@SteveRobillard More upvoting is maybe again an easy way to help with that. Like we shouldn't be letting questions with zero upvoted answers get shelved if someone gave a timely decent answer; looking through the backlog I think that has happened a lot. If other people are like me, my stinginess is unconscious -- I only think to vote if something stands out, but an answer doesn't need to be outstanding, it just needs to be sufficient. Also I'm more likely to skip over a question I doubt I can....

...answer, although I could still possibly read it and evaluate an answer.

Oh BTW I think I contradicted your call on a flag:

I didn't notice you'd handled it until afterwards. Kind of a weird attitude. Like, if you [Tim] thought this was still a good unanswered question why didn't you just ask it again in a way that's clearly what you are saying this is?

@goldilocks I don't mind if you disagree, I did not reopen based on the fact that he did not give an answer why it wasn't a dupe. As you said he could ask a new question.

I agree regarding the upvoting I am more likely to downvote or withhold a vote especially on a question

@ Chetan Bhargava So is there any more concrete information as to how to use the Pi model A as an OTG device as described here other than it's theoretically possible and the hardware supports it?

@user2813274 You may want to start another thread for that. Asn OTG capability may not be well advertised by foundation.

so you want to use it in your car MP#

3

Why can't use use a bigger USB mass storage device

@ChetanBhargava Not sure I understand how to create another thread, do you mean ask a specific question? it's not about the size of the USB device, it's about removing the hassle of updating it (since I when I am getting in/out of my car, I am usually thinking about other things..)

Yes, your original question doesn't address OTG

How do you intend to add new songs to your Pi if you don't want to remove it? Wifi?

What I understand is that you would like to use your Pi as a USB mass storage device (OTG model A) and add wifi capability to update the media on Pi SD card? DO I understand correctly?

On model A there is only one USB port

How do you intend to add wifi?

@ChetanBhargava Good question.. I was thinking via the GPIO -> Arudino shield, something like this kickstarter.com/projects/john-cole/… and this adafruit.com/products/1491?gclid=CJDxlLOUn7wCFcVFMgodIyAAZA (but there may be better ways.. I haven't thought of them yet) - I might even go for some relays and control them via the GPIOs and switch between sync mode and USB mode

not easy unless you want to do a mass production and sell it.

if you want to sell it. you may want to consider an ASIC or FPGA

if you would be adding wifi using GPIO you should be ready to code. What is your coding experience?

@ChetanBhargava Not looking to sell it.. just doing this as a hobby to see what I can do (and possibly save myself from a minor nuisance), I am pretty good as far as coding tho

in that case you would have to do a research on how to use the model A OTG and add a SPI based wifi adapter to your GPIO

it is not impossible but it will be a backbreaking effort

@ChetanBhargava And.. I am here asking for how to use the model A OTG

after that back breaking effort you might wanna sell it :-)

I do not know about OTG capability on model A. I just tried to answer your old question

I hope that I answered it close ;-)

You may want to start another question about the OTG capability on model A

wouldn't using a model a with a wifi dongle and card reader be a lot easier?

@ChetanBhargava well I think you explained the most promising path - as for selling it, I will see after I get it working first (I though I did that.. wasn't that this question: raspberrypi.stackexchange.com/questions/24836/… )

and please mark your acceptance to your question if you are satisfied ;-)

sorry model b

or B+ which because of its power improvements may make wifi more relaiable without a powered hub

As per OP, only the model A has OTG

I don't know that

with a card reader no need for otg

ssh in an rsync over wifii

no need to remove the flash drive

@SteveRobillard How would I expose that as a USB client though for another device to use without OTG

what is the other device

so use model B or B+?

@SteveRobillard In this case my car, which reads MP3 files off a flash drive and plays them

I have the same question, how do you expose model B as OTG?

add a usb switch between the pi and stereo

not easy and feasible

@ChetanBhargava I don't think it's possible, as the USB hub is soldered in the way and blocks that functionality - plus, if you remove the USB hub, why use a model B at all?

ebay.com/itm/…

the OP wants to park his car in garage, change into his nightsuit, ssh into the pi and upload musinc using ssh

@SteveRobillard actually that seems promising

and a whole lot simpler

@user

@user2813274 I understand the limitations

you can then focus on the other issues you will face shutting down the pi with the ignition so you don't kill the battery, but doing so in a way that does not corrupt the SD card

these problems have already been solved so you are paving the cow paths

:-)

ok stupid question how are you going to poewer the pi when parked in garage so you can ssh or rsync

ssh into the car is a good idea ;-)

@SteveRobillard easy, ise standby power directly from battery

use

power path is different than the USB/OTG path

and so what happens when you don't go out for several days and the battery is dead

JUMPSTART ;-)

and that is easier than removing a flash drive

I doubt it will consume the whole battery

just use a PI based MP3 Player in your car

i doubt it to but no guarantee, and BTW on newer cars a dead battery means locked out - so you can't open the hood release that is inside the car

@SteveRobillard true ;-) change to a barracuda

or a bluetooth dongle

or a stingray

this seems like a rube goldberg invention to avoid removing a flash drive

a totally custom solution can be designed

but the only issue is that will it be owrth ir?

yeah and i can build a particle accelrator in my basement doesn't make it a good idea

it is possible

it is possible to make one solution but would it pass the cost/benefit analysis?

exactly

you get free black matter though ;-)

in your bacement

basement

yeah but my dog grows a fifth leg in the liddle of her forhead

Sorry for the typos I have arthritis and typing is difficult

:-) if I had that big basement I would sell it before working on the solution

typos totally acceptable in chat

keyboarding: arthritis = fat finers

fingers ;-)

@user2813274 did you get wtaht you wanted?

@ste

@SteveRobillard not your dog but your dawg ;-)

lol

@ChetanBhargava I'm going to have to look at those USB switchers (and see exactly when/how they switch, and if I can control it..), but I have something to go on - on the other hand, I think I will leave the OTG question open, as it is still a good Pi question and may be useful for others (plus im still curious)

You need to start a new question about OTG

and accept my anser ;-) (for now)

folks enjoy your evening with your OTG and dawgs ;-) will encounter you later

nice to talk to you

@ChetanBhargava I thought I did that (both of those)

@user2813274 I agree leaving the new question open, we were just discussing this yesterday sometimes not having an answer can be an answer.

for further electronics QA you may want to join piclist. They are pretty forgiving there

Like in this case the fact that no one can tell you how do turn the theoretical into reality, suggests that there may be an easier way to attain your eventual goal

I would suggest adding the projects goals to the question

yeah there is one path but bit tedious

i.e. nit having to remove the falsh drive

share it with the stereo etc.

yeah

As I said that will allow you to focus on power and wifi issues which alredy have solutions

I'm new to PI portion of stackexchange but have spent quite some time at electronics.stackexchange

@user2813274 thanks for accepting the answer. I'll post a comment if I find more OTG info. I'm planning to buy a few A+ models

@SteveRobillard I have seen many people asking about power management

@ChetanBhargava A note of caution you should not tell a user when to accept an answer. That is their call. A user should never feel pressure to accept

@SteveRobillard It seems like I am looking for something slightly different - those USB switches all seem to either require a manual button press in order to switch or some sort of software installed on the host - of which perhaps the Pi could support something, but I doubt it would support my car.

Whoa...this chat room is somewhat busy...

Mind. Blown.