03-07-2003, 10:00 AM
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Executive Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 29,160
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Crucial Technology Introduces Flash Card Readers
"Crucial Technology, a division of Micron and one of the world's largest direct memory upgrade providers, introduced today a new line of stationary and portable flash memory card readers to complement its existing CompactFlash� and MultiMediaCard� flash memory line. Crucial�s new USB 1.1-compliant readers make it easy to transfer digital data from flash memory cards directly to a desktop computer or notebook.
'Crucial�s card readers are the ideal way to shuttle data from your digital camera, digital music player, handheld computer, or other electronic device directly to your PC,' said Crucial Technology Product Marketing Manager Scott Heimgartner. 'Many of our customers use multiple electronic devices and multiple flash memory card formats in their home or professional life. Crucial's card readers host either single or multiple flash storage card formats, addressing the needs of the mobile professional and desktop user alike.' "
I'm a big fan of Crucial quality, but USB 1.1? It seems a little strange to be introducing anything other than USB 2.0 at this point - what do you think? I know that USB 2.0 is hardly everywhere at this point, but if you were buying a USB memory card reader, wouldn't you want to buy a USB 2.0 device? Or is USB 1.1 fine for the next year or so?
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03-07-2003, 10:05 AM
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Thinker
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 361
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It seems to me to remain competitive in the market you would want to move to USB 2.0. Even if there is a large base out there still using USB 1.1, there is a strong market of people willing to pay a "premium" (slightly, I know) for the latest.
Perhaps they didn't want to invest the R&D, or, more likely, they got a huge discount on the modules. Very strange. If they really think this is the way to go, they better put them right in front of those most likely to have a little older computer. "That's it, right next to the gum at register 6..."
-Jason
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03-07-2003, 01:48 PM
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Philosopher
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 545
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USB 2.0 is the way to go.
I agree with you. There's no reason that they should be doing this. Even the USB to Serial Adapter I bought from Keyspan is now 2.0 (and it doesn't really need the extra speed ....it bottle necks cus of the speed limitation of Serial Ports.......). BTW, search Brighthand or go here
http://discussion.brighthand.com/sho...&pagenumber=13
and find instructions on how to get a Keyspan USB to Serial High Speed Adapter (USA-19QW or 19W) Running on a Pocket PC with USB host capabilities! Works on e740. Should work on others as well (as long as it's got a ARM or Xscale and USB Host Capability). It ROCKS! :rock on dude!:
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03-07-2003, 02:09 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 95
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Slightly off-topic, but when is someone going to make a card reader that reads CF, SD, and the new xD-Picture Disc?
There are standalone xD readers, but not a combo xD, CF, SD reader. Has anyone seen one?
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03-07-2003, 02:30 PM
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Pupil
Join Date: Oct 2002
Posts: 31
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Agreed, why USB 1??? My guess is they are just buying and relabelling something that is already out there. Seems to be the trend these days, slap your logo on it and call it your own.
Why don't they make more multicard readers that will fit in a 3.5" drive bay??? I've got enough junk on my desk, I don't want more cables and boxes. There is only one or two that I have seen, TigerDirect carries one: http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...?sku=A128-2000 , but it's USB1.
What I really want is a 6 in 1, that is USB2, fits in 3.5" drive, and has feedthrough for one USB port and one Firewire port, available in black or white. Anyone seen one like that?
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03-07-2003, 03:45 PM
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Theorist
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 284
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Until portable media read/write speeds improves significantly, the speed gained by using a USB 2 reader will be modest for all but the fastest cards (which carry a premium in cost). Below is a quote of some analysis I did in response to a similar thread on BrightHand.
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Interesting observation. I just bought a Dazzle 6-in-1 reader that's USB1 (but all my ports are USB2). They included a card showing the read/write speeds of several brands of CF cards (Microtech, SanDisk, and Lexar). The fastest speeds for Microtech CF Type I card was 4,125 KB/s (~ 4 MB/s) read and 2,041 (~ 2 MB/s) KB/s write. USB 1 tops out at 12 Mbps (~ 1.5 MB/s). Thus for the fastest CF cards, you may see some improvement (~ 2-fold or 200%) with transfering data from the card and little improvement (33% increase) with transferring data to the card. That's only if you are using Lexar's or Microtech's faster CF cards. The slower SanDisk cards read/write speeds were 2.1 MB/s / 0.86 MB/s (these slower cards would see little to no improvement with the move to USB 2).
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03-07-2003, 05:26 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 361
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by kwerner
Agreed, why USB 1??? My guess is they are just buying and relabelling something that is already out there. Seems to be the trend these days, slap your logo on it and call it your own.
Why don't they make more multicard readers that will fit in a 3.5" drive bay??? I've got enough junk on my desk, I don't want more cables and boxes. There is only one or two that I have seen, TigerDirect carries one: http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...?sku=A128-2000 , but it's USB1.
What I really want is a 6 in 1, that is USB2, fits in 3.5" drive, and has feedthrough for one USB port and one Firewire port, available in black or white. Anyone seen one like that? |
I've never seen one that fits into the 3.5" drive and has BOTH USB 2.0 and Firewire. Very strange. Usually the company with the most options is Addonics, check it out!
-Jason
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03-07-2003, 06:14 PM
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Sage
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 630
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USB 1 vs 2
I saw a threads in one of the forums about this. They questioned if a compact flash could even taked advantage of USB 2. The fast cards out there only read about 4+Mbps, well within the usb 1 range.
USB 1.1 can transfer 12MBps while USB 2 a whopping 480 Mbps.
So if a card can only read 4MBPS, why do we need 480MBPS?
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03-07-2003, 08:20 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 384
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SOYO reader
Quote:
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Originally Posted by kwerner
Agreed, why USB 1??? My guess is they are just buying and relabelling something that is already out there. Seems to be the trend these days, slap your logo on it and call it your own.
Why don't they make more multicard readers that will fit in a 3.5" drive bay??? I've got enough junk on my desk, I don't want more cables and boxes. There is only one or two that I have seen, TigerDirect carries one: http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...?sku=A128-2000 , but it's USB1.
What I really want is a 6 in 1, that is USB2, fits in 3.5" drive, and has feedthrough for one USB port and one Firewire port, available in black or white. Anyone seen one like that? |
Your wish is granted, though Newegg doesn't have them in stock right now.
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduc...ion=20-187-002
Another cool product:
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduc...ion=21-110-001
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03-08-2003, 12:40 PM
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Swami
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 4,303
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Well, USB card readers are a 'bit' more future proof. When card speeds increase, we'll have the equipment ready to handel them. I do believe that USB 2 would give some speed advantage over USB 1.1 & I simply won't buy any USB 1.1 equipment unless there is no alternative. Crucial messed up here by going with USB 1.1. :evil:
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Linear Mode
