[Important] USB OTG / USB2Go - host mode for Nexus 4?

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emc523

Member
Jun 28, 2012
20
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Has anyone tried a non-storage device (wireless mouse, etc)? Mass storage mode using OTG usually requires some sort of app to function (even when rooted) and these apps will most likely need to be re-written for 4.2, but peripherals should work without any extra software.

Could one of the lucky few with a N4 try this out with a mouse or keyboard and report?

Thanks in advance!
 
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wmm

Senior Member
Jun 23, 2007
684
68
Sudbury, MA
This doesn't sound very promising. I did a quick search for people's experiences with OTG on the Optimus G and found no success stories. Do we have any indication that the hardware is capable of host mode? Before anyone except reviewers had an N4, there was an implicit assumption that the answer was "yes," but I'm not sure anyone had any actual reason to believe that.

It's not a deal-breaker for me, as I'm seldom in a situation where I can't plug into my computer to save/load files, but I was looking forward to the convenience of just carrying a thumb drive around for that purpose. Oh, well...
 
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guest_2011

Senior Member
Jul 20, 2012
1,288
92
any way to contact LG directly about usb otg? If they say no end of discussion and fk google. We cancel orders and send phones back those who need usb otg. I bet optimus G supports it.
 
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wmm

Senior Member
Jun 23, 2007
684
68
Sudbury, MA
Explore3 said:
OTG is not working on the Nexus 7 after the upgrade. I hope this is a temporary problem with the Nexus 4.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

That's an encouraging bit of information, thanks. I'd feel better, though, if I had been able to find any indication that the Optimus G was able to use OTG, but all my search turned up was reports of failure.
 
Rick_1995

Rick_1995

Inactive Recognized Developer
Sep 3, 2009
1,118
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Santa Clara
The hardware should support usb otg for sure, usb host mode is supported in qualcomm devices since the 8x50 (1st snapdragon, probably even the 7x27), here's a screen of my HD2 with usb host mode on:

6747871163_9cbf2326b9.jpg
 
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bronko15344

Member
Oct 5, 2010
45
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Explore3 said:
OTG is not working on the Nexus 7 after the upgrade. I hope this is a temporary problem with the Nexus 4.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

But the USB devices still lights up which indicates they are powered and Android 4.2 indroduced just a software issue on the Nexus 7. If the usb devices doenst blink on the Nexus 4 I think the Nexus 4 doenst support OTG USB...

Sent from my Nexus S using xda premium
 
T

timskyline86

Senior Member
Oct 19, 2010
161
42
Rooted N4 doesn't work with otg, ran chainfires diagnostics tool and reports no 3rd party support even tho everything is there it seems. I havent updated my N7 to 4.2 so I'm not sure if it was disabled or able to run the app on that. Uploading a screen shot in a moment

iygyI.png
 
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aragon4711

Member
Jun 29, 2008
18
9
not much experience in that area, but I quickly check the AOSP sources (https://android.googlesource.com/device/lge/mako/+/android-4.2_r1) and found two quite interesting things...

In https://android.googlesource.com/device/lge/mako/+/f608db225c5ead1c255fd84fa7f5431c2e3b3a72 it is mentioned that the USB host feature is actually removed from 4.2 for the N4, and to my understanding the reason is:

https://android.googlesource.com/device/lge/mako/+show/f608db225c5ead1c255fd84fa7f5431c2e3b3a72^2

mako: remove usb.host feature

Bug 7297692

Mako cannot supply 5V.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

So for me this looks like a hardware issue, which cannot be solved by any future OTA update. But maybe I am wrong....

Rick_1995 said:
The hardware should support usb otg for sure, usb host mode is supported in qualcomm devices since the 8x50 (1st snapdragon, probably even the 7x27), here's a screen of my HD2 with usb host mode on:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
 
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jacklebott

jacklebott

Senior Member
Oct 22, 2010
1,641
486
Land of the Idiots
aragon4711 said:
not much experience in that area, but I quickly check the AOSP sources (https://android.googlesource.com/device/lge/mako/+/android-4.2_r1) and found two quite interesting things...

In https://android.googlesource.com/device/lge/mako/+/f608db225c5ead1c255fd84fa7f5431c2e3b3a72 it is mentioned that the USB host feature is actually removed from 4.2 for the N4, and to my understanding the reason is:

https://android.googlesource.com/device/lge/mako/+show/f608db225c5ead1c255fd84fa7f5431c2e3b3a72^2



So for me this looks like a hardware issue, which cannot be solved by any future OTA update. But maybe I am wrong....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

That.... had better be wrong :(
 
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  • 13
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    bloontz
    Answer from google

    Just got off of a long call with customer support. I pressed the issue until I got a firm answer. I was told that usb otg will be fixed and that it is a software issue. The rep stated that that was definitive and that they had just acknowledged the issue in the last 24 hours.
    View
    13
    Chainfire
    Chainfire
    It appears to be a firmware issue, and the device *should* support it, according to somebody inside Google (not an official statement).

    If you want to get OTG support on the Nexus 4 fixed, please star the bugreport here: http://code.google.com/p/android/issues/detail?id=40087&colspec=ID Type Status Owner Summary Stars
    View
    11
    K
    kenfly
    using a OTG y cable is just completely un-convenient.

    Plus I don't want to be on a plane and have to pull out a multitude of devices and wires to consume my media and the guy next to me is worried for his life because it looks like I'm putting together an explosive.
    View
    7
    J
    JayB059
    Hi all...just a few comments to make on all of this.

    The USB host capabilities are part of the Qualcomm processor/chipset. The ones in the N4 support USB host mode.

    Snapdragon S4 Pro APQ8064: https://developer.qualcomm.com/discover/chipsets-and-modems/snapdragon

    The spec sheet lists USB OTG, but the way N4 is setup, it does not technically support OTG. I made a post not to long ago on a similar thread about USB OTG/host: http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?p=33618150#post33618150 and I mention that in order to be considered USB OTG (per the USB Consortium), the connector used needs to be of the type AB (micro AB) and if I remember correctly, charging is not allowed through the connector. I reference the Nokia N810 and N900 as examples of this...N810 was an actual USB OTG device because it had USB micro AB port and had separate charging jack. In order for USB host mode to work on N810 you needed an A type micro USB cable/dongle. The A type cables have an extra pin tied to ground (or something like that) and when plugging into device, it would automatically know to be a host versus a slave. But, there was a way to use a type B cable/dongle (what N4 and most every other phone/tablet has) for host mode purposes...but there was a software command that had to be run first before doing so.

    So, what I'm getting at is N4 is technically not an OTG device, but the hardware does support USB host capabilities and it might be possible to enable the capabilities in software (either through a command, most likely at root level, or worst case, a mod to the kernel and/or custom ROM).

    Key word is "might"...don't hold me to anything, but I tend to be more of an optimist. Hope this helps.
    View
    5
    Xmalek
    Xmalek
    Yes the Nexus 4 supports usb OTG (and you probably won't need a custom kernel for this)
    Yes you can use ESFile explorer and run everything from your hard drive

    I think latest TWRP offer OTG support but I'll probably never use it since you may "brick" your phone if the flash fail and not sure if otg is perfectly stable...
    View

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