Viewsonic G-Tab USB port and SD cards.

What I think I know about the ViewSonic G-Tablet, USB port and Micro-SD cards.

After I got my ViewSonic G-Tablet and installed the Vegan-Tab ROM,

{See http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=865245 for setting up the G-Tablet...}

I wondered how to use the USB and Micro-SD port to expand the disc space of the tablet, e.g. put movies, music and TV shows on SD cards for viewing on the G-Tab while traveling.

Two posts in the on-line Android G-Tab forums were also of interest to me:

1. Files were being deleted unexpectedly from the micro-SD card, and

2. How to use the G-Tab to backup and view photos while traveling, e.g. using the USB port to read SD and other photo cards.

So after hours of experimenting this is what I think I know...comments and questions are welcome!

1. Confusing naming. The "SDCard" directory on the G-Tab as set up for the Vegan-Tab is the internal 13 gig or so of the 16 gig memory. "Internal device storage" is the second partition of the 16 gig and contains probably the Android software or OS. "SDCard2" directory is the micro-SD card, and "USBDisk" is whatever is connected to the USB port. So... don't be fooled, "SDCard" does not refer in any way to an actual SD memory card through a USB connection.

2. The micro-SD card slot works, and I could read media files from the card. But files are being deleted from the card. I think this is caused by media programs like Gallery and JustPictures having files on the card open, and me doing some action like powering down the G-Tab or removeing the card. I have not narrowed this problem down.... bottom line I probably will not use the micro-SD card slot as I have a work around for this problem. {See 5 below }

To get the micro-Sd card to work, powerdown the G-Tab, insert the card, power-up and the files should be visible via a file manager program like "Astro" in the SDCard2 directory. Do not remove the micro-Sd card, until powering down the G-Tab.

3. Under settings, "Unmount in progress" is a confusing term.... it does not mean what it says, e.g. no unmount is in progress! And clicking on this will unmount the SDCARD partition {e.g. your 13s gig of storage!}

I have not run into any situation where I need to use this...conversely, "mount SD card" does not have any thing to do with an actual SD card, or thumb drive connected to the USB port.

4. I was able to use a USB "Thumb drive" and a Thumb drive with a SD Card slot in the USB port with no problem...but note that older USB devices may have issues handling SD cards larger than 2 gig. Bottom line make sure your USB device is working on a computer first. I was also able to use a Creative Zen5 8 gig music player connected to the USB port, so if needed I could use it as a storage device. I was not able to connect a disc drive {160gig} to the USB port successfully...more experimentation is needed....

I could insert and remove the Thumb drive at almost any time and have it recognized by the G-Tab.

5. I will use a SD-micro SD adapter in my Thumb drive to read micro SD cards due to the file deletion problem.

6. I was able to use a multicard reader connected to the USB port to read various cards, e.g. XD and SD cards... but I needed to have the card in the reader when connecting the reader to the USB port in the G-Tab. Otherwise it seems the G-Tab could not find the card "on the fly".

7. I travel frequently and take a lot of photos. I want to use the G-tab to view and backup my photos on the road. The solution for me is this:

- use the multicard read to read my XD cards from my Olympus SLR camera, and copy the files to the internal memory of the G-Tab e.g. to "SDCARD". A file manager like "Astro" allows you to select and copy files...

- use my Thumb drive with SD slot to read my SD cards from my Cannon cameras.

I took my G-Tab and Cannon camera on a reunion trip this last weekend and it was great fun to be able to view my photos on the G-tab and share them with everyone there. Worked like a charm!

That's enough for now.