Scroll Essential USB adaptor type

[glenn1966]

Charlie

I have a couple of USB-to-serial adaptors and tried them with the Scroll Essential, but the drivers aren't built in to the kernel so no go. On Linux boxes they just... work (I love Linux!).

I'm toying with the idea of adding a extra serial-to-USB board like this to the extra TTY port on the Scroll mainboard to make a dedicated USB/Serial connection for my projects.

http://rgwni.blogspot.com/2011/10/i-bought-usb-to-serial-converter-while.html

Thanks

Glenn

[rosieposie]

Hi i'm new to this site, I bought a Scroll Excel over a week ago, i also got the 7in case with keyboard and it works fine with the otg adapter i got with my scroll. i just connect it up and away i go.

[lazydog]

will this work with this please
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/USB-FEMALE-MINI-B-MALE-ADAPTER-USB-OTG-SCROLL-EXCEL-7-UK-STOCK-/140876966813
[url]http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0088LJZ68
[/url]

I have tried another adapter and it wont work

[JCB]

Hi Lazydog,

I see that this thread has already been well discussed, but as you have reopened it I thought I would throw in my own understanding. Quick answer is that a cable/adapter designated as OTG (On The Go) should do the job. I note that the Amazon case does not specify the connector supplied, and there isn't a clear picture of the connector. You would need to clarify that with the seller.

There is discussion of OTG on Wikipedia, but that may well say more than you need to know in your circumstances.

I am talking as someone h=who looked at this business after buying my Scroll Engage several months ago. The Engage has a single USB micro socket that conforms to the OTG standard. That means it can work as either a USB Host or a USB Slave. As a slave, it works as a Flash drive might, as a slave device to a PC, and my Engage works like that when I connect it to my PC with the charger/data cable.

To use a keyboard the Scrol port needs to work as a USB Host. Then you could for example plug a Flash drive into the Scroll and you could use it like a SD card plugged into the SDmicro slot. Similarly the Scroll needs to be USB Host to accept a keyboard or mouse.

My Engage arrived with both a long charger/data cable (Usb Micro male and USB standard (or A) male) and a short OTG cable (USB MIcro male and USB standard (or A) female). Did your Scroll include bioth these cables?

If it did, then you should be able to connect a standard PC USB keyboard into the Scroll using the short OTG cable.

Using my OTG cable I have successfully connected a keyboard, a mouse, an external hard drive, and a flash drive. Using a normal four port USB hub I was able to connect several devices at once and I can specifically remember connecting a keyboard and mouse, via the hub and the OTG cable to my Scroll Engage. I think I also connected the HDD at the same time. Seperately I have connected a cordless keyboard/mouse combo, connecting the wireless receiver into the OTG cable and then into the Engage and that was successful.

The key point is that you do need an OTG adapter/cable. That is wired to tell the Scroll that it should operate as a USB Host.

I have just looked at the specs on the StorageOptions site and I see that the Excel and Excel II come with USB mini connector unlike the Engage that comes with a USB Micro port.

Once again, my experience is with the Scroll Engage, but I think it should be the same in principle.

John

[lazydog]

Hi John thanks for your reply
I have already received the keyboard/case and it has the standard usb plug.I did receive 2 cables with the excel like you say but they are both male plug ends I can see what you say about usb hub and for me that would be fine but not suit my granddaughter at collage!Trying to buy leads is a nightmare because there are 2 sorts of mini usb type A and B and the shops dont know the difference nor do I know which is which and then you add otg into the mix.Maplins where I bought the excel from have not got accessories and again dont know the details and just point you to a rack of sealed overpriced fittings.I just hope the ebay one does fit or that I could find a wiring schematic and I would fit my own plug.

[JCB]

Hi Lazydog,

I guess I would have expected a standard USB A male connector on the keyboard. It's just that I have a suspicious mind and I could not see the connector.

I was going to point out where I had bought a spare OTG cable for my Engage, but then I registered that the Excel has a mini connector. If you have time to wait, I did buy my spare cable from a Chinese website and it is very cheap (US$1.11 postage included). I have done three orders there and they arrived quite quickly considering, a tad under 2 weeks I think. The site is http://www.buyincoins.com/, however sometimes it runs very slow. Mostly it is fine. I use it for cheap non urgent accessories, like 2 x capacitative stylus for 60p. Why pay £10 in a shop when you can get a cable from China for 65p? After I wrote this, I looked on the site, but sadly they don't seem to have a USB mini OTG, but there are worth looking at just to stock up on cheap accessories. You have to be a little extra careful with mini USB as there are 4 and 5 pin variants. The other place I go for cheap cables (UKbased) http://etradehouse.com/ doesn't seem to stock anything suitable either. The Ebay item you posted should be fine though, just not as cheap as I would have looked for.

John

[lazydog]

Cheers John
That is what I mean 4-5 pin and 2 different sized mini usb.
I also use buyincoins and others like them for electronic stuff for ecigs they are very good it amazes me how item x is 99p with free delivery from Hong Kong yet the same item here will cost £1.99 just to post down the road!

[JCB]

Hong Kong postage is very cheap compared to UK postage, especially when you have something a little thicker than the 5mm allowed for a UK letter. It is cheaper to post something weighing saying 90g and 15mm thick from Hong Kong to Little Snoring than it is to post it from Great Snoring to Little Snoring. The first time I received an online purchease from HK, it came in a little jiffy bag plastered with stamps adding up to umpteen HK dollars. My first impression was the postage had cost more than I had paid in total, but when I checked the exchange rate, the stamps had only cost about 40p or thereabouts.

It is ridiculous, and I do wonder whether at some point we are subsidising air mail from China and HK. I have wondered whether Royal Mail are overcharging us for ordinary post, but they don't seem able to make a profit even at these prices. I became very aware of UK postal rates when I started internet book swapping and discovered how easily a single book could cost several pounds to post, especially if you use a thick padded envelope. It can be cheaper to post two books separately than to put them both in one envelope, especially at the rates before this April. It'snot so bad now they have changed the weight steps for packets.

John

[Trashcooky]

will this work with this please
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/USB-FEMALE-MINI-B-MALE-ADAPTER-USB-OTG-SCROLL-EXCEL-7-UK-STOCK-/140876966813
[url]http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0088LJZ68
[/url]

I have tried another adapter and it wont work

Hi Lazydog, and welcome to the forumn.
What Bob says is right, a proper OTG lead will work. I have looked at what your ebay link shows and this looks perfect for the Essential and the Excel. I also bought one of the keyboard cases when I had an Esential which did not include an OTG cable so I could not make it work until I used the proper OTG lead. The difference is explained here: viewtopic.php?f=63&t=1809&start=10#p17058

You do need to remember that the Scroll in host mode can only supply up to a maximum of 500 ma so if you plan to use a hub then you may need to make it a powered one - otherwise the Scroll may not supply enough power for more than one device.

Good luck with your Excel they are a good device.

[JCB]

Hi TC,

I wondered who you meant by Bob here. I can't find that name in the thread.

John