[GUIDE] OTG devices with Onyx boox

[utkarshj]

Here is a guide to get OTG devices working with your Boox.
I am not responsible for any damage you do to your device or ereader. Do it at your own risk. Read CAREFULLY the ORIGINAL source before doing it.

Issue: The Boox does not provide power to the otg devices when they are connected via an OTG connector. Hence they dont show up/work.
Soution: If the USB device is externally powered, using a powered USB Hub, or a modified OTG cable, it works !!
What works: Keyboard, Mouse, Pendrive (external storage), etc
With which model: Max 2; My C67ML Carta supports it. Its pretty old, yours should to.

No root, code needed.

GUIDE:
1. Buy a usb hub like this which supports providing external power by a 5V DC adapter.
OR
2. Modify your OTG cable to supply power from another power source to the usb device.

(Device refers to the USB device like Keyboard, dongle, etc.
Onyx refers to the ereader. Dont confuse the 2 terms.)

Read this thread *carefully*. This is the original source.
https://forum.xda-developers.com/sho....php?t=1828032

Short steps:
Needed: 1xOTG cable and 1xUSB cable with a Male USB port.
1. Strip a small portion of the wire covering of the OTG cable (in the middle) to expose the 4 wires within.
2. Let the data cables remain connected (green and white)
3. Cut the black and red power wires.
4. Make sure the power wires comming from the ereader side dont short together.

5. Cut another USB cable in half to reveal the 4 wires. Strip the ends of the red and black wires connected to the MALE USB end. Leave G & W, we dont need them.

5. The red and black wires going towards the USB device (on the OTG cable) need to be connected with the red and black wires we just stripped (USB cable). MATCH the colours.
6. The MALE USB end will go into a power source and power the USB device, while the data from the USB Device will go to the ereader via OTG cable. Understood ?

Notes:
1. Make sure all the cables are working (Data and power wise) before cutting them.
2. Check first by powering a usb light or something, which will blink/light up when being powered. Dont go testing with the Hard disk that stores the original copy of your childhood pics.
3. First test with a laptop/PC as a power source. Reason below.
4. Test first on a mobile which supports OTG to know if the cable is really working. Preferably on an old useless mobile which you wont regret frying if the cable is shorted.
5. Dont let the wires touch eachother. Insulate the ends with an electric tape.

If all looks good, only then test it on your ereader.


Points why it might not be working:
1. Connect all the shield wires together. Idk why, but in one of my cables, it dosent work without the shields connected. In some cables, the shield is connected to the ground, maybe thats why.
2. Power the cable via laptop/PC port first, while testing. The new chargers and powerbanks dont register the small current required by the USB devices, and dont supply power to them. If your cable is getting powered by with laptops port, but not your powerbank, look at WORKAROUND.


All this has been mentioned in the forums previously. Someone said that the reason Onyx stopped providing power to the OTG is to prevent the battery from dying completely. I will try to find those posts. Thank them for discovering the otg capabilities.

Workarround:
later...

[Randy11]

Thanks to share this

If this is working with the Max2, my last hesitation is vanishing

I can imagine an assembly to use an USB key (or small hard disk) like a SD-Card :

• an USB connector for the USB Key;
• an USB connector to be connected to a power-bank;
• an USB connector to be connected to the Max2;
• a cable with a 'Y' form to connect those parts.

Yes, this is something out of the device, but it could be better than nothing. It could be possible too to copy the files from the USB key to the Max2 and remove the USB key - useful if there is no Wifi, Bluetooth or available connexion to an other computer.

[DaleDe]

Great post. It is perfect for the wiki. Do you mind if I copy it?

Dale

[utkarshj]

Thanks, You can, but i would wait for a few pople to respond that its working on their devices first. I want to chebk if its only valid for c67ml or for all.

Sent from my C67ML_Carta using Tapatalk

[utkarshj]

I found this post by booxter: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...0%2C5785234633

But i have the 2017 firmware, 1.8.1, android 4.2 and its still working. So maybe they just cut off the power supply. There are apps to che if the device os otg compatible a few posts up.

Sent from my C67ML_Carta using Tapatalk

[Randy11]

Originally Posted by utkarshj

I found this post by booxter: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...0%2C5785234633
Sent from my C67ML_Carta using Tapatalk

Sorry, but the link is bad ...

[DaleDe]

They pasted a shortened link. note the ...
Perhaps it was https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...&highlight=OTG found with a search.

[utkarshj]

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...267140&page=28

Sorry, it was a link after a search. Here at the top someone has tried to check the otg support with an app, then below Booxter has replied.

Sent from my C67ML_Carta using Tapatalk

[Randy11]

If the OTG was disabled for the Max2 by Onyx, how do you think that an external device (key, disk, etc.) could be managed ?

[sogaiu]

I didn't use the cable suggested, but performed a similar test on a Max 2 using a micro-usb hub that can draw power from a computer's usb port (actually using a cable that has a usb plug on one end with the other end looking like what's typically seen on an ac adapter).

Connections were like:

- hub to pc via usb for power
- hub to Max 2 via micro usb
- sdcard reader with media into the hub

What I found was:

1. Initially I was able to see the content of the USB drive - a USB logo appeared alongside the wireless indicator at the top of the screen and the drive content was "explorable" in the usual Android fashion
2. HOWEVER, ejecting led to the drive being recognized immediately again
3. AND, after wondering what to do for a while, shut down the Max 2 -- but examining the content of the micro sd on a pc showed there were no longer any files on it

Perhaps it was the shut down process or may be Android decided to reformat...in any case, probably not a good idea to test with media that has any non-backed-up info on it.

[utkarshj]

Well, it prove it works with external power for Max 2 then.
I have used pendrives upto 16gb without any issue and have been taking lecture notes on otg keyboard without any issue for months.
But yes, be careful with what you test with, to prevent any data loss.
Also its always good to check there is no backflow current from the device. Maybe your hub was also sending power into the boox?
Thats a risky situation, as not every device can handle charging and otg at the same time.
Thats why in my steps i ask to cut the power wires coming from the boox and not to join them to anything.

Sent from my C67ML_Carta using Tapatalk

[utkarshj]

Originally Posted by Jayjee

I found a cable that I purchased earlier for my phone, and can confirm that it works with the Max 2 - I tested both a USB stick and a USB keyboard.



EDIT: A USB mouse works as well - just slow on the screen.
The adapter that I have as a small USB HUB included - that does NOT work - as soon as I connect more than one device, the MAX 2 crashes and need to be rebooted.

/Jan

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...2&postcount=18

According to this post, it works on Max 2 as well. Yay.

[LittleHouse75]

Originally Posted by utkarshj

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...2&postcount=18

According to this post, it works on Max 2 as well. Yay.

So this cable lets you plug in a USB Mouse/Keyboard without *without* a powered hub?

[sogaiu]

On a whim, I tried a USB ethernet adapter with the setup mentioned above -- I was able to see eth0 show up via ifconfig -a (via termux), but I didn't succeed in it getting configured...

[Jayjee]

Originally Posted by LittleHouse75

So this cable lets you plug in a USB Mouse/Keyboard without *without* a powered hub?

To clarify: it is a cable like the one on the picture.
The left end has a male micro USB and goes into the Max 2.
The end pointing downwards on the pictures is a female USB micro and needs a power supply from a standard charger unit.
The right end has a female USB A socket and there you can plug in USB sticks, mouses etc.
The power supply goes to the USB devices, not the Max 2 (Max 2 is not charged) - I have been told that charginge and supplying power to USB OTG at the same time would be impossible.

On a side note: I found an old powered USB 2.0 hub and was able to connect Mouse and USB stick simultaneously.
Quite a set up though: two power supplies, one for the cable, one for the hub, the cable between hub and max 2 and then of course connecting the hardware to the hub.