PDA Host USB (Solar Express CF Card)

[AEwing]

Am not sure of interest.  But I've tried the new Solar Express Compact Flash USB host card (currently in an IPAQ 210 PDA, running WinMobile 6).

This worked like a charm with LabView PDA DAQbase sample code and the NI USB-6009.

I really bought this for use in a non-hosting USB-PDA, and will try in a Axim X50v.

For the record the IPAQ 210 has USB Host functionality built-in, but initially proper cables were not available, these are now currently available and the USB-6009 does work with them.  Unfortuneately, I could only get to work if the cables route thru a mini-USB hub first.  This is not necessary with the CF card. 

In both the CF and the IPAQ native USB hosting mode, no additional power is needed to run the 6009, though I've yet to check battery consumption.  The Solar Express card comes with a USB cable Y-joint which allows feeding additional power to the accessory on USB.  The CF card itself, I believe, is limited to 200 mA draw.

See below links for the Solar Express product.

http://www.twin-paradox.com/SEPDA.html

http://www.lightconecorp.net/blog/

I think this works well for the $85 price.  And appears to work with many older PDAs, which is good for hobbyists, and those like me, with old unused ones lying around.

--  Al

[Brinoceros · Accepted solution]

Hi Al,

Thanks for all the info!   Certainly should be of interest to a number of people!

Cheers, 

[AEwing]

I've now checked this CF Card with the USB-6009 on an older Axim X50v (updated to WinMobile 5).

Works great.

If you get this card, ignore the CD with (very) outdated drivers.  Go to the website for updated drivers.

Al

[AlphaTreo]

Any thoughts on if it would work with a Dell Axim x51v?  I assume it would, but I was just wondering if anyone had any experience with that PDA.

[AEwing]

Ed,

I see no reason why it would not.  Given that it seems to work well w. DAQbase/USB6009 with Axim v50 and with both WM 5(Axim) & WM6 (Ipaq210).

I have only checked it with the USB-6009 with static tasks (ai only), will expand on this next week.

I've also checked with a USB2 hcSD card reader (SanDisk MicroMate) w. 4GB card, with various usb flashdrives, and with standard PC keyboards attached, but these are items mentioned already on vendor's forum (link in prev. post).  These work without additional drivers, as usual for PCs.  I believe they tout using such connections to allow watching movies on the PPC via hcSD.

I just also tried connecting a 100GB Seagate Portable USB2 Disc Drive to an iPAQ 210 (WM6).  This works but only with additional power to the drive.  SolarExpress sends a Y cable with the USB Host CF card, that allows pushing additional USB sourced power to the client device.  Using this the 100GB drive shows up well on the PocketPC.  I believe many such portable drives also come with such a Y cable (at least this  Seagate one did).  Just to see if it works.  I don't yet envision carrying around all this, just to plug into a PCs USB for extra power!

Regards.

Al

[AEwing]

By the way, Also seems to work well connected to a small portable USB Hub with the USB6009 and either a hcSD card or the 100GB Seagate drive attached.  Again, Seagate drive requires extra power, which must be fed direct to the drive (using Seagate Y cable), not through the CF USB Host card's Y-cable (which feeds the power through the hub - won't work,  hub also allow external power from standard LV power cable, which prob. will work).

Also, the Ipaq 210 has hcSD support already.  Any of these should allow Gigabyte DAQ using these pocket PCs.

Al

[AlphaTreo]

I bought the Solar Express card, but am having some problems getting data.  I notice you are using a 6009, and I am using a 6008.  The 6008 is not specifically listed in the table here, so I wonder if it can be used.  I have everything set up as per the dynamic example in the same link, but when I run my program on the PDA and set the Physical Channels contol to my task I get the following error: "Value passed to the Task/Channel In control is invalid.  Error code: -200428".  I unsuccessfully searched for the error code.  I am just trying to read some AI, nothing fancy.  I have set up the task in the NI-DAQmx Base Task Configuration Utility, but it seems like it is having a problem with that.  Also, I have the code inside an Event structure, but I can't see why that would make a difference.  Attached is my code.  Are you doing anything differently (other than using the 6009)?

[AEwing]

Quick Reply:

I checked your vi with my IPAQ 210 and the USB6009, with both the IPAQ native USB and the SunExpress CF card.  I get a different  error :  "-200220, Device Identifyer is invalid".

I think this is for other reasons and will check more thoroughly.  I'm new to dynamic tasks.  6009 is flashing 1/sec as usual.

Try the simple DetectDevice.vi in the following link.  This definitely works with the ipaq/6009 in either native USB or the CF.

http://digital.ni.com/public.nsf/allkb/455824867BE50ED68625747F005A8B17

Have you checked with Static Tasks (I guess this may be less desireable)?.  I don't know why 6008 is different from 6009 in this regard.

Al

[JWDel]

"NI-DAQmx Base Error-200428 - This error indicates that you are configuring your task incorrectly. As you may know, there are two

types of tasks: Dynamic Tasks and Static Tasks. Dynamic Tasks are created manually in LabView, Static Tasks are generated from

NI-DAQmx Base Configuration Utility."

The above statement is from NI link below. The proposed solution is found there as well. 

http://digital.ni.com/public.nsf/websearch/7705D38D59EF562886256F79007E4B5A?OpenDocument

JWDel 

[AlphaTreo]

Thanks for the help, AEwing.  I tried the DetectDevice.vi and found the first part of the solution - my firmware was out of date.  So I searched on updatating this, and was able to do so.  Now, when I run the DetectDevice.vi, it shows my 6008 and tells me that it is configured as Dev1.  So far, so good.  It looks like it is communicatinmg now, so I just need to work on configuring it properly for my inputs.  I'll post back when successful.

Thanks, too, JWDel.  I had found that information previously, but was banging my head against the wall becasue I was making my code identical to the dynamic task examples and it still wasn't working.  It would have been nice to know my firmware was the issue.  Oh, well.  Onward and upward.