iPad connectivity with external Hard drive

[dealrocker]

Hopefully getting the Apple iPad on the release date. Can anyone point me in the right direction? Well, I have a 1TB external hard drive and just wondering if I will be able to connect this hard drive to the iPad.? How does iPad go with the media files?

Any input will be greatly appreciated.

[Evan]

Hey Dealrocker, welcome to the forums.

You will be able to connect your external hard drive. What you'll have to do, is pick up one of the USB-30-pin connectors, which Apple have put as an accessory. Once you do that, you can connect the USB into the 30-pin connection port at the bottom of the iPad, and go from there. It shouldn't be a problem.

The only problem that you might run into is the software on the iPad. Because it is iPhone OS 3.2, an external hard drive might not be supported.

Media files on the iPad will be organized through iTunes, which you'll have to have on a Mac or Windows-based PC. If you don't have these things, it's not that big of a deal. The iPad is wireless (both WiFi and 3G, on separate models), so you can actually connect to the iTunes Store, App Store, and iBookstore to download whatever you want. The files will be saved on your iPad.

If you have any other questions, feel free to post them. Everyone here would be happy to answer them.

[DomG]

I suspect the initial iPad release will NOT support an external hard drive given its base in the iPhone OS. Apple seems to want this device to live in the Flash memory world just like the iPhone and iTouch.

Even the camera connector accessory kit which includes a box with a USB connector and another with an SD card slot...is supposedly designed ONLY to allow connection of a Camera or memory device (SD card) for the sole purpose of moving pictures or image files. Given the description and our lack of real knowledge about the device, I would not put it past Apple to lock it down as described.

We do have a ray of hope though.....with the release of apps from Apple like Numbers, Pages and Keynote one would expect they would provide some process for the movement of these files between the MAC/PC and the iPad.

[caps]

Originally Posted by DomG

We do have a ray of hope though.....with the release of apps from Apple like Numbers, Pages and Keynote one would expect they would provide some process for the movement of these files between the MAC/PC and the iPad.

unfortunately i believe they are going to be expect us to use email for this, just as they did before iPhones had MMS

[hellogoodbye]

Are you kidding? Through the use of cloud storage Apps like MobileMe's iDisk or DropBox, you can interface between your iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, Mac, or PC wirelessly and easily!

[caps]

Were aware of that

[DomG]

The following clipped from Engadget.......see below for the link to the Engadget Page

WARNING: The effort below requires Jailbraking your iPad

iPad Spirit jailbreak + Camera Connection Kit = external HDD support

Engadget Post By Sean Hollister posted May 6th 2010 11:59PM
Looks like that iPad Camera Connection Kit isn't as overpriced as we thought; not only does it have USB headset and keyboard support, but one enterprising user has hooked up an external hard drive using the dongle as well. Max Shay has an exhaustive walkthrough at his personal website, but the gist of the matter is that you'll need a jailbroken iPad, a split-USB cable to give that drive some extra juice, and a terminal of some sort (Max used his MacBook) to trick the iPad into mounting your external storage, after you use SSH to tunnel through. The result is an unwieldy wired assembly we wouldn't be caught dead with in public, but perhaps useful in a pinch -- or as the latest proof of what the iPad could do if only Apple would let it. Video after the break.


iPad Spirit jailbreak + Camera Connection Kit = external HDD support -- Engadget

[D. Johnson]

For me jailbreaking is the first thing to do. Makes iPad much more useful.

[samdrake3]

Originally Posted by Evan

Hey Dealrocker, welcome to the forums.

You will be able to connect your external hard drive. What you'll have to do, is pick up one of the USB-30-pin connectors, which Apple have put as an accessory. Once you do that, you can connect the USB into the 30-pin connection port at the bottom of the iPad, and go from there. It shouldn't be a problem.

The only problem that you might run into is the software on the iPad. Because it is iPhone OS 3.2, an external hard drive might not be supported.

Media files on the iPad will be organized through iTunes, which you'll have to have on a Mac or Windows-based PC. If you don't have these things, it's not that big of a deal. The iPad is wireless (both WiFi and 3G, on separate models), so you can actually connect to the iTunes Store, App Store, and iBookstore to download whatever you want. The files will be saved on your iPad.

If you have any other questions, feel free to post them. Everyone here would be happy to answer them.

Thanks so much. This is an interesting discussion.

[Jbbpopo]

Isn’t there any program to do this vía WiFi?
I mean, isn’t there any PROGRAM that alows you to see, mount and explore a hard disk of a computer connected to the same WiFi network as the iPad? Or a TimeCapsule?
It would be the only way to have access to any typical collection of música + photos + vídeos which is usually much larger than 64GB.

Thanks for any Help.

Jbb