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Anonymous User
Not applicable

Usb port and a micro sd slot in a smart box and a NOWTV box

Can anyone tell me what the usb port is for on a NOWTV smart tv box or the micro as slot on a NOWTV box please
30 REPLIES 30
ukbobboy
Legend

@Anonymous User

 

Hi JJ

 

You asked, "What is the usb and micro SD ports are for?", well, they are both inoperable and are there because the Roku devices that the Now TV boxes are based on have them.

 

However, I understand that you can recharge your mobile phone from the USB port, but I could not swear to this.

 

 

UK Bob

Andy
Legend 5
Legend 5

@Anonymous User

 

Unfortunately at the moment they both do nothing useful, the hardware is there because the NOW TV boxes are modified versions of the eequivalent Roku boxes which do make use of them,,but NOW TV have chosen not to allow use of them.

 

The USB port is powered when the box is in use so you can use it to charge your phone but that's about it. 

Anonymous User
Not applicable

@Andy wrote:

@Anonymous User

 

"Unfortunately at the moment they both do nothing useful, the hardware is there because the NOW TV boxes are modified versions of the eequivalent Roku boxes which do make use of them,,but NOW TV have chosen not to allow use of them..."

 The micro SD slot is active and is usedto store Apps.

Recently I had been getting messages recommending use of the SD storage to improve App load speeds. This was new behaviour that I'd never seen before.

I inserted a spare 2Gb SDXC card, formatted it and bingo! Apps like iPlayer no longer exhibit initial loading delay.

So I guess it does something useful after all. I can only assume this was triggered by a recent software update.


 

Anonymous User
Not applicable

I can confirm that the microSD slot DOES now work. It stores apps and/or app data on it in order to speed up app launching. 

Anonymous User
Not applicable

I can confirm that the microSD slot DOES now work. My box was also telling me to insert a card to speed up the apps. It stores apps and/or app data in order to speed up app launching. You may first need to manually update the firmware in the settings. However, thus far, I've only got it to 'see' cards of 4GB or less - it doesn't see either of my two 8GB cards - it works with my 2GB and 4GB cards. This is either a read/write bandwidth limitation and/or cell-structure requirement i.e. there are different ways that memory is structured - all memory cards are not the same internally. So, it may be that you'll need to dig out an old 2GB or 4GB card for compatibility (and perhaps it'll even work with an old 8GB or 16GB card), or it may work with ANY card up to 4GB. It's a case, mostly, of plug one in and see if the format message comes up - in which case it's working, and you'll be asked to format it. It formats it in a 'raw' or proprietary format i.e. it is not FAT, FAT32, exFAT or NTFS. You possibly don't need bigger than 2GB since, with nearly all allowed apps installed from the Now app screen, mine is showing as only 6% used (thus far) - this may increase as other apps' data/cache is added to the card. See "Settings-System-About" for box info and card usage. As for the USB port, nothing reads on mine - not even the 2GB card in a USB adapter. However, the port is useful as a charging/power port for a smartphone or tablet, especially if your device has mini/micro HDMI out and you're using it nearby to 'convert' an HDMI monitor into a Smart TV as I do (saves taking up another mains socket - all you need is a USB charging cable). Or, as I'm currently doing, you can power/charge a Bluetooth speaker (which I'm using as an auxiliary speaker from the monitor's headphone socket to boost the monitor's tinny built-in speakers). The USB port will be putting out at least 0.5A - which is plenty to trickle-charge/power most 5V devices - and it may even be outputting 1A or more i.e. 2A, especially if the port was specified to power an external portable hard drive. Perhaps the ports specs can be found on the Roku box specifications. Have fun pluggin' 'n' playin' !

ukbobboy
Legend

@Anonymous User 

Hi ZB

I feel that I have to give you special shout out thanks because of your experience relayed in your post, I was finally able to put an SD card into my Roku 3 which was immediately recognised, formatted and is now working.

You know, I have contacted Roku's help chat three times and got on each occasion, what I now know to be, bogus advice. And because of all this naffness, I've wasted time and money purchasing incompatible SD cards. The last piece of nonsense advice I got suggested that my Roku 3's SD port was faulty.

When all said and done, all that's needed was for some techie at Roku (or Now TV) to say that customers who wanted to use the SD port should only use a 2 or 4GB card (preferably a 2GB one). However, you would be hard pressed to find anyone, from either company, or any instructions that will explicitly say what SD card you should use.

BTW, this is the SD card I am now using in my Roku 3.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Transcend-2GB-Micro-Transflash-Card-Black/dp/B000MSLW6G/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1549391897&sr=8-4&keywords=Transcend+2GB+SD+Card

Once again, cheers.

 

UK Bob

PS. I hope all the other users with Now TV boxes or Roku devices read our posts and see that it is relatively cheap and simple to use the right SD card for their Internet streaming devices.

 

 

 

 

 

 

PaulNormanUK
Scholar 3

Why would one want to use a memory card with a Now TV set top box? Apps are limited and you can't extend the live pause time by taking advantage of the extra storage space that the memory card provides.

Anonymous User
Not applicable
Many thanks Bob. Great newsKind regards to you Paul
PaulNormanUK
Scholar 3

I just wanted to let people know that the NOW TV smart box V2 accepts 32GB SD cards:

15496243129642229925904890012786.jpg

Having tested the same 8gb and 32gb sd cards in a 4200SK - Now TV box, I get "not installed" message in the about menu. So the older boxes must be limited to a 4GB sd card?