USB DEVICE COMPATIBILITY
This section explores the technical aspects of connecting USB devices to DDS. For many users much of the
detail will be irrelevant - the player will simply do the expected thing. However, it is a good idea to familiarise
yourself with this information so you are prepared for any unexpected issue that might occur while working.
USB CONNECTION
DDS is a USB Media player. It has no storage of its own, but rather external storage is connected via up to three
USB ports (one at the front, two at the rear). This allows three devices to be connected directly to the unit, which is
ample for most situations. However, USB hubs are also supported for extending the possibilities to at least twelve
devices. Hubs must be connected directly to the DDS; connecting a hub to a hub is not supported.
The USB specification limits the amount of power a USB port can provide. Some devices, particularly motorised
devices such as hard drives, require more power than can be taken from one port and so ship with an AC Adapter
or a second USB cable. Please be sure to use the adapter or cable to ensure reliable operation. We recommend
that hubs should be of the powered type to ensure that sufficient power is available for the devices connected to
them, especially if any of those devices are motorised.
When connecting to the USB ports, take care to get the plug the right way around. Forcing a plug the wrong way
could damage the connectors both of your device and DDS. For your convenience you may choose to connect
USB extension cables to the DDS ports, and your devices to the cables. This is fine however you should avoid the
use of excessively long (greater than 1 meter / 40 inch) extensions as these can cause unreliable operation.
SUPPORTED STORAGE DEVICES
DDS is compatible with most USB storage devices that support the Mass Storage Class standard. This includes
USB hard drives, flash memory keys, flash card adapters and personal music players. Devices that require device
driver installation on your PC or Mac might not be compatible. Devices must comply with the USB 1.0, 1.1 or 2.0
standards including the specification for bus powering (no device may draw more than 500mA from one port).
Although DDS has been tested with a wide variety of devices, it is of course impossible to test with all of the
thousands of variants that exist. If you discover a compatibility issue, please let us know, stating the type, make
and model of the device and where and when you bought it. It is likely that any problem is due to the device
deviating from the USB standard, however sometimes it is possible to accommodate even these devices in a
future firmware update.
DDS supports devices with multiple partitions. Each partition that contains a supported file system will show up as
a separate library. When ejecting, be sure to eject all of the partitions before removing such a device.
If your device has a Write Protect switch we recommend setting it to Off. DDS can work with write protected
devices but some functionality will be lost, such as creation of playlists and saving of the crate. A device must be
write enabled to create a library, however an existing library on a write protected device can be loaded.
IDENTIFYING LIBRARIES
Each library in use has a unique name which indicates how it is connected, like this:
USB 1
USB 2, USB 3
USB 1-1
USB 1-4
USB 1b
USB 1-2c
In most cases, for simple devices connected direct to the unit, you will simply see USB 1, USB 2 or USB 3.
Front USB Port
Rear USB Port 2/3
Port 1 of a hub connected to the front USB Port
Port 4 of a hub connected to the front USB Port
The second partition on the Front USB Port
The third partition on Port 2 of a hub connected to the front USB Port
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