PC Card > SD

[raoulduke]

I've sort of asked this before.  I need an SD > PC Card adapter for a Kanga.  It can be Cardbus or PCMCIA; I'd just prefer it works safely.  I'm open to other storage standards I just happen to have a more than adequate SD card so I figure that's a logical starting point.  I've also considered a CF > PC Card and then SD > CF adapter.  Not my first choice, but I haven't found a good direct option so far.

 

[raoulduke]

I also just got another PC Card to [Type I] CF adapter so I don't have to tax the Newton.  Could someone also recommend a CF to SD adapter?  Will something like this work: http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-SD-SDHC-SDXC-To-CF-Compact-Flash-Memory-Card-Adapter-Reader-M2-/151621004333?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item234d50ec2d ?
 

Or this?  http://www.ebay.com/itm/SD-MMC-SDHC-SDXC-to-Compact-Flash-CF-Type-I-Memory-Card-Reader-Adapter-/371245213999?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item566ff0692f

And one more thought.  Is it possible the adapter I'm using is fine but the SD card isn't.  Is SD-HC- going to cause problems?

 

[johnklos]

The first one wouldn't work correctly in an iPod where a standard CF card did work. The other pain is that it's thicker than a standard CF, so it requires a slot that will physically take it.

I'd try the second one even though it hilariously has the SD card in backwards in the pictures.

 

[raoulduke]

I thought maybe the size thing was an issue because both the new 32gb card and the pretty new 16gb card froze the machine regularly but an old 128mb digital camera card from 10 or so years ago did not.  However, on attempting to format the card it crashed drive setup after taking a really long time to initialize so I think that's not the issue.

I did notice that it looks like most or a lot of SD cards use 3.3v - both my 16 and 32gb's probably do.  Is it possible there's a voltage mismatch?  The adapters, I think, are supposed to regulate the voltage but I don't get the impression these cards do anything that active, so is it possible that the computer's giving 5V because they're 16-bit adapters and the card needs 3.3?  [i haven't found any cardbus > SD adapters directly.]  I have a PCMCIA > CF [ATA] adapter that I was going to use with a CF > SD adapter, but CF cards are also 5/3.3V.  So maybe the ATA adapter is more intelligent at adapting voltages since at least one or two people have had good luck with using those?

 

[raoulduke]

To test this I'm going to get several additional things: an 8gb SD card that purports to be 5V (which may not be true since I've also read all SD cards are initially based on 3.3V (and in some ultra speed modes they can drop to 1.8V), a 32-bit CF adapter that should initially command 3.3V and a compact flash card in addition to the SD > CF adapter that should be here soon.  (And the CF cards, which can run on 3.3V or 5V probably take from the adapter also.  If the voltage issue is stopping the SD cards from working, they should work in the 32-bit > CF adapter [> SD].