Standard 44 pin cables (not flipped) are what is needed for the Virgin Webplayer.
If you want to run a 3.5" hard drive here is how to do it. You need an I-Opener cable, a 44-40 pin adapter, and a male to male header. You can then plug a standard 40 pin cable into it for your 3.5" drive. You will also need a 12V/5V power supply for the external hard drive. Don't use the 5V dingus for this arrangement.
I'll be posting information at my website this weekend on cables, adapters and power supplies.