The RAVPower FileHub (RP-WD02) seems to pitch 3 major features: WiFI Router, Media Sharing and Power Bank. I tested these main features, and as you can see below the device seems to do what it advertises.
- Media Sharing
I loaded a few different MP4 movies on my FileHub (microSD card) and started to stream from other devices, adding one at a time but keeping the prior device still running. I also chose a different video for each device. As a side note, I was able to copy a file directly from a USB thumb drive to the microSD card and the transfer was handled by the FileHub itself.
Devices:
NOTE: FileHub was connected (via wireless) to my home router for internet access.
1) Xbox 360 connected directly to my Linksys router and access the FileHub (via DLNA).
2) Laptop connected to the FileHub via wireless..
3) Nexus 7 connected to the FileHub via wireless.
4) Moto X connected to the FileHub via wireless.
The only time devices 2,3 and 4 had any sort of hiccup was when another devices was first starting to load a movie but it would smooth out quickly. Once the movies were all playing, the 3 devices (#2, #3 and #4 all connected directly to the FileHub via wireless) had no problem streaming 3 different videos at the same time. Device #1 had the most issues but it wasn’t directly connected to the FileHub via wireless -- it was going through another device (older Linksys router) which is likely part of the reason it had issues. Once I stopped devices 2-4, the Xbox (device #1) played the movie with no problem again.
I consider the above a “stress” test, normal use (one or two devices) shouldn’t be a problem at all especially if you connect via wireless directly to the FileHub. I didn't test MP3s or anything else -- if it can handle multiple movie streams, I am sure music / other files aren't an issue.
- WiFi Router / AP / Bridge
I connected the FileHub device directly (via ethernet cable) to my home wifi (Linksys router). Next, I used the Ookla Speedtest.net application on my Nexus 7 tablet and did 3 tests on my home wifi, and 3 test on the filehub. The download speeds, upload speeds and ping time were all within the same variance so the FileHub had no noticeable impact.
In addition to connecting to an Ethernet network, the FileHub can connect to a wireless network that way any devices connected to the FileHub via wireless can still have a connection to the Internet. If you travel this could be a useful way to setup your own wireless network in a hotel.
One thing I did notice, there isn’t really an option to set this up as a true wireless access point where it simply acts as a media converter so that you can connect your wireless device to a wired network. This device always acts as a router/AP combo, so your wireless clients are on an internal (10.10.10.X by default) network. If this device truly could act just as an access point, your wireless client would pick up an IP address from whatever network was on the other side (for my Linksys it would be a 192.168.1.X address). While this may not matter for the average user, I figure I would point it out. I contacted RAVPower support to see if maybe I am missing something.
- PowerBank
Not much to test here, it acts as a 6000 mAh powerbank. Once interesting feature that I didn’t find in the manual, if the device was off and I gave the power button a short press the battery light would turn on and the device would act as a PowerBank without the other capabilities. This could be useful if you want to charge your phone without the device itself being on (which I would assume reduces the power consumption).
Overall I am impressed so far, but am still playing with the device. If you have any questions, or can think of any tests I should consider, please let me know.
Hello.
Thanks for your review.
It's not mentioned ,but it's compatible with microSDXC , it work with my SanDisk Ultra 64 Go UHS-I SDSDQUA-064G-U46A :good:
Hi, nice review
I have a question :
What transfer speeds do you get when copying from a sd-card to a USB connected device? My wd02 takes about 10 min to copy 1 Gb...
Thanks for answering
dope649 said:
Hi, nice review
I have a question :
What transfer speeds do you get when copying from a sd-card to a USB connected device? My wd02 takes about 10 min to copy 1 Gb...
Thanks for answering
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am no longer using a standard firmware (don't ask lol) so it really wouldn't be good for me to compare times. Are you doing the internal microSD to USB? Should be quick (in theory) since it is all on the same device.
cookiemonster79 said:
I am no longer using a standard firmware (don't ask lol)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As the latest (2.000.014) fw seems to have broken some things (compared to 2.000.002 which was preinstalled), I'm asking... Want to share something mouth-watering?
steve8x8 said:
As the latest (2.000.014) fw seems to have broken some things (compared to 2.000.002 which was preinstalled), I'm asking... Want to share something mouth-watering?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah nothing too interesting, I think I had a copy of the 2.000.014 before it was released. What broke on it for you?
2.000.014 apparently preserved passwords set on 2.000.002 but I had to hard reset the device. After that, I found that the "passwd" command would modify /etc/shadow while the "telnetd" would continue using /etc/passwd contents. Bad busybox?
Trying to get my hands on the GPL release now (if such a thing exists).
Shouldn't there be a .030 (for the WD01 there was a .014 too before)? How to get older fw versions?
steve8x8 said:
2.000.014 apparently preserved passwords set on 2.000.002 but I had to hard reset the device. After that, I found that the "passwd" command would modify /etc/shadow while the "telnetd" would continue using /etc/passwd contents. Bad busybox?
Trying to get my hands on the GPL release now (if such a thing exists).
Shouldn't there be a .030 (for the WD01 there was a .014 too before)? How to get older fw versions?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wish they did a changelog for updates, I will see if I have an older copy somewhere on one of my drives but other than that I don't know how to get them.
cookiemonster79 said:
I wish they did a changelog for updates, I will see if I have an older copy somewhere on one of my drives but other than that I don't know how to get them.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'll try to get in touch with them (Twitter? E-mail?) to get access to older FW and GPL sources. Over-optimistic, perhaps.
steve8x8 said:
I'll try to get in touch with them (Twitter? E-mail?) to get access to older FW and GPL sources. Over-optimistic, perhaps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What are you trying to get from the old one? Just curious. I haven't tested the new one much is it broken?
As setting the root password did work with the old FW, and I first took it over to the new one successfully (only to lose it to a factory reset), there clearly must be a difference. I know I cannot easily replace the new busybox with the old one while keeping the rest of the FW, but having the option to downgrade (for science) is somewhat appealing.
Whoa! This thing is super neat! Thanks for the heads up and review!
Few Questions...
I just got one of these and am trying to bend it to my whims. Running into a few problems, though...
1) I can't change the device's IP address to something in the 192.168.0.xxx range. If it could be done, this would ease the issue you mentioned of it not acting as a 'true' router, since it would at least be issuing IP Addresses on the right subnet as the rest of my network. I tried changing the DHCP settings, but that resulted in a hard reset since it wouldn't let me also change the IP address.
2) I'm not sure if this is specific to Xperia devices or not, but in the Storage settings, there's a feature for 'Remote Share' that basically mounts a network share as a folder in the Android file system, so it can be treated as 'local'. I've not had any luck setting the FileHub to play nice with this as of yet. It'd be great to be able to shift my music collection to the FileHub and still have it playable in the usual music players.
3) Most of the time I'm using this on-the-go. How can I maintain my LTE data connection while simultaneously connecting to the FileHub via WiFi?
4) You mentioned not using stock firmware... Where can I find other options? The built-in stuff is servicable, but limited. Might even remedy the IP Address config issue.
While I probably cannot answer your questions, I have another one myself: is there a way to add a USB 3G stick to make the device aware of mobile data networks? (I haven't found any confirmation it could, only a single hint that the WD01 wasn't able - with an older fw.)
steve8x8 said:
While I probably cannot answer your questions, I have another one myself: is there a way to add a USB 3G stick to make the device aware of mobile data networks? (I haven't found any confirmation it could, only a single hint that the WD01 wasn't able - with an older fw.)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just tried a 3G/4G stick on my Filehub, and while it powered up and appared to obtain a signal, there's really no way for the FileHub to know it's there or what to do with it. Good Idea, though... That'd be a great feature for them to add in the future!
Before connecting, run "lsusb" and "lsmod" as root. Repeat after having connected the USB device. The USB id may give us an idea about what will be needed; I'd not expect support for 3G devices in the kernel, and we might need GPL code from RAV before we can modify the system accordingly.
I vaguely remember a report of attempts to run OpenWRT on the device, but cannot find it anymore. (Was it real at all?)
Nice review. I just purchased this handy little device and put it through some heavy usage for testing and it works great. Only thing I cannot figure out is how to update the firmware or if there even is an update for the firmware. I am currently running on ver 2.000.002. Could anyone else confirm if this is the latest and if not how to update it? TIA
I have 2.000.014 on my WD02 (installed from a FW file d/l'd from RAV), but haven't seen any advantage. If I had access to a flashable 2.000.002 firmware I'd certainly go back!
Note that in the WD01 thread, someone reported a .030 (?) FW that even broke telnet access. RAV is trying to close holes that have been used to improve the device, it seems.
TesseractE said:
I just got one of these and am trying to bend it to my whims. Running into a few problems, though...
1) I can't change the device's IP address to something in the 192.168.0.xxx range. If it could be done, this would ease the issue you mentioned of it not acting as a 'true' router, since it would at least be issuing IP Addresses on the right subnet as the rest of my network. I tried changing the DHCP settings, but that resulted in a hard reset since it wouldn't let me also change the IP address.
2) I'm not sure if this is specific to Xperia devices or not, but in the Storage settings, there's a feature for 'Remote Share' that basically mounts a network share as a folder in the Android file system, so it can be treated as 'local'. I've not had any luck setting the FileHub to play nice with this as of yet. It'd be great to be able to shift my music collection to the FileHub and still have it playable in the usual music players.
3) Most of the time I'm using this on-the-go. How can I maintain my LTE data connection while simultaneously connecting to the FileHub via WiFi?
4) You mentioned not using stock firmware... Where can I find other options? The built-in stuff is servicable, but limited. Might even remedy the IP Address config issue.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1) If the wifi network you are connecting the filehub to is on the 192.168.0.xx range then your internal network probably can't be the same because basically the filehub would have two networks on two interfaces.
2) I think that is an Xperia setting I don't recall seeing it on my devices.
3) As far as I know you can't since putting it on wifi makes it use that for network connectivity.
4) Best you can do is try to find the older firmware which you can actually telnet to and make config changes on if you know how.
Re older FW: Can someone try and get RAV to publish all of their FW releases, *plus* the overdue GPL pack they have to provide?
Related
Soon after buying the T-Mobile MDA, it became painfully obvious that the performance of GPRS connectivity – at least in my area – is plain horrible! My guess is that I’m not alone, since a common question posted in XDA-related sites is how to WiFi with the XDA.
Well, there is no SDIO slot in the XDA that will support the SD WiFi cards, so the only way of getting connected to a LAN or WAN without schlepping your PC to act as a proxy server for pass-through would be to use a LAN/WAN-to-RS232 converter that could be plugged to the serial port socket on the XDA. I have tried a few RS232 I/O adapters with the XDA. and my results are available at:
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/prutchi/xda_connectivity.doc
(you can also try http://mywebpages.comcast.net/prutchi/xda_connectivity.htm, but I'm having some trouble with the figures)
You'll notice that I manage to communicate with resources on the net via a terminal, but haven't been able to trick IE into accepting my RS232 feed. If you try any of these interfaces and manage to open a socket, please let all of us know how.
Cheers,
David
Excellent work David,
I was able to replilcate your setup well! I am playing with a USB WAP and working on the DLLs to make it recognizable in Pocket IE. Working on understanding the connections and interface methods.
Used a GPS protocol as source and am doing some tweaks. I will post any updates or success! The only issue I am finding with this solutions is the size of the devices, but once we figure out the connection details we can port it over to smaller, power efficient devices.
Take care
Hi Ronin!
Any progress?
My intention was to use a RS232 wireless “wire” (two wireless RS232 dongles that transparently simulate an RS232 cable) to establish a wireless sync passthrough on the mean time.
Today I tried connecting via RS232 900MHz “Ticks” by Data Hunter ( The "Tick" is a complete data radio that parasitically draws all of its operating power from the RS232 data interface). However, I wasn't able to make it work
I'm pretty sure that I'm using the correct pinout configuration, but the XDA doesn't actively turn on COM1. Instead, it passively listens for activity from the PC. This leaves the Tick without power, and the PC sees no response. I'll try tickling the data ready lines to see if I can get it to establish the wireless link before actually establishing a sync connection.
Cheers,
David
Anyone tried to use the HW of a wireless Mouse?
I do not have one, so I don't know if there is only one Chip for movements and W-connections.
Maybe its possible to rewrite the mouse driver to access the data stream or just use the HW to build up a receiver.
And: The mouse-HW is LOW-POWER and small
Seems to be a real good idea Hopefully it will work
What about a USB-WLAN-Stick?
There're lots of USB-WLAN-Sticks on the market and a Driver should not be impossible to write!
I just opend the XDA-Connector (charging adapter) and found out that is every pin available! A USB-Adapter is easy to build!
Does anyone have some exp. with drivers? Can someone write a USB-devicedriver for WLAN?
Any Ideas?
ok, forget about it.
I'm still collecting information and I forgot about USB-Slave....
Well, I would like to see more results and solutions for this topic!
McNugget
Imagine using Wi-Fi for direct connection between your laptop/PPC (and other end devices) to an external hard disk. Imposssible?
Just read this:-
http://www.edslab.com/products.htm
The product will be launched this coming July 06. Initially, it'll connect to your laptop/notebook. After which driver will be developed for PPC application.
No more expensive memory cards :lol:
You can also look at Asus WL-HDD - althogh this one have some advantages, like the battery and 1.8" size.
I just hope it will be released and that the price will not be too much.
RE
If I remembers correctly ASUS WL-HDD requires connection through an access point/router whereas the main selling point of Wi-Drive is its direct connection between end devices WITHOUT the need to go through the access point/router. However, you can also network the drive through an access point/router :lol:
I'm using Wl-Hdd since it's release to get my files from my pda. It's working like a charm. It is an access point and router, and you can make it a full linux server easily
Hi,
Just a question and a thought...
With the WL-HDD, is it stand-alone? i.e. does it have an internal power source - or must be connected via a power adaptor?
And can it connect directly to the HTC Universal (without need of a switch or router?).
My thought is, I wonder if anyone has tried to connect an IPOD to a PPC device? wouldn't that be an ideal external HDD device?
Michael G
michaelg said:
With the WL-HDD, is it stand-alone? i.e. does it have an internal power source - or must be connected via a power adaptor?
...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The WL-HDD does not have built in battery, you need power adaptor unfortunately.
michaelg said:
...
And can it connect directly to the HTC Universal (without need of a switch or router?).
...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I haven't tried yet (still deciding if I should buy it or not), but since it's an Access Point it should connect no problem.
michaelg said:
...
My thought is, I wonder if anyone has tried to connect an IPOD to a PPC device? wouldn't that be an ideal external HDD device?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
IPOD is not Wireless, you can use it only as an USB memory device.
People had connected their IPODS to USB Host enabled PPCs like FS Loox and it worked fine. Unfortunately there are no HTC converged devices with USB Host functionality at the moment.
Wl-hdd work perfectly as a stand alone product with any PPC. I'm using it for 1,5 years now and it is perfectly working on my universal. No physical connection needed except power source.
As for the Ipod, if you change the wl-hdd firmware, you can connect any USB device in the USB port to get access to it's files. So you cannot plug the ipod to the universal, but you can plug the ipod to the wl-hdd then access it through universal
RE
Some pictures of Wi-Drive here:-
http://www.engadget.com/2006/03/13/live-from-cebit-the-widrive-wifi-drive-enclosure/
The enclosure comes with a female connector for the hard disk which means hard disk like the 1.8 inch Toshiba (which comes with a female connector) cannot be used
That leaves us with the 1.8 inch Hitachi brand which comes with a male connector. Not much choice for the 1.8 inch hard disk since currently only 1.8 inch hard disks are only available from Toshiba and Hitachi
RE
Just spoke to the manufacturer of Wi-Drive today
They will release the drive this coming July. I think I can get one from them before it goes to the market
Capacity : Casing comes with 30 and 60 GB 5400 rpm hard disk (for 1.8 inch)
Best of all!! Can connect direct with PPC besides notebook/laptop. They've an engineering test unit. Just waiting for production now.
Here's the explanation using WiFi. The drive will be recognised as a web folder instead of a drive by the PPC. This web folder will consists of your folders and files and you'll have to use IE browser to access them. Power input is 5V DC using mini USB which means you can charge it from your notebook/laptop USB ports or any external battery pack whihc provides a 5V DC output.
WOW!! Can't wait to lay my hand on one of these
at least there responding to someone...
they dont respond at all to any mails from me :?
i dont know if i like the web folder thingy though...
would prefer if it just showed trough the file explorer, does resco explorer show web folders?
did they tell you the prices with the 30 and 60gb and without any HD?
at least there responding to someone...
they dont respond at all to any mails from me :?
i dont know if i like the web folder thingy though...
would prefer if it just showed trough the file explorer, does resco explorer show web folders?
did they tell you the prices with the 30 and 60gb and without any HD?
RE
Quote
"did they tell you the prices with the 30 and 60gb and without any HD?"
Nope. No pricing figure for the moment. They don't sell to end users because they're the manufacturer. The actual pricing will depend on the retail shops
Quote
"would prefer if it just showed trough the file explorer, does resco explorer show web folders? "
No idea
I guess we just have to sit back and wait patiently
RE
OK, tested the WiDrive on my Universal today
Looks pretty cool...comes with Hitachi 1.8" 30GB hard disk
Managed to get it connected with my Universal using WiFi and access WiDrive using internet by typing a certain address on the address bar. The drive is treated as a web folder
Once login to WiDrive I'm able to download files to play (or save it) on my Universal
Also, can use my external 8800mAH battery pack (purchased from EastGear) to charge the WiDrive
Some issues though
a) cannot upload file from my SD card to WiDrive...hmmm
b) after playing a song I'll need to re-type the address at the PIE address bar in order to return to WiDrive
c) I think music and video cannot be streamed while playing on the Universal. What I mean is I'll need to download the music/video file to my Universal and the concerned program will be auto activated to play the music/video file.....have to check this further otherwise the drive just acts like another drive
Did not buy yet so no testing on notebook carried out. According to the shop streaming was done using the notebook as a driver is required to be installed on the notebook.
Well, I've discussed with WiDrive's boss on the above issues. Will discuss with their engineer tomorrow and feedback here.
Wow, its an experience. Cost about US$263
:lol:
RE
Sorry for the late reply
There're some changes. I'll be getting a 1.8 inch 60GB IDE Hitachi Travelstar and the Wi-Drive casing separately (cheaper this way) by this weekend. If everything works out fine I'll be reporting back
BTW, I was told by the engineer of EDSLAB that OPERA works better than PIE on their drive
RE
Sorry, due falls apart. For the 1.8" hard disk Wi-Drive comes with standard 30GB
60GB version will be released later
Some pictures of Wi-Drive here:-
http://sg.vr-zone.com/index.php?i=3827
:lol:
Hmm... Widrive looks good, but WL-HDD is still better in my mind. It can run off a battery (all PSP emergency batterys work, imagine my joy at finding that out!) ,it has an ethernet port for intergration to home networks (you can use it as a wireless access point) and it has USB host, so you can share USB drives, webcams, everything. It also comes up to 100gb, and i bet you itll be cheaper. you could even swap in a 1.8" hdd into the housing and put the battery in the space left, making it a neat solution.
RE
I've bought the Wi-Drive but only for 30GB model and still testing it
Initial test with OPERA gives pretty good results :lol:
Where can either of these external drives be purchased?
berdinkerdickle said:
Where can either of these external drives be purchased?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
lol... i wouldnt buy one of those. Max = 100mbps on wireless. On wired USB 2.0 or Firewire = 480mbps or 800mbps i think. I use my diamondmax 11 or my cheetah scsi 15k rpm drive and it goes really quick. I put it on wifi by hooking it up to another computer and mapping it or just use remote access. Anything is possible nowadays, i dont have to tell it to you. But it seems this hard drive can exist independently when signal is available. I dont know how that works but i am sure you need a lcd display to select a network or to enter the key. Just like microsoft Zune? Why dont you guys go for microsoft Zune now that i think of it. ^^
nuclear said:
lol... i wouldnt buy one of those. Max = 100mbps on wireless. On wired USB 2.0 or Firewire = 480mbps or 800mbps i think. I use my diamondmax 11 or my cheetah scsi 15k rpm drive and it goes really quick. I put it on wifi by hooking it up to another computer and mapping it or just use remote access. Anything is possible nowadays, i dont have to tell it to you. But it seems this hard drive can exist independently when signal is available. I dont know how that works but i am sure you need a lcd display to select a network or to enter the key. Just like microsoft Zune? Why dont you guys go for microsoft Zune now that i think of it. ^^
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The point of these drives is mass storage on the universal. Read the thread before posting.
UPDATED WITH REVIEW:
In-depth review below, will update in a few days to cover DLNA support and revisit Miracast experience while at home (currently discussing the experience at a university)
The PTV Miracast adapter works as advertised, but isn’t perfect. Miracast functionality works like a charm, but with the same slight delay in most other adapters out there. AirPlay is listed as a feature, but don’t expect it to work. Upon opening the package, I was greeted with a matte black, rubbery dongle that was slightly larger than a USB thumb-drive. Under the cap is the HDMI plug, on the other end are two micro USB ports -- one for power and one to connect a storage drive. On one side of the USB end is a tiny button that doesn’t clearly indicate it’s purpose, but is meant to switch between Miracast connectivity and AirFun mode (see below).
Using this adapter isn’t as intuitive as I would like it to be, but it does work. When you initially plug the device into the HDMI port of the TV and USB power, you’re greeted with the AirFun screen, which is green and black. This screen displays the dongle’s IP address, a url containing the IP address and ending with “/remote,” and what network it’s connecting to. When no network is available, it turns itself into it’s own wireless network to allow you to connect. Visiting http://ipaddress/remote takes you to a web-based remote for the dongle to set it up and control the DLNA features of the device. When connecting to this address from an Android device, it prompts you to download the app for this same control. The app is called AirFun and CORRECTION: is in the Play Store - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.realtek.airfun.client. The app appears to be stored on the dongle itself also. Don't worry much about this app after you've adjusted the settings to your liking. Use another DLNA app for your media, MirrorOP if you wish to take advantage of that, and wait on AirPlay.
Connecting the dongle to wifi is easy, but the first step isn’t apparent. You must first connect your phone or tablet to the wifi hotspot the dongle creates. At this time, you will not have an internet connection and will only be able to connect to the Miracast dongle. The next step is to go to the url containing the ip address that is displayed on your TV or use the app to connect to the device. In the settings, you can choose the wireless network you want to use and enter the password. Once this is completed, the Miracast adapter will disconnect it’s own hotspot, disconnect your phone or tablet from the device, and connect to the wireless network you chose. At this point, you should connect to the same wireless network in order to pair with the device again.
I must share a mistake I had made in hopes of those reading this can learn from it. Do not, under any circumstances, connect to an open wireless network in which you need to visit a web browser to sign in or click and accept button. The Miracast adapter can’t choose to accept a license or enter login information. I did this at the university I work for and found that I could no longer access the dongle for anything relying on wifi, including accessing the settings. I had attempted to disconnect and reconnect, reset, unplug and plug in again the device. As I had already set it to connect to the wifi that requires authentication in a browser, it automatically connected to it every time. I was forced to bring this in a location in which that wireless network was unaccessible so that I could connect directly to the device’s own hotspot and connect it to another network.
Once the wireless connection has been connected to both the PTV dongle and your phone or tablet, you can begin using MirrorOP, DLNA, or AirPlay. Please note that Miracast is connected using different steps which I will discuss later. No wireless connection is needed for Miracast and if this is the sole purpose of using this device, you can ignore the steps above and continue to the section specifically about Miracast. After connecting to wifi, I tested MirrorOP and found that connecting to this worked without issue. The screen mirrored as any other MirrorOP connection does. MirrorOP is an AirPlay-like connection except that it requires a rooted Android device or jailbroken iOS device to connect. It mirrors the screen like AirPlay to a device on the same wireless network. The MirrorOP app needs to be installed on your device to make the connection. Though screen mirroring works, MirrorOP does not support audio mirroring -- the audio will continue to play through your phone or tablet.
Connecting to AirPlay was very disappointing. I attempted to connect to AirPlay both at the university I work at and at home using an iPad on iOS7. In each attempt to connect, the iPad recognized the Miracast dongle as an AirPlay device. When selecting to connect to it, it appeared to work initially. Choosing a photo to display on the AirPlay device, however, proved nothing worked. The photo would not project to the TV. The same applied for video as well, but I have not yet tested audio. When enabling screen mirroring in the AirPlay settings, I was also disappointed by the results. The notification bar turned blue, the device appeared to be trying to connect for mirroring, then the AirPlay settings reset, turning off the connection to the dongle. No matter how many times I tried, it wouldn’t work. It may be my lack of knowledge with iOS and how to properly connect the devices, it could be an incompatibility with iOS7, or it could just be a falsely advertised feature. I don’t know the answer to this. EDITED: If I am correct in that Visiontech makes this device, their website (in a couple of posts below) indicates AirPlay is a feature still in development and will be added in a future update.
EDITED: DLNA works as expected. I did have some buffering/stuttering, but that was likely due to my new ISP which is a reduction in speed. Any DLNA/UPNP app or device will recognize this dongle and send content to it. Since DLNA plays the content locally, I haven't narrowed down which files are supported. I have not had any issue with mp4, which should be expected. In order to use DLNA, this dongle needs to be in AirFun mode, but you don't need to use the AirFun app to use it. This app just gives basic functionality and allows you to setup the dongle.
The most important feature in which I purchased this for is the Miracast functionality. I tested this in two different environments and found two different user experiences. I tested this at the university I work for and at home (which I am still testing more at home and will update this with more information later). Before you can connect to Miracast, you must press the button on the side of the dongle twice to switch to the wireless HDMI mode. At the university, the experience was such that I don’t feel it would be beneficial for the classroom. Connecting took several attempts before it was successful. Upon a successful connection, most of the time my device’s wireless connection was disconnected and reverted to cellular data. The screen mirroring worked as it should, however with a fraction of a second in latency. Audio transmitted to the TV flawlessly as well. At times, especially during heavy activity, the TV would fall further behind than initial connection and the picture would display large groups of poorly rendered blocks. This was further exaggerated when I reconnected to wifi for some reason. It may be due to the large number of wireless devices on a college campus causing interference that caused these issues, but I don’t know enough about networking to make an educated guess to this. I did notice turning the HTC One’s Power Saver mode off improved the experience, but only slightly.
EDITED: At home, I get mixed results. Most of the time, it works flawlessly via Miracast. There are times that the picture lags behind and when it starts to, it can be tens of seconds behind. It eventually catches up, especially if you stop your activity to allow it to catch up. With that said, I streamed a few movies from Plex to my HTC One which was Miracasting to the PTV dongle. I did not see any moments in any attempt in which the mirroring had fallen out of sync with my phone. I did, however, find a few movies that would not play sound over Miracast. I am not sure if this is due to bandwidth, licensing/authentication/DRM, or something else entirely. I need to investigate the files more in depth to determine if it's the stream. I tried to play a game with this, but I honestly found myself looking at my phone more than the TV to see where I was touching on screen. I didn't notice any delay here either, but I wasn't playing a complex game either. I ought to try this using a game controller and see how it performs this way. I also discovered that Google Play Music and Google Play Movies & TV are blocked over Miracast. They will not play, even locally stored music tracks. Play Movies tells me this feature is not supported, while Play Music will either display "Cannot play track" or disconnect the Miracast connection completely. Upon contacting Google with regard to this, they responded indicating that this is normal behavior and suggested I buy a Chromecast. I shouldn't have to buy another product to use Google services that already work on my device.
Being a Sprint customer and experiencing network issues regularly on their cellular data, I have installed an app that floats network download and upload speeds on my screen so that I can determine if anything isn’t working due to my internet connection. I noticed that while connected through Miracast, my upload speeds were incredibly high. This is what I would expect from a Miracast connection considering 1080p video encoded as h.264 mp4 video and up to 5.1 surround sound audio is being sent from my phone to the dongle over wifi direct. For anyone curious about the network activity, my upload speeds floated between 7-9 Mbps while connected to Miracast. Download speeds remained normal for the activity I was performing.
I also wanted to note that the PTV Miracast adapter gets about as hot as the HTC One can during high activity. It can be uncomfortable to touch. The included manual warns about this and promises that it will not affect performance. I am still concerned of the heat, despite the manual’s acknowledgement of this issue. Hopefully the heat doesn’t affect this device’s lifespan. I hope that this in-depth review has been helpful to all those who have read it. I would recommend this product to others, but I would warn others of the shortcomings this dongle has as well. The $50 I paid for this was a fair price considering the average price for Miracast today. Others at the same or higher price don’t offer MirrorOP or AirPlay -- I’m hoping a firmware update down the road fixes the AirPlay problems.
Tested with:
MirrorOP - Nexus 7 (2012) on Android 4.3
AirPlay - iPad 2 (two different iPads) running iOS7
Miracast - HTC One on Android 4.3 Sense 5
Full HD 1080P WiFi Display Dongle HDMI Wireless PTV Support DLNA / Miracast
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ESUPKE4/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I just received this dongle. Haven't had time to play with it yet, but will very very soon. I did manage to test whether or not the HTC One would connect and on 4.3 Sense 5, it connects and detects it. It's not as intuitive as I would hope, but I'll elaborate later. iPad connectivity via AirPlay will be tested soon too.
gk1984 said:
I just received this dongle. Haven't had time to play with it yet, but will very very soon. I did manage to test whether or not the HTC One would connect and on 4.3 Sense 5, it connects and detects it. It's not as intuitive as I would hope, but I'll elaborate later. iPad connectivity via AirPlay will be tested soon too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
please let us know how it works.
thanks
Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk
Well, I plan on writing an in depth review later and putting I on the Amazon page too. But some initial thoughts:
So far, miracast works great! WiFi turns off while connecting. Not sure if this is normal or not. Performance is also worse with wifi on, in fact it can be very unusable with wifi on. But this was tested at work so far, home wifi might be a different experience.
If you plan to use any of the other features, I don't recommend setting it up on a wifi that needs to be authenticated - as in if you need to open a website, get a splash screen, and either sign in or accept a license agreement. This is not possible to do on this device and it locked me out of the dongle because it was connected to this kind of network and I had no way to change it.
You download the app to control this device directly from the dongle via ip address. You use the app for everything besides miracast - Dlna, configuration, etc.
I'll update op with full, in depth review after I spend some time with it.
Sent from my HTCONE using xda app-developers app
EDIT: testing at home not disconnect of wifi upon connection. iPad on iOS 7 will see the dongle as an airplay device, but can't connect to it for mirroring, not sure what else to do with it. More testing to come.
Another note for everyone before I write my in-depth review... Airplay doesn't work. The iPad will see the dongle as an Airplay device, but won't connect to it. Tried screen mirroring and just picture sharing, neither worked. Could be something to do with iOS 7 or something.
Sent from my HTCONE using xda app-developers app
Updated OP with in-depth review. Need to revisit two sections after I play with it some more. Will update in a few days.
Not having much success at home either. It works for a little bit, then has problems like I experienced at the university. Still planning to update with more info. But I think I found the company that makes this - the vendor has left this information out and the packaging doesn't include this info either. The specs, description, features, and pictures are all identical.
http://www.vissontech.com/products_detail2/&productId=16a67a7b-4b2c-46f6-8a28-c825a361bdd5&comp_stats=comp-FrontProducts_list01-1337323367416.html
In case anyone wants to investigate further.
Wow! this review is very helpful man. thanks for this review. Now I think I want one :cyclops:
gk1984 said:
Not having much success at home either. It works for a little bit, then has problems like I experienced at the university. Still planning to update with more info. But I think I found the company that makes this - the vendor has left this information out and the packaging doesn't include this info either. The specs, description, features, and pictures are all identical.
http://www.vissontech.com/products_...=comp-FrontProducts_list01-1337323367416.html
In case anyone wants to investigate further.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No problem. Shop around though, I think if it supported 5ghz wifi like miracast is supposed to, this would have been a better experience. I just recently discovered that.
Sent from my HTCONE using xda app-developers app
HI,
2 weeks ago I got this unit http://www.win-star.com/eshop/goods.php?id=159
I choice it because of the integrated LAN, and simplified functionality (no android, no need to play with air mouse).
It prove to need it own mouse to switch between different modes, as there no any button on unit itself(only hidden reset)
During first star the Unit create own wifi network so I connect to it my samsung galaxy s4 active. However I was unable to test miracast mode not connect.
Then I switch to "bridge to wireless" trying to connect WS-AV601D1 to my existing network but unsuccessfully. I switch back manually to "AP only" mode, however since then I can not see any more networks from the device itself nor to access WIFI settings(its gray/unaccessible). I can not see anymore the open WiFi network that the device should make. I reset it several times to default settings but it going to "Bridge to WiFi" mode instead of "AP only". WiFi light not switching on at all, and wifi module is unaccessible. WiFi module fail about 10 min after first start.
Note that the unit support only WEP encryption, and have no settings for connection to not broadcasted /hidden SSID. So practically I could not connect it WiFi to my existing network even if it works(unless broadcast SSID and change to WEP)!!!
Further I could test only airplay(android airfun appk) from my s4 active and notebook, and screen mirroring from my notebook only(having the device connected to my network via LAN cable). Using the software provided.
Most important for me was the 1080p video played from notebook to TV quality. So the quality was bad, looks like xvid 700MB rip(or more like x264, baseline, ultra fast, 1000bit/s encoding). Dont understand me wrong quality was fair for animation movies of my son, despite of HDMI playback of same video you can not see each hear and dimple of actors face). There was some sound distortion too, however i dint paly with sound settings of the unit. Upload speed during playback was 2-3mbit, while normal speed within my network is 6-7mbit. Note that the Unit is LAN connected to my Asus RT-N66U.
I already send my back to China and waiting for refund.
So I could not test miracast! Does it provide better video quality when mirroring 1080p video What unit you could recommend
I purchased the iview Mira Cast dongle and it pretty much works the same. I did notice a slight lag in playing videos and sometimes it falls behind. The dlna feature works really well but with no remote you have to push everything from the One or browsing your dlna server with another app. I use skifta.
******************************
HTC ONE (Stock so far) Just got 2013-04-21
Samsung Captivate Glide
Installed:
CWMR5x_i927_recovery.tar.md5
ICS 4.0.4 LiteRom 0.9.0
LiteKernel
dudejb said:
I purchased the iview Mira Cast dongle and it pretty much works the same. I did notice a slight lag in playing videos and sometimes it falls behind. The dlna feature works really well but with no remote you have to push everything from the One or browsing your dlna server with another app. I use skifta.
******************************
HTC ONE (Stock so far) Just got 2013-04-21
Samsung Captivate Glide
Installed:
CWMR5x_i927_recovery.tar.md5
ICS 4.0.4 LiteRom 0.9.0
LiteKernel
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I brought the ezcast and found playback at 1080p theres a lot of delay at times on gaming and streaming on nvidia shield but with the htc one it wasn't to bad
I currently have a fireTV, two fireTV sticks, and a Raspberry pi all running XBMC (my plan is to replace the Raspberry pi with one of the sticks eventually). Each of these units currently keeps it's own database which makes them a pain to keep in sync. What I would like to do is move to a shared mysql database to keep track of my library, watched status, etc.
I know this can be done on a computer which is always on, but I would rather not have a PC running constantly just for this purpose. Is there any way to host the mqsql server on the FireTV (which is always on anyway)? Has anyone tried this?
I tinkered a little bit just trying to get it to work on my tablet using Ulti Server but could never get XBMC to successfully connect to the database.
My other option is to try and host it on my RT-N66U asus router as explained here: http://www.hints.dk/en/2013/03/13/mysql-server-on-rt-n66u-or-rt-ac66u-for-shared-xbmc-library/ but that requires a bit more modification than I really wanted to do.
collindv said:
I currently have a fireTV, two fireTV sticks, and a Raspberry pi all running XBMC (my plan is to replace the Raspberry pi with one of the sticks eventually). Each of these units currently keeps it's own database which makes them a pain to keep in sync. What I would like to do is move to a shared mysql database to keep track of my library, watched status, etc.
I know this can be done on a computer which is always on, but I would rather not have a PC running constantly just for this purpose. Is there any way to host the mqsql server on the FireTV (which is always on anyway)? Has anyone tried this?
I tinkered a little bit just trying to get it to work on my tablet using Ulti Server but could never get XBMC to successfully connect to the database.
My other option is to try and host it on my RT-N66U asus router as explained here: http://www.hints.dk/en/2013/03/13/mysql-server-on-rt-n66u-or-rt-ac66u-for-shared-xbmc-library/ but that requires a bit more modification than I really wanted to do.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. Where is your media coming from? If a NAS or HTPC... why not host MySQL on there?
2. If you plan to retire the Pi, host the DB on there. This isn't as speedy as some would like but I haven't researched this recently and only had a 256mb Pi at the time.
3. If you have a hosted domain, it most likely comes with a MySQL DB (or several). You could use this option but again, it may not be the fastest due to latency.
3. From my experience on the Windows side, the problem with your UtilServer DB is probably related to a firewall. You need to figure out how to let Android openly communicate on port 3306.
fairplay89 said:
1. Where is your media coming from? If a NAS or HTPC... why not host MySQL on there?
2. If you plan to retire the Pi, host the DB on there. This isn't as speedy as some would like but I haven't researched this recently and only had a 256mb Pi at the time.
3. If you have a hosted domain, it most likely comes with a MySQL DB (or several). You could use this option but again, it may not be the fastest due to latency.
3. From my experience on the Windows side, the problem with your UtilServer DB is probably related to a firewall. You need to figure out how to let Android openly communicate on port 3306.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the response!
1. Media is hosted by the RT-N66U wireless router. It can be modified to host MySQL but it requires some hacking to make it happen. Doable but not as elegant as I would like.
2. Yes, I considered that option but I have another project in mind for the pi. Still might go this route though.
3. No hosted domains
4. Certainly a possibility, although when I tried it I had the UtilServer DB and SPMC on the same tablet and still couldn't get a connection using the localhost address. I don't remember the exact errors I was getting (this was a few weeks ago).
This is actually a really interesting question. I know that there is android software to host a MySQL server, but never considered sideloading it on the FireTV for XBMC/Kodi library until now. I'm going to look into this prospect this weekend. I'll report my findings.
I haven't tested this being hosted from the FireTV yet, but I can confirm that I can host the database for Kodi on Android via my phone. I used Servers Ultimate Pro to do it and was able to connect from my phone as well as from the FireTV. I'd assume that it would work just fine from the FireTV as well, but still need to confirm.
Is there like a network device that I can buy to turn my 2.5" external hard drives into NAS so I can access my movies from Stick TV running XBMC?
hydeah said:
Is there like a network device that I can buy to turn my 2.5" external hard drives into NAS so I can access my movies from Stick TV running XBMC?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I haven't tried it myself, but something like this should work: http://www.amazon.com/HooToo-TripMate-Wireless-Pocket-Travel/dp/B00HZWOQZ6/
hydeah said:
Is there like a network device that I can buy to turn my 2.5" external hard drives into NAS so I can access my movies from Stick TV running XBMC?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Most new wireless routers have usb with media server features.
If you use a separate router that allows you to connect your external HD & wish to keep the Fire TV connected to your current router then I believe you'll have to bridge both routers, if not then you can only connect to one wireless router at a time. The setup itself shouldn't be that hard but it does take some configuration.
Another option would be to purchase a Y-OTG cable that allows you to connect your external HD directly to the stick but I believe your external HD would need an external power source to make it work. Again, I can't confirm if what I wrote would actually work..just throwing some ideas out there.
AFTVnews.com said:
I haven't tried it myself, but something like this should work: http://www.amazon.com/HooToo-TripMate-Wireless-Pocket-Travel/dp/B00HZWOQZ6/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, but I don't believe this will work because it works as a separate router, if it was a USB to CAT5 hub of some sort, it would be ideal but this does not function like that. Thanks for the suggestion, though.
gottahavit said:
Most new wireless routers have usb with media server features.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I believe they only work with one USB at a time and the one I had (Netgear AC1750) did not work properly, kept dropping connection or just would randomly not see the hard drive, the way it works is not very user friendly. In fact once it even corrupted one of my hard drives, and I freaked! Luckily Wndows was able to correct the issue. It doesn't show the folders as NAS but more like a network device like a PC, so you couldn't easily see the data in there. I now have a TP Link, WDR3600, I believe it works fine with USB Thumb Drives but it won't work with USB hard drives (multiple) but I can at least try to buy a USB HUB and try that to see if it can mount multiple hard drives. As I mentioned above, I am also concerned about corrupting the hard drives when router is finicky.
EL TEJANO said:
If you use a separate router that allows you to connect your external HD & wish to keep the Fire TV connected to your current router then I believe you'll have to bridge both routers, if not then you can only connect to one wireless router at a time. The setup itself shouldn't be that hard but it does take some configuration.
Another option would be to purchase a Y-OTG cable that allows you to connect your external HD directly to the stick but I believe your external HD would need an external power source to make it work. Again, I can't confirm if what I wrote would actually work..just throwing some ideas out there.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I believe Fire Stick TV has only one USB port for power and power is required to keep it running. With Y-OTG, we won't be able to get power to the 2.5" external drive anyway and also there is no way to mount that drive easily , so network would be best option.
Found this but it has less than stellar reviews:
http://www.amazon.com/Addonics-NASU2-NAS-Adapter/dp/B001OC5J9U
you could try a pogo plug, also make sure the hard drive is not going to sleep. i use a netgear router and have not had an issue with the stick seeing my media. i can mount it as a dlna drive or smb. if you are looking to use it with plex then u will need an actual nas drive so u can run the plex server on it. if the router u have only has one port it is prob only going to mount one drive. but with what ever solution u use i would make sure that the sleep function is off on the hard drive as it can cause issues. if i remember correctly on some of the pogo plugs u can install arch linux and then plug a drive into and have it act as an actual nas and not just a hard drive plugged into the router.
hydeah said:
I believe Fire Stick TV has only one USB port for power and power is required to keep it running. With Y-OTG, we won't be able to get power to the 2.5" external drive anyway and also there is no way to mount that drive easily , so network would be best option.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Correct, which is why I said the external HD would have to have a separate power supply that is not powered via USB, I do see your point though as most new external drives are powered through the USB.. The Y-OTG cable will still allow you to power your stick & utilize the other connection for data but again if your external HD doesn't have a non-usb connection for power then yes you're out of luck.
I know with the Fire TV Box, people use an app called StickMount to mount external storage, the caveat though is your AFTS has to be Rooted; my guess is with the Y-OTG cable it should allow you to connect your external HD & run the same app but that's if everything I mentioned is in order.
EL TEJANO said:
Correct, which is why I said the external HD would have to have a separate power supply that is not powered via USB, I do see your point though as most new external drives are powered through the USB.. The Y-OTG cable will still allow you to power your stick & utilize the other connection for data but again if your external HD doesn't have a non-usb connection for power then yes you're out of luck.
I know with the Fire TV Box, people use an app called StickMount to mount external storage, the caveat though is your AFTS has to be Rooted; my guess is with the Y-OTG cable it should allow you to connect your external HD & run the same app but that's if everything I mentioned is in order.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I thought about getting the box since it has better hardware and more ways to "hack" but at $19 I couldn't pass on the Stick which finally allowed me to turn off my computer completely! Now if I can get my XBMC see my storage, i'll be done. Honestly if they charged $50 for stick with USB input or for the actual fire TV box and add USB ports, that would be amazing. I think Apple TV does that, right? But can we get Amazon and XBMC on it?
pbanj said:
you could try a pogo plug, also make sure the hard drive is not going to sleep. i use a netgear router and have not had an issue with the stick seeing my media. i can mount it as a dlna drive or smb. if you are looking to use it with plex then u will need an actual nas drive so u can run the plex server on it. if the router u have only has one port it is prob only going to mount one drive. but with what ever solution u use i would make sure that the sleep function is off on the hard drive as it can cause issues. if i remember correctly on some of the pogo plugs u can install arch linux and then plug a drive into and have it act as an actual nas and not just a hard drive plugged into the router.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What does Pogo exactly do? I thought it was a hardware for a very specific service to access your files remotely, can you even see the files locally using simple sharing process?
Is this something I can do with Raspberry Pi? I just thought of this, I remember seeing RP units with multiple USB ports and RJ45. If there is a small NAS software, or even a simple linux that allows you to share your drives with other devices, this just might be what I am looking for. I am not sure if RP can power 3 drives simultaneously,
How is something like this?
http://www.amazon.com/CanaKit-Raspberry-Ultimate-Starter-Components/dp/B00G1PNG54
Thanks again guys.
hydeah said:
I thought about getting the box since it has better hardware and more ways to "hack" but at $19 I couldn't pass on the Stick which finally allowed me to turn off my computer completely! Now if I can get my XBMC see my storage, i'll be done. Honestly if they charged $50 for stick with USB input or for the actual fire TV box and add USB ports, that would be amazing. I think Apple TV does that, right? But can we get Amazon and XBMC on it?
What does Pogo exactly do? I thought it was a hardware for a very specific service to access your files remotely, can you even see the files locally using simple sharing process?
Is this something I can do with Raspberry Pi? I just thought of this, I remember seeing RP units with multiple USB ports and RJ45. If there is a small NAS software, or even a simple linux that allows you to share your drives with other devices, this just might be what I am looking for. I am not sure if RP can power 3 drives simultaneously,
How is something like this?
http://www.amazon.com/CanaKit-Raspberry-Ultimate-Starter-Components/dp/B00G1PNG54
Thanks again guys.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ya you can use minidlna i think it is called for the rpi. a buddy of mine does that, he says its not the best thing in the world but it does work. i think if you got a banana-pi it may work better as it has better specs and still works with all the rpi stuff. as for the pogo plug im not sure how it normally works but i do know people have been putting arch linux on them to use them for dlna stuff and the model for that is under 20$ iirc
this is the banana pi http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...44&cm_re=banana_pi-_-9SIA6DB2337144-_-Product
http://www.amazon.com/EP-3701-Wireless-Access-Drive-Android/dp/B00IR5DJ4E
pbanj said:
ya you can use minidlna i think it is called for the rpi. a buddy of mine does that, he says its not the best thing in the world but it does work. i think if you got a banana-pi it may work better as it has better specs and still works with all the rpi stuff. as for the pogo plug im not sure how it normally works but i do know people have been putting arch linux on them to use them for dlna stuff and the model for that is under 20$ iirc
this is the banana pi http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...44&cm_re=banana_pi-_-9SIA6DB2337144-_-Product
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've been checking these, I thought r-pie was about $20 but it seems it will cost a bit more than that if I consider using it as NAS after case, etc it will be $50-$60 or so looks like it. Found this page, btw: http://www.howtogeek.com/139433/how-to-turn-a-raspberry-pi-into-a-low-power-network-storage-device/
krawhitham said:
http://www.amazon.com/EP-3701-Wireless-Access-Drive-Android/dp/B00IR5DJ4E
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, but I think I need couple of these, one for each drive, also not sure how the drives get their power or how this one is powered. If it is possible to use this with a hub, maybe it might work, but I am not sure.
In case this thing doesn't work as planned (if I can't easily get XBMC to see external drives) what would you guys recommend as a device that I can run Amazon Prime Video AND be able to access my local videos without having to run my PC 24/7 or at least having to run it whenever I want to watch something off-line.
This will allow pass-through of wifi.
http://www.staples.com/Kingston-MobileLite-Wireless-Flash-Reader/product_195697
krawhitham said:
http://www.amazon.com/EP-3701-Wireless-Access-Drive-Android/dp/B00IR5DJ4E
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It do want to point out that these wireless dongles that connect to the external HD need the option to work in infrastructure mode & not in ad-hoc mode (peer to peer).
If they strictly work in ad-hoc mode then you'll only be able to connect to the ad-hoc device (in this case whatever is physically connected to the dongle), which means you won't be able to connect to your home's wireless network at the same. In others words you'll have to disconnect & then reconnect to each different wireless connection as needed.
"An ad hoc network is one where computers connect directly to each other on a one-to-one basis. This is useful for impromptu file sharing between two computers. An infrastructure network is one where computers connect to a shared access point. This kind of connection is useful when sharing a printer, Internet connection, and/or file sharing server." - via Amazons Q&A page.
adfurgerson said:
This will allow pass-through of wifi.
http://www.staples.com/Kingston-MobileLite-Wireless-Flash-Reader/product_195697
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the suggestion, but it seems like this is a one-to-one connection. Sort of like how new "wifi" cameras worked until they changed the way they work, they could only act as hotspot so you could get pictures from your camera with direct connection from PC and not via router.
EL TEJANO said:
It do want to point out that these wireless dongles that connect to the external HD need the option to work in infrastructure mode & not in ad-hoc mode (peer to peer).
If they strictly work in ad-hoc mode then you'll only be able to connect to the ad-hoc device (in this case whatever is physically connected to the dongle), which means you won't be able to connect to your home's wireless network at the same. In others words you'll have to disconnect & then reconnect to each different wireless connection as needed.
"An ad hoc network is one where computers connect directly to each other on a one-to-one basis. This is useful for impromptu file sharing between two computers. An infrastructure network is one where computers connect to a shared access point. This kind of connection is useful when sharing a printer, Internet connection, and/or file sharing server." - via Amazons Q&A page.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't understand why they can't just make these devices with an ethernet port instead... That would solve the problem.
hydeah said:
Thanks for the suggestion, but it seems like this is a one-to-one connection. Sort of like how new "wifi" cameras worked until they changed the way they work, they could only act as hotspot so you could get pictures from your camera with direct connection from PC and not via router.
I don't understand why they can't just make these devices with an ethernet port instead... That would solve the problem.
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Look here for where it says "create an Internet briigde to access the web" http://www.kingston.com/us/wireless/wireless_readers#mlw221
or check out the app
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.kingston.mobilelite&hl=en
or download the user manual
https://www.google.com/url?q=https:...g&sa=D&usg=AFQjCNFYGaP4eemi_KkjPmUYtyB_aVr15g
I know this feature works as I have used it myself, but the only storage that I have used are thumb drives and sd cards.
It is supposed to work with USB hard drives up to 1tb but I don't have any to test with.
Edit....the G2 model.has an ethernet port. In the questions section someone replied that the G2 will work with 2tb HD's and I see that up to eight devices can hook to it rather than only three.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KU2E9IW?tag=wwwkingstonco-20
Pogo with archlinux
The Pogoplug e02 hacked with archlinux and minidlna works nice. Cost 20$ on amazon, a bit slow but gets the work done.
adfurgerson said:
Look here for where it says "create an Internet briigde to access the web" http://www.kingston.com/us/wireless/wireless_readers#mlw221
or check out the app
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.kingston.mobilelite&hl=en
or download the user manual
https://www.google.com/url?q=https:...g&sa=D&usg=AFQjCNFYGaP4eemi_KkjPmUYtyB_aVr15g
I know this feature works as I have used it myself, but the only storage that I have used are thumb drives and sd cards.
It is supposed to work with USB hard drives up to 1tb but I don't have any to test with.
Edit....the G2 model.has an ethernet port. In the questions section someone replied that the G2 will work with 2tb HD's and I see that up to eight devices can hook to it rather than only three.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KU2E9IW?tag=wwwkingstonco-20
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is the app only way to change settings or access the device? Does it have SMB or DLNA type file server? Every single device shown on their product page is either a phone or a tablet, how do you get your data on Windows (it lists windows as compatible)?
It also says "For Android and Kindle Fire, video support is limited to 2GB." I believe that doesn't matter if we use XBMC on any device including Android based Fire Stick, right?
Found the video here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tQ1GRf38e8
Thanks, the G2 model's ethernet port is acting as WAN port to turn wired connection to wireless, so only way to connect with this device locally is still wireless, which is still OK since it seems like this is the only device that can do this. I have 3 devices, varying from 500 to 2TB so it sounds like I definitely need G2.
hydeah said:
Is the app only way to change settings or access the device? Does it have SMB or DLNA type file server? Every single device shown on their product page is either a phone or a tablet, how do you get your data on Windows (it lists windows as compatible)?
It also says "For Android and Kindle Fire, video support is limited to 2GB." I believe that doesn't matter if we use XBMC on any device including Android based Fire Stick, right?
Found the video here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tQ1GRf38e8
Thanks, the G2 model's ethernet port is acting as WAN port to turn wired connection to wireless, so only way to connect with this device locally is still wireless, which is still OK since it seems like this is the only device that can do this. I have 3 devices, varying from 500 to 2TB so it sounds like I definitely need G2.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have to admit it was an impulse buy from Staples store and other than connecting to it to make sure it worked I haven't used it at all. Sorry I can't answer any more questions, but in the question section of Amazon for the G2 there were responses from a Kingston agent named Jewell and she gave this at the end " For any further assistance, please call us at 1-800-435-0640 (USA and Canada only) M - F 6am - 6pm PT and I or another available Technician will assist you. Thank you for choosing Kingston".
adfurgerson said:
I have to admit it was an impulse buy from Staples store and other than connecting to it to make sure it worked I haven't used it at all. Sorry I can't answer any more questions, but in the question section of Amazon for the G2 there were responses from a Kingston agent named Jewell and she gave this at the end " For any further assistance, please call us at 1-800-435-0640 (USA and Canada only) M - F 6am - 6pm PT and I or another available Technician will assist you. Thank you for choosing Kingston".
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Click to collapse
Sorry! It sounds like I overwhelmed you with my question, which I admit might have been excessive. :angel:
I'll check out more info on Amazon.
Also found this:
http://www.amazon.com/Cirago-International-NUS2000-CiragoLink-Network/dp/B005C31H34