Hacking SD card extension idea

[bobino36]

Hello everyone, I was wondering if something like this would work with the Wii U. We could theorically connect an external usb hard drive to this adapter and enjoy more space for applications like Loadiine for example.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/JY-USB-SD-M...lling-Navigation-on-Car-Vehicle-/281279301327

 

[The Real Jdbye]

Hello everyone, I was wondering if something like this would work with the Wii U. We could theorically connect an external usb hard drive to this adapter and enjoy more space for applications like Loadiine for example.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/JY-USB-SD-M...lling-Navigation-on-Car-Vehicle-/281279301327

I think you are missing something important there. The adapter has a SD and a USB input, and a SD and USB output. It's basically just an extension cable, you'd still need something plugged into both the input and output of the USB for that part to work.

 

[hashcheck1]

Would be far better to just wait for USB support

 

[shaneod]

This adapter looks like a SD to USB adapter.
A USB to microSD adapter exists, and you could then plug the microSD card into a SD adapter, but it's so rare that it's not worth looking for it.

 

[bobino36]

It looked to me like you could connect a usb hdd/usb stick in the usb port and then connect the SD card ribbon in the Wii U sd card slot but like The Real Jdbye mentioned, it probably doesn't do the usb to sd card conversion and is simply an extension.

 

[bobino36]

I'm looking for something like this actually. I'm not sure if it would work well or at all for that matter and by the look of it, the mobidapter is not being manufactured anymore.

http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/21/microsd-to-usb-mobidapter-is-a-smartphones-best-friend/

 

[shaneod]

yeah, I know. I said it was so rare that it wasn't worth looking for. It would almost certainly work, considering it worked for someone using a 3ds.

 

[shaneod]

http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/103660-sd-to-usb-cable/#entry700514
This may work.
You're better off waiting for Loadiine to just switch over to USB, though.

 

[bobino36]

I wonder if this would work.

http://www.infinitydream.com/micro-usb-cable-sd-modified-3ds-xl-p-994.html

 

[BeefyBeagle]

A few problems:
1) The SDHC protocol that the Wii U uses to communicate with the adapter would still limit the addressable memory space to 32GB.
2) USB 2.0 speeds are actually slower than what SD cards are now capable of, and a similar adapter that supports USB 3.0 devices would likely require an external power source.

 

[bobino36]

A few problems:
1) The SDHC protocol that the Wii U uses to communicate with the adapter would still limit the addressable memory space to 32GB.

What if the hard drive is formatted in fat32? I'm currently using a SDXC(64GB) formatted to fat32 with the wii u and it works well.

 

[BeefyBeagle]

What if the hard drive is formatted in fat32? I'm currently using a SDXC(64GB) formatted to fat32 with the wii u and it works well.

Interesting. Today I learned that although Windows does not allow formatting >32GB drives as FAT32 and that SDXC cards must ship as exFAT, there isn't actually a technical limit that prevents FAT32 drives from exceeding 32GB. Since the Wii U supports FAT32, it may be able to support drives up to a few TB large.

Also, looking more into Wii U SD capabilities, it does not appear to support the UHS protocol. This means an actual SDHC/SDXC would be no faster than what you could achieve with a USB 2.0 device.

But there's still a problem of insufficient power. External USB SSD drives typically require 5V @ >500mA, while SD cards are designed to use <4V @ <100mA. So this theoretical adapter will still require external power.

 

[wawnord]

you can use h2format to format Drives >32gb in fat32. Worked fine for my X360 external HDD

 

[Net-KILLER]

But there's still a problem of insufficient power. External USB SSD drives typically require 5V @ >500mA, while SD cards are designed to use <4V @ <100mA. So this theoretical adapter will still require external power.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Delock-USB-...le-22-5-cm-including-connectors-/161909359473