SanDisk SDDR-64-768 Compact Flash to PC Card Adapter by SanDisk
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Our Price: $30.99 Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Category: Personal Computer See more digital camera details and other models |
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Digital camera reviews of SanDisk SDDR-64-768 Compact Flash to PC Card Adapter
Digital camera Review: Slow, affects entire system
Summary: 2 Stars
Note: I am fully aware that compact flash cards have a maximum sustained upload speed which caps off the potential speed of the medium it is being transferred on.
I purchased this product to use in conjunction with my SanDisk Ultra II compact flash cards. I thought that PC cards would be faster than USB 1.1 and 2.0, but thats not the truth.
Whenever I try to upload files from my CF cards thru the PC card, it slows down the ENTIRE system. I can't do other tasks while the card is uploading files since everything is acting sparatic and slow.
I'll admit, the card is a bit faster in uploading files than USB 1.1, but I can't do anything else on my computer while the card is working. Honestly, I would rather have a little bit slower performance with my USB 1.1 card reader and be able to work on my computer at the same time instead of having the card slow down my entire system.
I believe this card is a 16-bit pcmcia card. I've heard good praise for Lexar's 32-bit pcmcia cards, but I have yet to try it out. I'm sure it costs more money than this PC card or a USB card reader, though...
All in all, I suggest getting a USB 2.0 compact flash reader over this product if you want to work on your computer at the same time as you are uploading files.
Otherwise, if your the kinda person who doesnt mind leaving the computer alone while the files are uploaded to your computer, this will work just fine for you.
Digital camera Review: Slower than USB 2.0 reader
Summary: 3 Stars
I bought this adapter so that I would not have to carry a separate USB 2.0 reader along with my laptop on photography trips. The adapter sits flush with the edge of my laptop, so could be left in the slot without anything sticking out. Most newer laptops (including mine) feature built-in card readers, but none read CompactFlash cards, which is still the favored format of DSLRs.
Problem is, this PCMCIA/CardBus adapter is much, much slower than my SanDisk SDDR-88-A15 8-in-1 USB 2.0 Hi-speed Reader. When transferring images, this adapter consumes so much processor power that my laptop becomes unresponsive. Image transfer also eats up battery power. I have stopped using this adapter.
For photographers on the move, I would suggest something like the WOLVERINE DATA FlashPac 7-in-1 Memory Card Reader and 60 GB Storage Device, instead of lugging around a laptop and card-reader everywhere. There are other, fancier options out there with good screens that let you review your pictures (the Epson P-3000 and its siblings come to mind), but if all you want is an HDD to empty your flash cards onto, it is hard to beat the FlashPac's value.
To sum up:
PROS
* Adapter sits flush with my laptop, doesn't have to be carried separately.
CONS
* Super-slow. Feels about 5 times slower than my USB 2.0 card reader from the same company.
* Maxes out my laptop's processor (and it's a fast laptop) when transferring files.
* Eats up laptop's batteries like crazy.
* Source of constant frustration.
Digital camera Review: This card reader makes computers unusable!
Summary: 1 Stars
I have tried this card reader with two different computers and it made both of them unusable during the transfer time. In addition, it took an hour an a half to trasfer 4 GB of data. There is nothing wrong with the CF cards, because I've used a different cards readers and it transfered just fine!Digital camera Review: Ultra Slow Compact Flash PCMCIA adapter
Summary: 1 Stars
Transfer rates were around 1Mb per second - too slow for good video playback. I don't understand why SanDisk would offer a slow 16 bit PCMCIA (Type I) card that you could never take advantage of Ultra or Extreme compact flash memory? If you want to transfer large files to or from compact flash memory, purchase the 32 bit PCMCIA (Type II) adapter made by Viking InterWorks. With the Viking adapter, a 6 GB of iTunes folder was moved in about 5 minutes (~20Mb/sec)) to a 16Gb Extreme III compact flash card.Digital camera Review: Warning: 16-bit adapter cards are OLD TECHNOLOGY! Stick with 32-bit
Summary: 1 Stars
I don't know why these types of cards are still on the market--they are old, slow, and obsolete. Instead, search for 32-bit Cardbus adapters such as the ones made by Viking, Delkin, or Lexar, which are many times faster but not much more expensive. And, they fit in the same PC card slot on most laptops made in the last decade. The 32-bit cards I have used are even a bit faster than USB 2.0 and Firewire.
You can spot 32-bit cards by the gold strip at the top of the card. No gold strip? Then prepare to wait an hour or more for your data to transfer, while your laptop is brought to its knees. The old silver cards may be fine for storing and playing mp3s, or may be needed for laptops made more than 10 years ago, but any large amount of data--such as GBs of photos or video-- will take quite a while to copy over. Why would you want a reader that is SLOWER than your flash media?