Questions about OTG cable, Stickmount, and Nexus Media Importer

[Linda Marshall]

Sorry if i am doing this wrong and need to start a new thread but here is my Q: i plugged my 1tb ex hd into mt nexus 7. I open the media importer app. Can see most videos but when i select one it spins but never opens. I am rooted- does this matter? Also if my videos are in files on the hd should i use comp and just put them all in main file so they can be found? My music list is far from complete as well but the file structure may have them too deeply embedded - 6-8 files deep in some cases. Also in case it matters the hd is formated NTFS. Thx for any help.

 

[DogPsyche]

This thread has been really useful for learning more about OTG connections. Thanks guys. :thumbup:

~Jaqi~
Sent from my lovely Nexus 7

 

[mr_nobody]

Sorry if i am doing this wrong and need to start a new thread but here is my Q: i plugged my 1tb ex hd into mt nexus 7. I open the media importer app. Can see most videos but when i select one it spins but never opens. I am rooted- does this matter? Also if my videos are in files on the hd should i use comp and just put them all in main file so they can be found? My music list is far from complete as well but the file structure may have them too deeply embedded - 6-8 files deep in some cases. Also in case it matters the hd is formated NTFS. Thx for any help.

If you are rooted you could try using stickmount instead of NMI. It is more flexible. Also make sure that you have installed a decent video player like mx or bs.

 

[mzanette]

Doesn't seem like Nexus media importer or stickmount is compatible with the Nexus 4. Strangely though they say they're compatible with the Nexus 7.

 

[NetITguy]

The Nexus Media Imported will work fine, one-way, with a stock non-rooted and locked Nexus 7 running up to 4.2.1 and most USB thumb drives. However, you will be limited to download and read only from the thumb drive. You cannot upload files to the external memory thumb drive via the OTG cable. In order to give myself greater functionality I downloaded the Nexus Root Toolkit v 1.6.1 from Wugfresh.com, WugFresh. The tool also installs SuperSU and Busybox Free. This is an easy to use tool to both unlock and root your N7 and you don't have to be that experienced to do it. If you do get into trouble the toolkit allows you to revert to stock and locked. In addition there are good step-by-step how to videos on youtube such as, Idiots Guide to Unlocking & Rooting the Google Nexus 7 Tablet - YouTube This will allow you to use the free version of "Stickmount" with a good file explorer such as ES File Explorer, all free. (Be advised that unlocking your N7 WILL delete all user apps and files and return the N7 to factory new condition. It will also void your warranty.) Now once stickmount has mounted your USB thumb drive you can do anything you please with the files in both directions including the N7 system files. I found this to greatly expand the power and usability of my N7. Having done this you can for instance use Groove IP Lite with a Google Voice account to make phone calls with your N7! Yep, free calls, no minutes against your cell plan. Pretty cool. Don't be afraid, it's not that hard and the benefits are many.

 

[Raikku]

Is it normal that when using non-root/otg/Nexus Media Importer, usbstick drop off all the time. Very frequently NMI give "connection failed, try re-connect"- error.

 

[mr_nobody]

Is it normal that when using non-root/otg/Nexus Media Importer, usbstick drop off all the time. Very frequently NMI give "connection failed, try re-connect"- error.

Sounds like loose connection/bad cable.

 

[ohmslaw]

Sounds like loose connection/bad cable.

Agree. There are a lot of very cheap OTG cables being offered and I find it hard to believe they are quality cables. The connectors are very important as well. Anyway no problems with my set up so far.

 

[Raikku]

I have this cable IVSO? Nexus 7 / Nexus 10 Micro USB Host OTG Cable: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics
It's very loose when connected, it wobble sideways millimeter or so. Main reason to that, I guess, is that connector's plastic base doesn't touch Nexus's side around connector, so it's not supported against movement.

Maybe all otg-cables does that same, I dont' know. Of course I could try to customize that connector a little to make it more sturdy/stable.

 

[MarkD60]

The help page says that the Nexus cannot power big things like hard drives. Try a drive with a separate power supply

 

[mysecretusername]

Mine has read/written to a 1Tb Western Digital Elements portable HDD in an emergency using Stickmount Pro. It works, but you only get about half an hour out of the Nexus' battery.

 

[MarkD60]

I could never get Nexus Media importer to work with my rooted 32G Nexus 7 4G. I got Stickmount to work fine though. I have a 4 gig, 8 gig and 32 gig flash drives, the 4 and the 8 work fine, the 32 mounts, it won't read the files on the drive or let me write to it.

 

[Regan Singh]

I have a problem. I got the OTG cable, and a few pen drives to check it, all formatted to fat32. I checked the otg cable using a mouse and gamepad and it worked. I downloaded nexus photo viewer and it shows my pen drive and folders but nexus media importer doesn't and it keeps saying timed out. I tried uninstalling photo viewer but that doesn't help either. Any help would be great thanks

 

[MarkD60]

Is your Nexus a 4G? Media Importer never worked with mine, a 4G. However, Nexus Photo viewer DID work no problem. I rooted and Stick Mount worked perfectly.

 

[Regan Singh]

No my nexus is Wi-Fi only. And I really don't want to root my phone


- - - Updated - - -

No my nexus is Wi-Fi only.

 

[MarkD60]

I don't know, I've read about about a lot of people who have problems, it seems that NMI either works or not, and if it doesn't, there seems to be no fix. Please let me know if you resolve this issue.

 

[Groid]

I could never get Nexus Media importer to work with my rooted 32G Nexus 7 4G. I got Stickmount to work fine though. I have a 4 gig, 8 gig and 32 gig flash drives, the 4 and the 8 work fine, the 32 mounts, it won't read the files on the drive or let me write to it.

If your 32Gb isn't working properly, it may be formatted NTFS. The Play store Stickmount app has links to the NTFS drivers to install on the N7 for NTFS read/write access.

 

[MarkD60]

I checked last night, my 32 gig flash drive is fat 32.

 

[Lynndel]

Can I download an android 4.3 app. for my Nexus 7 FHD to Windows 7 x64 and my thumb drive ? Then use Nexus Media importer?

 

[Lynndel]

Decided not to root because of the warranty. Almost tempted but installed NMI and TWRP. Had read a search article that said TWRP would work without rooting. No go on that one. Really need to find a good backup ap. Used the stock backup function sent it to clous dropbox somewhere I guess this will work. Also NMI does write to FAT and some say also NTFS if rooted (or not) Just had my N7 2013 a week. Great little device a miracle worker. Just need a few tweaks. Just seems to take time. Does work with external drives with OTG & NMI. Formatted a FAT partition on simple NTFS portable 500 GB Seagate without loosing data. Although I did back the disk up just in case. Plan to delete that backup-- Any way still reading forums, etc. Learning a lot about N7.