VGA-Video out really Works... i can´t believe it... - Page 3

new2axim · 08-23-05, 01:46 AM

Originally Posted by darkdestroyer

Yes yes!!!! I'd KILL to have USB functionality also. Please Please any word on this? I hear the Linux Project enables USB host, any1 have any ideas?

My only real hope was(is?) somebody would adapt something through the serial cables that can be bought for the Axim:

http://www.aximsite.com/boards/showthread.php?t=90634

biohzrd · 08-23-05, 05:40 AM

Originally Posted by new2axim

My only real hope was(is?) somebody would adapt something through the serial cables that can be bought for the Axim:

http://www.aximsite.com/boards/showthread.php?t=90634

Well, since everyone is willing to kill for this... I figured I'd do a quick search for you. Hell, I even found a sticky on the topic, if you care to read half-way through it.

Scroll DOwn a bit...
http://www.aximsite.com/boards/showt...light=x50v+USB

Download the software here : works with x50 x50v, and a LOT more.
http://www.softick.com/pocket-pc/cardexport2/

psionandy · 08-23-05, 06:40 AM

It`s not really USB host though... more a set of drivers that let the USB host Device (Pc) talk directly to the USB client device (axim).

if you want a true USB host solution then the Ratoc is the only show in town (and not really a great show at that)

And before someone asks... no you can`t do it just by making a special cable... it really does need a chunk of extra hardware

biohzrd · 08-23-05, 10:19 AM

Originally Posted by psionandy

It`s not really USB host though... more a set of drivers that let the USB host Device (Pc) talk directly to the USB client device (axim).

if you want a true USB host solution then the Ratoc is the only show in town (and not really a great show at that)

And before someone asks... no you can`t do it just by making a special cable... it really does need a chunk of extra hardware

I'm not sure what you mean. While I agree it's just a set of drivers, it basically lets you use your axim as a USB flash drive. No drivers needed to install on the PC. exactly what they wanted.

psionandy · 08-23-05, 10:34 AM

Just to clarify, and I'm not trying to split hairs here, it isn't a USB host which is what some people (me included) would like.

If it was a USB host, i could plug in flash drives, Ipods, keyboards etc as long as i had the driver. That's the sort of functionality that people would kill for.

Cardexport is nice and may help some people, but people would only commit mild assault to get it :p

darkdestroyer · 08-23-05, 11:00 AM

Yes Psionandy, mild assault i did to get my cardexport from Softick. It works in a nich, but any USB2.0 card reader would beat cardexport in a flash.

Like andy said, what we want is the ability to plug in flash drives, iPods, mice, keyboards, webcams, keyboards, into our tiny little axim. Just like the Asus Mypal, which does have USB host by a little cable.

biohzrd · 08-23-05, 11:14 AM

Ohh I see. Is USB host a software or hardware function? We know we can get the bottom of the axim to communicate via USB, so maybe just the right kind of connector and drivers on the axim?

darkdestroyer · 08-23-05, 11:25 AM

Hardware. I think the Axim itself must have the right pin's to do so. My question in general was whether or not it had the "potential" to do this.

psionandy · 08-23-05, 11:27 AM

nooooooo!

Thats the reason i put it in my post.
USB HOST is a hardware thing. You need to have the hardware to do it. Making your own cable, or writing a driver will not do it.

nyditot · 08-23-05, 01:29 PM

Here's my very superficial understanding of the issue:

The Intel PXA270 processor has built in USB host cababilities. If you're curious about its other capabilities, here's a link to Intel's PXA270 product page.

In addition the Windows CE core OS includes the necessary software to implement USB host functionality

BUT

the OEM must include these components in their implementation of the CE OS. A few key DLL's to look for are OHCI.DLL and USBD.DLL. I do not see these files on the X50v so....

That said, there's also the issue of connecting the USB devices. I'm not familiar with the X50v internals or pinout but I assume that the USB host capability of the PXA270 is not even "hooked up". I can't see why Dell would engineer the hardware but then simply not include the necessary drivers. I could be wrong in which case it would be a matter of getting the necessary OS files onto the device and some other unknown steps that a dedicated hacker might be able to deduce.

bigbop · 08-23-05, 01:34 PM

Originally Posted by psionandy

nooooooo!

Thats the reason i put it in my post.
USB HOST is a hardware thing. You need to have the hardware to do it. Making your own cable, or writing a driver will not do it.

Not so fast there - The Xscale PXA270 chip actually has the HARDWARE USB host interface built into it. No other (current) Xscale chip has it, only the PXA270. The problem here is whether HTC (under Dell's direction) connected it to the outside world through some sort of interface circuit.

So, with that said, go to PHM's webpage and download his 'devmgmt' utility. Once you have it installed, run it and select Other Devices. Have a look in the list and you will see a device called HCD1 and referring to \drivers\builtin\ohci (edit: this is on ROM A02 - It was removed from ROM A05 - why??). This is the USB HOST device, not the client.

Now I will say again - this may just be the OS sensing the device on the PXA270 chip. The trick is to get someone who has partially destroyed their X50V to donate it (to me?

) so it can be determined if the interface was brought out from the ship to the real world. I am actually looking at this from a low-level hardware perspective as I want to satisfy my own curiosity to see what undocumented features might lurk beneath the covers of the X50.

EDIT: I updated the device info above - for some unknown reason (at this time) Dell removed the USB host device from the A05 firmware update. They exist in the A02 firmware which I restored after I didn't see them in A05. Maybe Dell saw that including the device would be a problem or maybe they're trying to hide something

and as Nyditot pointed out, the drivers are missing.
In any case, if you want to see the USB HOST device, you'll need to be running A02.

psionandy · 08-23-05, 01:52 PM

Thanks for the link... If your knowlesge is superficial then mine is barely there.. but the USB host is in the Peripheral section (along with some other stuff that we don't get).

Maybe it's in the X50V and maybe its's not. If it is there and someone could activate it, and get it to do something useful it would be wild

bigbop · 08-24-05, 08:43 AM

Originally Posted by bigbop

So, with that said, go to PHM's webpage and download his 'devmgmt' utility. Once you have it installed, run it and select Other Devices. Have a look in the list and you will see a device called HCD1 and referring to \drivers\builtin\ohci (edit: this is on ROM A02 - It was removed from ROM A05 - why??). This is the USB HOST device, not the client.

EDIT: I updated the device info above - for some unknown reason (at this time) Dell removed the USB host device from the A05 firmware update. They exist in the A02 firmware which I restored after I didn't see them in A05. Maybe Dell saw that including the device would be a problem or maybe they're trying to hide something

and as Nyditot pointed out, the drivers are missing.
In any case, if you want to see the USB HOST device, you'll need to be running A02.

OK, I re-installed A05 and had a look at the difference in what devices show up. The HCD1 device ID:17 from the A02 ROM has been replaced with a new PER1 device ID:17 that resolves to Drivers\BuiltIn\Peripheral with a driver of peripheral.dll. Is this the new USB host driver? Don't know (yet). The A02 ROM had the ohci.dll driver in \windows. ohci.dll was 48K and peripheral.dll is only 8K so I doubt it's a replacement.

I'm assumming this is to get ready for WM5. I need to dig down further on this.

new2axim · 08-24-05, 01:35 PM

Originally Posted by bigbop

I'm assumming this is to get ready for WM5. I need to dig down further on this.

I, for one, apprecitate your digging. Keep us informed :approve:

bigbop · 08-24-05, 03:00 PM

Originally Posted by bigbop

OK, I re-installed A05 and had a look at the difference in what devices show up. The HCD1 device ID:17 from the A02 ROM has been replaced with a new PER1 device ID:17 that resolves to Drivers\BuiltIn\Peripheral with a driver of peripheral.dll. Is this the new USB host driver? Don't know (yet). The A02 ROM had the ohci.dll driver in \windows. ohci.dll was 48K and peripheral.dll is only 8K so I doubt it's a replacement.

I'm assumming this is to get ready for WM5. I need to dig down further on this.

Further digging.... I did a search on the Microsoft developers network knowledgebase for peripheral.dll+usb and came up with this: http://search.microsoft.com/search/r...+usb&s=1&swc=4
Basically, most of the hits refer to Win CE5 (not Windows Mobile) and setting up the USB HOST interface. Now, this gets more interesting. I use a Dell D600 laptop at work. To simplify the design, the Bluetooth interface is actually a USB device connected to an internal USB hub. What does this have to do with the X50v you say?
Well, using that nice regedit utility (Every Axim owner needs these free utilities http://www.phm.lu/Products/PocketPC/ I dug down into the registry and found references to what I think refer to the Bluetooth interface on the X50v as being a USB device. If indeed it is, then the X50v IS using the USB host capability in a limited fashion to interface to the built-in Bluetooth. I need to get the part number of the BT interface chip used so I can dig up the tech specs.
dig - dig - dig :)

Uh, maybe we should start a new thread reagarding this, as it's now off topic to this thread. Yes/no?