[fourrobert13]

  Thanks for sharing about OTG! I'd never even heard about it, and for my purposes and budget it's an absolutely beautiful solution!
 
For example, would this OTG cable work? Any other recommendations when selecting an OTG cable? Thanks!
 
Oh, also, can I just plug it in, or are there certain X3ii settings required to be made?
Will it affect the UI, or will the X3ii see it as just another microSD card?
Can I use the OTG and a microSD card simultaneously?
What would be the maximum flash drive size that can be used with the X3ii?
Can any flash drive be used or does it need a certain minimum speed?
 
Guess I'm going for OTG! 

 
Many questions, again thanks!

The cable you have linked will work.  Monoprice cables work real well if you look through the thread link I provided earlier.  If you go to folder view, you will see OTG.  When you plug in your OTG cable with a flash drive or card reader, your screen will pop up a window that tells you a OTG device has been added.  Select that OTG option in folder view and then you can navigate your files on your OTG drive.  It does read the card simultaneously, so you have access to the micro card and your OTG and can go back and forth between the two without issue.  I use 128gig flash drive with no problems.  Others use 256 gig flash drives and I know of one person that used a 500 gig hard drive with success (although I could see this draining the battery fast).  If you read through the thread I link regarding OTG, it gives a list of flash drives that work, but Sandisk, PNY, or any other major brand should work fine.  I would suggest you find one already formatted in fat32 (most are, Sandisk, PNY I know for sure are).  USB 2 or 3 has worked for me, so I don't think that is an issue either.
 
Sorry I missed this and I hope I covered everything.  You should really read through the thread I linked earlier.  It's dedicated to OTG for the X3II and X5.  Lots of info there.
 
ETA: Link to the OTG thread: http://www.head-fi.org/t/766456/fiio-otg-support-thread

 

[Podster]

  I use it in public and at work like this.  Whole thing fits in my pocket and I've never had any issues with it.  I won't say I use it every day, but probably 2 to 3 times per week and anywhere from 6 to 8 hours at work.  It sits on my desk at work, but while i'm out exercising or running it's in my pocket or in an arm band.  The OTG cable is super flexible.  Like I said, to each their own.  I just wanted to point this out as an option for those that want more space, but don't want to pay for the expensive 200 gig card.  We all have our own way of doing things and that's ok.  

I do like your OTG hookup I would not take that route personally. I guess each to his own 4Rob13, for me it's yet something else sticking out of my DAP! With hi-res/capacity eating files I decided to start making Genre specific and a few compilations on medium capacity Micro and just switch out with the mood I'm in. Like you said even if you have 200GB Micro's your going to fill them so after realizing how much I get on a card I just decided multiple 32 & 64's were the way to go for me and of course they all fit in my 16 slot case

Still cheaper than the old days when I would just buy another Touch or Nano and load'em up like this

LOL
 

 

[JaZZ]

Sort of MiniDisc revival.

 

[Happytalk]

I'm currently using a 'Leef Access microSD Card Reader with microUSB 2.0 Connector for Android - as per photo.

Seems to work peerlessly...

I like this but is it just an adaptor for a micro sd card? Can't you just put the card in the fiio? Does it hold 2 cards? How much more battery does otg drain? Is it minor or a large amount.

 

[fourrobert13]

I like this but is it just an adaptor for a micro sd card? Can't you just put the card in the fiio? Does it hold 2 cards? How much more battery does otg drain? Is it minor or a large amount.

X3II only holds one micro card.  The adapter is a card reader that plugs into a micro USB port on the X3II.  This essentially makes your storage capacity limitless.

 

[Happytalk]

X3II only holds one micro card.  The adapter is a card reader that plugs into a micro USB port on the X3II.  This essentially makes your storage capacity limitless.

Does it drain the battery much, at all? Are there adaptors tor reg sd cards? Would they be less efficient?

 

[fourrobert13]

Shaves maybe an hour or two off depending on your OTG device.

 

[Tober138]

I like to have the album art too. If you use a program like iTunes or better yet media monkey or foobar it will retrieve album art from online or if worse comes to worst you can search for any missing album art image and copy and paste them or embed them into your music files using one of the programs I mentioned. Winamp is actually a good program too for music management too. I have about 200 albums on my X3 mostly in flac from my ripped CDs and all display artwork.

The X3 has a bug in which album art is blown up to a size larger than the screen and cropped, so it does not display properly.

 

[Mr Trev]

The X3 has a bug in which album art is blown up to a size larger than the screen and cropped, so it does not display properly.

It's not a bug, it's a feature

 

[bruce1967]

The X3 has a bug in which album art is blown up to a size larger than the screen and cropped, so it does not display properly.

It's been that way since the original X3 so I'm sure Fiio is aware but it certainly isn't a bother to me. As Mr. Trev said...it's a feature

 

[Aero Dynamik]

   

Spoiler: Scroll saving in action...

  Thanks for sharing about OTG! I'd never even heard about it, and for my purposes and budget it's an absolutely beautiful solution!
 
For example, would this OTG cable work? Any other recommendations when selecting an OTG cable? Thanks!
 
Oh, also, can I just plug it in, or are there certain X3ii settings required to be made?
Will it affect the UI, or will the X3ii see it as just another microSD card?
Can I use the OTG and a microSD card simultaneously?
What would be the maximum flash drive size that can be used with the X3ii?
Can any flash drive be used or does it need a certain minimum speed?
 
Guess I'm going for OTG! 

 
Many questions, again thanks!

The cable you have linked will work.  Monoprice cables work real well if you look through the thread link I provided earlier.  If you go to folder view, you will see OTG.  When you plug in your OTG cable with a flash drive or card reader, your screen will pop up a window that tells you a OTG device has been added.  Select that OTG option in folder view and then you can navigate your files on your OTG drive.  It does read the card simultaneously, so you have access to the micro card and your OTG and can go back and forth between the two without issue.  I use 128gig flash drive with no problems.  Others use 256 gig flash drives and I know of one person that used a 500 gig hard drive with success (although I could see this draining the battery fast).  If you read through the thread I link regarding OTG, it gives a list of flash drives that work, but Sandisk, PNY, or any other major brand should work fine.  I would suggest you find one already formatted in fat32 (most are, Sandisk, PNY I know for sure are).  USB 2 or 3 has worked for me, so I don't think that is an issue either.
 
Sorry I missed this and I hope I covered everything.  You should really read through the thread I linked earlier.  It's dedicated to OTG for the X3II and X5.  Lots of info there.

 
 
ETA: Link to the OTG thread: http://www.head-fi.org/t/766456/fiio-otg-support-thread

I missed that link completely! Thank you very much for this very useful information! This means I can have my flac collection readily available for my coming X3ii whenever I want for a fraction of the cost of a (legit) 128 GB microSD. Just brilliant! 

 

 

[Aero Dynamik]

 

I like to have the album art too. If you use a program like iTunes or better yet media monkey or foobar it will retrieve album art from online or if worse comes to worst you can search for any missing album art image and copy and paste them or embed them into your music files using one of the programs I mentioned. Winamp is actually a good program too for music management too. I have about 200 albums on my X3 mostly in flac from my ripped CDs and all display artwork.

The X3 has a bug in which album art is blown up to a size larger than the screen and cropped, so it does not display properly.

Oh, that's really sad and should be so easy to fix. My impression is that Chinese people like large things with super bright and preferably flashing colors. Maybe I'm being prejudiced. Anyway, no offense intended!

 

[Joe Bloggs]

Ugly or neat workaround for huge libraries on the X3? :tongue_smile:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/781396/fun-with-mp3tag-turning-your-id3-tags-into-folders

 

[fourrobert13]

  I missed that link completely! Thank you very much for this very useful information! This means I can have my flac collection readily available for my coming X3ii whenever I want for a fraction of the cost of a (legit) 128 GB microSD. Just brilliant! 

 

I was going to buy an X5II a while back simply to have the two card slots, but when I discovered OTG worked on the X3II, I opted to get the X3II.  I don't regret this decision at all.  You'll find it's very simple to use and that it's not a hassle at all.  It has allowed me to carry my entire collection with me.  Flash drives are cheaper than micro cards, so you can get a 256 gig flash drive for the cost of one 128 gig card.  Of course, this is way cheaper than the 200 gig card that was discussed earlier and I don't have to take the cover off to use it.  Can't beat it IMO.

 

[EagleWings]

   know of one person that used a 500 gig hard drive with success (although I could see this draining the battery fast).  

 
I am guessing a Y cable like this, with the powerline connected to an external battery could help with the battery drain on the DAP. But this setup defeats the purpose of portability.
 
Edit: I forgot to add the link: http://www.amazon.com/StarTech-3-Feet-Cable-External-Drive/dp/B0047AALS0