07-12-2002, 11:10 PM
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Executive Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 29,160
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eMagic 6 in 1 USB combo memory card reader review
http://www.handheldcanada.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=H&Product_Code=MS0049&Affiliate=ppcthoughts
Late last month I was looking for a USB 2.0 compliant combo memory card reader. I wasn't able to find one that matched my needs, but HandHeld Canada contacted me about a USB 1.0 combo unit that they had. Since I was still using an old CF card reader that had a habit of shorting out every D-Link hub I attached it to, I jumped at the chance to check out the eMagic combo reader (affiliate link above).
With a retail price of $45.65 US / $69.99 CND, this is a very capable 6 in 1 card reader. I put together a mini photo review with my impressions about the unit, but for those that want to skip to the end, here's the short version: it rocks.
Although I only tested it with CompactFlash, Secure Digital, and Multimedia Cards, the reader officially supports the following types of cards:
1. Type I/II CompactFlash� Card (CF)
2. Smart Media Card� (SM)
3. MultiMedia Card (MMC)
4. Secured Digital Card (SD)
5. Sony Memory Stick Card (MS)
6. IBM� MicroDrive (MD)
Figure 1: The eMagic 6 in 1 USB Combo Card Reader - not much in the box! I've always loved those cute little CDs...and to think I didn't even need it! The USB cable was a generous six feet long, twice as long as the cable on my previous reader. It may seem like a small thing, but there's nothing worse than being restricted on where you can place your peripherals. As you can tell by the size comparison with the mini-CD, the card reader is quite small.
Figure 2: A close up shot of the card reader. Four different slots for cards. MMC and SD cards fit in the upper left slot, the upper right is for Memory Sticks, the slot in the middle is for Smart Media, and the lower slot is for CompactFlash cards and Microdrives. The eMagic unit looks really slick - I like the design and colours on it.
Figure 3: The indicator lights. When plugged in, Power is lit, and when a card is plugged into the slot the appropriate indicator is also lit. There is an activity light indicator, so it's important to let the reader finishing reading/writing before pulling the card out. Even with Write Caching disabled in Windows XP, I saw an error once when pulling the card out before it was finished writing - watch the light, or wait 5-7 seconds for it to finish.
Figure 4: When I plugged the reader into my hub, it immediately recognized it as a generic memory card reader and added four new icons to My Computer - one drive letter for each drive. Talk about easy! I didn't even need the included CD-ROM for drivers. Ease of use is important to me, as is the ability to bring this over to another computer, plug it in, and go. It assigned the drive letters in order, and since I don't use Smart Media or Memory Stick cards, I right-clicked on drives L and N, went into the hardware properties, and disabled the drives. I like things nice and clean, no clutter.
All in all, I couldn't ask for anything more from a USB 1.0 card reader. By late this year USB 2.0 will be more common, and once I get a motherboard with USB 2.0 support (or a USB 2.0 PCI card) I'll be on the lookout for a card reader with blazing speed, but until then, this is exactly what I needed.
For the specification-minded among you, here's your nourishment:
1. USB Specification Reversion 1.1
2. CompactFlash Specification Version 1.4
3. SmartMedia Electrical Specification Version 1.1
4. Support MultiMedia Card specification Version 2.2
5. Support SD Memory Card Specification Version 1.0
6. Support Memory Stick specification Version 1.3
� Host Transfer Rate for SmartMedia/ CompactFlash: 16.6MB/s(PIO4)
� 4 cards simultaneously can be accessed on the PC
� Transfer Rate for USB Interface: "Full Speed" Up to 12Mbits/sec
� Power Saving feature is implemented
� Power-down mode
� Idle mode
� Support Windows 98/SE/2000, Mac OS v9.0+ (with USB Driver)
� Support Window ME/XP and Linux Driver for kernel version 2.4.0+ (without USB driver)
� Provide LED indicator while CF/MD/SM/MMC/SD/MS USB Port Reader/Writer is busy.
� Plug & Play
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07-12-2002, 11:11 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 95
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I like the short version of your review :wink:
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07-12-2002, 11:18 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 468
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So, given that it adds individual drive icons in windows for each of the "drives" in it, does that mean you can insert multiple cards in it at the same time and have it read them all? For example, a CF card and a Memory Stick and an SD card, all at once?
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07-12-2002, 11:20 PM
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Executive Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 29,160
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Grabaclue
So, given that it adds individual drive icons in windows for each of the "drives" in it, does that mean you can insert multiple cards in it at the same time and have it read them all? For example, a CF card and a Memory Stick and an SD card, all at once?
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Hmm. The answer would be "yes" (in the screen shot I have both CF and SD in the reader), but I didn't try any simultaneous transfers. It SHOULD work, but the bandwidth would be cut in half...
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07-12-2002, 11:55 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 194
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Re: eMagic 6 in 1 USB combo memory card reader review
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Originally Posted by Jason Dunn
Since I was still using an old CF card reader that had a habit of shorting out every D-Link hub I attached it to, I jumped at the chance to check out the eMagic combo reader (affiliate link above).
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Jason, Which CF card reader would that be? Recently my D-Link USB hub tanked. It will run "ok" on bus power but as soon as I plug in the AC adapter for it to be self-powered it loses all of the USB connections on the hub. (I'm convinced that it is just a cheap hub which decided after 4 months of light use to just walk off the job.
RickP in AZ
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07-13-2002, 12:17 AM
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Executive Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 29,160
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Re: eMagic 6 in 1 USB combo memory card reader review
Quote:
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Originally Posted by RickP in AZ
Jason, Which CF card reader would that be? Recently my D-Link USB hub tanked. It will run "ok" on bus power but as soon as I plug in the AC adapter for it to be self-powered it loses all of the USB connections on the hub. (I'm convinced that it is just a cheap hub which decided after 4 months of light use to just walk off the job.
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It's one of these: http://www.microtechint.com/qs-usbcmate.html
Problem is, I lost the AC power adaptor for it. Now it shouldn't NEED it, but (no joke) I've gone through FOUR of the D-Link 7 port USB hubs. It works with my Linksys 4 port USB hub, but every so often the CF card reader would be "off" and I'd have to unplug and re-connect it to the hub. Turns out that this is what happens when a USB device is drawing too much power - the USB hub wil disconnect it. The problem is that the D-Link hub wasn't doing that, and the CF card reader was frying it. :?
D-Link products are generally quite good, but in this one case, the hub wasn't giving the smackdown to the CF card reader like it should have. :-) Needless to say, I'm THRILLED with the new eMagic reader - it's works perfectly.
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07-13-2002, 12:21 AM
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Contributing Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 8,228
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Looks like a good product, and not to take anything away from it, but many (all?) 5-1 products do the same thing without listing the Microdrive as a separate product but lumping it in the CF-II category.
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07-13-2002, 12:25 AM
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Executive Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 29,160
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Ed Hansberry
but many (all?) 5-1 products do the same thing without listing the Microdrive as a separate product but lumping it in the CF-II category.
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Yeah, it's "really" a 5 in 1 - cheesy marketing effort, but I suppose that a Microdrive *is* a unique type of card... :roll:
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07-13-2002, 12:34 AM
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Contributing Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 8,228
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I have the Kingston 5-1, and it is a bit smaller, but it only allows you to access 2 cards at once, creating 2 removeable drives on the PC, not 4. The CF and SM slots are combined, and the SD/MMC/MS slots are combined. Given the price is the same (~$45-50 US) I'd be inclinded to get this one if I were buying today.
Very cool with XP. Just plug it in, wait 5 seconds and all drivers are automagically installed. 
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07-13-2002, 12:36 AM
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Sage
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 735
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Only if this exists in the firewire version too. :cry:
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