Found out the hard way that a recently acquired Lenovo
Tab 8 USB port was unable to do simple host tasks
through its micro usb port. Will not read simple
USB memory sticks, it seems, unless an external
USB power source is introduced,as through a hub.

It looks like this is the general condition for ALL
cell phones or tablets.

Is this really the case, or am I dealing with old
one-off model issues?

If so, why hasn't somebody fixed this? They can read
(and be read by) a PC through the USB port, so it
has all the smarts needed.

As a battery-operated device, typically charging through
micro USB, it's a perfect candidate for both portable
power sourcing and usb hosting.

RL

On 2/6/2022 6:58 AM, legg wrote:
>
> Found out the hard way that a recently acquired Lenovo
> Tab 8 USB port was unable to do simple host tasks
> through its micro usb port. Will not read simple
> USB memory sticks, it seems, unless an external
> USB power source is introduced,as through a hub.
>
> It looks like this is the general condition for ALL
> cell phones or tablets.

It is not. Many tablets and cell phones have sufficient power from the
USB-OTG port to power peripherals (mouse, keyboard, USB stick, etc., but
not a DVD drive). However not all USB-OTG ports on all devices can
provide power. All the Android tablets and phones that I own can provide
power from the USB-OTG port. One tablet I own, an LG, has a USB-A port
as well as a MicroUSB port.

On Sun, 6 Feb 2022 07:05:47 -0800, sms <scharf.steven@geemail.com>
wrote:

>On 2/6/2022 6:58 AM, legg wrote:
>>
>> Found out the hard way that a recently acquired Lenovo
>> Tab 8 USB port was unable to do simple host tasks
>> through its micro usb port. Will not read simple
>> USB memory sticks, it seems, unless an external
>> USB power source is introduced,as through a hub.
>>
>> It looks like this is the general condition for ALL
>> cell phones or tablets.
>
>It is not. Many tablets and cell phones have sufficient power from the
>USB-OTG port to power peripherals (mouse, keyboard, USB stick, etc., but
>not a DVD drive). However not all USB-OTG ports on all devices can
>provide power. All the Android tablets and phones that I own can provide
>power from the USB-OTG port. One tablet I own, an LG, has a USB-A port
>as well as a MicroUSB port.

Sufficient power meaning 'any' ?

This tablet doesn't even have settings to recognize unpowered
devices.

So I should look for a different tablet?

Any recommemdations? Model/type of your LG?

RL

On 2/6/2022 7:58 AM, legg wrote:

> Found out the hard way that a recently acquired Lenovo Tab 8 USB
> port was unable to do simple host tasks through its micro usb port.
> Will not read simple USB memory sticks, it seems, unless an external
> USB power source is introduced,as through a hub.

My only Lenovo tablet (Chrome OS with USB-C port) reads sticks OK.

All my Amazon Fire OS tablets (Android 7-9 USB-C ports) read sticks OK.

I couldn't find my OTG cable so unfortunately couldn't check my one
micro USB tablet but since it reads cards I assume it likely reads
sticks too. But then you know what assume means...

> It looks like this is the general condition for ALL cell phones or
> tablets.

And my phone (USB-C port) reads sticks.

> Is this really the case, or am I dealing with old one-off model
> issues?

All my tablets seem to have the capability though I had never tried it
until now. And likely it's the last time. I generally just plug both the
stick and the tablet into a PC and do the work there. Much easier...

On 2/6/2022 7:52 AM, legg wrote:

<snip>

> This tablet doesn't even have settings to recognize unpowered
> devices.
>
> So I should look for a different tablet?

Or use a hub.

> Any recommemdations? Model/type of your LG?

<https://www.lg.com/us/tablets/lg-V498-g-pad-ii-8.0>. Long since
discontinued and way too under-powered for these days.

I don't think that you can even know if the USB-OTG port supplies power
prior to purchasing a tablet, it's not in any specs. They'll say USB-OTG
but that's the extent of it.

If I were buying a new Android tablet these days I'd ensure that it had:

• GPS (not all Wi-Fi only tablets have a GPS but many do)
• Active stylus
• MicroSD card slot
• Headphone jack
• USB-C
• WQXGA or greater
• Dedicated keyboard connector (so no need to charge a Bluetooth
keyboard separately.

On Sun, 6 Feb 2022 09:48:26 -0700, AJL <noemail@none.com> wrote:

>On 2/6/2022 7:58 AM, legg wrote:
>
>> Found out the hard way that a recently acquired Lenovo Tab 8 USB
>> port was unable to do simple host tasks through its micro usb port.
>> Will not read simple USB memory sticks, it seems, unless an external
>> USB power source is introduced,as through a hub.
>
>My only Lenovo tablet (Chrome OS with USB-C port) reads sticks OK.
>
>All my Amazon Fire OS tablets (Android 7-9 USB-C ports) read sticks OK.
>
>I couldn't find my OTG cable so unfortunately couldn't check my one
>micro USB tablet but since it reads cards I assume it likely reads
>sticks too. But then you know what assume means...
>
>> It looks like this is the general condition for ALL cell phones or
>> tablets.
>
>And my phone (USB-C port) reads sticks.
>
>> Is this really the case, or am I dealing with old one-off model
>> issues?
>
>All my tablets seem to have the capability though I had never tried it
>until now. And likely it's the last time. I generally just plug both the
>stick and the tablet into a PC and do the work there. Much easier...

USB power is something you'd need for an SDR dongle or for aux
thermometrics or datalogging etc. Not reading a USB stick was a
simple crime.

While these things remain toys, it's not surprising,
and no surprise that their apps are similarly elementary.

I've just picked the wrong toy for a simple bluetooth com app
and now expect it do do everything else, while it's here.

surprise, surprise and fool me once.

RL

In article <eu200hp8obvlf902f675ii4jg1b46t32nu@4ax.com>, legg
<legg@nospam.magma.ca> wrote:

>
> USB power is something you'd need for an SDR dongle or for aux
> thermometrics or datalogging etc. Not reading a USB stick was a
> simple crime.

it's not a crime at all. tablets and smartphones are mobile devices,
where having dongles hanging off them is not ideal. instead, they're
often connected wirelessly.

for instance, here's a wifi oscilloscope probe, supported on android,
ios, mac, windows and linux:
<https://www.ikalogic.com/ikascope-portable-oscilloscope/>

> While these things remain toys, it's not surprising,
> and no surprise that their apps are similarly elementary.

there are some low end tablets that might be considered toys (or more
accurately, junk), however, high end tablets and even midrange ones are
definitely not toys, with apps that are as capable as what's found on a
desktop/laptop, if not more so, depending on which tablet, the type of
app and the app developer.

legg wrote:

> Found out the hard way that a recently acquired Lenovo Tab 8 USB port was
> unable to do simple host tasks through its micro usb port. Will not read
> simple USB memory sticks

What's the exact model?

e.g. the Lenovo Tab M8 2nd Gen claims to support USB OTG, maybe you need a
specific cable?

Andy Burns wrote:

> the Lenovo Tab M8 2nd Gen claims to support USB OTG, maybe you need a
> specific cable?

Looking closer at the small-print of the spec, it wouldn't surprise me if it
requires one of these ...

<https://www.lenovo.com/gb/en/accessories-and-monitors/tablet-accessories/android-tablets/T-HUB2-WW/p/ZG38C02819-nfe>

On Mon, 7 Feb 2022 07:58:11 +0000, Andy Burns <usenet@andyburns.uk>
wrote:

>Andy Burns wrote:
>
>> the Lenovo Tab M8 2nd Gen claims to support USB OTG, maybe you need a
>> specific cable?
>
>Looking closer at the small-print of the spec, it wouldn't surprise me if it
>requires one of these ...
>
><https://www.lenovo.com/gb/en/accessories-and-monitors/tablet-accessories/android-tablets/T-HUB2-WW/p/ZG38C02819-nfe>

Did you read the single comment and question on that page?

RL

legg wrote:

> Did you read the single comment and question on that page?

What tablet did they have?

What tablet have you got?

On Sun, 6 Feb 2022 09:29:01 -0800, sms wrote:

>> So I should look for a different tablet?
>
> Or use a hub.

Probably it's obvious, but just in case, I would think that hub needs to be
a powered hub (no big deal, most are, but some are not externally powered).

Most old hubs that I have can do both.

On Sun, 06 Feb 2022 14:06:44 -0500, nospam wrote:

> there are some low end tablets that might be considered toys (or more
> accurately, junk), however, high end tablets and even midrange ones are
> definitely not toys, with apps that are as capable as what's found on a
> desktop/laptop, if not more so, depending on which tablet, the type of
> app and the app developer.

What nospam is saying, and I concur, that the low end iPads (even though
they're extremely expensive), just don't have the apps to do much more than
play games.

Before nospam disagrees by fabricating functionality they don't have, let
him fabricate, for example, the simple task of wi-fi degugging.

The iPads can't do something that simple because they're low end (they cost
nothing to Apple even as they cost a lot to you but that's all AAPL profit).

Not a single low-end iPad (which is to say _all_ iPads are low end) can even
plug into a Windows desktop USB port and allow users to slide files back and
forth over USB using the _native_ software on the PC like _every_ other
modern device easily does.

In short, stay away from low-end iPads (which is to say stay away from
iPads) as they're crippled in terms of what they can't do (which is almost
everything).

For example, take an iPad and an Android tablet and plug them into your PC
and then slide files from & to the Android to and from Windows with aplomb.

The iPad is crippled.
It can't do something even _that_ simple.

On Mon, 7 Feb 2022 16:19:20 +0000, Andy Burns wrote:

> What tablet did they have?
>
> What tablet have you got?

I'm surprised, and dismayed, the OP was given a lot of heartfelt help, and
yet he hasn't responded to Andy's quite apropos question of which tablet.

In article <stu64q$a1t$1@gioia.aioe.org>, Andy Burnelli
<spam@nospam.com> wrote:

>
> > there are some low end tablets that might be considered toys (or more
> > accurately, junk), however, high end tablets and even midrange ones are
> > definitely not toys, with apps that are as capable as what's found on a
> > desktop/laptop, if not more so, depending on which tablet, the type of
> > app and the app developer.
>
> What nospam is saying, and I concur, that the low end iPads (even though
> they're extremely expensive), just don't have the apps to do much more than
> play games.

very much false and i didn't mention ipads either.

On Tue, 08 Feb 2022 12:06:36 -0500, nospam wrote:

>> What nospam is saying, and I concur, that the low end iPads (even though
>> they're extremely expensive), just don't have the apps to do much more than
>> play games.
>
> very much false and i didn't mention ipads either.

The fact remains that _all_ iPads are "low end" devices in that they don't
have the functionality that even a five year old Android tablet has, nospam.

On Mon, 7 Feb 2022 16:19:20 +0000, Andy Burns <usenet@andyburns.uk>
wrote:

>legg wrote:
>
>> Did you read the single comment and question on that page?
>
>What tablet did they have?
>
>What tablet have you got?

It's a Lenovo Tab 8 - TB-8304F
Last android 7 update in 2019.

RL

In article <stuvcc$1rbm$1@gioia.aioe.org>, Andy Burnelli
<spam@nospam.com> wrote:

>
> The fact remains that _all_ iPads are "low end" devices in that they don't
> have the functionality that even a five year old Android tablet has, nospam.

utter rubbish. you have *no* clue what an ipad can actually do, despite
your claims of having one.

On Tue, 08 Feb 2022 19:41:13 -0500, nospam wrote:

>> The fact remains that _all_ iPads are "low end" devices in that they don't
>> have the functionality that even a five year old Android tablet has, nospam.
>
> utter rubbish. you have *no* clue what an ipad can actually do, despite
> your claims of having one.

OK. Show me even a _single_ iPad on the planet that can do something as
simple as, oh, what's the _simplest_ thing a computer can do, nospam?

Let's see, can the iPad, all by itself, spit out the installed apps into a
file, nospam?

That's something _every_ other operating system ever designed can do.
Well, except for the iPad.

In article <stv3ut$1ad2$1@gioia.aioe.org>, Andy Burnelli
<spam@nospam.com> wrote:

>
> >> The fact remains that _all_ iPads are "low end" devices in that they don't
> >> have the functionality that even a five year old Android tablet has,
> >> nospam.
> >
> > utter rubbish. you have *no* clue what an ipad can actually do, despite
> > your claims of having one.
>
> OK. Show me even a _single_ iPad on the planet that can do something as
> simple as, oh, what's the _simplest_ thing a computer can do, nospam?

a better metric are hard things.

one example is what can be done with the ipad's lidar sensor, something
which no android tablet has. another example is photo/video work with
its high dynamic range display, also unavailable on android.

> Let's see, can the iPad, all by itself, spit out the installed apps into a
> file, nospam?

yep. that's very easy to do and in several different ways, which has
been explained to you many times. it's also completely useless.

On Tue, 08 Feb 2022 21:12:31 -0500, nospam wrote:

> a better metric are hard things.

Of course you didn't acknowledge that the iPad is so crippled that it can't
even do something as _simple_ as spit out a file of the installed apps.

What about having your iPad so something as _useful_ as graphing in real
time the signal strength of all local Wi-Fi access points, nospam?

Is there an app on the Apple App store that does something _that_ useful?

>> Let's see, can the iPad, all by itself, spit out the installed apps into a
>> file, nospam?
>
> yep. that's very easy to do and in several different ways, which has
> been explained to you many times.

FACT 1:
The fact that iOS is crippled is obvious when you're constantly fabricating
imaginary functionality for iOS out of your own sheer desperation, nospam.

FACT 2:
The fact you utterly lack any education whatsoever is clear in the fact that
you make baseless claims that you expect people to believe time and again.

FACT 3:
The fact you can't come up with an _adult_ response to the facts, belies the
fact that your IQ isn't even at the average (yet you're high IQ for iKooks).

> it's also completely useless.

And yet the apps that do that on Android have been downloaded _millions_
upon millions of times, nospam - and not even _once_ for that iOS iPad.
<https://play.google.com/store/search?q=myapk&c=apps>

That fact alone shows how _crippled_ iOS is in that it can't do even the
most simple of the most basic of the most sought after things other OS's do.

On Sun, 06 Feb 2022 09:58:49 -0500, legg <legg@nospam.magma.ca> wrote:

OK - I finally found a micro-usb 3 to USB adapter with
the correct pin grounded (connection between ground and
adjacent 'I/O' pin, NOT the center pin)

With this usb pin connection, the TAB 8 reads memory
sticks on the usb port without system setting adjustments.
It just recognizes the connection - flags a notice to
the user and opens the 'drive' when the notice is tapped
(maybe tapped a few times - hard to tell with this screen).

All the other micro-usb hardware I had was missing this
connection. I asked Mohamed at the cell phone shop
next door to keep an eye out for one. His supplier had
just that - one adapter. Now it's mine. Nobody else
can have it.

I actually went through a couple of places checking to
see if ANY of their micro-usb connectors or peripherals
had this connection. (have socket with pin sensors
attached) NADA.

So when someone says it's USB OTG, measure it.

Might be worth kludging the contact permanently if ever
the TAB 8 is in the shop for battery, screen or other
repairs.

RL

legg wrote:

> It's a Lenovo Tab 8 - TB-8304F

So that seems to make it a Tab E8, not a Tab 8

and probably means that OTG adapter for the Tab M8 is not suitable

On Sun, 06 Feb 2022 09:58:49 -0500, legg <legg@nospam.magma.ca> wrote:

>
>Found out the hard way that a recently acquired Lenovo
>Tab 8 USB port was unable to do simple host tasks
>through its micro usb port. Will not read simple
>USB memory sticks, it seems, unless an external
>USB power source is introduced,as through a hub.
>
>It looks like this is the general condition for ALL
>cell phones or tablets.
>
>Is this really the case, or am I dealing with old
>one-off model issues?
>
>If so, why hasn't somebody fixed this? They can read
>(and be read by) a PC through the USB port, so it
>has all the smarts needed.
>
>As a battery-operated device, typically charging through
>micro USB, it's a perfect candidate for both portable
>power sourcing and usb hosting.
>
>RL

The host invoking 'B' marked micro-usb male connector
isn't as straight forward as it should be. Best to
measure for the I/O pin ground connection, as this is
missing from a number of samples tested here.

A small adapter is available for insertion into
standard USB male connectors, that turn them into
micro-usb male OTG.

tiny.cc/rbhouz

https://www.amazon.ca/PNGKNYOCN-Adapter%EF%BC%8CMicro-Connector-Tablet-5-Pack/dp/B098K9BJ5X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1UCWZ2BGRAUYN&keywords=PNGKNYOCN+Ultra+Mini+Micro+USB+OTG+Adapter%EF%BC%8CMicro+USB+to+USB+2.0+5pin&qid=1644763846&s=electronics&sprefix=pngknyocn+ultra+mini+micro+usb+otg+adapter+micro+usb+to+usb+2+0+5pin%2Celectronics%2C118&sr=1-1

This seem to be the minimal hardware solution, if the
tablet power delivery is sufficient for the attached
usb hardware.

A similar part does this for type C usb.

RL