Powered Usb Drives

[JMS]

This might be old news but..

USB2 Battery Powered 2.5" HDD Enclosure

This with any flavour of 2.5" drive (Go for a 4200RPM for power issues - hdd access/seek time won't be too critical). And seeing as the GP2X can't "bus power" external drives - this will do the trick PERFECTLY!!!

..coupled with a 1 or 2GB SD card and your new GP2X will out spec any kind of Archos for movies, music and (ahem) ROM libraries...

Have only found these in the US so far.. but a friend of mine has passed the info onto the people at GBAX.COM - If they're smart they might try some kind of deal with the BIXNet people..

Enjoy!

 

[Yuglooc]

Wow, Amazing O_O

 

[darkplayer]

Powered from USB port and internal battery & running without AC power source

It seem that it cant run without a powered usb

 

[DijiTao]

Good find, it seems useful to me, whether or not it actually relies on the 5v over usb isn’t really clear. Regardless it’s the fact that this driver has a built-in Li-ION battery for powering the drive itself that I find interesting. Since the firmware is upgradeable somebody far more intelligent then I might be able to do some really cool stuff with it. We do know that it can transfer data to an un-powered device since it’s compatible with the USB “on-the-go” specification, but when it’s in that mode it’s going to want to be the host and I’m just not sure how that’s going to work out with the GP2X.

 

[JMS]

I think you've misunderstood...

Basically, this device will work "BUS powered" from USB if that's available OR battery powered from its internal LIon battery OR from the mains if that's available.. (Which is the whole point methinks)

That's why I thought it'd be perfect, seeing as the GP2X won't bus power it, it'll use the internal battery instead as a slave device NOT as a host..

Provided it appears to the GP2X as a mass-storage device, it should just use whatever power source is present (although you can switch it to be a USB host as well, it isn't this mode we're interested in)

If you folks still aren't sure, then I reckon a quick email to the BIXNet people would clear things up!

 

[Empyre]

I wonder if the Creative Zen MP3 players could be used they have a mini usb connector, they are self powered and they support being seen as a device in windows.

Maybe a driver would need to be written to use them as data storage

*put's this on the list of things to fiddle with when my gp2x arrives*

 

[Jegriva]

Maybe with the Zenthere would be Fat-problem, but I am not an expert about it.

About the HDD, if I bought the GP2X, I would of course buy it .

 

[junker]

looks real interesting!
2 hours on the li-ion battery doesn't sound like much, but i'd use it with a power adapter for sure. i always come across power outlets, and having this little hdd would be perfect for movies!

 

[BattleCattle]

If Creative uses the USB port to charge the mp3 player, it may not work. I have an IAudio M3, and it only works with powered USB hubs despite the fact that it has a built-in battery. If I could just get it working on an unpowered hub, I'd have 20GB of portable storage for my GP2X, but alas, that is not the case.

 

[JMS]

Hmmmmm

Well this unit I've suggested to you (with your own 2.5" HDD) would be about £50-£60 cheaper than a ZEN... even though the ZEN has a much better battery life..

Oh.. and the ZEN needs custom drivers before it'll be seen as MASS storage and I don't believe any Linux ones have been written!

Even thought the BIXNet one has a shorter battery life, you wouldn't be running it continuous for the 2hrs, the best bet would be to hive off the data you need to your SD card..

This WILL work people.. it just needs some support yeah?

 

[DijiTao]

I’ll try to explain the potential problems and the series of “if”’s better:

Out of the box the Gp2x’s usb port is in slave mode, so this means that if you plug this external hard drive into it, the external hard-drive will become the host device and you will be able to copy everything off the gp2x to the hard drive by pushing the button on the hard drive IF the Gp2x shows up as a mass storage device that is. (Something will still don’t know). Now *IF* you can change the usb port on the Gp2x to host mode, then we run into the next problem of how does the hard drive know if it should be the master or slave. IF it relies on the presences of the 5v of the host port to make that determination then it will simply think it should be the host when you plug it into the Gp2x even if the Gp2x’s usb port is set to host mode. Now IF the hard drive uses a more sophisticated means of determining if it’s usb port should be in host or slave mode then the problem could occur if it assumes that if it’s the slave it should be getting 5v off the usb line and therefore doesn’t need to use it’s battery. Now if I had to bet I would say it uses the first method, as this is quick, dirty, and cheap – and if that’s the case this will be a no go without some additional modifications to either the HD’s firmware, or possibly shoving a 5v power source between the HD and your gp2x.

 

[theoddbot]

if you plug this external hard drive into it, the external hard-drive will become the host device and you will be able to copy everything off the gp2x to the hard drive by pushing the button on the hard drive

​

I wasn't aware of any hard drives that have this functionality ?

 

[x68000]

this is a seriously sexual piece of kit, and once we get the likes of mega/sega cd and pc engine super cd support, we will need all the storage space we can get to store those big iso files.

ps. i meant what i said, this is a sexy piece of shit, i mean kit

 

[JMS]

Dijitao - I know what you're saying mate... but....

The people in the UK dealing with the GP2X tell me that it is supposed to act as a HOST which is cool if your storage device "doesn't require power" (as the BIXNET stuff doesn't)

Assuming that "out of the box" the GP2X firmware/software/whatever has the USB implimentation configure for HOST usage, then it *should* be a no-brainer because the the BIXnet device is also configured for MASS storage unless you press that button to get it into HOST mode

Like I said, the UK distributors are saying it (the GP2X) is meant to function as a host that you can plug USB storage solutions into - it would suck hard if that wasn't the case but then what's the point.

I'm guessing the lack of 5v power out of the USB port for "intelligent" devices with their own power isn't a criteria for them to go into HOST mode... they should stay as slaves under their own power, which is why I reckon these babies will be cool for GP2X users!

Peace!

p.s. I'm in Manhattan in two weeks and I'll buy a drive *just in case* we'll know more then yeah? Unless someone really *does* know better??

 

[DijiTao]

if you plug this external hard drive into it, the external hard-drive will become the host device and you will be able to copy everything off the gp2x to the hard drive by pushing the button on the hard drive

​

I wasn't aware of any hard drives that have this functionality ?

​

check the spec's for the drive link'd in the first post - pretty sweet.


My opinion is that regardless of how it acts when connected to an unpowered host it still seems like a good piece of kit. I just fully plan on getting 5v to my usb port which makes most of this a moot point. USB Wifi is my goal

 

[JMS]

Glad there's a bit of support about this though can you tell us how you plan to be able to power 5v from the USB port on just 2xAA batteries?

Or are you intending to run your GP2X from the mains most of the time??



I suggested the drive for those ppl who wanna be on the move and not tethered to anything.. c'est la raison d'etre n'est pas??

 

[DijiTao]

Easy.

Parts:
http://www.allelectronics.com/cgi-bin/cate...-341&type=store
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?...N82E16812107284

Steps
Take a usb extension cable and cut it in half.
Strip the ends and separate the individual wires
Plug into a computer and check wires with a multimeter to determine which wires are providing power
Unplug cable and solder battery holder to appropriate wires
Wrap up with electric tape and enjoy

-edit-
obviously the voltage won't be quite right, but it should be close enough.

 

[junker]

the red wire provides power, right? usually with usb wiring it's red for +5v, black ground, green&white data+/-.

anyway, if this all works out, what's a good place to pick up laptop harddrives? prices seem way too high!

 

[DijiTao]

the red wire provides power, right? usually with usb wiring it's red for +5v, black ground, green&white data+/-.

anyway, if this all works out, what's a good place to pick up laptop harddrives? prices seem way too high!

​

yes, ussually thoese are the right colors, but since I've got a multimeter I figured better to play it safe and check

 

[JMS]

so... you're going to provide additional power to the existing USB port? In case other devices require USB bus powering and the GP2X doesn't offer it?

Makes sense for usb devices, except for when you're gonna use a HDD.. the HDD solution where I suggested already has power.. (admittedly not the best battery in the world but still)