Archive:USB Mass Storage support in XBMC for Xbox

With the XBMC 2.0.0 point-release Team-XBMC added better support for USB Mass Storage devices.
Simply insert a USB memory-flash/stick device, it will auto-mount and be available everywhere in XBMC.

NOTE! You need a USB to Xbox-gameport adapter to connect a USB device to your Xbox.

USB Mass Storage Device Class

A USB flash drive like this one, will typically implement the USB mass storage device class.

A USB Card Reader like this one, will typically implement the USB mass storage device class.

The USB Mass Storage Device Class, sometimes refered to as MSC (Mass Storage Class) or UMS (USB Mass Storage), is a set of computing communications protocols defined by the USB Implementers Forum that run on the Universal Serial Bus. All of the four gamepad-ports on the Xbox game-console front follow the USB 1.1 standard which support these Universal Serial Bus protocols. The 'USB Mass Storage' standard provides an interface to a variety of storage devices, like; external harddisk-drives, digital-cameras, digital audio-players (ie. portable MP3-players), and portable flash memory devices (particularly so called key-drives/memory-keys), plus adapters bridging between standard flash memory cards and a USB connection (such as memory card readers).

Because of its ubiquity and relative simplicity, the most common file-system on memory devices such as USB flash drives, digital cameras, digital audio players is one of Microsoft's FAT (File Allocation Table) file-system, with (optional) VFAT support for of long file-names. Such as FAT12, FAT16 or FAT32.

The following file-systems are supported on Mass Storage devices in XBMC:

• FATX
• FAT12 (read-only)
• FAT16 (read-only)
  • Including VFAT support for long file-names.
• FAT32 (read-only)
  
  

NOTES! Not all USB flash drives, digital cameras, digital audio players, and other USB memory devices support the 'USB Mass Storage Device Class' standard; some instead use the MTP (Media Transfer Protocol) standard, or other proprietary protocols in lieu of this standard. (This information is not always revealed by the published device specifications provided by the devices manufacturer.)
Large USB-based hard disks may come formatted with the NTFS file-system, which is much less supported outside Windows-based operating systems by Microsoft (and not yet supported by XBMC). Some keydrives or any other device which is primarily intended for storage may be formatted using for example "HFS Plus" on an Apple Macintosh computer, or "EXT2" under Linux-based operating-system environments, or "Unix File System" under Solaris and BSD-based operating-system environments. Those file-systems are not yet suppored by XBMC, nor are there any plannes by Team-XBMC own developers to add support for those file-systems).

Limitations

The following are known XBMC (and Xbox) limitations (if you are a programmer then help us overcome them):

• Maximum 4GB in 'device'/'drive' size (ie. the size of the whole flash-storage or harddrive)*
• USB Mass Storage compatible harddrives or memory-sticks are supported, not USB CD/DVD-ROM devices*
• Though not tested we assume only one storage-device at a time can be connected to a USB-hub*
• Though not tested we assume only one storage-device at a time can be connected to a Memory Card Reader*
• The Xbox game-ports hardware only support read speed for the USB 1.1 standard, ie. 12 Mbit/s (1.5 MB/s)
  
  

NOTE! If you are a C/C++ programmer then you might be able to help overcome the software limitations, read this.

Compatible USB Mass Storage Devices

These USB storage devices should be compatible with XBMC (but not been verified yet):

USB Harddisk Drives

Feel free to add tested/verified devices here, (remember the 4GB limit before you test)

• None tested as of yet.

USB Flash Stick Devices

• Apacer [USB1.1] 256MB Flash
  
• Apacer-2 SL202 [USB2.0] (Memory: AniMeta AMI-2205) 128MB Flash
  
• ASUS [USB1.1] (Memory: Phison PS1011G) 64MB Flash
  
• Asus [USB1.1] 64MB Flash
  
• AVB [USB1.1] 64MB Flash
  
• AVB [USB1.1] 128MB Flash
  
• Creative MuVo 128MB Flash (oldest model)
  
• Creative MuVo TX [USB2.0] 512MB Flash
  
• Dell [USB1.1] 64MB Flash
  
• Edge DiskGo! [USB1.1] 64MB Flash
  
• Energy Sistem Lunnatic 3600 Duo 512MB Flash
  
• Fujifilm [USB1.1] 64MB Flash
  
• Generic [USB1.1] (Memory: Freedik-LWFormat) 128MB Flash
  
• Huibo Netspirit [USB1.1] 32MB Flash
  
• Iomega Micro Mini [USB2.0] 64MB Flash
  
• Kingston [USB1.1] 256MB Flash
  
• Lexar JumpDrive [USB1.1] 64MB Flash
  
• Lexar JumpDrive [USB1.1] (Memory: Secure JDS064-04-500D) 64MB Flash
  
• Lexar JumpDrive [USB1.1] (Memory: Secure JDS128-04-500D) 128MB Flash
  
• Lexar JumpDrive Pro [USB2.0] 256MB Flash
  
• Lexar JumpDrive Elite [USB2.0] 1024MB Flash
  
• Memorex Thumb Drive [USB2.0] 128MB Flash
  
• PNY Attache [USB1.1] 64MB Flash
  
• Sandisk Cruzer Micro [USB2.0] 128MB Flash
  
• Sandisk Cruzer Micro [USB2.0] 512MB Flash
  
• Sandisk Cruzer Micro [USB2.0] 1024MB Flash
  
• Sandisk Cruzer Micro [USB2.0] 4096MB Flash
  
• Sandisk Cruzer Mini [USB2.0] 128MB Flash
  
• Sandisk Cruzer Mini [USB2.0] (Memory: SDCZ2-25607) 256MB Flash
  
• SimpleTech [USB2.0] 128MB Flash
  
• SimpleTech [USB1.1] 256MB Flash
  
• SYNNEX 406 [USB1.1] (Memory: Oti oti006808) 128MB Flash
  
• Transcend Jetflash [USB2.0] (Memory: TS256MJF2A) 256MB Flash
  
• Transcend Jetflash [USB1.1] 128MB Flash
  
• Transcend Jetflash (Memory: TM256MJFLASD) 256MB Flash
  
• Transcend JetFlash 110 (512 MB)
  
• TwinMOS Mobile Disk 111 [USB1.1] 128MB Flash
  

USB Card Readers

• Lexar JumpDrive Trio SD Memory Stick adapter, (supported memory-cards: SD and Sony Memory-Stick). Sizes tested: 256MB
  
• SIIG CF Card Reader (supported memory-cards: Compact Flash)
  

Digital Cameras

• Nikon 4300 Digital Camera [uses memory-card: Compact Flash] (tested sizes: 256MB)
  

Other USB Mass Storage

• PlayStation Portable (PSP) by Sony (can hold a Memory Stick PRO Duo up to 4GB in size)
  

USB Devices that are not compatible with XBMC

These USB devices have been tested with supported file-system and did not work in XBMC:

USB Harddisk Drives

• iRiver H340 [USB2.0] [40gb], (probably doesn't work because it is larger than 4GB)
  

USB Flash Stick Devices

• Apacer Handy Steno HT203 1GB USB 2.0
  
• Dell [USB1.1] 64MB Flash
  
• Integral Flash Drive {Silver} [USB2.0] 4096MB Flash
  
• PNY Attache 1GB USB 2.0

USB Card Readers

• Lexar Media "Multi-Card Reader" - RW018 VER:B2 - 3 in 1 - USB 2.0
  
• Sony Memory Stick Reader/Writer MSAC-US1
  
• Typhoon "8 in 1 Card Reader" USB 2.0 (MS pro Duo 512mb + SD Card PQI 256mb)
  
• Tevion "6 in 1" MS pro Duo 512mb + SD Card PQI 256mb)

Digital Cameras

• Canon Ixus 40 (1 GB Kingston SD Card)

Other USB Mass Storage

• Audiovox PPC-6600 WM2003SE PocketPC with Card Export II
  
• Motorola SLVR L7 cellphone with 1GB PNY Micro-SD card, configured as card reader
  

More information about USB Mass Storage

XBMC see forum thread: http://www.xbmc.xbox-scene.com/forum/showthread.php?t=18517