H1xx as External USB Sound Device for PC?

[Packgrog]

Someone posted something similar to this on the MysticRiver site, and it got me curious about the potential of the idea, which I don't seem to see discussed anywhere else on the forum (or I just don't know the right search criteria).

The question is, is there a way that the sound hardware in the H120 (or other devices) could be utilized by a PC/Mac while the device is hooked up to the USB port?  Currently it just shows up as an external hard drive, but is it possible to leverage the rest of the hardware somehow?  The optical line in and out on the H120 is almost certainly better than the vast majority of sound cards out there, so this could make for a VERY interesting additional feature.  If this simply isn't possible due to hardware limitations, it's understandable, but if this WERE physically possible, perhaps it would be worth exploring.

So, is this feasible, or are do the necessary hardware connections simply not exist?

[Llorean]

The USB on the H100 can only be used for accessing the disk. It isn't software controllable in a way to allow that.

[Llorean]

In many cases, the USB controller is connected in a way that it can only act as external storage.

In some cases, it's set up in a way where the software has more control over it (The iPod, the Sandisk Sansa, possible the second port on the H300s) and in those cases it *may* be possible for a device to be used this way, depending on how much control one really has.