Database Users

Playing video files on USB thumb drive

Is it possible to have videos played directly (in Divx or any other compatible format) from a USB thumb drive connected to the GT10.1 via the addon USB accessory?
Thanks
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App

thumbs up for this question! Would like to know this, too!

The answer to your question is no... not directly. The only way to do it is to connect your tab to a computer, copy the file over, disconnect the tab, and play it from the local hard drive on the tab.
When I copied movies over, it took an .mp4 file and converted it to wmv on the tab.
I also noticed that when your tab is plugged into the computer, you can't do anything on the tab. If you do, it disconnects the tab from the computer.
Hope this helps.

After doing a bit more research, here's an update:
It looks like Samsung makes a usb adapter. I can't post links, but google "Galaxy Tab Adapter (USB)"

Yes, once the USB adapter is available you will be able to use thumb drives, portable hard drives, etc, to play movies, music...

Will you be able to transfer files back to the Thumb Drive once the USB adapter is available? Or will it only be able to download?
I assume we have no idea when Samsung will make said adapter available.

im.thatoneguy said:
Will you be able to transfer files back to the Thumb Drive once the USB adapter is available? Or will it only be able to download?
I assume we have no idea when Samsung will make said adapter available.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is (said to be ) usb host. I have used usb host before. literally it is 100% a usb drive. you can upload, download, read, edit, play, delete, any file that is attached to it.
And you can connect a mouse or keyboard too. Just think of it as a usb slot. If the adaptor is legitimate usb host then it should perform every of the above.
I'm also waiting too.

a usb drive should function the same way it does on your computer. you will be able to play files that are on it, copy files from it and load files onto it. it will act just like sd cards do now in android.
the adapter is available for order now, but I believe it's listed as "back order"

Has anyone else noticed that due to the design of the tab, if you have a usb drive plugged in and are using headphones, you won't be able to prop it up? They're on opposite sides, so one plug would always be blocked!
I decided this wasn't the biggest deal for me, but it's definitely an annoying design decision.

Hey guys, I'm sorry to bring this back up again almost 4 months later, but has anyone tried to use an external cd/dvd drive with the usb adapter? I'm wondering I could play a movie from the external cd/dvd drive and have it play on the tabet. Thanks.

99scooter said:
Hey guys, I'm sorry to bring this back up again almost 4 months later, but has anyone tried to use an external cd/dvd drive with the usb adapter? I'm wondering I could play a movie from the external cd/dvd drive and have it play on the tabet. Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I haven't done it, but I think you would need an external power source to power the dvd drive. The USB does not supply enough power for that. Also, I think the USB hub for the Tab can only read FAT32 formatted drives, so I don't think it has the software to read directly from DVD, but I don't know.

Just play the from the USB device. How can this be a portable device if it has everything dangling from it...For that get a thin notebook.

It depends... USB can only provide about 500mA of current tops but with that tablet it probably even less, so your HDD would need external power supply.
Also, out of box, Galaxy Tab support only FAT32 as file system. So, you would need drivers/modules to support anything else.
I am using pershoot kernel with NTFS module, so I tested 16Gbyte jump drive formatted with NTFS. I was being able to mount it and read from it no problem. So, I see no problem to mount and read from HDD (granted you have to have external power supply for it).
If you are talking about CD/DVD drive then you would need driver/module for that and I did not see it available.

[Q] Apoligies if repeat Q: will a usb hub work with Nexus 7?

I had read in some other random forum that if you have rooted your Nexus 7, which I have, and run app "StickMount" you can connect a usb thumb drive to the nexus and give yourself more space, even install apps to the USB drive to run from. I am wondering (and am going to test it out later this evening) if anyone has tried connecting a USB hub, so that you can have say 4 ports to add different drives or game controllers/whatever else and android will recognize the different devices?
As a realist, I'm just hoping the single USB stick connection will actually work as a storage expansion area, as we all know there is no micro SD slot. I actually have an old college friend I keep in touch with who works on the Nexus development team, who had no good answer as to why micro SD was removed, as well as the ability on devices with a micro SD no longer allow the installation of apps to the sd card. I was pretty convinced it was simply because the OEMs decided to name their internal memory /mnt/sdcard which used to be the external card's mount point name, but I'm told it is more complicated than that. Am I the only one that really feels like no apps to the SD in ICS or jellybean, is quite a downgrade? I understand we can use the "cloud" now ... but that's simply not the same, and surely not as fast as a local drive (maybe?) I then proceeded to yell at him to not let the group of stupid consumers influence the great features that the half-brained+ consumers know how to properly use, to no avail. Using the micro to full USB port to mount a thumb drive seemed to be the best way to add more storage locally. Thoughts? Thanks
- Herby
- Real-time embedded software developer going on 12 years, working in the satcom, medical device, aircraft display, and aerospace domains

NM - Just found app "USB Host controller" which does exactly what I asked Yayyyy!!
There are actually a whole slew of these that are even free, most require root however, which I recommend using the program with GUI interface developed specifically to unlock the bootloader, and then root the nexus 7. I think it was called Root_Toolbox or something like that. I am not at home or I would report back the official name. If anyone wants it just let me know. Thank you!

Herby6262 said:
I had read in some other random forum that if you have rooted your Nexus 7, which I have, and run app "StickMount" you can connect a usb thumb drive to the nexus and give yourself more space, even install apps to the USB drive to run from. I am wondering (and am going to test it out later this evening) if anyone has tried connecting a USB hub, so that you can have say 4 ports to add different drives or game controllers/whatever else and android will recognize the different devices?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A hub works great. I've had 3 flash sticks mounted at once along with a mouse and everything has worked without a hitch.
The caveat here is to ensure you're not pulling too much current - the OTG max current source spec is alot less than the 500mA a normal USB PC host port is able to source.

[Q] Play movies from nexus 4 on PC

Hi
Can I play movies on PC from nexus 4 while it's connected with USB cable like it was a regular flash drive?
When I try doing it the file is being downloaded first then plays. If the file is big it takes a lot of time.
I'm using windows 8.

Better copy the film to your pc first. I got the same problem but dont think this is os related. Just a bad read speed, worse than actually usb 2.0.

The speed is onpair with usb 2.0, still copying the whole movie to some unknown place instead of direct play is unnecessary and waste of time.
My previous phone had an sdcard which appeared as hard drive when connected to PC, but N4 appears as portable device. This sucks

That's because the Nexus 4 doesn't support USB On The Go. Search xda for "Nexus 4 OTG" and you'll come across some threads about this, and a couple of workarounds that might, or might not work for you :fingers-crossed:.

Hey there
I wasn't looking for USB OTG, which is a way to connect external drives to the device. I'm looking for a way to use N4 itself as a regular external drive while connected to PC. Currently it's seen by PC as a portable device and it's pretty limited.

abbba said:
Hey there
I wasn't looking for USB OTG, which is a way to connect external drives to the device. I'm looking for a way to use N4 itself as a regular external drive while connected to PC. Currently it's seen by PC as a portable device and it's pretty limited.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would assume increasing the SD read-ahead (if you're on a custom kernel) might help with your issue here. But as someone else previously mentioned, copying to PC is definitely the better option. That, or just enjoy the movie on your Nexus4

Nexus 4 to Nexus 10 USB transfer, without intermediates?

The back story
I got a moga pro and now I'm playing big games on my N4, problem is, I can only play one at a time due to my limited storage. I am trying to transfer Vice City 1.4GB using usb, which transfers at 20mb/s on my computer using USB. I am trying to replicate that on my Nexus 10, so far no luck.
What I've tried
DriveDroid https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.softwarebakery.drivedroid
StickMount https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=eu.chainfire.stickmount
USB Sharer https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=os.devwom.usbsharereval
My first attempt was with DriveDroid, which was designed to turn your phone into a dynamic bootable USB for linux ISO's. It allows you to make IMG's and share them as a USB Mass Storage Device. Using an OTG cable and StickMount on my N10, I was able to move files from my N10 to my N4 over USB. Problem is, that IMG has so far been unreadable by every extraction program I've tried, including Nandroid Browser and ISO Extractor. More importantly, the IMG would take up 2GB on my N4. If I can't mount it as a directory, than that would leave no way of giving those 2GB to an app. I tried flipping it around and putting the 2GB IMG file on the N10, but then the N4 couldn't mounted due to its notorious power issues. Even if I get a powered OTG adapter for the N4, that would still leave no way of transferring a 2GB game on the N10 into the 2GB IMG file on the N10.
My second attempt was USB Sharer, which allows sharing a virtual usb drive AND mounting it. This would in theory be the solution to all my problems, but it fails to mount on the N10. I tried Paragon and StickMount. Meanwhile it connects flawlessly on my linux laptop. It is not the OTG cable, as it works with DriveDroid.
My third attempt was mounting my phone as a PTP Camera using androids built in tools. Photo's transfer insanely quick, but I can't trick it into transfering a fake ".jpg" file. MTP is useless over OTG for some reason.
My hardware
N4, 4.2.2 Stock+Root
N10, 4.2.2 Stock+Root
OTG Cable, ASUS and Samsung original USB cables
My last desperate attempt would be to start a network over USB, if I can, and transfer using FTP.
Edit 1:
I am now looking for a way to mount ISO's and create them on a third party program (not DriveDroid).

Max file size I've ever been able to transfer was 680mb. Any more and it got rejected and said there was limited storage even though I had over 5gb free.

Some questions before jumping in.

Dear N10 Community,
I have been looking around for a good 10 inch Android tablet and have more or less decided on the N10 over the Pipo M8 Pro and the 10 inch offers from Samsung.
However, the lack of microsd expansion bothers me and I wonder if you gentlemen and gentleladies might be able to help.
I intend to use the N10 for work as well as pleasure. At the moment, I carry all my files with me on a USB hub with 4 x 32Gb Sandisk Cruzer Fits attached.
I would like to access the files, both reading and writing, on these Cruzer Fits via OTG. For example I receive a file from my boss and I download it to edit. I would like to be able to save the file directly onto one of the Cruzer Fits and edit the file directly from there. Basically I want to bypass the N10 storage altogether (reserving that space for personal entertainment).
Would any of you be able to shed light on whether that is possible? And what I would need to do to make it happen? E. G. Root the N10, buy a particular app or something?
Best regards and merry Christmas
Jake.

You need a OTG adaptor, only a few quid off E-Bay, then an app to let you read/write to the USB. I bought this one https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.homeysoft.nexususb.importer&hl=en and it does the job fine (doesn't require root)
Of course if you know you'll have access to wi-fi you can use Dropbox, Google Drive or Box which all have apps and it negates the need for the USB.

I use the same paid app too, and Stickmount which is free.

Thanks guys! I'll give it a shot!
Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk

quojake said:
Dear N10 Community,
I intend to use the N10 for work as well as pleasure. At the moment, I carry all my files with me on a USB hub with 4 x 32Gb Sandisk Cruzer Fits attached.
I would like to access the files, both reading and writing, on these Cruzer Fits via OTG. For example I receive a file from my boss and I download it to edit. I would like to be able to save the file directly onto one of the Cruzer Fits and edit the file directly from there. Basically I want to bypass the N10 storage altogether (reserving that space for personal entertainment).
Would any of you be able to shed light on whether that is possible? And what I would need to do to make it happen? E. G. Root the N10, buy a particular app or something?
Best regards and merry Christmas
Jake.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You need to root the N10. Most corporate use policies ban rooting meaning you're going to get frowned at, or must keep the fact you rooted it a secret (noone can really tell unless they look). Then install Stickmount (it needs root). The USB sticks are probably FAT32 formatted so will work, but if they happen to be formatted say NTFS then you'll need to follow the instructions for the app to copy ntfs-3g to /sdcard.
You sound like you want read-only which the above will do, if you want to copy files TO the USB stick from the N10 if its NTFS then you need SELinux Mode Changer app.
You said you want to watch films on the USB and NOT copy to the N10 but that means you are powering the stick from the N10 and accelerating battery drain. Even if you got the Pogo cable, it won't actually be taking in any charge when the USB is being used for Stickmount. Also, on my N10, I use a USB NTFS harddrive, and it doesn't stay working long enough to watch stuff, so I copy files off and watch locally, it needs only then work for a couple of minutes which is does perfectly ok. So I'd encourage you to think of temporarily connecting and copying files and deleting rather than watching it off the stick.
If there is another device able to share the same Wifi then you can also connect storage to that other device and stream via CIFS mount share or http, e.g. connect USB storage to a Rasberry PI and run Apache on it and link /var/www/something to the usb mount (/mnt/something). I guess that sounds scary if you're not a geek. I have such and 1TB drive connected to it as my primary datastore for media when at home.
Speed, I get about 2MB/s Wifi CIFS copy, 4MB/s Wifi FTP copy and 7MB Wifi http copy and about 21MB/s copying off USB harddrive so a typical HD film is about 1GB/hour, so 1.5GB copy off USB is say 71 seconds to copy or over http copy is 214s.
Best media play is MX Player, having tried them all. Oh and if you root you can install Adaway to block MX Player's ads when you pause.