Hardware portable hard drive using 2 ports

[mrpinkeye]

iv checked the compatability list and all toshiba drives seem to work although im not sure of the model that iv seen advertised

i have noticed however that it uses 2 usb ports. im assuming one for power and one for data

is this a problem on the wii or can i use the middle usb port thats not normally in use to power the portable drive?

 

[rehevkor]

I have a cradle that comes with a Y USB cable and and reading the manual the second USB plug is used when the first doesn't give the drive enough power to run, so it's not mandatory to have both plugged in. Might be the same.

 

[mrpinkeye]

ah, that may be it. would the wii provide more power than a netbook/laptop then!? i have no idea on these things

 

[rehevkor]

I'm not sure, the cradle I have is still waiting for a drive to go in it. I always suspected it was old USB (USB 1?) ports that might need it. My 3G dongle came with a Y USB cable too but I've yet to find a port that actually needed it.

 

[Lucif3r]

No. USB always provide the same amount of current regardless of device the USB port is mounted on.
However, the current can decrease if the PC/Wii/whatever is stressed, and thats where the Y cable comes in. It helps to keep the HDD alive during such circumstances.

There is no data going through the 2nd plug, just power, so the Wii wont even know its there and therefore not interfere with compability.

Also worth noting is that some HDDs uses more current than others. In worse cases the drive is unusable without the 2nd power usb.

 

[Coto]

Also worth noting is that some HDDs uses more current than others. In worse cases the drive is unusable without the 2nd power usb.

Or unstable. when the needed Amperes aren't enough

 

[Lucif3r]

Also worth noting is that some HDDs uses more current than others. In worse cases the drive is unusable without the 2nd power usb.

Or unstable. when the needed Amperes aren't enough

Thats the most common issue, the HDD simply dying when it writes something always fun hehe.

 

[mrpinkeye]

so if it needs both usb's for power its no good in the wii?

 

[Lucif3r]

.. Allow me to quote myself;

There is no data going through the 2nd plug, just power, so the Wii wont even know its there and therefore not interfere with compability.

 

[mrpinkeye]

.. Allow me to quote myself;

There is no data going through the 2nd plug, just power, so the Wii wont even know its there and therefore not interfere with compability.

ok, so the wii doesnt use the 2nd usb port for just power. so what your saying is if the hard drives NEEDS extra power from 2nd usb it wont work with wii...right?

i had already read your comment and found it confusing. simply answering yes or no would have been much better than providing me with the confusing statement that had already not helped me! it would have been quicker for you aswell

 

[PsyBlade]

it needs two ports
wii has two ports so it might work
(not all drives are compatible no matter the port count)

 

[Lucif3r]

ok, so the wii doesnt use the 2nd usb port for just power. so what your saying is if the hard drives NEEDS extra power from 2nd usb it wont work with wii...right?

i had already read your comment and found it confusing. simply answering yes or no would have been much better than providing me with the confusing statement that had already not helped me! it would have been quicker for you aswell

>_>........
Ok let me try to explain it like it do to my mom; Wii has 2 USB ports. Some HDDs needs more power than 1 USB port can provide. They use a Y-cable (A cable with 2 USB plugs).
One of the plugs are used like any other USB plug, providing data and power, this plug has 4 cables inside of it (plus, minus, data+ and data-). The other plug is only used for extra power, and only contains 2 cables (plus and minus).
In order for the Wii to know something is connected to a USB slot, it needs the data+ and data- cables connected.
Therefore, by using the plug with only power, the Wii wont know something is connected to that port and therefore not affect the compability of your HDD.

DL;DR: The Wii dont give a shit if one normal usb cable or a Y-cable is connected.


If you are still confused what an Y-cable is, here is a picture on a classic USB Y-cable

 

[cadurling]

I use the Y connector and my hard drive works fine on my Wii. That said, although some are saying that the second "power" supplying USB is nothing but that "power" in my experience that is not the case. Actually it could be the case, but the data cable could be different. Anyways in Korea ALL external drives come with a Y connector USB cable, and out of 20+single USB cables purchased in Korea I've had no luck getting my Korean HDD working with a single USB cable. My one USB cable purchased in Canada does work however.