Android phones and USB DACs
Oct 21, 2012 at 11:30 PM Post #586 of 9,526
Am I correct in understanding that in order to run an Android device out to a USB DAC, I need both the device to be OTG capable and to use an OTG cable? If so, would that hakshop cable eliminate the need for an OTG cable >> micro USB cable between the device and the DAC? I'm all about the one-cable solution...
 
Oct 22, 2012 at 12:05 AM Post #587 of 9,526
Quote:
Am I correct in understanding that in order to run an Android device out to a USB DAC, I need both the device to be OTG capable and to use an OTG cable? If so, would that hakshop cable eliminate the need for an OTG cable >> micro USB cable between the device and the DAC? I'm all about the one-cable solution...

Yes, you are correct (it also has be an Android device that supports USB audio, and the only ones that presently do that in a standard type way are the Galaxy S3 and Note 2). The hakshop cable should be a one-cable solution - providing of course that your DACs USB input connection port is micro USB also. The Leckterton I have coming to me uses a micro USB port, so I will use it with that. Awaiting confirmation from Ray Samuels about what kind of USB port his Intruder has, looks like a Mini-A one, so would require a different cable terminus (likewise my HeadAmp Pico uses Mini-B, so again a different cable required for a one-cable solution).
 
Oct 22, 2012 at 1:22 AM Post #588 of 9,526
Yes, you are correct (it also has be an Android device that supports USB audio, and the only ones that presently do that in a standard type way are the Galaxy S3 and Note 2). The hakshop cable should be a one-cable solution - providing of course that your DACs USB input connection port is micro USB also. The Leckterton I have coming to me uses a micro USB port, so I will use it with that. Awaiting confirmation from Ray Samuels about what kind of USB port his Intruder has, looks like a Mini-A one, so would require a different cable terminus (likewise my HeadAmp Pico uses Mini-B, so again a different cable required for a one-cable solution).


Would the one that anakchan is selling work too?
 
Oct 22, 2012 at 1:27 AM Post #589 of 9,526
I have an E17 right now, so for me my interests may be slightly different because of the E17's USB being... well, slightly different. However, in this review of the Meizu MX 4-Core, they clearly mention using SPDIF through the MHL-capable USB port. I'm assuming this to be a function of MHL, meaning any other phone with MHL-capable USB ports can do the same thing. The E17 accepts SPDIF input. Therefore, another one-cable solution for me and other E17 users might be a micro-USB-to-SPDIF cable like what I brought up here; something to cutout the middleman of a separate adapter and just build it into the cable.
 
The Meizu phone does support USB OTG, same as an S3 and (many? most?) other phones with MHL-capable ports. I do not know if the engineering sample adapter used in that review was also OTG capable.
 
Also, I don't know if the OTG capability of a cable is in the plug(s), the cable, or both. Maybe with an MHL-capable USB port, USB audio and OTG support on the phone, and a <micro USB in SPDIF out> single cable solution, OTG support on the cable won't be needed. If it is needed, I don't know if it's possible to build a USB OTG cable with a micro USB side for the phone and SPDIF plug for a DAC.
 
Or maybe I'm overthinking the whole thing. Maybe a phone with USB audio & OTG with an OTG dual-male cable is all I need. I'm still trying to learn all of this stuff and it's a lot more complicated than I first thought.
 
Oct 22, 2012 at 1:34 AM Post #590 of 9,526
Quote:
Would the one that anakchan is selling work too?


AnakChan and I are talking about that in PMs and he brought up an interesting fact about some phones working (S3) with it and the GO DAC and others (Xperia models) not. Hopefully he can clarify which Xperia phones it didn't work, because at least three newer Xperias have OTG support natively: the Acro S, P, and V.  Of those, the V also has MHL. Depending on which Xperia phones are mentioned, it might be the MHL capability that is needed.
 
Oct 22, 2012 at 2:15 AM Post #591 of 9,526
In standard USB audio, a PC / Mac / Galaxy S3 / Galaxy Note 2 operating as a USB host (i.e. a USB A-device) interworks with a USB DAC operating as a USB peripheral (i.e. a USB B-device).
 
The Galaxy S3 / Galaxy Note 2 is a USB On-The-Go device.
A USB OTG device can act as a USB host or as a USB peripheral.
 
Simply put, a USB OTG device like a Galaxy S3 / Galaxy Note 2 can act acts as
. a USB peripheral when a Micro-B plug is inserted [regular cable]
. a USB host when a Micro-A plug is inserted ["OTG cable"]
 

 

 
 
S3 as USB peripheral:
. S3 – regular cable – PC / Mac as USB host
. S3 – regular cable – upcoming specific Android Jelly Bean-compliant USB DAC as USB host
 
S3 as USB host:
. S3 – "OTG cable" – USB mouse as USB peripheral
. S3 – "OTG cable" – standard USB DAC as USB peripheral
where
"OTG cable" = micro-A plug + USB cable + micro-B / mini-B / type-B plug
micro-A plug to be inserted in an A-device (i.e. a S3)
micro-B / mini-B / type-B plug to be inserted in a B-device (i.e. a standard USB DAC)
 
Oct 22, 2012 at 4:15 AM Post #592 of 9,526
So the micro A plug is what makes a cable OTG compatible, meaning the theoretical micro-USB-in-SPDIF-out that supports OTG is possible. It also means it's easy for cable modders to DIY up cables in shorter lengths pretty easily, since it would take no extra work in connecting the cables, right?
 
Oct 22, 2012 at 7:29 AM Post #593 of 9,526
I am very delighted to say that I'm currently listening to JH3A with my galaxy S3's usb output.
Fark yeahhh
 
Oct 22, 2012 at 3:23 PM Post #596 of 9,526
Quote:
Has anybody tried to use the N7000 (note 1) with JB4.1.1 ROM with an external DAC? Is the on-the-go function which enables using an external DAC a hardware only feature? thanks

 
I've not tried it as I no longer have my N7000, since all that is required is adding the Samsung USB audio drivers on the software side (the Jelly Bean USB audio is not really relevant, since it isn't standard like Samsungs own drivers). Be interested to know whether Samsung have added them to the original Note, best place to ask would be the Note subforums at XDA-Developers.
 
Oct 22, 2012 at 4:18 PM Post #597 of 9,526
Quote:
.... N7000 (note 1) ... Is the on-the-go function which enables using an external DAC a hardware only feature? thanks

 
 
It’s just a first feature requirement.
The USB OTG feature allows a USB device such as Galaxy Note to act as a USB host, so that it can interwork with a USB peripheral.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eb2kMS_JNkw
 
The second feature requirement is USB audio.
The ALSA (Advanced Linux Sound Architecture) USB audio is included in the (N7000) Android kernel source code.
https://github.com/Entropy512/n7000_erasetest_kernel/blob/master/sound/usb/card.c#L2
 
It’s up to Samsung or some modder / developer to enable the standard USB audio on the Galaxy Note.
 
Oct 23, 2012 at 5:40 AM Post #598 of 9,526
Oct 23, 2012 at 6:07 AM Post #599 of 9,526
Bought a Hifimediy usb dac to test since nobody seems to have tried this one yet. ( info )
Hooked it up to my sgs3 with an otg usb cable but it doesnt work.
Do i need to change settings in the phone?
 
 
 
Got international sgs3 with omega rom 27.2 and siyah 1.7b6+ installed
 
Oct 23, 2012 at 8:06 AM Post #600 of 9,526
Weird!
The Galaxy S3 can interwork with an ODAC using the same Tenor TE7022 USB controller and the same ESS Sabre ES9023 conversion chip.

Are you sure of your OTG USB cable? You could use a USB mouse to test it.
Does the HifiMeDiy Sabre USB DAC require too much power? You could use a powered USB hub to provide the required power for the HifiMeDiy Sabre USB DAC.
Could you replace the modded software by the stock software just for HifiMeDiy Sabre USB DAC interworking test purpose?
Could you provide a dmesg output? It should be interesting for Samsung developers to know what is going on between the Galaxy S3 and the HifiMeDiy Sabre USB DAC at the Linux kernel level.


 
 

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