Add a USB Port to your Axim and connect a Hard Drive

Abram · 06-10-03, 04:55 PM

I was browsing the freewarePPC.com website when I came across this... USB Mass Storage Driver

What do ya think? It says it enables you to use USB mass storage devices on your USB host enabled Pocket PC.

06-10-03, 04:58 PM

Nope, the Axim can't do this... You might want to look at these threads though...

http://www.aximsite.com/boards/showt...ht=USB+CF+Card
http://www.aximsite.com/boards/showt...ht=USB+CF+Card
http://www.aximsite.com/boards/showt...ht=USB+CF+Card

The CF Card is almost $150....

cjbarnard · 06-10-03, 05:09 PM

I just found this company on the web and they offer a CF card that has a donglt to a Femail USB Port. Take a look at the link...

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http://shop.store.yahoo.com/firewire...usb11hosa.html

Features:

Add USB 1.1 Host downstream port to your PDA.

Only one USB Host Adapter CF card in the world.

Works on Compaq iPAQ and Dell Axim, expands your application and ideas of PDA based systems.

Attach bar code scanners, magnetic stripe card readers, keypads or other USB HID devices.

Supports USB Flash Memory reader/writers, USB Flash Memory sticks, Zip, Mo and other removable storage devices. Allows to save, restore big data from/to your PDA, to exchange big data simply with WindowsPC.
-----------------------------------------------------------------

Just curious if anyone has heard or dealt with this company. This is just what I want, but I don't like to price, although, it would be nice to have my 20 Gig USB hard drive connected to my Axim...

Chris

06-10-03, 05:11 PM

Thanks for the info...

Check out the discussion right here... You cannot connect it to a USB hard drive. its only for cell phones, digital cameras and USB keychains...

http://www.aximsite.com/boards/showt...ht=USB+CF+Card
http://www.aximsite.com/boards/showt...ht=USB+CF+Card
http://www.aximsite.com/boards/showt...ht=USB+CF+Card

cjbarnard · 06-10-03, 05:16 PM

I don't see why it wouldn't, it states that it can work with USB Zip Drives (probably not the USB powered ones). My portable hard drive uses the same Mass Storage driver as my SanDisk Cruzer Drive, not to mention my Sony Digital Camera uses the same Mass storage driver. So, I should be able to hook it up. Better yet, the ability to get the photos out of my camera would be nice, and connect to a slew of USB devices I have.

If anyone has tried this model, let me know how well it works. They also have a CF to serial card that looks interesting. anyone using the Socket CF to Serial card?

06-10-03, 05:21 PM

The company says it won't work. I know what you are saying and if you want to buy it and try it, there are tons of members here who would love to know. I just don't want to spend $150 on something that might not work...

06-10-03, 05:22 PM

This is what they sent me...

Quote:

Dear customer,

Thank you for your inquiry.

Basically, if the device is recognized as REMOVABLE drive without
any installation of the special driver on PC, which means that the
drive is
recognized by standard driver, it should be OK.

The drive is needed to format as super floppy drive, which PC and PDA
can access the drive.

The manual is trying to say that the normal hard drive, not removable
drive, doesn't work so far.

There is following problem with normal USB hard drive.

Actually normal hard drive is working on PDA. We can read/write data
from/to the drive.
But file format is not compatible with the PC. It is only compatible
with the other PDAs.
Since the removable hard drive is compatible with the PC, I believe it
is software issue.
That is why normal hard drive is not listed as supported device.

Sincerely,

Tsuki.

I think what he is saying is the file format is not compatible, but who knows.

I say give it a shot and let me know, because I'd love to hook it up to my USB hard drive...

slease · 06-10-03, 05:25 PM

I wonder if you could plug an ipod or other removable drive/mp3 player to it, still the price needs to go down a bit.

I say this because I believe they work the same as jump drives.

cjbarnard · 06-10-03, 05:26 PM

OK, I see what thye mean. It will only work if the device is seen as a removable drive, that is why the specify on the website 'Removable HD'. then my HD probably won't work, but the digital camera, Digital voice recorder, etc... will. I just can't justify the expense right now, I will wait and see if someone posts a review.

Swanny · 06-10-03, 05:30 PM

Sounds to me like it can't read the file system on the drive itself. I have a hdd enclosure with 80gb hdd (separate power supply) but since it's NTFS I really don't hold out much hope :( Sounds like if you format, say FAT12 (what my camera used to report) it might be able to read that???

06-10-03, 05:35 PM

We are all waiting for someone to take the jump on this thing...

They refer to the format as "Super Floppy" so that must be what your FAT12 is...

TheAce · 06-11-03, 07:06 AM

First of all, there are a number of threads about this issue, where I had contributed as well ;), and we still havent reached a definite conclusion. Problem is, I am not willing to shell out 140$+shipping to Europe, in order to test this and -maybe- find out that it doesnt work.

I have contacted all parties involved, and requested that someone tries to see if the RATOC USB Host CF card and the USB driver can be used to access the USB HDDs out there (namely mine, the Archos :D). It should be a rather easy and fast test. If it works, I'll buy the very next second. If it doesnt, then.....better luck next time

Dandcal · 06-12-03, 07:59 PM

Just what I've been looking for, too, Chris.
But $139.00 ? Ouch! That's a bad precedent for when, and if, Dell ever comes out with its own
such cable, or, better yet, puts a standard
USB 2.0 port on the bottom of the Axim in place
of that non-standard pain-in-the-neck. Looks like
we need a stalking horse to lead the way. Will the
manufacturer promise a rebate if it wont do what
you want? It's a chance for it to make a lot of
sales -- if it works.

hk_traveller · 06-13-03, 07:24 PM

There is another option to connect ppc to USB type external harddisk with USB host cable. I am not sure such USB cable exist for Axim ppc as well. But sure for Toshiba e740/e750/e755

http://www.pocketpcpassion.com/forum...9&pagenumber=2

hk_traveller · 06-13-03, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by TheAce
First of all, there are a number of threads about this issue, where I had contributed as well ;), and we still havent reached a definite conclusion. Problem is, I am not willing to shell out 140$+shipping to Europe, in order to test this and -maybe- find out that it doesnt work.

I have contacted all parties involved, and requested that someone tries to see if the RATOC USB Host CF card and the USB driver can be used to access the USB HDDs out there (namely mine, the Archos :D). It should be a rather easy and fast test. If it works, I'll buy the very next second. If it doesnt, then.....better luck next time

However please note that USB host CF card occupied your CF slot, so if you want to download photo jpg files from your CF card of your DC to HDD, it should be an issue.

I think the best way is Dell can have a USB host cable connected to bottom of Axim which can then use to connect to external HDD.