible..

http://gnalpgnarf.handster.com/software.php?id=3339&for=gnalpgnarf

hmmm....am I right or am I wrong?
Theoretically speaking the idea with a pin is supposed to redirect power from intake to output, however, not only Uni is incapable of supporting the output (you are essentially attempting to piggyback another device), the external support will not be possible due to pin configuration, regardless of the cable used.
Another thing, other than sheer experimentation, what would be the real point of such USB host?
STOP TORTURING YOUR UNIs, GUYS!!!!

I am pretty sure, that the Universal doesn't support USB Host.
It did not, it does not, it will not.
Sorry guys!
To be honest:
Yes, the PXA270 chip supports USB Host, but in most HTC devices they use this feature already for something else, like: WLAN or 3G connection.
DOMy

seen this?:
http://hhtinker.blogspot.com/2008/10/usb-host-on-treo-650.html

do you know what USB Host already busy?
it used as data call transfer radio <-> CE.
USB hub will not solve this problem easy.
also if you want attach it to miniUSB connector, you need additional OTG chip.
=> Host on universal is very hard to do, ...impossible.

Has it been designed to use the USB port for input?

Hey since I am not a dev, I do not know if the USB port could accept incoming connections. Since linux is here now on it, I would think there may be a way to tap into the USB port and rig up some sorta USB input device to use on the G1. Imagine a controller. =D Just wondering if its been reported if the G1 could have the ability or if hardware wise its totally blocked off. Thanks. =)

well the wired headset has a microphone on it for calls, so at the very least you could plug in a USB microphone
i'm no hardware dev though, so i could be wrong!

Mysticales said:
Hey since I am not a dev, I do not know if the USB port could accept incoming connections. Since linux is here now on it, I would think there may be a way to tap into the USB port and rig up some sorta USB input device to use on the G1. Imagine a controller. =D Just wondering if its been reported if the G1 could have the ability or if hardware wise its totally blocked off. Thanks. =)
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Search the forum for "usb host" and "usb otg". Short answer is G1 cannot act as a usb host even though the cpu supports it. Reason is it is not wired to supply power to a usb slave device.

jashsu said:
Search the forum for "usb host" and "usb otg". Short answer is G1 cannot act as a usb host even though the cpu supports it. Reason is it is not wired to supply power to a usb slave device.
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Well.. if its just power, there are those USB hubs that you have to plug in AC power, I would think that would solve that issue there.

jashsu said:
Search the forum for "usb host" and "usb otg". Short answer is G1 cannot act as a usb host even though the cpu supports it. Reason is it is not wired to supply power to a usb slave device.
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well, theoretically, could a non-phantom powered microphone work then? if you got a decent small mic, you'd be able to record live music and such on the phone with pretty good quality. might be impractical but it would be interesting to see if it could work!

Isn't the microphone plugged to a non-usb pin on the HTC connector, like the headphones ?
Edit :
Yes, it is.. See diagram here : http://www.tracyandmatt.co.uk/blogs/index.php/2006/09/10/htc_hermes_usb_connector_pin_config

Not sure how the headphones are plugged in, but I would assume if someone has a miniusb device, Im sure debian would detect it in the reports. I cant rem the command I used in ubuntu to get info but would be interesting to see if something can be done.

It dawned on me... Anetshare turns the G1 into a Wifi peer to peer. So along with Bluetooth abilities. Which Who said that the Bluetooth couldnt be used to accept BT Keyboard/Mice or so? Same with Wifi, Using Wifi to maybe have a app on your PC use ITS controller, sending the data via Wifi (So the G1 is a server) and translating those into usable input commands? I mean I know I use that Joy2Key program in WinXP to map my joystick to keyboard/mice commands. Im sure something could work on the G1. Thoughts?

you mean like this?

ubernicholi said:
you mean like this?
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Well id say thats a start. Seems like nothing new has been up with it tho? Cause even if a BT Keyboard worked.. That would be a step in the right direction, hell could even play games a lil easier too.

OTG Support

While i was thinking is it possible to make OTG work on Touch Pro 2?
Any Software or ROM or Kernel updates will do?

You mean like USB Host Mode?
I don't think anyone looked into it. Android or WinMo...

arrrghhh said:
You mean like USB Host Mode?
I don't think anyone looked into it. Android or WinMo...
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Yeah , that is whats making me ask it, it would be awesome if that Hapenned., by the way is it Possible?

nikhil.pgm said:
Yeah , that is whats making me ask it, it would be awesome if that Hapenned., by the way is it Possible?
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(Almost) anything is possible with enough time and determination...
Has it been done already? Not to my knowledge.

'Theoretically' you should be able to get this working. Like Arrrghhh said, anything is possible. I did get a usb otg cable for the rhodium (well, not FOR the rhodium, but 'theoretically' it should work) and found that this function is supported in the specs for our processor chip.
There are drivers and a pretty good source of information here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=480899
I never advanced past the point of realizing that while our phone 'probably' has the hardware to receive input from usb devices it cannot provide them with power to function. You seem to need to use an externally powered usb hub for those drivers to do you any good, and there really isn't anything On-The-Go about carrying around a usb hub and its power adapter! So it was at that point that I gave up. But, there is probably all the information you need in the thread I posted above to get you started.
Please post your findings if you have success/failure

Caldair said:
'Theoretically' you should be able to get this working. Like Arrrghhh said, anything is possible. I did get a usb otg cable for the rhodium (well, not FOR the rhodium, but 'theoretically' it should work) and found that this function is supported in the specs for our processor chip.
There are drivers and a pretty good source of information here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=480899
I never advanced past the point of realizing that while our phone 'probably' has the hardware to receive input from usb devices it cannot provide them with power to function. You seem to need to use an externally powered usb hub for those drivers to do you any good, and there really isn't anything On-The-Go about carrying around a usb hub and its power adapter! So it was at that point that I gave up. But, there is probably all the information you need in the thread I posted above to get you started.
Please post your findings if you have success/failure
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Surely i would, leme work on that!

does the Froyo Build support OTG?
nikhil.pgm said:
Surely i would, leme work on that!
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http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1250199&highlight=7
its said that OTG isnt working in the Build
So does Android generally support OTG without any software support?
Can i get OTG support by just running in Android? ICS or CM or GB or Froyo?
[i m working on the Win6.5 OTG, ordered Host cable, waiting for it to arrive..]

nikhil.pgm said:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1250199&highlight=7
its said that OTG isnt working in the Build
So does Android generally support OTG without any software support?
Can i get OTG support by just running in Android? ICS or CM or GB or Froyo?
[i m working on the Win6.5 OTG, ordered Host cable, waiting for it to arrive..]
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That thread isn't talking about host mode, that thread is talking about transferring files via USB mass storage mode....
At any rate, I'm pretty sure the software simply supports it. Getting the hardware to talk properly is the hard part (again, as far as I understand it...)

arrrghhh said:
That thread isn't talking about host mode, that thread is talking about transferring files via USB mass storage mode....
At any rate, I'm pretty sure the software simply supports it. Getting the hardware to talk properly is the hard part (again, as far as I understand it...)
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i got the Female cable, but it never took the flash drive, dont know why? Tried Zeno's Drivers and Also Leo's too but its not working out, does it require an external power supply?
any one got it working ever?

nikhil.pgm said:
i got the Female cable, but it never took the flash drive, dont know why? Tried Zeno's Drivers and Also Leo's too but its not working out, does it require an external power supply?
any one got it working ever?
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No one ever got it working, I thought I made that perfectly clear...
I'm not sure what you need, again there's probably quite a bit of legwork that you'll need to do in order for it to talk on our devices. I don't think you can just "use" the LEO drivers in this case - however, adapting them might be a good place to start.

nikhil.pgm said:
i got the Female cable, but it never took the flash drive, dont know why? Tried Zeno's Drivers and Also Leo's too but its not working out, does it require an external power supply?
any one got it working ever?
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I thought I read somewhere that the TP2 can not provide power. You had to use a powered usb hub + device to have a chance at getting it working.
The downside being that you had all this stuff to haul around if you wanted to use an OTG cable.