[TheMimic]

**Before replying, please be sure to read the entire post as to avoid making suggestions for methods such as using bridge with a BB.****

For the last several weeks I've been in search of a way to transfer photos from an SLR camera to the PB with no laptop/netbook/PC. The reason is quite simple. I'm an avid traveler and enjoy taking pics while in different parts of the globe as well as while scuba diving. I was looking for a method to upload pics from the SD card to the playbook and ran into a few problems.

Let�s start by covering some points. The PB doesn't have the following capabilities and or does not support certain hardware.

USB OTG: Not supported for now and maybe never which means you can't plug your SD card reader to your PB and download your pics
SD card slot: non existent
Eye-fi: From what I've found online on random posts, doesn�t work with the PB. I emailed the company asking for details. I�m also not sure how this would work if I�m using a wi-fi in a hotel.

Airstash: From what I've found online on random posts, doesn�t work with the PB. I emailed the company asking for details and they sent me an auto reply saying they received my email and will process shortly.

I know I can use a micro SD card and put it in my BB and use bridge and transfer via bluetooth but there are several issues with that scenario depending on your particular situation
1- The transfer rate for high resolution pics and HD video would be too slow
2- If you do have a BB, depending the model, you may need to pull the battery to access the micro SD slot
3- In my case, I have an otterbox commuter on my 9900 and it's a pain to remove
4- What if you don�t have a BB at all? (might be the case for other users)


I remembered seeing something interesting a while back and fell upon it again yesterday while doing some searches for a possible solution: The OP was able to browse his SD card through his mi-fi connection with his PB. I've already PM'd him as well as replied to the thread asking for the make/model of his mi-fi. As to avoid him getting bombarded with PMs, I will post the answer soon as he gets back to me.
file sharing with SD card and mi-fi router

This, so far, has been the only proven solution to accessing the images/movies/data on and SD card. The only question remaining is: if this still works if you use the mi-fi without a working service with a carrier?

So that's solution #1 for photographers to upload pics to their PB in the field without a laptop or netbook.

The second solution I'm researching right now is using a USB OTG (On The Go) Bridge. This device is basically used to bridge 2 USB devices that were never intended to be connected directly to one another. Delkin and Belkin have discontinued it (I've seen people confirm it worked with their BB on photography sites but nothing about the PB)

If I CAN get my hands on a USB bridge I�d love to test it with the PB and IF it doesn�t work with the PB directly, worse case I think I can couple it with a wi-fi hard drive. Something like the Seagate GO Flex Satellite in conjunction with a UBS bridge to transfer the data from the camera to the HDD and then using wi-fi to access the data from the playbook.

This has 2 added bonuses:
1- I usually carry 5 or 6 SD cards around with me and every day or 2, I use a new card to make sure that incase of hardware failure or perhaps my camera getting stolen, I don�t lose all my photos. With a portable HDD, I can keep uploading the pics to the HDD nightly with the peace of mind that my photos are stored and safe.
2- I�m not limited to the 16g, 32g or 64g of the PB. Which means I can just get the 16g and use the HDD to bring as many movies and songs as I want.

It doesn't have to be the Seagate GO Flex Satellite. Any wi-fi capable HDD should do the trick. If the USB Bridge could transfer it directly to the PB, that would be choice but if not, then the satellite would be a good alternative.


Anyone have some insight on this? Anyone happen to have a USB OTG Bridge they can try with their playbook?

[chris_ferryman_boal]

hi i have a 3 mobile mifi router its huawei e585 it has a micro sd slot but have not tryed this i will now and post back

[TheMimic]

awesome! thanks!

[chris_ferryman_boal]

it works!! sd card into the router switch on and connect pb via wifi then open browser enter address as http:/192.168.1.1 the routers home page comes up with a option 'view sd card' and thats it click on that and all the test files could be seen and transfered so not sd but micro sd kinda answered lol

[TheMimic]

Perfect, so my original assumption was correct. I assume the Huawei runs with a SIM card? can you pull it out so that you're not connecting to the carrier and see if its still works please?

[chrism_scotland]

Perfect, so my original assumption was correct. I assume the Huawei runs with a SIM card? can you pull it out so that you're not connecting to the carrier and see if its still works please?

Works without sim

[chris_ferryman_boal]

nope must have sim in although will say love mine with it i have no need to be waiting for the 3g pb to come out plus laptop phone ect run off it

[chris_ferryman_boal]

all mine says with no sim is 'insert sim' and does not give out a mifi signal it my still work via usb????

[chrism_scotland]

If you've previously added the E585 to your list of Wifi networks it connects fine without a SIM, allowing you to access the card in the Micro SD Slot, just tried it.

[TheMimic]

Perfect! Thanks for testing it out guys! So now we have 1 work around to the USB hosting gap.

I wonder if anyone on the site has a usb bridge to test with. I may just order one off amazon to test it out myself. They're only around 30$. I'm just impatient when it comes to getting answers lol

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[albadea]

TheMimic, you stated ...

"I know I can use a micro SD card and put it in my BB and use bridge and transfer via bluetooth but there are several issues with that scenario depending on your particular situation."

You mean between the BB and PB? Please let me know how. Could not find a way without using a folder manager paid software. If you are on BES not even that is an option. Running the official PB latest firmware release 1.0.7.3312.

[TheMimic]

TheMimic, you stated ...

"I know I can use a micro SD card and put it in my BB and use bridge and transfer via bluetooth but there are several issues with that scenario depending on your particular situation."

You mean between the BB and PB? Please let me know how. Could not find a way without using a folder manager paid software. If you are on BES not even that is an option. Running the official PB latest firmware release 1.0.7.3312.

Ya, you need a file manager app. Otherwise, you can use dropbox as a workaround. I'm more interested in a direct transfer and I think the mi-fi is the only way to do it...

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[mot700]

Are there any updated solutions to transferring SD card files to PB?

[stevedee]

Wouldn't any recent router with USB also work to generate a wifi access and use a card reader instead of a USB drive? Must be a few 11g models around for cheap...