Why my next digital camera will use Compact Flash
Eduardo Suastegui
No reason to panic, fellow Olympus C-2020Z advocates. Even through all my
recent bumpy travails with my C-2020Z, I love the images it produces enough
to will myself to linger in my affections toward the camera.
Nonetheless, one of my reservations about purchasing this camera, its use of
Smart Media storage, is hammering itself true, even if in ways I never
anticipated. My first gut reservations arose from Smart Media's diminutive,
wafer thin, almost too flimsy bodice. My second and more technical concern
dealt with Compact Flash's current lead in larger storage formats and
alternatives, such as the Microdrive. Add to this the fact that Compact
Flash (most of it, anyway) enhances existing industry standards, namely IDE
pin-for-pin compatibility--the reason Compact Flash PMCIA adapters are mere
wire contacts--and the case for Compact Flash grows more muscular.
Willing to keep my peace about the inner turmoil my decision to use Smart
Media provokes, my latest experience with Smart Media in my Olympus C-2020Z
finally parted my taut lips. Fingerprints on gold contacts affects whether a
card is readable or not? Come on! I am willing to concede that perhaps this
problem is partly the fault of a poor design on the camera reader.
Nonetheless, my recent troubles with Smart Media card errors highlights an
inherent design deficiency in Smart Media: those golden contacts look cool,
but they are flapping in the breeze. I learned many things in my days of
Digital Electrical Engineering. One of them was: protect your contacts.
Again, no reason to worry. I will continue to use my Olympus C-2020Z, enjoy
my photos and clean those gold contacts regularly. But I don't intend to do
the latter when I invest hundreds of dollars in my next digital camera.
--
Eduardo Suastegui
http://members.xoom.com/esuastegui
(Digital photos at http://members.xoom.com/esuastegui/c2020z)
"Test everything. Hold onto the good."
Terry Dawson
news:ceaF4.2817$ZE4....@ord-read.news.verio.net...
> Willing to keep my peace about the inner turmoil my decision to use Smart
> Media provokes, my latest experience with Smart Media in my Olympus
C-2020Z
> finally parted my taut lips. Fingerprints on gold contacts affects whether
a
> card is readable or not? Come on! I am willing to concede that perhaps
this
While we're doing true confessions, I've always found the margins of a
SmartMedia card to be much more generous than the ones on film. It's
rigidity, relative to film, also makes it much easier to handle. Guess it's
all in the technique and what one is accustomed to. ;-)
--
[>@\/\/$<>|\|
One Zen Zeros
http://home.att.net/~onezenzeros
bob dolson
DQuizon817 <dquiz...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20000331190303...@ng-ch1.aol.com...
>
> The following digital camera models can use the Microdrive:
>
> Canon Pro 70
> Canon S10 after firmware upgrade
> Casio QV2000UX
> Hitachi MP-EG10W
> Minolta RD3000
> Sanyo VPC-SX500
>
You left out the Epson 850Z... Also the Canon S20, the Casio 3000EX, and
most likely the new Epson 900Z. Oh and I imagine the new Casio XV-3 (don't
know much about that but since it is a new model I assume that it will also
work with type II compactflash.
--
Sincerely,
Bob Dolson
Retired since Oct. 1, 1999!
check out our web pages when you get a chance.
Now including some QTVR pans from the Casio 2000UX at:
http://home.sprynet.com/~bdolson
Also check out our PhotoPoint web albums.
Also including some 2000UX samples at:
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumList?u=49802
Mike
>Again, no reason to worry. I will continue to use my Olympus C-2020Z, enjoy
>my photos and clean those gold contacts regularly. But I don't intend to do
>the latter when I invest hundreds of dollars in my next digital camera.
Perhaps by then Olympus will be fitting slots for both media types to
all its high-end consumer cameras.
_________________________ Remove the "-barred" from my address if
Michael Humberston replying by eMail.
Let us so live that when we come to die even the undertaker will be sorry.
-Mark Twain, U.S. Author (1835-1910)
DQuizon817
The following digital camera models can use the Microdrive:
Canon Pro 70
Canon S10 after firmware upgrade
Casio QV2000UX
Hitachi MP-EG10W
Minolta RD3000
Sanyo VPC-SX500
The Microdrive is also a good storage choice for the new Nikon D1 Professional
camera although it has not yet been put on the "approved" list by Nikon it is
expected to be added soon. The only concern about pairing these two is that the
Microdrive generates too much heat during repeated burst mode saves and could
possibly damage the D1's sensitive electronics.
Bob123<Billybob@.unospamme.net
>Or, more to the point, why it won't use Smart Media . . .
>
>No reason to panic, fellow Olympus C-2020Z advocates. Even through all my
(SNIP)
>Willing to keep my peace about the inner turmoil my decision to use Smart
>Media provokes, my latest experience with Smart Media in my Olympus C-2020Z
>finally parted my taut lips. Fingerprints on gold contacts affects whether a
>card is readable or not? Come on! I am willing to concede that perhaps this
(SNIP)
Eduardo did you REALLY think it alright to touch the contacts? Really?
If so, I would not want you to work on my computer or ANY other
electronics. Good design or bad is quite another issue but common
sense (and installation instructions) for most electronics and even
projection lamps warn against touching connection surfaces. Based on
this experience it would seem obvious that one should not contaminate
the contacts. You made a mistake, no big deal but don't blame it on
the Smartmedia! Besides, your experience here may help someone else
avoid the same problem.
Charles M. Kozierok
} Eduardo did you REALLY think it alright to touch the contacts? Really?
} If so, I would not want you to work on my computer or ANY other
} electronics.
Well, I've worked extensively with computers and electronics for years
and Smartmedia is the first technology I have ever heard of that will
*cease to function* on the basis of a couple of fingerprints.
cheers,
-*-
Charles M. Kozierok (mailto:ix...@PCGuide.com)
Webslave, The PC Guide - http://www.PCGuide.com
Comprehensive PC reference, troubleshooting, optimization and procedures...
Bob123<Billybob@.unospamme.net
>In article <62pbescaj5ut58tk9...@4ax.com>, Bob123 <*> wrote:
>} Eduardo did you REALLY think it alright to touch the contacts? Really?
>} If so, I would not want you to work on my computer or ANY other
>} electronics.
>
>Well, I've worked extensively with computers and electronics for years
>and Smartmedia is the first technology I have ever heard of that will
>*cease to function* on the basis of a couple of fingerprints.
>
>cheers,
>
That assumes that these fingerprints were not of the peanut butter and
jelly or potato chip variety. ;^) I too have worked in electronics
for quite a while now and I would NEVER assume that I could touch the
contacts on a memory module of ANY kind and expect it would not have
problems. Heck, you can't even mix tinned edge memory with other
types in some computers and have it work! This is not all that
unusual.
Charles M. Kozierok
} That assumes that these fingerprints were not of the peanut butter and
} jelly or potato chip variety. ;^) I too have worked in electronics
} for quite a while now and I would NEVER assume that I could touch the
} contacts on a memory module of ANY kind and expect it would not have
} problems.
Well, you're talking about the theory and the safe way to operate; I
agree with you. I'm saying that *in practice* this is rarely a problem
unless it's egregious, as you said, "peanut butter and jelly". I've
never heard of it being such a problem in practice until this Smartmedia
business.
} Heck, you can't even mix tinned edge memory with other
} types in some computers and have it work!
It'll work... for a while. :) Different problem.
Terry Dawson
news:8c4sq1$b...@shell3.shore.net...
> In article <62pbescaj5ut58tk9...@4ax.com>, Bob123 <*> wrote:
> } Eduardo did you REALLY think it alright to touch the contacts? Really?
> } If so, I would not want you to work on my computer or ANY other
> } electronics.
>
> Well, I've worked extensively with computers and electronics for years
> and Smartmedia is the first technology I have ever heard of that will
> *cease to function* on the basis of a couple of fingerprints.
How about film? Anyway, I heard that SmartMedia II will automatically scan
the fingerprints and send them to the national klutz database. That should
clear up the issue.
Eduardo Suastegui
news:62pbescaj5ut58tk9...@4ax.com...
> "Eduardo Suastegui" <esuast...@xoommail.com> wrote:
>
> Eduardo did you REALLY think it alright to touch the contacts? Really?
> If so, I would not want you to work on my computer or ANY other
> sense (and installation instructions) for most electronics and even
> projection lamps warn against touching connection surfaces. Based on
> this experience it would seem obvious that one should not contaminate
> the contacts. You made a mistake, no big deal but don't blame it on
> the Smartmedia! Besides, your experience here may help someone else
> avoid the same problem.
Peanut butter, indeed. If this isn't a failed attempt at defending a flawed
technology, I don't know what is. No, Bob, no gross fingerprints here. In
fact, I had to look really close to locate the offending marks. And in
truth, as a matter of practice, I did make it a point to never touch the
golden contact. The fact I did merely proves the obvious: with a device that
small, the likelihood you will touch exposed contacts reaches 100% in very
short order. Finally, why would minor fingerprints interfere with metal
contacts? For instance, in the old days of the legged RAM chips, I would
gently push the chip legs closer together with my fingertips (while
grounded, of course) so that the chip would easily snap into a socket. Now
that's fingerprinting, Bob. Not once did I have one of these chips fail. The
fact remains: Compact Flash's design better protects its contacts, and
consequently, that media will prove both more durable and reliable. The
evidence on this is clear: go to Dejanews and do a search on Smart Media vs.
Compact Flash failure reports on this newsgroup. Want to save yourself some
time and guess at what you'll discover? You will have to spread your peanut
butter rather generously to dissuade common sense.
Bob123<Billybob@.unospamme.net
>In article <5i2ces4nlqofmrkf6...@4ax.com>, Bob123 <*> wrote:
>} That assumes that these fingerprints were not of the peanut butter and
>} jelly or potato chip variety. ;^) I too have worked in electronics
>} for quite a while now and I would NEVER assume that I could touch the
>} contacts on a memory module of ANY kind and expect it would not have
>} problems.
>
>Well, you're talking about the theory and the safe way to operate; I
>agree with you. I'm saying that *in practice* this is rarely a problem
>unless it's egregious, as you said, "peanut butter and jelly". I've
>never heard of it being such a problem in practice until this Smartmedia
>business.
>
Is it really a problem though? Eduardo is the first to report it as a
problem. Even IF all units act similarly, and all you have to do is:
"If error reading, remove memory card and wipe with clean dry cloth
and replace" I could not in all honesty label this a problem.
I wish ALL my electronic "problems" were this easily solved. In any
case, Cheers.
Eduardo Suastegui
> ix...@PCGuide.com (Charles M. Kozierok) wrote:
>
> Is it really a problem though? Eduardo is the first to report it as a
> problem.
Wrong. The others that suggested I wipe the card clean (see the "My Olympus
C-2020Z blows it again!!!" thread) also had the same problem. And there have
been numerous reports of SM card-read errors in this ng. I suggest you plow
through Dejanews to verify this.
> Even IF all units act similarly, and all you have to do is:
> "If error reading, remove memory card and wipe with clean dry cloth
> and replace" I could not in all honesty label this a problem.
> I wish ALL my electronic "problems" were this easily solved. In any
> case, Cheers.
Agreed. But neither the product documentation nor the technical support
folks were aware of such an innocuous solution. Thinking I was having yet
another electronic problem with my Olympus C-2020Z, I, at the behest of tech
support, almost took my camera in for repairs for the second time in about
one month of ownership.
Brian Singleton
off of bioelectric current running through the human body. Perhaps the
problem was no the actual oil of the fingerprint, rather maybe the card
received a small static shock from your body when you touched it. I mean,
this is the working principal of the technology, and the warnings clearly
warn: "static shock (electricity) can damage or erase smartmedia cards".
(I'm sure this is not what it says verbatim, but i know i've see a warning
similar at least a dozen times). I've never seen a CF card, i mean held one
in my hand and examined it, but i think the contacts are more hidden, which
would reduce the chance of static shock from a human body to it. This is
just a theory of mine, just my 2 cents or whatever. I have had my fugi
mx-1200 since december, and still havn't had a problem with even 1 SM card.
I have 5 8mb cards and 1 32mb card. Just FYI.
Brian
"Eduardo Suastegui" <esuast...@xoommail.com> wrote in message
news:wZoF4.8$JE2....@typhoon.we.rr.com...
> "Bob123" <Billybob@.unospamme.net> wrote in message
ski...@my-deja.com
BOTH of them developed cracks in the top corners, one on
the left, one on the right.
The cards were not mishandled!!!
I 'repaired' the cards by melting the plastic edges
together with a soldering iron.
And given how easily memory chips are blown from
static charge, having the contacts hanging in the
breeze most definitely IS a bad design...
I still love my Oly D 450 Z, tho.
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.
Eduardo Suastegui
news:38e66767@dos...
> I was just wondering... there are those really expensive watches that run
> off of bioelectric current running through the human body. Perhaps the
> problem was no the actual oil of the fingerprint, rather maybe the card
> received a small static shock from your body when you touched it. I mean,
> this is the working principal of the technology, and the warnings clearly
> warn: "static shock (electricity) can damage or erase smartmedia cards".
> (I'm sure this is not what it says verbatim, but i know i've see a warning
> similar at least a dozen times). I've never seen a CF card, i mean held
one
> in my hand and examined it, but i think the contacts are more hidden,
which
> would reduce the chance of static shock from a human body to it. This is
> just a theory of mine, just my 2 cents or whatever. I have had my fugi
> mx-1200 since december, and still havn't had a problem with even 1 SM
card.
> I have 5 8mb cards and 1 32mb card. Just FYI.
Your theory is somewhat plausible, and I would consider it more seriously if
the cards had lost data. But none of them did. After I cleaned the contacts,
I could view all previously taken pictures in the camera. I briefly
entertained another, yet similar theory: I could have placed a static charge
on the card and this charge remain there until I wiped it clean with a cloth
. . . but then I remembered that wiping the contact would create, not
dissipate static charge, and I discarded my musings. The most plausible
explanation is that body oils and perspiration, in the small amounts in
which they appeared on the card (barely visible) somehow interfered with the
camera contact. This is very bad, in my opinion, since electrical contacts
ought not stop working under such benign conditions.
--
Eduardo Suastegui
http://members.xoom.com/esuastegui
(Digital photos at http://members.xoom.com/esuastegui/c2020z
"Test everything. Hold on to the good."
bob dolson
> Good design or bad is quite another issue but common
> sense (and installation instructions) for most electronics and even
> projection lamps warn against touching connection surfaces. Based on
> this experience it would seem obvious that one should not contaminate
> the contacts. You made a mistake, no big deal but don't blame it on
> the Smartmedia! Besides, your experience here may help someone else
> avoid the same problem.
Don't blame it on the Smartmedia?? That's a laugh! Why did they design the
smartmedia with the contacts on the surface of the card to begin with??
Seems like a pretty stupid thing to me! How the heck are you supposed to
handle the card WITHOUT touching those contacts?
bob dolson
profession?? If not, you should be!
:-)
Richard
>
>
>Don't blame it on the Smartmedia?? That's a laugh! Why did they design the
>smartmedia with the contacts on the surface of the card to begin with??
>Seems like a pretty stupid thing to me! How the heck are you supposed to
>handle the card WITHOUT touching those contacts?
This is not my fight, and I know I risk alienating some very fine folk
here but I can not stand quietly by here any longer.
You are kidding...right? The reason I am certain you are kidding is
that more than half of the surface is just plastic! Good grief man,
you have to TRY to put your fingers on the contacts or insert the card
upside down!!! For those here that do not know what the Smartmedia
card looks like, it is a black rectangle with surface gold contacts in
the LOWER half of the card and a diagonal notch in the lower right
corner. This dictates that you hold the card by the SAFE upper half
between your thumb and index finger to insert the card into a reader
or the camera. There is no need whatever to touch the contacts and
you could NOT insert the card if you did so because you obviously
could not press the card into the slot to make contact IF YOU ARE
HOLDING ON TO THE CONTACTS. Could YOU EVER inadvertently touch the
contacts, yes of course. If you took even the SLIGHTEST ordinary care
would you touch it? NO. This thread has become a bit absurd. Say
what you will. I respect you guys as photographers and admire your
knowledge and photo taking ability but your propensity for
exaggeration to make your point on such minutiae baffles me. Sorry to
vent here, but I disagree that touching the contacts is unavoidable.
I have only had my 2020Z a couple of weeks now, but I understood not
to touch the contacts and even with a broken right wrist I have had no
difficulty whatever avoiding it! Just my 2cents.
jdawson
the contacts.
"bob dolson" <bdo...@sprynet.com> wrote in message
news:8c6kmc$o22$1...@nntp9.atl.mindspring.net...
Mike
>Peanut butter, indeed. If this isn't a failed attempt at defending a flawed
>technology, I don't know what is.
No technology is perfect, not even the pencil which must be one of the
simplest bits of technology ever invented.
CF and PC cards can have their problems. I once managed to bend the
pins in a PC card slot by inserting a card incorrectly. The only way
to fix it was to have the card slot assembly replaced.
Mike Humberston
unbar email address to reply.
T Lumens
also (32MB cards). NEVER had ANY problem with the cards at all (and I have 8
cards already).
BTW Most of my cards are from Sandisk
Theo
<ski...@my-deja.com> schreef in berichtnieuws 8c5qth$dkm$1...@nnrp1.deja.com...
> I bought 2 Oly sm cards -two weeks ago-.
>
> BOTH of them developed cracks in the top corners, one on
> the left, one on the right.
>
> The cards were not mishandled!!!
>
-----
T Lumens
the
> smartmedia with the contacts on the surface of the card to begin with??
> handle the card WITHOUT touching those contacts?
Sorry Bob, I have 8 cards myself and I do this all the time. I use these
cards in my Agfa 1680 and in my new Fuji MX2900 and in my Flashpath and now
in my Sandisk Imagemate (man, is that thing fast!). I never experienced any
problems at all, but then I never touched the gold contacts (yet).
BTW If a card is exposed to static electricity, it may no longer work
properly in the camera: Formatting it should take care of this (according to
the Fuji manual).
Theo
Eduardo Suastegui
> All I can say Eduardo is that you have a way with words! Are you a writer
by
> profession?? If not, you should be!
Thanks, Bob. Now, if I could only convince an agent or publisher of that,
I'd be in business. As a matter of fact, I've been trying my hand at fiction
(novel) writing for the past year or so. That's on hold at the moment,
though an agent is pushing one of my works.
Eduardo Suastegui
news:%9KF4.15045$ua.2...@newscene.newscene.com...
> You must be pretty inept if you can't hold a SM card without touching
> the contacts.
>
>
> >
>
> How the heck are you supposed to
> > handle the card WITHOUT touching those contacts?
You must be rather perfect if you can guarantee that you will *never* touch
the contacts. You and Ben Franklin, I guess.
Eduardo Suastegui
1) If you can't touch the contacts, why isn't there a warning in the
SmartMedia and/or camera documentation to this effect? I could find no
instructions to this effect on the SM packaging.
2) If the problem is well known, why aren't there instructions on how to
correct the problem (i.e., clean the contact, etc)? Again, no documentation
here.
3) If these engineers are so sharp they can stick 32 or 64MB on such a small
sliver of our universe, couldn't they have also figured out that the contact
thing was going to be a problem and come up with an alternative design? The
Compact Flash folks, did, I think. Engineering is about more than clever
gadgetry; it must also deal with the people side of product design.
"Richard" <rst...@gte.net> wrote in message
news:9qkees4saa03seg3n...@4ax.com...
nahikian
times can you reach into a dark camera bag and retrieve one without ever
touching the contacts?
When I reach into my camera bag to fetch a compact flash card, I don't
have to worry about accidentally touching the contacts.
-- David
In article <%9KF4.15045$ua.2...@newscene.newscene.com>,
"jdawson" <jda...@netcene.com> wrote:
> You must be pretty inept if you can't hold a SM card without touching
> the contacts.
>
> "bob dolson" <bdo...@sprynet.com> wrote in message
> news:8c6kmc$o22$1...@nntp9.atl.mindspring.net...
> >
>
> How the heck are you supposed to
> > handle the card WITHOUT touching those contacts?
> >
>
>
FredBillie
Date: Sun, Apr 2, 2000 10:53 PM
Message-id: <8c94ir$pvm$1...@nnrp1.deja.com>
-- David
Reach in a dark bag and not be able to touch the contacts? Its simple friend,
quit throwing away the little vinyl cases or plastic boxes the SSFDC comes in.
Kyle D. Ross
SmartMedia card's contacts sandwiched between my thumb and forefinger...
NEVER!!!!
I use the protective sleeves!
-- Kyle
"nahikian" <nahi...@my-deja.com> wrote in message
news:8c94ir$pvm$1...@nnrp1.deja.com...
Lucas Tam
>This dictates that you hold the card by the SAFE upper half
>between your thumb and index finger to insert the card into a reader
>or the camera. There is no need whatever to touch the contacts and
>you could NOT insert the card if you did so because you obviously
>could not press the card into the slot to make contact IF YOU ARE
>HOLDING ON TO THE CONTACTS.
I've learned with computers (and life in general) to expect the unexpected.
If the contacts are exposed, someone is bound to touch it.
Whoever designed SmartMedia should of placed the contacts somewhere else.
Evan Mann
"Lucas Tam" <nn...@home.com*REMOVE> wrote in message
news:8F0B64267coo...@63.209.170.201...
> * (Richard) wrote in <9qkees4saa03seg3n...@4ax.com>:
>
> >This dictates that you hold the card by the SAFE upper half
> >between your thumb and index finger to insert the card into a reader
> >or the camera. There is no need whatever to touch the contacts and
> >you could NOT insert the card if you did so because you obviously
> >could not press the card into the slot to make contact IF YOU ARE
> >HOLDING ON TO THE CONTACTS.
>
> I've learned with computers (and life in general) to expect the unexpected.
Be more careful. I don't have these problems.
And if I do, touching contacts and the after effects of this are GROSSLY
over-exagerated so the computer newbies to using hardware won't go do
something extremely stupid. You wouldn't believe how I handle some of my
hardware. I've NEVER blown a card, CPU, or motherboard in almost 8 or 9 years
now and I rarely put my cards down on static bags when I take them out of the
case or stoley grasp them by the expansion slot bracket.
> Whoever designed SmartMedia should of placed the contacts somewhere else.
Whoever is using them should leave them in the hard/soft plastic case they
come in, or maybe spend $15 on the Olympus smart media wallet.
ALL of these arguments are poor IMHO.
nahikian
This reminds me of the reason I prefer the minidisc over CD for mobile
audio applications. The minidisc, being similar to a 3.5" floppy in
form and ruggedness, can be removed from the player with one hand and a
second one inserted into the player, with little distraction.
The audio CD, however, being sensitive to smudges and scratches, must be
stored in a protective case. Removing a CD and storing it into its
jewel case normally requires two hands. Likewise, removing a CD from
its jewel case and insterting it into the player also requires two
hands. Changing CDs at speed can pose a hazard.
While both perform their function well (without going into the
audiophile debate regarding ATRAC compression), the minidisc is much
more convenient.
The SM - CF debate is similar. Both work well, but the SM cards require
more care.
-- David
In article <8ca46g$mj6$1...@ssauraab-i-1.production.compuserve.com>,
"Kyle D. Ross" <inv...@email.address> wrote:
> I CONSTANTLY reach into my dark camera bag and have NEVER come out
with a
> SmartMedia card's contacts sandwiched between my thumb and
forefinger...
> NEVER!!!!
>
> I use the protective sleeves!
>
> -- Kyle
>
Jim Kost
translations) makes some mention of removing and wiping the SM card.
Wouldn't you try the easiest solution first, rather then send the camera off
for repair?
Also, while I do agree that the cards are small, they aren't microscopic -
and I'm a pretty big guy - and I usually just handle the last quarter to
half inch that protrudes from the cam or the USB reader or the little
plastic envelope the SM card came in.
When I get the 'card error' message, I just wipe the card with one of those
lint-free lens cloths, and pop it back in. I carry one of those for wiping
the other greasy fingerprints off my lens, LCD or viewfinder.
No probs.
J.
"Eduardo Suastegui" <esuast...@xoommail.com> wrote in message
news:aAqF4.22$JE2....@typhoon.we.rr.com...
> "Bob123" <Billybob@.unospamme.net> wrote in message
Stephen Jonke
on
occasion?
Steve
* Sent from RemarQ http://www.remarq.com The Internet's Discussion Network *
The fastest and easiest way to search and participate in Usenet - Free!
Lucas Tam
<ec3G4.2869$zF6....@typhoon.tampabay.rr.com>:
>> Whoever designed SmartMedia should of placed the contacts somewhere
>> else.
>
>Whoever is using them should leave them in the hard/soft plastic case
>they come in, or maybe spend $15 on the Olympus smart media wallet.
>
>ALL of these arguments are poor IMHO.
Why do you think their poor? Did someone touch it even though they're not
supposed to be touched?
Yes : )
Point proven...
P.S. I've never blown a card before or damaged any of my hardware... but
other people might not be as careful as we are, and engineers should take
that into consideration. Basically digital cameras have to be made dummy
proof as much as possible.
Bob123<Billybob@.unospamme.net
I totally agree! The arguments are not poor, just silly. Lenses
aren't supposed to be touched either but if/when we do we wipe them
off and take our pictures. Why is it so much more difficult to do the
same if you get careless with the smartmedia?
The simple answer is....it is not more difficult. I agree with
another poster here that this thread is just plain silly! Lets move
on to real concerns and not something that can be easily fixed with a
simple swipe of a lens cloth! Use your energies to go out and take
some excellent pics of our spring foliage and then post them so we can
all see them.
Alfred Molon
nn...@home.com*REMOVE says...
> >This dictates that you hold the card by the SAFE upper half
> >between your thumb and index finger to insert the card into a reader
> >or the camera. There is no need whatever to touch the contacts and
> >you could NOT insert the card if you did so because you obviously
> >could not press the card into the slot to make contact IF YOU ARE
> >HOLDING ON TO THE CONTACTS.
>
> I've learned with computers (and life in general) to expect the unexpected.
>
>
With Smartmedia, if the contacts get dirty, it's very easy to clean them.
With Compact Flash if the contacts get dirty, you can throw away the
card, because it's almost impossible to get the dirt out of those tiny
contact holes.
--
Alfred Molon
To reply replace NOSPAM with csi
Alfred Molon
esuast...@xoommail.com says...
> You must be rather perfect if you can guarantee that you will *never* touch
> the contacts.
Even if you touch the contacts, you can very easily clean them.
Joseph Ervin - Workgroup Servers
so thin, I'm afraid I'm going to break them. The CF modules
are much more robust.
I figure the smartmedia is attractive to the camera vendors,
since it leaves them more room in the camera for, well, camera.
The CF is much larger, and physically occupies a lot more space
in the overall camera volume. On the other hand, I think it's
much better for the consumer, since it feels a lot more robust,
and oh-by-the-way, there's that IBM microdrive thing...
>>>Joe
Stephen Jonke
others
get from people with smartmedia that "no longer works" and how
much this customer support costs the company. On top of that we
see that they (meaning customer support) may or may not know how
to fix the problem.
Randy G.
generations of cameras, don't be surprised to see a LOT of them using
the memory stick. Sony has a lot of clout in this area and they have
already licensed the stick to a LOT of companies. Remember the news
release about lexar working with Sony to develop a faster memory
stick? They ain't doing that because they have spare time on their
hands. The stick will appear in a lot of devices other than cameras as
well making it even more likely.
Ain't sayin' I like it... Just reportin' the facts like I sees um.
Stephen Jonke <sjonkeN...@yahoo.com.invalid> wrote:
From Randy.... AKA "-ED" at the....
Feather River Canyon News - "Fruit Of The Plume"
http://www.quiknet.com/~frcn/Camera.html
The opinions expressed Remove the ¿NOSPAM?
here aren't necessarily in the E-mail address
those of the FRCN to reply by E-Mail
Terry Dawson
cards. User support can be difficult because users can often defeat your
best troubleshooting efforts. It probably never occurred to them that he
had actually fingerprinted all those cards and didn't try wiping them off.
I am reminded of a line from the movie Under Siege: Dark Territory,
"Assumption is the mother of all foul-ups." (cleaned up the language for
all the children around here ;-)
--
[>@\/\/$<>|\|
One Zen Zeros
http://home.att.net/~onezenzeros
Stephen Jonke <sjonkeN...@yahoo.com.invalid> wrote in message
news:02e721d5...@usw-ex0102-015.remarq.com...
stee...@kickass.com
<esuast...@xoommail.com> wrote:
Add to this the fact that Compact
> Flash (most of it, anyway) enhances existing industry standards, namely IDE
> pin-for-pin compatibility--the reason Compact Flash PMCIA adapters are mere
> wire contacts--and the case for Compact Flash grows more muscular.
>
Do you know for a fact that CF cards are pin for pin compatible with
IDE drives?
Please give any references.
If this is the case, and it seemed like a possibility to me before I
read your comment,
I will take my adapter apart and wire it into a 44 pin IDE cable. Much
as we used to
convert the (then) new 2.5 inch IDE drives into 3.5 inch IDE cables.
I assume they would already be wired as 'single' drives, or can they
be wired for dual
or 'slave present' optionally?
Cheers,
Vacuo
> --
> Eduardo Suastegui
> http://members.xoom.com/esuastegui
> (Digital photos at http://members.xoom.com/esuastegui/c2020z)
> "Test everything. Hold onto the good."
>
>
>
>
Little-known fact: Dogs love carrots.
Glen Harris
>
> On Thu, 1 Jan 1970 02:59:59, "Eduardo Suastegui"
> <esuast...@xoommail.com> wrote:
>
> Add to this the fact that Compact
> > Flash (most of it, anyway) enhances existing industry standards, namely IDE
> > pin-for-pin compatibility--the reason Compact Flash PMCIA adapters are mere
> > wire contacts--and the case for Compact Flash grows more muscular.
> >
>
> Do you know for a fact that CF cards are pin for pin compatible with
> IDE drives?
> Please give any references.
>
> If this is the case, and it seemed like a possibility to me before I
> read your comment,
> I will take my adapter apart and wire it into a 44 pin IDE cable. Much
> as we used to
> convert the (then) new 2.5 inch IDE drives into 3.5 inch IDE cables.
>
> I assume they would already be wired as 'single' drives, or can they
> be wired for dual
> or 'slave present' optionally?
As with IDE, there is a pin which is usually connected to a jumper to
provide Master/Slave selection.
NOTE!!!! The TrueIDE pin must be grounded AT POWER ON. So, plugging the
CF card into a powered socket will probably not activate the IDE mode.
A power switch on the adapter would fix this. If anyone can dispute
this, please tell me. I'd love to be wrong on this point! (Not the
power on bit, but if someone knows if the TrueIDE pin is longer than the
power pins, thiw would work)
http://www.compactflash.org - Click on the CF Spec 1.4 download for full
PDF spec sheet.
http://www.tapr.org/html/Fcfa.html - Here's an adapter. There are cheaper
ones available if you look around.
http://www.openhardware.net/Users/GlenH/misc.html - Here's the pin-to-pin
connectivity info for anyone making their own adapter.
--
| Nine megs for the secretaries fair, | One disk to rule them all, |
| Seven megs for the hackers scarce, | One disk to bind them, |
| Five megs for the grads in smoky lairs, | One disk to hold the files |
| Three megs for system source; | And in the darkness grind 'em. |
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| Glen Harris | gl...@gbrmpa.gov.au | http://www.reefhq.org.au |
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