Deal Extreme Nokia USB host cable confirmed to work

[Mr. Raven's Fjord]

Hi everyone. I was just going to tell anyone still on the look out for a USB host cable for their gen 8 Archos, that this cable works great: http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.51045

I've been testing everything possible. I tried to power my (dead) gp2x wiz off of my 43IT...the charging light kinda flickered for a second or two and that was that. I also hooked up my wireless keyboard with a trackball. Keyboard works fine, but has the same problem my bluetooth keyboard does in portrait mode: the arrow keys. However, much to my surprise, the volume adjustment and the trackball worked flawlessly. I also took my IOgear card reader to it which also worked just fine.

I was honestly very confused by all the talk of micro A or B in the forums and just took a total shot in the dark on this cable, but it works like a charm! Got two just in case something happens to one.

Hopes this helps someone.

[Arkiv]

Thanks, appreciate the heads-up! Ordered one--good price with shipping included, and Nokia generally makes good stuff.

[Arkiv]

So here it is, nearly a month later, and my adapter has finally arrived! The phrase "slow boat from China" is rather apt . . .

Seems to invoke host mode on my A70S like it should. Connected an external USB keyboard with no problems. I was also able to mount an external SD card using the (non-powered) Transcend P5 card reader that has worked for other folks. However, my attempt to play a movie file from the external SD card was not successful . . . first the video player FC'd, then everything slowed down so radically that I had to resort to a long-press reboot.

[jkajolin]

I have the Nokia CA-157 cable and have not get anything to work.
The connector itself is incorrect should the correct connector have round edges as this one have the straight edges.
Only tried it with the thumb drive, have to more testing on different devices.

I have A43, A70 and A101 to play with.

[AllenPapapetrou]

Hi jkajolin,

Your experience seems very odd as others have reported the Nokia CA-157 working well. Where did you get yours (link please)?

Allen

[jkajolin]

Hi jkajolin,

Your experience seems very odd as others have reported the Nokia CA-157 working well. Where did you get yours (link please)?

Allen

Its from a Nokia dealership. Here is a link to the official nokia page and if you look the picture you can see that the cable has straight edges. And not round like the Archos cable that comes with.

I cannot force it to connect to the A101 it is just too tight.

http://www.nokia.fi/tuotteet/lisalaitte ... eli-ca-157

[jkajolin]

Ok I did some more testing.
The CA-157 cable does work
- A43 : usb mouse (ms), usb keyboard (ms)
- A70 : usb mouse (ms), usb keyboard (ms)

The connector is too tight for the A101 port but as it has the full size USB port, there is little use for it.
The A101 may be older model as it came with 2.1 android installed both the A43 and A70 had 2.2 preinstalled.

I used my work mouse (professional kensington mouse) it seems not to work so the problem was with that.
The 16GB usb stick does not work with the cable, might be power issue (it does not work with my car stereo system either).

[AllenPapapetrou]

Ok I did some more testing.
The CA-157 cable does work
- A43 : usb mouse (ms), usb keyboard (ms)
- A70 : usb mouse (ms), usb keyboard (ms)

The connector is too tight for the A101 port but as it has the full size USB port, there is little use for it.

Actually with the A101 there is NO use for the cable.

Allen

[QuestShield]

This is great news as I have this cable on the way from Deal Extreme..OP - excellent├®!

[tmc]

I ordered here..
http://www.pimfg.com/Product-Detail/000-USB-MC-11

This is more of a dongle.. but about the same price... they also have a mini hdmi adapter you can order to consolidate shipping fees.

http://www.pimfg.com/Product-Detail/HDMI-MINI-FM

Both adapters for less than $10 shipped, pretty good compared to other retail-- now I can play "hdmi" video to my tv w/o turning on my computer. Of course just because the video out is hdmi doesn't mean your source video is "HD" quality. Native resolution & bit rate of your encoded video matter as well when it outputs to hdtv.

[frank]

The only thing I don't like about the pimfg usb host adapter is that the 90 degree angle points to the back so you can't lay your tablet on a flat surface while its in use.
Functionally it works great tho and the price is perfect.

[tmc]

The only thing I don't like about the pimfg usb host adapter is that the 90 degree angle points to the back so you can't lay your tablet on a flat surface while its in use.
Functionally it works great tho and the price is perfect.

two of the primary devices are usb host for storage mounting and input devices such as mouse/keyboard. quite possible you can have with it on the kickstand (not fully extended). Once I recieve mine, I'll be able to see what's possible. ordered from pi because they had a good deal on the hdmi dongle as well.

The one thing I've noticed is the micro usb port seems more fragile than a mini usb port. Had a sony dv camcorder's firewire port stop working after about a month several years back, but the mini usb ports have been rock solid. Remains to be proven that micro usb will hold up as good as mini usb over time & many uses (it's the primary charging port on the archos, afterall).

[jkajolin]

This is great news as I have this cable on the way from Deal Extreme..OP - excellent├®!

One thing to add I did not get a USB hub to work with the cable, not with power or without. Works fine from the fullsize USB port from A101.
When the hub has power the A43/A70 does notice it and gives the charging option but mouse/keyboard/stick no joy.

[VipFREAK]

This Mod Edit...Allen Nokia cable better work... This will be the third adapter I try... :\

[frank]

Remains to be proven that micro usb will hold up as good as mini usb over time & many uses (it's the primary charging port on the archos, afterall).

Actually there's a separate charging port, so no worries about losing the ability to charge if the usb port konks out.

[QuestShield]

Over a month now since I ordered it and no sign of the thing.

[tmc]

Remains to be proven that micro usb will hold up as good as mini usb over time & many uses (it's the primary charging port on the archos, afterall).

Actually there's a separate charging port, so no worries about losing the ability to charge if the usb port konks out.

There is only ONE usb (micro) port on the Archos 43? are you talkign about the 70 or 101?

[Mr. Raven's Fjord]

Over a month now since I ordered it and no sign of the thing.

Don't worry. Deal Extreme is notorious for their slow shipping from the depths of China, especially around this time of the year. It took six weeks for my two cables and hdmi to mini hdmi adapter to arrive. My motto is "you can't complain if shipping was free"

[QuestShield]

I have ordered from Dealextreme before and they are slow, but amazingly cheap!

[greebo52]

I've just ordered a couple of these Nokia CA-157 host cables. I had purchased this cable http://www.newmp3technology.com/gen8host.htm which does not work. The micro male end is type B NOT type A. My understanding is that a type A will have white plastic insulation on the inside of the connector where type B are black plastic. Frustrating.
I look forward to receiving the deal extreme cables and finally being able to use host mode. I hope to use my A5IT as a self-powered HDD, but if it it needs a hub to work I still have CyberPower battery powered hub from my Nokia 770/800/810 days.