Author Topic: Usb External Cd Drive (Read 9424 times)

Mirrormn · « **on:** June 02, 2005, 11:11:14 pm »

I've heard talk of USB Flash drives, music players attached via USB, webcams, cameras, and all other sorts of gadgets being attached to the SL-C?000 USB port. However, I don't think I've yet seen a discussion for external CD drives. Now, of course, you would need an external power source, and you probably wouldn't get very high read/write rates, but how viable is this external storage solution for the Zaurus?

The reason I'm interested is because I have a slim laptop DVD drive that I was using in my custom-built mini computer, but have moved to a regular sized computer case and don't need my laptop drive anymore, and was thinking it might be fun to buy a USB enclosure for it and connect it to my SL-C1000. However, I don't want to get an external enclosure unless I think I have some chance of making it work.

Does anyone have any insight into or previous experience with something like this? Would it be as easy as plugging the drive in and mounting the CD, or something more difficult?

lardman · « **Reply #1 on:** June 03, 2005, 06:38:36 am »

It should be that easy.

Note that (iirc) you'll need some kernel modules to run the cdrom drive (on top of the standard mass-storage ones).

You'll also need to have the appropriate fs modules compiled (or do they need to be compiled in?) so that you can actually mount the disk once it's recognised as a mass-storage device - joilet, ISO 9660, UDF, etc.

Si

Mirrormn · « **Reply #2 on:** June 03, 2005, 03:09:52 pm »

Quote

It should be that easy.

Note that (iirc) you'll need some kernel modules to run the cdrom drive (on top of the standard mass-storage ones).

You'll also need to have the appropriate fs modules compiled (or do they need to be compiled in?) so that you can actually mount the disk once it's recognised as a mass-storage device - joilet, ISO 9660, UDF, etc.

Si
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Ah, this is what I was worried about. I know enough Linux to cd my way around system folders and follow directions successfully, but more advanced things like adding modules and compiling kernels are a little beyond me. However, since it should be possible and would be really cool, I'm gonna go ahead and buy an enclosure for my laptop drive anyway. I suppose I'll bump this thread after trying and failing to get it working by myself.

Laptop CD drives only cost ~ $40 (my DVD+/-RW slim drive cost ~ $120), and an enclosure is about $30, so if my plan here works the cost of an external CD drive for the zaurus could be as low as $70, which is very cheap for a storage solution with such great potential. I only wish I could get a slim 8cm CD drive and tape it to the bottom of my zaurus, but, alas, I cannot find a single 8cm only CD drive in existence.

Bart Beumer · « **Reply #3 on:** June 06, 2005, 07:03:08 am »

I don't think it is really possible to buy a standard ATA to USB enclosure. Reason is, that these enclosures are build for use with an ATA harddisk, and they do more than just send and receive ATA-commands over USB.

It should however be possible to buy a USB CDRom drive. Depending on implementation, it should not be impossible for them to work out of the box (as a standard mass storage device). I cannot really tell much about this however.

craigtyson · « **Reply #4 on:** June 06, 2005, 07:32:47 am »

8cm CD/MP3 player here:= http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/ProductInfo...ProductID=20326

craigtyson · « **Reply #5 on:** June 06, 2005, 07:40:49 am »

OR this

http://www.everythingusb.com/hardware/inde...CD-R_Burner.htm

craigtyson · « **Reply #6 on:** June 06, 2005, 07:42:24 am »

Also Iv seen 8cm DVDrs in the shops..... 1.1GB in 3" cool

JohnX · « **Reply #7 on:** June 06, 2005, 02:20:11 pm »

Quote

I don't think it is really possible to buy a standard ATA to USB enclosure. Reason is, that these enclosures are build for use with an ATA harddisk, and they do more than just send and receive ATA-commands over USB.

I didn't even think about something like that before I went out last month and bought a cheap (~$30) 5.25" USB enclosure. On my desktop Linux machine (Debian sid / kernel 2.6.11) I just popped a DVD-RW drive in it, plugged it in to a USB2 port on the back of the computer, popped in a blank disc and started burning DVD-RWs. Seems to work fine with hard drives as well. Having used Linux since 1998 or so I was positively disturbed by the fact that it didn't require manual intervention of any sort to "just work" . I have a Zaurus SL-5500, so no host USB for me to try it on, but I'd be surprised if it didn't work after some hacking around on the C1000/C3000/6000. If anyone's interested I could check which modules it needs loaded to work.

The enclosure I have is a "Triumph Titan 5.25" Aluminum USB Enclosure"

Stilgar · « **Reply #8 on:** June 09, 2005, 05:07:51 pm »

I think the new ATA protocol *is* scsi commands over ATA. or something similar.
Anyway, got a USB cdrom to work on my C3000 - the Freecom one (grabbed cheaply off ebay; paid expensively for the delivery .
I will let you know what cdrecord yields.

Mirrormn · « **Reply #9 on:** June 10, 2005, 01:38:34 am »

Quote

I think the new ATA protocol *is* scsi commands over ATA. or something similar.
Anyway, got a USB cdrom to work on my C3000 - the Freecom one (grabbed cheaply off ebay; paid expensively for the delivery .
I will let you know what cdrecord yields.
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What did you do to get your CD drive working? I'm pretty sure that an enclosured internal drive and a pre-made external drive would act exactly the same in terms of the data going throught the USB connection, so your experiences would definitely be a useful contribution.

Stilgar · « **Reply #10 on:** June 10, 2005, 05:21:44 am »

Nothing specific, I just plugged in and the usb-storage module loaded (I am using the cacko beta rom).
after that, mount /dev/scd0 /mnt/usbstorage and viola!
fortunately cdrecord is included in the package so I did cdrecord --scanbus which detected my burner. Haven't tried burning yet.

Mirrormn · « **Reply #11 on:** June 10, 2005, 04:22:19 pm »

Quote

Nothing specific, I just plugged in and the usb-storage module loaded (I am using the cacko beta rom).
after that, mount /dev/scd0 /mnt/usbstorage and viola!
fortunately cdrecord is included in the package so I did cdrecord --scanbus which detected my burner. Haven't tried burning yet.
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That's exactly the kind of simplicity I was hoping for. When I buy my enclosure, maybe it'll be that easy.

Stilgar · « **Reply #12 on:** June 15, 2005, 04:03:31 am »

Another update: I was able to play CDs with the freecom FX5 using the cdtool from the old stable debian repository:
http://packages.debian.org/oldstable/sound/cdtool (cdtool_2.1.5-4.1_arm.deb)
The CD will continue playing even after disconnecting the USB cable.
CD burning works fine as well.

alee16 · « **Reply #13 on:** June 05, 2006, 05:45:35 pm »

I am using an ide to usb adapter (which works fine with internal hard drives) which was its own power supply. I tried plugging a cd burner into it, and when I issue the command
mount /dev/scd0 /mnt/usbstorage
I get this output:
mount: mounting /dev/scd0 read-only
and it repeats about 7 times and then has an "invalid argument" error. I am running Cacko 1.23 Rom. Any suggestions?

Stilgar · « **Reply #14 on:** June 07, 2006, 04:36:23 pm »

Did you try cdrecord with that? I believe I uploaded to somewhere on the site a binary of cdrecord that will suit your needs.
First see if it detects the drive and is willing to burn. Then we can check out on cd problems.

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Author Topic: Usb External Cd Drive (Read 9424 times)