I see most recommendations for a USB adapter for the Mi box are for USB 3.0. Is that for future-proofing the adapter (since specs say the USB port on the Mi box is 2.0)?
I see most recommendations for a USB adapter for the Mi box are for USB 3.0. Is that for future-proofing the adapter (since specs say the USB port on the Mi box is 2.0)?
I would recommend it so you can use it on different devices later, so yes. I figure since the 3.0 is plugged into 2.0, it still acts as 2.0.
I find the USB 2.0 is fast enough for external storage and adaptive storage, but bought a 3.0 drive for future use. A lot of the speed has to do with the bus and drive. Some USB 3.0 drives are slower than some 2.0 ones.
I tried several different USB 2.0 adapters and all of them have an issue starting up after turning the Mi Box off. It will work for awhile then just suddenly stop working and my Mi Box will auto switch to WiFi. The only fix is to reboot the box. Three different adapters from three different companies all have the same problem.
I just bought this one:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00LLUEJFU/
Also bought the external power adapter for it for a little extra juice and to keep it powered when the Mi Box is off.
So far after three days it's been working fine. But it's only three days. I need to do more testing with it. I'll update this in a couple days with my results.
I can get my Mi Box to recognize my USB storage but I get errors when trying to save or transfer data to it. My Mi box is full and I just want to use my USB now but can't figure out how. Anyone know?
The MiBox uses an Amlogic S905x SOC. USB 3.0 is not a feature of that chipset. Because USB 3.0 hardware is a superset of USB 2.0, your USB 3.0 device will operate, but only up to the design parameters of USB 2.0.
SOURCE: http://www.cnx-software.com/2016/06/24/does-amlogic-s905x-support-usb-3-0/
As noted, using a powered USB hub of any flavor is the recommended approach.
Most USB flash drives don't get close to their normal speeds, but a USB 3 drive will have a faster flash controller, meaning it is more likely to max out USB 2 speeds over a "normal" USB 2 device.