Thread: N800 USB OTG Adapters/Dongles
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Benson is offline Benson
2008-05-30 , 14:41
Posts: 4,930 | Thanked: 2,272 times | Joined on Oct 2007
#290
Originally Posted by jolouis View Post
I hope that the tablets have internal overload shutdowns, but I've blown up USB regulator chips on motherboards before doing that (and you'd have thought THEY would have overload protection) and had to live without powered USB ports for a while which is definately NOT fun!
Well, it's been reported on these forums (don't remember by whom) that the N800 does indeed have hardware overload protection; I haven't worked with it at all.
However what I am tinkering with is the possibility of moding up a "1 port" powered USB hub, essentially creating a power injector the "right way". I should be able to get it to be about the size of a postage stamp, but this is just based on general ideas and theories thus far so I'll keep everyone posted on how it works out...
That's indeed the right way, if you can get it small enough to be equally convenient. That spider-cable hub you have, BTW, looks quite interesting.

Unfortunately, if it doesn't think it's a powered hub, you can't do much the right way, but I was thinking of hacking one up. It's got a mini-B connector, so with some work that could be interfaced to the upstream (instead of one of the downstream), and use the male A intended as upstream as a power-only input, for use with any USB power supply, or (unlawful, evil, and non-negotiatingly) off a computer's USB port.

Do you know if that case comes apart well? (I'm thinking unsoldering the cables from the PCB, probably adding wires to reach, and resoldering the data wires in different places.) Also, if you've had one apart, do you know if it's got 5 conductors in the mini-B cable? OTG-ifying without tearing the connector open would be sweet.

I'm willing to buy one and make the first prototype, now that I've got time, but if it works out, I'll publicly document it, and you could sell those hubs pre-modded too. (Just don't point people at a ''dangerous'' kernel if you don't want responsibility; it'll just work as a bus-powered hub if you don't install a tweaked kernel, and still be a little slicker than the current combo of that hub and the OTG adapter... plus if it's hooked up that way, the power users can do it themselves.)

Thanks for all the feedback so far, if there are any other cables/accessories etc you guys are looking for just post up and I'll do my best to track them down/build them/make them available!
Well, here's a couple:

USB-VGA is working (with certain SIS chipsets); it's still pretty experimental. But you could offer the USB2VGA2
(known working) or similar... That sucker needs a powered hub or injector+kernel, too, of course. I don't know that you could beat the newegg price, but ordering all one place does save shipping and time, so it might be good.

Battery pack for the powered hub you do sell, as well as for any 1-port powered hub or power injector you might come up with? Bonus points if it can be used either with the hub/injector or as an extender for the N8x0...
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