# android tablet question



## rdac33 (Feb 22, 2013)

Do you have to root a tablet to use it as a hedunit, wouldnt I be able to run a hard drive to the amp through usb. I have the samsung galaxy noye 10.1 2013 model


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## mda185 (Dec 14, 2006)

rdac33 said:


> Do you have to root a tablet to use it as a hedunit, wouldnt I be able to run a hard drive to the amp through usb. I have the samsung galaxy noye 10.1 2013 model


This should be possible without needing to root it but I can't verify that yet. I am trying to do the same thing with my Note 10.1 and it is not recognizing the two different USB DACs I have connected using an OTG connector. The tablet will not be able to power most hard drives unless you use a powered USB hub connected to the tablet through a OTG cable. OTG stands for On The Go and it is a type of cable that the tablet recognizes and puts itself in USB mode to recognize external devices. I think this kind of USB hub is needed to make this work:

Amazon.com: Zek Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 N8010 N8000, Tab, Tab 2 SD Card Reader, USB Adapter HUB, and OTG Adapter: Computers & Accessories

You need to click on link that says '3 new from $12.99' and select the one for $16.99 on the next page that comes with cable for external power. I ordered one from Amazon but have not tried it yet. In theory, if this is used with an external source of 5 volt power, it will enable connecting hard drives and USB DAC to the tablet.

I have tried this USB adapter and it does not work with hard drives or DACs:

http://www.amazon.com/Juiced-Systems-Connection-Samsung-Tablets/dp/B006MAWKRI/ref=pd_sim_pc_6


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## quickaudi07 (May 19, 2010)

Since I'm so in to computers and work with them on a daily bases, I have Windows 8 tablet in my car check out my threads so you could see what i have done. 
I have external drive 2.5 320gb drive connected Through USB, also I have optical coming from USB.... 

you could do it 2 ways!. 

You could get either external power source for your usb hard drive, one usb going in to power, and the other one going in to your tablet so its feeing the DC source from other device.

What i have done in the past was, splice usb cable and make my own connection, Hard drive only needs 2 cables to read the data on the drive, while the other 2 are connected for power.

I made my own Y connector, but since I use Windows 8 Tablet by Samsung, I only connect 1 usb to a 4 usb hub.


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## rdac33 (Feb 22, 2013)

Mda185 do you have the Samsung otg cable they changed the pins for my note 2 and the note 10.1 I had to buy the Samsung ones because of the pin change. It won't recognize stuff if your not using the new ones


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## mda185 (Dec 14, 2006)

rdac33 said:


> Mda185 do you have the Samsung otg cable they changed the pins for my note 2 and the note 10.1 I had to buy the Samsung ones because of the pin change. It won't recognize stuff if your not using the new ones


No I don't have the Samsung OTG cable. Does the factory cable have a Y connection that allows one to connect both power and an external USB device? The only Y cables I could find are from aftermarket vendors. 

I should add that I tried both devices in my earlier post and both will work with USB memory sticks and SSD hard drives. Neither one allows me to connect both a device and a power cable. If I connect a regular external hard drive or the Behringer UCA 222 DAC/Headphone amp, the tablet shuts down the port and pops up a warning that a high powered USB device has been connected. Apparently, this is a fail safe. If I can't figure out how to connect both power and a DAC or memory device, I am going to abandon this approach. It seems right now, that a Windows 8 tablet would be far easier to make work. Problem with that approach is that the really good Android music player apps do not have Windows ports.

I have ordered a Sabre USB DAC for Android devices that may solve my problem is used with an OTG Y cable. 

http://www.amazon.com/HiFiMeDIY-And...corr&keywords=HiFiMeDIY+Sabre+USB+DAC+android

I will post back after I try this out.


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## rdac33 (Feb 22, 2013)

Yes if you have hard drives working you have the right one maybe they haven't made a y adapter with the new pin count. Good luck let me know. I'm starting to think about a windows tablet too,sounds easier please you could use remote controls and mouse and a lot of stuff that you know the drivers will work.


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## colled96 (Feb 2, 2010)

Hey guys. you are making this too complicated. I have done a ton of research on the Galaxy Tab 2 7.0/Note 10.1. here is what I found out:

The Tab 2 7.0 and Galaxy Note 10.0 and Samsung S4 have already built in DAC's:

Tablets that have Wolfson DAC

There is NO NEED to plug in to an external DAC unless you will be using HIGH impedance headphones. I have plugged in my FIIO E17 with my Audio-Technica ATMH50S head phones and there is absolutely NO sound difference. Granted the FIIO amplifier gives me MORE power to turn the volume up a lot more but, the sound quality is STILL outstanding when I'm not using my FIIO E17 DAC. I also tried with my Audio-Technica ATH-CKS77BK Ear buds. The FIIO over powers them so much that I don't use it with my Tab 2 7.0/ Note 10.1 or even my Samsung S4. the Samsung DAC's are that GOOD. 

This is what I would use if I needed MORE external storage:
Amazon.com: Seagate Wireless Plus 1 TB Mobile Device Storage with Built-In Wi-Fi Streaming (STCK1000100): Computers & Accessories

I tried this with a friend of mines and DAMN. I must have been under a rock of not being aware of wireless hard drives. (Well 2 years in Afghanistan might count).

Anyway, if you need to run any of the tablets in your car, the 12V iStreamer is you easiest bet for power.


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## mda185 (Dec 14, 2006)

colled96 said:


> Hey guys. you are making this too complicated. I have done a ton of research on the Galaxy Tab 2 7.0/Note 10.1. here is what I found out:
> 
> The Tab 2 7.0 and Galaxy Note 10.0 and Samsung S4 have already built in DAC's:
> 
> ...


Thanks for the suggestions. I realize that sound quality is a very subjective thing. To my ears, the combination of DAC and analog output stage of my Galaxy Note 10.1 is no where near my old Galaxy S phone in terms of sound quality. That old phone has one of the best sounding DACs and headphone outputs I have ever experienced. I still want to find an external DAC solution for that reason. Having a Wofson DAC is not enough if the analog stage is not same quality.


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## quickaudi07 (May 19, 2010)

Thats why i went with Windows 8 Tablet and didn't had to worry about it  
Just bought a nice cheep converter that is being powered by USB and it goes from analog to gitital optical output, and also if you use just RCA's it will boost up the volume on it.. What more do you really want 

It works great, i have no complains... 

After you get everything working the way you want it too, I would suggest to use XMBC free software to have it as a media center.. for music and music videos.. No codex required no extra plugins, it plays everything....


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