OTG - I dont get it.

[dan330]

Then its more experiment than practical. So for most people, its too much of a hassle. Im looking for a practical solution rather than leaving the house with my McGyver belt just in case I want to watch a video.

ok.. then i think you got the wrong tablet.
should have gotten one with an option to use SDcards.

great thing about android tablets.. there is one for you out there.
as long as YOU KNOW what you really need.

 

[magohn]

ok.. then i think you got the wrong tablet.
should have gotten one with an option to use SDcards.

great thing about android tablets.. there is one for you out there.
as long as YOU KNOW what you really need.

No I did not. I knew exactly what I was getting. Its 'OK' to point out that a missing feature has a workaround that is too much hassle (for me). 16gb will work fine for me. Of course, I want more but only via a reasonable resolution.

My initial post was to determine if I was missing something with OTG and its need for a cable/thumbdrive. Apparently I am not. Though a few other possibilities have been flushed out.

If you guys like carrying a cable/thumbdrive around with you - more power to you. Its nothing personal but just not for me.

 

[Demache]

No I did not. I knew exactly what I was getting. Its 'OK' to point out that a missing feature has a workaround that is too much hassle (for me). 16gb will work fine for me. Of course, I want more but only via a reasonable resolution.

My initial post was to determine if I was missing something with OTG and its need for a cable/thumbdrive. Apparently I am not. Though a few other possibilities have been flushed out.

If you guys like carrying a cable/thumbdrive around with you - more power to you. Its nothing personal but just not for me.

I mainly use the OTG feature for connecting a game controller. I can manage 32 GB, so no need for SD cards. Games like Grand Theft Auto III & Vice City work amazingly with the 360 controller. They are also great for emulators. Since I'm a college student, I normally carry a backpack anyway, so carrying a 3 inch cable and a controller is no big deal.

 

[whs37]

When I do my mail away from home, I use a Motorola bluetooth keyboard. And on the OTG cable , I attach the mouse. The keyboard has a trackpad, but I am more comfortable with the mouse.

I could take the laptop with me instead. But that is a lot heavier and bulkier and I would still need the mouse. And the laptop I cannot use for navigation.

 

[Demache]

When I do my mail away from home, I use a Motorola bluetooth keyboard. And on the OTG cable , I attach the mouse. The keyboard has a trackpad, but I am more comfortable with the mouse.

I could take the laptop with me instead. But that is a lot heavier and bulkier and I would still need the mouse. And the laptop I cannot use for navigation.

MOTOROLA Bluetooth keyboard for all Android Smart Phone & Tablet (89451N) - Newegg.com

Is this sort of like what you have (minus the trackpad)? I would really like to get one, and $30 isn't too bad of a price for a Bluetooth capable one. Also how big is your keyboard? I saw one that looked identical but with a slide out touchpad.

 

[whs37]

MOTOROLA Bluetooth keyboard for all Android Smart Phone & Tablet (89451N) - Newegg.com

Is this sort of like what you have (minus the trackpad)? I would really like to get one, and $30 isn't too bad of a price for a Bluetooth capable one. Also how big is your keyboard? I saw one that looked identical but with a slide out touchpad.

I have this one with a touchpad. I paid appr. $60. As for size, it is 29cm wide and 14cm deep. Works really well.

My wife uses the touchpad (she is used to laptops) but I prefer the additional mouse.

PS: the link does not seem to work. Try this: http://www.amazon.com/Motorola-Wireless-Keyboard-Trackpad-Packaging/dp/B006291K7A/ref=pd_sbs_op_3

 

[sleezecheeze]

I agree that it really does need an SD card feature.

USB OTG wasn't actually one of the reasons that I bought the tablet. I guess it was just a bonus thrown in that makes up for the lack of SD card compatibility.

To me without OTG the tablet would become quite difficult to use as a media device.

 

[boofer]

Then its more experiment than practical. So for most people, its too much of a hassle. Im looking for a practical solution rather than leaving the house with my McGyver belt just in case I want to watch a video.

not to sound like a prick, but if you leave your house and want to watch a video, you generally make sure that video is on your tablet before you leave the house.

even if you have a microSD slot or a few microSD cards sitting around, guess what? you still have to move those files to a microSD card before popping it into a tablet.

like i said in my previous post (and as others have said, and as common sense dictates), if you want a certain video on your tablet, you have to cycle videos on and off of it. you can't have *all* of your media on any tablet anywhere, microSD slot or not, unless you want to bring along other hardware, whether it be a handful of microSD cards, or a thumb drive, or an external hard drive, or whatever. with every solution, there are "hassles" of swapping out something.

having a short OTG cable and a tiny USB drive attached to it is absolutely practical for bringing along an extra 64GB worth of movies or music. i have a ~2 inch OTG cable and a small 64GB thumb drive, and they fit in any pocket or any bag you can't do that on an iPad...what you have on that thing is what you're going to live with until you get to a computer...most likely with iTunes, where you can convert files from .avi or .mkv to .mp4 or .mov, which are probably the only formats that iOS rolls with.

you can fit like 30 2GB movies on a 64GB stick, and if you want to watch without a short cable hanging off the end of your Nexus 7, you attach, copy and paste the movies you want from the 64GB stick onto the tablet, then unplug the 64GB stick, and you're done. you've just moved a movie that wasn't on your tablet, onto your tablet, on the go, without needing anything else, and you can still watch without anything sticking out of the tablet. i don't see why this is such a sticking point for you when in fact it's a killer convenience and feature.

you can shell out almost $900 for a 64GB iPad and you STILL won't come close to having enough space to do what you want to do, which is to have every single song and movie of yours on a tablet. you're still going to have to delete files and copy other ones as the mood strikes you, and you're certainly out of your mind if you think you're going to get 1TB tablets anytime soon.

**disclaimer** my entire argument is moot if you happen to own like seven movies and only want to watch those seven movies the rest of your life, in which case, yes, a microSD slot would be great if you only own a 16GB Nexus 7.

 

[magohn]

not to sound like a prick, but if you leave your house and want to watch a video, you generally make sure that video is on your tablet before you leave the house.

even if you have a microSD slot or a few microSD cards sitting around, guess what? you still have to move those files to a microSD card before popping it into a tablet.

like i said in my previous post (and as others have said, and as common sense dictates), if you want a certain video on your tablet, you have to cycle videos on and off of it. you can't have *all* of your media on any tablet anywhere, microSD slot or not, unless you want to bring along other hardware, whether it be a handful of microSD cards, or a thumb drive, or an external hard drive, or whatever. with every solution, there are "hassles" of swapping out something.

having a short OTG cable and a tiny USB drive attached to it is absolutely practical for bringing along an extra 64GB worth of movies or music. i have a ~2 inch OTG cable and a small 64GB thumb drive, and they fit in any pocket or any bag you can't do that on an iPad...what you have on that thing is what you're going to live with until you get to a computer...most likely with iTunes, where you can convert files from .avi or .mkv to .mp4 or .mov, which are probably the only formats that iOS rolls with.

you can fit like 30 2GB movies on a 64GB stick, and if you want to watch without a short cable hanging off the end of your Nexus 7, you attach, copy and paste the movies you want from the 64GB stick onto the tablet, then unplug the 64GB stick, and you're done. you've just moved a movie that wasn't on your tablet, onto your tablet, on the go, without needing anything else, and you can still watch without anything sticking out of the tablet. i don't see why this is such a sticking point for you when in fact it's a killer convenience and feature.

you can shell out almost $900 for a 64GB iPad and you STILL won't come close to having enough space to do what you want to do, which is to have every single song and movie of yours on a tablet. you're still going to have to delete files and copy other ones as the mood strikes you, and you're certainly out of your mind if you think you're going to get 1TB tablets anytime soon.

**disclaimer** my entire argument is moot if you happen to own like seven movies and only want to watch those seven movies the rest of your life, in which case, yes, a microSD slot would be great if you only own a 16GB Nexus 7.

Call me old fashioned but I dont go on vacation/trips with the intention of watching "30 2GB" movies. At 90 mins per movie, thats 45 hours of staring at the screen.

As you state, if you want a certain movie on your tablet, cycle it onto the device (at home). Costs a few gigs in space but then no cable, no SD card, no fuss.

Yes, you can take 30 movies with you on vacation/trip, but why would you? Stay home and watch them on your 52" TV set.

 

[boofer]

Call me old fashioned but I dont go on vacation/trips with the intention of watching "30 2GB" movies. At 90 mins per movie, thats 45 hours of staring at the screen.

As you state, if you want a certain movie on your tablet, cycle it onto the device (at home). Costs a few gigs in space but then no cable, no SD card, no fuss.

Yes, you can take 30 movies with you on vacation/trip, but why would you? Stay home and watch them on your 52" TV set.

i was talking about tons of movies and music because your original post griped about not being able to have all of your media with you, but that OTG was not worth the "hassle" of carrying around everywhere. i guess your original post was just to gripe about...something...?

as for going on vacation, i'm planning on going to europe for a couple weeks, so that's 9 hours each way on a plane, more time waiting in airports, and more time riding on trains while over there. as it is, having a spare 64GB USB stick with an OTG cable will let me bring a variety of media, which is is going to be pretty stellar.

 

[magohn]

i was talking about tons of movies and music because your original post griped about not being able to have all of your media with you, but that OTG was not worth the "hassle" of carrying around everywhere. i guess your original post was just to gripe about...something...?

as for going on vacation, i'm planning on going to europe for a couple weeks, so that's 9 hours each way on a plane, more time waiting in airports, and more time riding on trains while over there. as it is, having a spare 64GB USB stick with an OTG cable will let me bring a variety of media, which is is going to be pretty stellar.

No, my original post wasn't a gripe. It was a request as to what the 'big deal' was with OTG. Im new to the N7 so I genuinely wanted to know if there was something I was missing. There wasn't - for me, its too much hassle. For you its not. More power to you.

Not sure why your taking it so personal as what your doing isn't 'rocket science'. Indeed any average Joe could do the OTG method, its just not worth it to them. Im in that camp.

 

[whs37]

Why the big discussion. You can use the OTG cable to attach additional storage - or you don't use it. It's a free country, everybody can arrange it as they please.

For me it is more important to attach the mouse in conjunction with the bluetooth keyboard. But you may (or may not) want a ton of videos (which I never watch). Everybody can do what suits them best.

 

[strollin]

... For me it is more important to attach the mouse in conjunction with the bluetooth keyboard. ...

Just out of curiosity, why not use BT keyboard AND BT mouse instead of BT keyboard with wired mouse?

 

[magohn]

Why the big discussion. ...

Again, the 'big discussion' was to see if I was fully understanding OTG and if there was an alternative (read the first few posts). The thread then went off on a tangent.

 

[whs37]

Just out of curiosity, why not use BT keyboard AND BT mouse instead of BT keyboard with wired mouse?

I just don't like the trackpad. Even on laptops I use a mouse. But not a normal mouse - I use a Logitech mouse with trackball. I have three of those and they work best for me.

 

[Hook]

This looks interesting

Green House Announces Android-Compatible Card Reader | techPowerUp

Okay, I'm going to fess up that I couldn't resist. I have to see what this thing can do. I paid a ridiculous amount of money (half of it shipping) that probably isn't worth it even if it can do everything I think it can, but the geek experimenter grabbed my wallet and ordered it from a Japanese web site (who are very good at communicating about the order, so I think I will actually see it).

I saw a Japanese video and it looks like it hugs the side of the Nexus 7 pretty tightly and I think my Folio case will accommodate it.

When I get it, I'll give a complete rundown with pics, no matter how foolish it makes me look. I have no idea when it will get here.

And, yes, I look pretty foolish. I won't even bother with pictures.

Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to be that well made. It does mount pretty well on the Nexus 7 without the case, although I would still be wary about carrying it around that way-- the grip isn't firm (Strike 1). The readers work well enough, but things get dicey if you try to use more then one at a time. Apparently, things start not getting enough voltage. (Strike 2). And finally, and most perplexing, the mini USB pass through does not actually charge the battery, even if it is the only thing plugged in. (A very big Strike 3).

It is an excellent design idea (having something slim that hugs the bezel on your tablet), but it is poorly executed and would probably need a battery of some sort to really work.

 

[strollin]

I just don't like the trackpad. Even on laptops I use a mouse. But not a normal mouse - I use a Logitech mouse with trackball. I have three of those and they work best for me.

I get that you don't like the trackpad (who does?) but that's not the question I asked. You want to use a specific mouse that isn't made in a BT model.

 

[whs37]

I get that you don't like the trackpad (who does?) but that's not the question I asked. You want to use a specific mouse that isn't made in a BT model.

Right, I use what I have and I have 3 of those trackball meeses - 2 are wired. The OTG is less of a hassle than having to sync the BT.

 

[magohn]

And, yes, I look pretty foolish. I won't even bother with pictures.

Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to be that well made. It does mount pretty well on the Nexus 7 without the case, although I would still be wary about carrying it around that way-- the grip isn't firm (Strike 1). The readers work well enough, but things get dicey if you try to use more then one at a time. Apparently, things start not getting enough voltage. (Strike 2). And finally, and most perplexing, the mini USB pass through does not actually charge the battery, even if it is the only thing plugged in. (A very big Strike 3).

It is an excellent design idea (having something slim that hugs the bezel on your tablet), but it is poorly executed and would probably need a battery of some sort to really work.

Thanks so much for reporting back on this. What a shame as it looked pretty awesome. I cant beleive they'd overlook a charge option! Weird.

Does the mount 'wobble' about when attached or is it pretty secure? Id love actual pics if you can be bothered.

 

[Hook]

Thanks so much for reporting back on this. What a shame as it looked pretty awesome. I cant beleive they'd overlook a charge option! Weird.

Does the mount 'wobble' about when attached or is it pretty secure? Id love actual pics if you can be bothered.

No, it doesn't wobble if there isn't a case in the way. It can be knocked off and does change the N&'s center of gravity in a way that doesn't feel as comfortable. I'll try and get some pics to post tonight.

 

[Hook]

Thanks so much for reporting back on this. What a shame as it looked pretty awesome. I cant beleive they'd overlook a charge option! Weird.

Does the mount 'wobble' about when attached or is it pretty secure? Id love actual pics if you can be bothered.

Here you go. You'll see it looks pretty smug in front, but in back I think the USB port is too recessed. Might even be the cause of some of the voltage problems. I don't know. Remeber, all devices, even a microSD stick out from this, so in some ways it is more awkward than a USB-To-Go cable because you could be lulled into swinging it around too freely and whack! ;-)

 

[val88]

Right, I use what I have and I have 3 of those trackball meeses - 2 are wired. The OTG is less of a hassle than having to sync the BT.

One problem is there aren't very many good BT mouse out there. Most decent ones like from logitech requires their unified receiver rather than BT. I wanted one and took forever to only find about 3 semi decent ones. Ultimately settled on a MS arc which still requires a unified receiver. Many BT mice have issues where it stays on unless you yank the battery or some silliness like that.

 

[val88]

No I did not. I knew exactly what I was getting. Its 'OK' to point out that a missing feature has a workaround that is too much hassle (for me). 16gb will work fine for me. Of course, I want more but only via a reasonable resolution.

My initial post was to determine if I was missing something with OTG and its need for a cable/thumbdrive. Apparently I am not. Though a few other possibilities have been flushed out.

If you guys like carrying a cable/thumbdrive around with you - more power to you. Its nothing personal but just not for me.

The problem 'still' is that you are fixated on the theory that OTG was created solely as a response to a lack of SD card for N7 but that is far from the truth. Rather, you CAN use an OTG cable to simulate that functionality. But you're ignoring the fact that many people don't use an OTG cable because of that 1 reason. They are probably using it for completely different reasons like me with my camera. I bought the OTG cable for that as my primary reason not because I needed more movies on my N7.

 

[val88]

Then its more experiment than practical. So for most people, its too much of a hassle. Im looking for a practical solution rather than leaving the house with my McGyver belt just in case I want to watch a video.

Its hardly an experiment when you can use it on a regular basis. Mind as well complain to people replacing their gas pedals for chrome gas pedals for the same reason.

Some may say why leave your house with a tablet to watch a video because thats not practical either.

If you want a more practical solution than carrying a tiny cable and thumb drive for your video watching then why buy the N7 knowing full well that it doesn't have an SD card?

 

[magohn]

The problem 'still' is that you are fixated on the theory that OTG was created solely as a response to a lack of SD card for N7 but that is far from the truth. Rather, you CAN use an OTG cable to simulate that functionality. But you're ignoring the fact that many people don't use an OTG cable because of that 1 reason. They are probably using it for completely different reasons like me with my camera. I bought the OTG cable for that as my primary reason not because I needed more movies on my N7.

And your 'still' ignoring my initial post that is specifically about storage. I have no interest in other things OTG can or cant do and did not ask about that.