Handheld + USB Hard Drive := Ultimate MP3 Player

PoBoy · 06-07-2001, 08:00 PM

Has anyone tried to hook-up a USB hard drive to a PDA? Ive found a few converters for Compact Flash to PCMCIA type II. The next step would be to hookup a PCMCIA USB card up to that and then a fat 40 gig USB HD up to that. Then I'll have all the MP3's I want in my car with 95% less space then my ugly PC.

Now, I know all the parts will fit together, but will they work? I found a site
http://www.accurite.com/CFPCAdapter.html
which says a "Travel HD" will work - thats just a PCMCIA Hard drive thats like 500 bucks for a 12 gig - WAY TOO EXPENSIVE. Windows CE USB drivers will come into play and probably some other problems. Has anyone tried this with or without success?

This would be HUGE if it worked. Ive talked to some guys at Casio about their E125 and they said "WE DO NOT RECOMMEND THAT YOU DO THIS", but then on a side note the guy said "let me know if it works I am really interested." Anyone want to cought up $500 bucks for the PDA to try this out? Ill buy the converter and the Hard drive if you get me a Casio E125. :-)

Adam F · 06-07-2001, 08:58 PM

That sounds like a good idea, but I would be concerned about audio quality. I know the new PDA's are stereo and all, but I don't think you could get a good HI-FI sound out of a PDA. Plus it would cost too much, and not to mention trying to navigate a little *** screen with a stylus! I would just go for a PC. I think im going to go for a "book pc" style so that it will have a pretty small footprint. I will bungee cord it down in the cargo area. Good to have a fellow 4runner on the board! We will have to compare pics sometime! So do you have a carputer in your rig now? E-mail me some pics. I replied to your email. Later

PoBoy · 06-07-2001, 09:09 PM

Yeah, Ive got a book PC under the front seat hooked up to a nice Kenwood touchscreen LCD. In my book its still not that easy to navigate on the little LCD screen (especially with these damn mud terrain tires on my 4Runner that shake the car like madd) - but I agree it wouldnt be that much easier on a handheld - but I am sure it will be easier on the 3 bateries I have to run the rest of my stereo crap in there.

Aaron Cake · 06-08-2001, 09:22 AM

Back when I payed major attention to Windows CE, I did see several products designed to allow a CE machine to use a HD. I don't know if any of them are still around, but http://www.windowsce.net used to be the resource.

With the new generation PocketPCs, this should be no big deal at all. They have USB ports, and I'm sure that CE drivers for certain USB HDs are available. I'd check with Socket Communications at http://www.socketcom.com

If this works, it would be amazing. My HP660LX boots in about 0.3 seconds. While the sound is not great, the new devices come with 16bit stereo and line out jacks...Very cool....And the touchscreen would just be neat.