Database Develop

May I ask a non-nook Question?

I want to set up my PC as a TV and DVR, what's the best way to do this? I have a cable outlet right beside the PC, I know I could get a TV Tuner card but I know nothing about them at all and there are so many it's confusing. Hauppage(sp?) seems to be the most popular but are they any good? Are there any questions I should be asking myself before I chose? Any help would be much appreciated. Is there a better option altogether? I've searched the internet but it's basically an information overload, no good guides can be found for all the 5 year old junk

tuner you get depends on what software (dvr software) you want to run, what you want to do, and how fast your computer is.
things to know:
some with one tuner and some with 2
some with only OTA and some with QAM (unencrypted cable), some do both
hauppauge has pci/pci-e cards as well as usb
HDhomerun has several models, 2 tuner OTA/QAM, 4* tuner cable card, etc
Ceton has a 4, and a 6?, tuner card
some of these have hardware encoders, some dont (slower computers will need encoding otherwise it will be choppy, audio dropouts)

You should first figure out exactly what type of signal is coming in on that cable. Does your area still have analog cable service (my area does, but I think that's getting more scarce), or is it digital only? Are there any clear-QAM channels (which are usually just the local networks) or is it all encrypted? If it's only digital and encrypted channels that you're interested in, then you need something that can take a CableCARD.
After that, it's all about what software you want to run and how many tuners you require.

You may be better off just using a combo of Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Instant Video and Bittorrent.
Otherwise you haven't given us any of your specs to be able you help you out. What type of PC do you have? Windows/Linux/Mac... Processor/RAM/HD, also like others have noted are you going for Over the Air signal, analog or Digital Cable, standard def or HD. Are you going to be using a set top box or going for a cable card(very expensive option). Give us as much detail as possible if you want competent answers.

As for using your PC as a TV and PVR, I'd recommend using XBMC to turn it into a Home Theater PC (HTPC). The site, LifeHacker, does an XBMC/HTPC guide every few months. You would still need to buy hardware like a TV tuner but XBMC does a lot on the software end.
Also, if you use XBMC, you can use your Nook Color (assuming you at least have rooted it and have access to the Andoid Market) to control the XBMC software via the XBMC remote app.
Here is a guide that lifehacker did. It's a little old but the basics are still relevant and correct. http*://lifehacker.*com/5536963/the-ultimate-start-to-finish-guide-to-your-xbmc-media-center (remove the asterisks)

What everyone else has said -- need more info on what you have, also what budget, and what cable setup.
I have an HTPC set up but it's for media streaming, not dvr recording.
One forum I found very helpful is the AVS forum (search in google), they have a sub-forum dedicated entirely to HTPCs.

Sorry for the lack on info didn't know that my PC specs mattered all that much. I am running:
Vista Home Premium, 64bit
Intel Core2 Quad CPU (Q9300 @2.5ghz)
4GB RAM
Nvidia GeForce GT240
Appx. 600gb ofhard-drive space plus a 500gb permanent external USB. I can add more HD space if it becomes a problem.
Not sure if there is any other system info you guys need.
As for my cable I dunno for sure what signal I have, I have COMCAST if that helps anyone. Mainly I want this for recording sports. I can't always watch them live and it'd be nice to DVR them for later. I'd also use it for shows, but those I can always watch online later. Can't really watch sports later though. And I'd also like to be able to just normally watch TV on my computer. I'd like to be able to do something on monitor one while the other plays live TV. Sports or whatever.
Also, to this:
Are you going to be using a set top box or going for a cable card(very expensive option).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am not sure what you mean. I was thinking you get the TV Tuner, install it in your PCIE slot, and watch TV on the PC. Do you need another device?

Landara said:
I am not sure what you mean. I was thinking you get the TV Tuner, install it in your PCIE slot, and watch TV on the PC. Do you need another device?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A basic TV tuner will only be able to pick up Over The Air signals and basic cable(very limited channel selection). If you want to be able to watch digital cable you'll need either a set top box or a cable card and cable card reader(like this one).
some nice basic tv tuners
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815116028
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815100049
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815116015
I believe you have Windows Media Center included with your Windows version, it's probably going to be your best option for software.

Alternative to USB storage: wifi storage from your phone

In case you don't know and if storage is an issue for you, you can use USB storage devices like flash drive, SD card reader, etc. by using an microUSB OTG cable, root your phone, and install Stickmount as per this thread:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1736825
However, I was also looking into alternative methods to increase indirectly increase storage capacity like things like videos and media. Media including videos and music, I believe is the number one reason why people want to increase their storage, so we will concentrate on that. My example scenario will be wanting to watch a movie on a plane (in which there is no wifi internet available).
There are wifi hard drives like Kingston wi-drive and Seagate GoFlex Satellite wifi drives that would work (haven't tested myself), but those arent' cheap. CloudFTP is similar but is still expensive. I would like to see a similar device without any onboard memory, but at a cheaper price, basically something like CloudFTP but at around $50-60. If anybody knows of one, that would be great!!
Then I thought about why not use the hardware you already have and carry with you at all times, your phone? It has wifi and it has expandable memory (most do at least). It would be great if an app can allow you create a wifi network (ad hoc network?) that Nexus 7 connect to and can then share the storage on your phone.
Well, I couldn't find one that does all of that in one step, but I did manage to get it to work with a few steps based on this reply by mrfahrenheit94 (THANKS!):
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=28818320#post28818320
Basically:
1. Wifi tether your Nexus 7 to your phone (ie Wireless Tether for rooted phone).
2. Run Es File Explorer on your phone (latest version I am using version 1.6.1.6 from Play market, just make sure it supports remote FTP server). Go to Settings, then Remote Settings (Under Network Settings). Check Remote Manage. It will display an ftp address.
2. Run ES File Explorer on Nexus 7. On the upper left hand corner, press the button that probably says Local by default and has a small down arrow. Select FTP. Now press "New" and then select FTP again to add FTP server, Under Server, enter the FTP address that was displayed at the end on step 2 on your phone (do not enter the "ftp://" part, just the numbers after it), but only enter the adress before the colon. Under port enter the number after the colon. Then check the anonymous box. Press OK and now you should have that FTP address as an icon. Select it and you should now see your phone's files and folders. Now you should be able to navigate to your video or media files and select it to play using an external media player. I suggest using Dice Player (free with Ad version). VLC Beta may work as well but I seem to have more luck with Dice Player.
Main drawback will be battery life especially on the phone!!!!
Thus I tried to do this with bluetooth by using Foxfi to tether. At home it worked and I was able to stream a video although very slight stutter at times. However, i realize that Foxfi only worked when my phone has an internet connection (which is not true when on an airplane).
THUS, IF YOU ARE GOING TO TEST THIS, TURN OFF YOUR CELLULAR DATA CONNECTION TO TEST IF IT WILL WORK WHEN YOU HAVE NO INTERNET LIKE ON A PLANE.
It does for the Wireless Tether app on Play market even without internet.
What I would like to know and for us to discuss:
1. Any other alternative methods for using wifi storage?
2. Any app that is similar to Foxfi that can Bluetooth tether but doesn't require an internet connection?
3. Any app that can just create a network connection between the two android devices without actual tether feature?
4. A IOS app similar to ES File Explorer to navigate ftp server. Maybe set it up in XBMC?
5. Any interest in a developer creating a one step app that connects and share two devices via wifi and/or bluetooth without any tethering (and thus would work for nonrooted phones)?
One thing I envisioned was one a plane I bring nexus 7 for the kids and my asus TF300 for myself. I would love it if I can share the videos from the TF300 which has a larger capapcity and bigger battery than my phone to the Nexus 7, but I couldn't get Wireless Tether to work on the Asus Tf300 (probably because it is not a phone). Hence, the request for #3 above.
I apologize if this is common knowledge and a waste of time for many of you.

my RAZR can tether and it has 8+16Gb of storage. and it also has 6Gb/month data connection.
oh yes, im planning on tether-connect it with the Nexus.... alot.... for videos and data.

It's good to have alternative methods like this, as a lot of people will certainly use it. Since my phone is in pretty poor shape all around, I doubt I'll utilize it anymore than I have to until I get an upgrade. Personally I'm going to go the USB OTG route with StickMount for long rides/traveling/etc, basically in situations where I might actually find myself watching a few movies back to back to burn up the travel time. I can't see in regular day to day operation needing that functionality, but at least it's there for the rare occasion where I might benefit from it. :good:

You could use bubble pnp to share files from your phone when connected to a LAN. For direct access I know there is a app that allows you to share your storage thru samba. It was just reviewed on android police, I'll try to find the link.
Sent from my EVO 4G LTE

david279 said:
You could use bubble pnp to share files from your phone when connected to a LAN. For direct access I know there is a app that allows you to share your storage thru samba. It was just reviewed on android police, I'll try to find the link.
Sent from my EVO 4G LTE
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
that would be cool!

Connection Speed
I'm only getting like 100KB/s download speed by using this method. Way to slow for streaming video. Even with a 8MB buffer size. Is this a similar speed to what you guys are getting? I'm tethering with FoxiFi from my EVO 4G LTE. My phone is rooted, but for some reason, this is the only tethering method/app that has worked for me. Any suggestions?

The name of the app is SyncMe wireless. It turns your phone into a samba share(or cifs share).
Sent from my EVO 4G LTE

I found a way to connect the TF300 with the Nexus 7 just for the sake of sharing the storage of the TF300. Thanks to another thread on xda, i discovered Wifi Direct works great, and is plenty fast. I think Wifi Direct is only found in some versions of ICS. Took me a while to figure out how to turn it on since it is different for each tablet. On Nexus 7, it is in the settings button in the upper right hand corner when you are in Wi-Fi- settings.
On TF300, I think it is in the "more" section or "advanced" section under Network subsection.
Will give SyncMe a try.
Does it also create its own ad hoc network, or do you still have to connect via wifi somehow?

superflysocal said:
I found a way to connect the TF300 with the Nexus 7 just for the sake of sharing the storage of the TF300. Thanks to another thread on xda, i discovered Wifi Direct works great, and is plenty fast. I think Wifi Direct is only found in some versions of ICS. Took me a while to figure out how to turn it on since it is different for each tablet. On Nexus 7, it is in the settings button in the upper right hand corner when you are in Wi-Fi- settings.
On TF300, I think it is in the "more" section or "advanced" section under Network subsection.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just ordered my N7 and was just wondering exactly which app you are using on the N7 to actually find the files on your TF300 to stream. I have a Galaxy S3 that I know can share files with WI-FI direct. I just need to know what to get on the N7 you be able to see the files.
Thanks!

I am reviving this thread because I was interested in a method of streaming multimedia from my s3 to the N7.
Using 3G is not possible because in Argentina the speed of networks are pure SH*T, and the method of ES FIle Explorer did not work for me.
BUT I found a way in other forum (androidcentral, thanks to rubrnek), and basically these are the steps:
1) on the phone install Twonky Mobile
2) on the N7 install aVia media player
3) turn on wifi hitspot on the phone and connect the N7 to it
4) set up twonky library on the phone
5) open aVia media player on the N7 and select Twonky Mobile as the source
6) Navigate the files and play!
I was amazed on how fast it works, I did not tried a 720p or 1080p movie, since it is an overkill in my opinion (mostly a 1080p movie on a phone or tablet), I just tried photos and an DVDRIP AVI of Bill&Ted movie and it plays like it was a local file, the best part is that open the file with Dice player, not some rare player.
Now I have an 88gb Nexus 7

superflysocal said:
In case you don't know and if storage is an issue for you, you can use USB storage devices like flash drive, SD card reader, etc. by using an microUSB OTG cable, root your phone, and install Stickmount as per this thread:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1736825
However, I was also looking into alternative methods to increase indirectly increase storage capacity like things like videos and media. Media including videos and music, I believe is the number one reason why people want to increase their storage, so we will concentrate on that. My example scenario will be wanting to watch a movie on a plane (in which there is no wifi internet available).
There are wifi hard drives like Kingston wi-drive and Seagate GoFlex Satellite wifi drives that would work (haven't tested myself), but those arent' cheap. CloudFTP is similar but is still expensive. I would like to see a similar device without any onboard memory, but at a cheaper price, basically something like CloudFTP but at around $50-60. If anybody knows of one, that would be great!!
Then I thought about why not use the hardware you already have and carry with you at all times, your phone? It has wifi and it has expandable memory (most do at least). It would be great if an app can allow you create a wifi network (ad hoc network?) that Nexus 7 connect to and can then share the storage on your phone.
Well, I couldn't find one that does all of that in one step, but I did manage to get it to work with a few steps based on this reply by mrfahrenheit94 (THANKS!):
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=28818320#post28818320
Basically:
1. Wifi tether your Nexus 7 to your phone (ie Wireless Tether for rooted phone).
2. Run Es File Explorer on your phone (latest version I am using version 1.6.1.6 from Play market, just make sure it supports remote FTP server). Go to Settings, then Remote Settings (Under Network Settings). Check Remote Manage. It will display an ftp address.
2. Run ES File Explorer on Nexus 7. On the upper left hand corner, press the button that probably says Local by default and has a small down arrow. Select FTP. Now press "New" and then select FTP again to add FTP server, Under Server, enter the FTP address that was displayed at the end on step 2 on your phone (do not enter the "ftp://" part, just the numbers after it), but only enter the adress before the colon. Under port enter the number after the colon. Then check the anonymous box. Press OK and now you should have that FTP address as an icon. Select it and you should now see your phone's files and folders. Now you should be able to navigate to your video or media files and select it to play using an external media player. I suggest using Dice Player (free with Ad version). VLC Beta may work as well but I seem to have more luck with Dice Player.
Main drawback will be battery life especially on the phone!!!!
Thus I tried to do this with bluetooth by using Foxfi to tether. At home it worked and I was able to stream a video although very slight stutter at times. However, i realize that Foxfi only worked when my phone has an internet connection (which is not true when on an airplane).
THUS, IF YOU ARE GOING TO TEST THIS, TURN OFF YOUR CELLULAR DATA CONNECTION TO TEST IF IT WILL WORK WHEN YOU HAVE NO INTERNET LIKE ON A PLANE.
It does for the Wireless Tether app on Play market even without internet.
What I would like to know and for us to discuss:
1. Any other alternative methods for using wifi storage?
2. Any app that is similar to Foxfi that can Bluetooth tether but doesn't require an internet connection?
3. Any app that can just create a network connection between the two android devices without actual tether feature?
4. A IOS app similar to ES File Explorer to navigate ftp server. Maybe set it up in XBMC?
5. Any interest in a developer creating a one step app that connects and share two devices via wifi and/or bluetooth without any tethering (and thus would work for nonrooted phones)?
One thing I envisioned was one a plane I bring nexus 7 for the kids and my asus TF300 for myself. I would love it if I can share the videos from the TF300 which has a larger capapcity and bigger battery than my phone to the Nexus 7, but I couldn't get Wireless Tether to work on the Asus Tf300 (probably because it is not a phone). Hence, the request for #3 above.
I apologize if this is common knowledge and a waste of time for many of you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Does this method also allow us to transfer files from phone to the tablet? I do not have the device yet, but will be getting it soon and one thing that bothered me was the lack of USB Mass Storage option when connecting to a PC. I prefer transferring files directly rather than MTP. Do apps like AirDroid work?

superflysocal said:
Basically
1. Wifi tether your Nexus 7 to your phone (ie Wireless Tether for rooted phone).
2. Run Es File Explorer on your phone (latest version I am using version 1.6.1.6 from Play market, just make sure it supports remote FTP server). Go to Settings, then Remote Settings (Under Network Settings). Check Remote Manage. It will display an ftp address.
2. Run ES File Explorer on Nexus 7. On the upper left hand corner, press the button that probably says Local by default and has a small down arrow. Select FTP. Now press "New" and then select FTP again to add FTP server, Under Server, enter the FTP address that was displayed at the end on step 2 on your phone (do not enter the "ftp://" part, just the numbers after it), but only enter the adress before the colon. Under port enter the number after the colon. Then check the anonymous box. Press OK and now you should have that FTP address as an icon. Select it and you should now see your phone's files and folders. Now you should be able to navigate to your video or media files and select it to play using an external media player. I suggest using Dice Player (free with Ad version). VLC Beta may work as well but I seem to have more luck with Dice Player.
Main drawback will be battery life especially on the phone!!!!
Thus I tried to do this with bluetooth by using Foxfi to tether. At home it worked and I was able to stream a video although very slight stutter at times. However, i realize that Foxfi only worked when my phone has an internet connection (which is not true when on an airplane).
THUS, IF YOU ARE GOING TO TEST THIS, TURN OFF YOUR CELLULAR DATA CONNECTION TO TEST IF IT WILL WORK WHEN YOU HAVE NO INTERNET LIKE ON A PLANE.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OMG! Thanks so much for this ultra simple phone to tablet "local wifi ftp connection" method. Most important we need is just a wifi tether/ hotspot phone or tab, which 99% of android do, i believe. I've tried to connect all my SGS1, SGS2, SGtab7.7, HP Touchpad (TP, no usg otg) n they all connect flawlessly. IMO, this method is even more versatile than "Wifi Direct" comes with Samsung devices, which feels a tad faster. Why bother w installing other apps, when u can get done w 1 great free app, ESbrowser.
To my surprise, i also learned that wifi tethering function actually works with mobile data disconnect, through this.
Triple thks for your tutorial, excellent work. High Five!

Got this to work with esfile explorer between my N7 & SG3. One question though.
When I browse the files on my SG3, I can't see the files on my external sd card, only the ones on the internal memory. Anyone have any ideas on how to access the external card?
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

joelgrice said:
Got this to work with esfile explorer between my N7 & SG3. One question though.
When I browse the files on my SG3, I can't see the files on my external sd card, only the ones on the internal memory. Anyone have any ideas on how to access the external card?
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Enter ES File Explorer settings on your phone, then Remote Settings and finally Set root directory path for your external card. Hope it helps.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2
---------- Post added at 10:55 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:50 AM ----------
I got GS2 AOKP and my path to external card is /emmc/
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

Nexus 7 with portable DVD r/w NAS as wireless entertainment system for car or travel

Nexus 7 with portable DVD r/w NAS as wireless entertainment system for car or travel and can be used a wireless access point if you plug into your hotel or home ethernet port. I use a car inverter plug to power the samsung optical smart hub. I can read. write or stream files from cd or dvd or flash storage or hard drive attached to the hub. Can be accessed simultaeneously by 4 people. Two people can watch same dvd at different stages in the movie or 4 people can watch stream files off usb memory. UYou do not need root for doing this. It works out of the box. see my youtube video here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dKvwom5K8s
also see my other nexus 7 videos on my link in my tagline below. see my various nexus 7 and android play lists as well, which might be useful for some people. subscribe to my youtube channel if you like my videos as i will be uploading few more nexus related videos as i have shot some more but havent uploaded them yet and will do so soon.
my nexus 7 is in car entertainment system and is portable as not built into dash and can take with me while travelling. My wife and child watch live TV and tv catch up and surf the net or do skype video chats for free (excluding the cost of my unlimited data plan) by tethering it to my samsung galaxy note by wifi hotspot.
my total cost was 189.99£ for 16gb nexus 7 + about 70£ for samsung optical smarthub from amazon + 15£ for car inverter = cheap as chips in car entertainment system / NAS that can be shared by 4 people wirelesly and can play dvds, read / write / copy / stream to dvd / cd / flash drive / hard drive and do device back ups or watch internet tv and radio and skype video chats. Has got ethernet port to connect to hotel ethernet port to use a wifi access point when travelling. Can connect to laptop to act as internal drive via usb or as dvd player for TVs although i havent tried those features.

so I had obvious questions, like software, wifi setup, etc, but I guess this "smarthub" device has much of that built-in. how is it over bumps? lose data connection any? can this work with any video/media file type or does it have to be DVD movies only?

640k said:
so I had obvious questions, like software, wifi setup, etc, but I guess this "smarthub" device has much of that built-in. how is it over bumps? lose data connection any? can this work with any video/media file type or does it have to be DVD movies only?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i cant answer all the questions today but might be able to either tomorrow or over the next few days. I am on holiday for the last week and will be for about a week more. So busy travelling or making travel plans most of the time as am going on short breaks on a daily basis or recovering in between.
They sent me one with a EU plug and the fit into the inverter is a bit loose. Although i get a contact i dont like it being loose so just use an existing EU to UK plug adapter from tesco (think might have been £1 or so) to plug into my car inverter. The nexus 7 has no probs catching the signal or playing dvds or cds. I tried accessing documents and they work fine as do avi videos from what i remember but i emtied that flash drive for other stuff so cant check the formats now.
I didnt get to use the hub much as my 3y child was more interested with playing on the nexus 7 or watching cartoons on the internet television or my wife was watching television on it so i couldnt check it out as i was driving most of the time. Will try to check it out tomorrow or over the next few days.
The techradardeals website seems to have goofed up and i got an email saying my two 64gb flash drives usb 3.0 are not being delivered, so i am busy making other arrangements for my data for the trip. I had deleted some of my movies from my sd cards in anticipation of getting the drives but now have to copy them to alternate flash drives IF i can find some spares tonight as most of my existing ones are filled with other documents. But will definitely try some dvds tomorrow if my child allows it as she will be using the nexus 7 while i am driving! Today and the last few days she was busy playing on the nexus 7 in the back seat or watching internet TV or skype video chatting or my wife was surfing or watching internet TV, so i didnt get much of a chance using the device myself! Am wondering whether to get another nexus 7 now for only myself. This one was my childs present!!! which i thought i could use but my child has other ideas!!! so my PLAN to get a gadget for myself didnt work out!! I still use the tablet when at home or at night though. But my child uses the tablet the entire journey if she is not sleeping, by playing games or watching TV or listening to songs as she now wants to hear it on the tablet rather than the car stereo and she is only three soon to be four years old.
Anyway enough of me digressing from your queries.
You can see more videos and tutorials and FAQs for the device here http://samsung-odd.com/eng/
the user manual here http://www.samsungodd.com/WebManual/SmartHub/SE-208BW/en/index.html
specifications here http://www.samsungodd.com/WebManual/SmartHub/SE-208BW/en/Specifications_Product.html
you can directly connect this to compatible TVs or photo frames with usb slot function http://www.samsungodd.com/WebManual/SmartHub/SE-208BW/en/Using_AV_Function.html
I am not sure what codecs etc are supported. File sizes cant be more than 4gb. There are a couple more videos on this device on my "android accessories playlist" as far as i remember. see the one by mavericchoi if i remember the name right.

got a few dvds to test tomorrow and some videos (m4v, avi) copying to my flash drive now. will check it tomorrow or over the next 3 days and get back here. they work fine in the stationary car, so i dont see why they wouldnt work while moving unless the electrical connection gets loose. wifi signal strength is great.

640k said:
so I had obvious questions, like software, wifi setup, etc, but I guess this "smarthub" device has much of that built-in. how is it over bumps? lose data connection any? can this work with any video/media file type or does it have to be DVD movies only?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Dvd works fine in my car and handles the bumps fine. Did not loose connection at any point. Flash drive seems corrupted, as my movies are not working working. But previous hard drive movies played fine.

I bought one of these as well, and it works great with the Nexus 7. I haven't put it in the car yet, as I'm still doing my testing, but here are the things I've noticed so far.
1. My MP4 files aren't playing when using the Samsung Smart Hub app. It always says unsupported media type. I used handbrake and the ATV2 setting, which works for every other third party player I've tried (BSPlayer, ES File Manager player), but the Samsung video player chokes on them. However, if I use the same ATV2 setting, but choose MKV, they play. Definitely an issue with the Samsung player.
2. The Samsung video player cannot handle any HD content without stuttering. That's pretty much a kiss of death for me, because I'm not ripping the DVDs that come with my BDs just to have them for travelling. So, instead I use ES File Manager - the navigation is very easy and the player works great for all of my HD content.
3. If you want to play DVDs using the streaming app, then the Samsung video player definitely works and does the job perfectly. The only issue I had was getting a message about setting the correct region. All of my mobile devices can play DVDs that way (HTC One X, Nexus 7, iPod touch, and iPhone 4s).
4. MP3s play great using the Samsung video player.
Those are really the only things I've noticed so far. I don't have any other media types to try, because I only use MP4 and MP3, but for me this device will do exactly what I want - have a mobile media hub during our long trips, that all of my mobile devices can use.
If you visit the Samsung ODD support website and read the manual, and watch the videos, setup is a breeze. First thing - make sure you already have a USB drive/stick/etc with some movies or songs on it, because the SmartHub will choke when you try to navigate around in the app. I have a 32GB SD card (Amazon Basics - cheap but works great) and a SanDisk MicroMate SD reader plugged into the Hub, and it works great. External USB hard drives work, too - I've tried two different 2.5 SATA drives and both had no issues. After you set it up, plug the USB drive in before doing anything else. I didn't bother with the included setup CD - I just connected the SmartHub to my home network via ethernet cable, let it acquire an IP, then I used IE and browsed to http://smarthub. I could set everything up that way, including doing a firmware update. My device came with A00, and A03 was available, so I went ahead and did the firmware update. Once that was done, I changed the SSID and password (the default SSID and password is on a label on the bottom of the device), changed the SAMBA sharing password, then I disconnected it from my home network and rebooted the device.
Next, I changed my Nexus wireless network to the SmartHub's - that's very important, because you can't use it at all unless your mobile devices and the SmartHub are on the same subnet! I think that's the biggest issue with people having problems getting things to work. I started the Samsung Mobile Smart Hub (previously downloaded from Google Play), set my SAMBA password, and I was up and running.
I don't think I'd use this for my home network streaming/playback, because I already have things in place that take care of media, but I don't think there's a better media hub type device for travelling.

Thanks. OP! I just ordered one as they are on sale for $40 at Amazon (US):
http://amzn.com/B007JUFLS0

Not knocking the Samsung thing -- especially at only $40 -- but anyone considering it should at least look at the (much more expensive) Seagate Satellite. It is a battery-powered 500gb HDD with onboard WIFI and file server. I've installed hacked firmware and can stream four different movies to four different devices simultaneously without problems. Now three kids of differing ages and tastes can watch whatever they want to watch on a long car trip.
At $40, the Samsung thing is a steal -- almost an at-the-cash-register impulse buy. At $160, the Satellite is a good value, but not an impulse buy. But being able to store 500gb of movies... well worth the money IMHO.

SoonerLater said:
Not knocking the Samsung thing -- especially at only $40 -- but anyone considering it should at least look at the (much more expensive) Seagate Satellite. It is a battery-powered 500gb HDD with onboard WIFI and file server. I've installed hacked firmware and can stream four different movies to four different devices simultaneously without problems. Now three kids of differing ages and tastes can watch whatever they want to watch on a long car trip.
At $40, the Samsung thing is a steal -- almost an at-the-cash-register impulse buy. At $160, the Satellite is a good value, but not an impulse buy. But being able to store 500gb of movies... well worth the money IMHO.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But does the HDD come with an intuitive user I interface that kids can use and understand in order to select the movie they want to watch? That's the biggest draw with the Samsung solution, even if the interface is a little spartan in design.

SoonerLater said:
Not knocking the Samsung thing -- especially at only $40 -- but anyone considering it should at least look at the (much more expensive) Seagate Satellite. It is a battery-powered 500gb HDD with onboard WIFI and file server. I've installed hacked firmware and can stream four different movies to four different devices simultaneously without problems. Now three kids of differing ages and tastes can watch whatever they want to watch on a long car trip.
At $40, the Samsung thing is a steal -- almost an at-the-cash-register impulse buy. At $160, the Satellite is a good value, but not an impulse buy. But being able to store 500gb of movies... well worth the money IMHO.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for sharing this, any chance you could say where you got the firmware from? This could be pretty amazing with a head rest mount.

Embedding Nexus One into Portable HD as a WiFi NAS

Hi all,
I've got an old Nexus One lying around, and I was thinking, why not use it to make a WiFi Hard drive?
Originally, I was just going to use Android Assistant to clean up my startup and Samba FileSharing to share, and making a case that basically plugs into the wall with a 2.5" HD.
My question is this: From a software perspective, what is the quickest way to get the Nexus One to boot up and run what's required? Are there any trimmed down ROMs that may suit my needs better?
Thanks,
Ben

1. To do it you need the hard drive connected to the Nexus, which you can't do unless you have USB Host-capable kernel running on Nexus and USB2SATA adapter to your HD. To my knowledge, there is no USB host support in the kernels you might want to use, and the kernel that supports it doesn't allow charging.
2. Even if you find the way around the 1st problem, which is unlikely, you're going to get sub-1MB/s transfer speeds. I have a real NAS at home, and after tweaking my 802.11g WiFi adapters in laptops I'm succeeding to pull 3MB/s, and I don't plan on even starting to use it until I get the 802.11n miniPCIe card for the laptop that's going to use this NAS, and reach 7-8MB/s at least. So I believe you might find a much better use for your Nexus. Or just save it until you have kids, they'll have a nice toy (if you're a teenager, disregard this suggestion).

Ravpower RP-WD01 Wireless WiFi-Disk Review

http://www.amazon.com/RAVPower%C2%AE-RP-WD01-Wireless-WiFi-Disk-Li-Polymer/dp/B00AQUMZRA/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&qid=1362010339&sr=8-14&keywords=ravpower
Recently purchased the Ravpower RP-WD01 Wireless WiFi-Disk. It is probably the best investment I have made for ALL my mobile devices. I was on the fence about what wireless wifi storage to get Seagate, Kingston Wi-drive, Airstash and lots more but decided on the ravpower. Main reason was that it had a SD card slot and USB port to connect a multitude of different storage devices. And lets be honest, how many SD cards, microsd cards, portable hard drives and usb flash drives do we have laying around? There is soooo much potential with this product and some very nice surprises that I found out that makes this wifi disk a MUST have for all the tech geeks in us.
Bonus, it doubles up as external battery pack. 3,000mah may not be a lot but it does come in handy in those critical must have a charge situations.
Specs:
Wireless wi-fi storage and external battery pack 3000mah
SD card slot
USB slot
The size of the wifi disk is about the size of a portable hard drive. Slightly bigger than my S3; look at attached picture for reference.
To connect to the device you must make a wifi connection to it. It is named "WiFiSD-158E" and the password is "11111111". That is 8 ones BTW.
Performance:
I was able to pick up a wide array of storage media. SD card, microsd in a sd card adapter, Flash drives ranging from 4gb to 32gb with many different brands. It was able to power a Seagate portable hard drive no problem while a SD card was also in the sd card slot.
Many different devices were used to connect to the wifi disk: Nexus 7, Nexus 10, Ipad 4, Acer laptop, Coby Cryos android tablet, galaxy S3, Iphone 5 and a t-mobile S2.
It says that up to 5 devices can be connected to it.
I was able to play all sorts of video files from it, divx/xvid, avi, mp4, mkv, mov.....720p,1080p. It handled it like a champ.
I connected 5 devices and tried to stream a divx file all at the same time. It worked flawlessly, no stutters, no audio drops.
Now I dunno about HD 720p or 1080p files with 5 devices trying to stream from it. Will try more tests later.
You can access your connected storage via 3 different ways:
Now, you can use the recommended mobile apps mobile fun (android) and airstor (IOS) to connect to the device to see your connected storage options. They are nice clean simple apps. Reminds me of an "ES Explorer" type file explorer. Pretty fast, smooth and it simply just works. The one thing the APP is a must for is to make it a wifi hotspot. What that means is that you can configure it to connect to your regular home internet router so that when your device is connected to it; you can still have internet access. Basically it acts like a wireless bridge for your router. Once configured you don't have to use the apps ever again.
You can even use your browser to go to "10.10.10.254" and connect via a web interface. The default username is "admin" and there is no password. You can configure it to have a password; which I did via a wizard tutorial. This is nice since you can connect your laptop to it and access the connected storage.
The last option was a little thing I figured out and was pleasantly surprised! The wifi disk can be accessed via ANY file explorer app that can make SAMBA/SMB connections! File explorers such as "ES Explorer" and "Solid Explorer" have this ability. I personally recommend solid explorer (more on that in a bit).
You just have to set it up (please see attached picture for reference).
For solid explorer press the "jump" button, then "Network" and then "SMB/CIFS" button. Jump>Network>SMB/CIFS
Now press the plus sign button at the top right. It will cause a popup that you will need to fill in the appropriate info.
Display name: can be left blank
Computer name or ip address: enter 10.10.10.254
Authentication method: can set as "Log in as guess" if you did not use the web interface to make a pass word. If you did make a password set it as "store encrypted password"
Username: admin
password: whatever password you made via the web interface
Now you should be able use the file explorer to navigate the connected storage options:
SDCARD-Volume1 = SD card slot
USBDisk-Volume1 = USB port connected storage
Now you don't need an extra app to use the wifi disk. Use the file explorer you love and know!
Solid Explorer is my reccomendation because it has the two pane option when in landscape mode. With the two panel mode, you can navigate to the "SD card" with pane 1 and then navigate to the "usb port" with pane 2. This will allow you to transfer files between the "sd card" and the "usb port" storage seemlessly and easily! There was a step by step guide on amazon how to transfer files between two attached storage options on the wifi disk, but this makes it sooooo much easier!
Build Quality: Seems solid, not too flimsy but quite light. Nice colored LED's that aren't too bright.
Gripes about it:
Only comes in white; no black option. It sticks out like a sore thumb next to all my other devices. The external battery pack I bought before Xmas had a white generic apple charger which didn't go with the black external battery pack I bought.
Does not come with a wall charger; but will use any usb charger.
I do not work for RAVpower but was really impressed with their external battery pack for Xmas. Was even contacted by them after the new year to personally ask how the product was working out for me. That was a pleasant surprise. So that pushed my try the wifi disk instead of bigger name alternatives.

Thanks, nice review!

Nice detailed review I always had an interest in one of these but was never to sure about it because I never heard of any first hand experiences.
A couple of questions I have though is, you said it has an external battery built into it. But I would assume that the charge goes down while you do a wifi connect via other devices? Or that is just a separate feature all together that is offered.
Another question I have is, (and maybe I missed it in the post but) does the WiFi disk have it's own internal storage or is this just like a hub that you can stick storage devices into that lets you broadcast a signal for you to connect too.

jonnyg1097 said:
Nice detailed review I always had an interest in one of these but was never to sure about it because I never heard of any first hand experiences.
A couple of questions I have though is, you said it has an external battery built into it. But I would assume that the charge goes down while you do a wifi connect via other devices? Or that is just a separate feature all together that is offered.
Another question I have is, (and maybe I missed it in the post but) does the WiFi disk have it's own internal storage or is this just like a hub that you can stick storage devices into that lets you broadcast a signal for you to connect too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The external battery is just a feature. The usb port to connect flash drives can just be used to charger a phone or tablet
The wifi disk has no storage itself. You must connect a peripheral to it for it to have storage
Sent from my Nexus 10 using Tapatalk HD

Does the internal battery allow you to just turn it on? Or is that other battery in the pictures that's supplying the power?

The white unit is the wifi disk. The wifi disk is a wireless storage and an external battery pack. The wireless disk has a built in battery to power the unit on and to be an external battery pack. The black unit is a separate battery pack i bought before Christmas.... It does not come with the wifi disk.
Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk 2

Can you use this while in CWM? As in being able to see the files on the different drives?

jonnyg1097 said:
Can you use this while in CWM? As in being able to see the files on the different drives?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't know about being able to see files via in a custom recovery. I don't think custom recoveries have the ability to connect via a samba connection to see files. I could be wrong so don't hold me to that statement
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk HD

Nice review! I actually posted a positive review too last week. Glad I'm not the only one who is willing to venture out into unknown name branded items. This thing is really a great product. I didn't think too much of it until i read your review, but I agree with you that wish this came in black instead of white and light blue (kind of an odd color combo too).

Anyone know of any UK stockists? Nothing obvious on Google.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda premium

andy1120 said:
Anyone know of any UK stockists? Nothing obvious on Google.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
FYI - It is on sale at Newegg.com for $40 from a third party. I think a number of similar units will come on the market shortly. However, I picked up one of these.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA1HD0HM8076
PS If you need warranty service, newegg is insisting on having the original box.
PPS Ebay has them for $60. I assume that you can order one from the UK.

Just ordered one of these. I'm on the road for days at a time and I need a way to connect 2 tablets and @ times 2 lap tops at a time to an external hard drive. Bit I have question (all be it a dumb one). Can I use one of those USB to ethernet dongels with this unit?

Grumpymann said:
Just ordered one of these. I'm on the road for days at a time and I need a way to connect 2 tablets and @ times 2 lap tops at a time to an external hard drive. Bit I have question (all be it a dumb one). Can I use one of those USB to ethernet dongels with this unit?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not for sure about that but I would lean towards no
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk HD

Decided to get one from the Newegg sale and it arrived today. Does everything mentioned in the OP well. I only had 1 issue and updating to the latest firmware didn't help. Although both the wizard and the manual network settings allow you to define channel and connection type (b, g, n) the changes don't stick. It insists on being on channel 11 which is the channel my home wifi network uses Less importantly it also won't do only n connections but insists on all 3.
Otherwise it's a great performer.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Xparent Purple Tapatalk 2

bsoplinger said:
Decided to get one from the Newegg sale and it arrived today. Does everything mentioned in the OP well. I only had 1 issue and updating to the latest firmware didn't help. Although both the wizard and the manual network settings allow you to define channel and connection type (b, g, n) the changes don't stick. It insists on being on channel 11 which is the channel my home wifi network uses Less importantly it also won't do only n connections but insists on all 3.
Otherwise it's a great performer.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Xparent Purple Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you try setting it via the Web manager?
Sent from my Nexus 10 using Tapatalk HD

The wizard and manual settings are only available via the Web interface. The app (either of them, they seem the same to me) only has the ability to set password and not much more.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk HD

good
Interesting product.
I have never thought of such needs until I come to this post. Now I have ordered on from Amzon and waiting to try it out.
Thanks for the review. It is great to know what to expect from this new device. :good:

l have had mine for about a week, and I have to say I LOVE THIS THING!!! I!m on the road for days at a time, the hotel internet sucks. I would have to transfer info from one tablet or laptop to another with an SD card. But with this I can keep all meildia on one harddrive and access it from any appliance I have with me. And it have extended my access to the.internet by as much as 10 to 12 feet. In some of the rooms. the connection is great by the dathroom but non existent anywhere else in the room. but with this I can access it anywhere in the room. The adlity to download AND upload on a nexus 7is just what I need.
My thanks to.the OP!

AW: Ravpower RP-WD01 Wireless WiFi-Disk Review
I would immediately buy one if it could host a 2.5" or 1.8" internal disk. Does anybody know about such a device? Preferably with an SD card slot and USB? Thx.

Picked one up based on everyone's reviews. Hopefully it will come in handy during my upcoming deployment. Have you all tried sharing a WiFi connection with it? How's the range?
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda premium