4gb SD card reader

Any suggestions on a card reader that can handle an A-Data 4 gb SD card? I have read enough to know that not all cards work in all readers, especially 2gb cards and up. Thanks!

peace\dewde
--

I feel like a quote out of context, with holding the rest, so I can be for you what you want to see. -Ben Folds

I got this one from Best Buy and it works with all my 2 & 4 GB cards.

Since I already had a CF reader, and I wanted to use my 4gb sd card in my slr, I got an SD-> CF adapter from ebay for $12 (i think EagleTech is the brand). I was having alot of trouble with older sd readers with the new card.
The CF adapter works great, and in all cf readers/cameras I have tried it in.
--
http://www.dustandrust.com/photoblog

that's the sandisk reader I have, also. it was labelled 'ESP' with a yellow sticker - which means it support sd 1.1 (20mb/sec speeds). at least that's my understanding.

no idea about sdhc. still too new.

cant' comment about 4gig sd cards since I don't run those (too non-standard to even consider buying, yet, for my digicams)

--
Bryan (pics only: http://www.flickr.com/photos/linux-works )
(pics and more: http://www.netstuff.org ) ~

Thanks for the tips, folks! Still hoping for one guaranteed to work with A-Data SD cards. If I cant find one, I'll go for the SanDisk.

peace\dewde
--

I feel like a quote out of context, with holding the rest, so I can be for you what you want to see. -Ben Folds

"A-Data" SD carda. That may be your problem. Who has heard of A-Data cards?

You're smart going with a Sandisk reader tho, as they are one of the best.

dewde said:

Thanks for the tips, folks! Still hoping for one guaranteed to work
with A-Data SD cards. If I cant find one, I'll go for the SanDisk.

Click to expand...

What's "non-standard" to prevent you from buying one of the major name cards?

linuxworks said:

cant' comment about 4gig sd cards since I don't run those (too
non-standard to even consider buying, yet, for my digicams)

Click to expand...

A wise move on your part as many people are reluctant to spend a few bucks for updated equipment.

SeanU said:

Since I already had a CF reader, and I wanted to use my 4gb sd card
in my slr, I got an SD-> CF adapter from ebay for $12 (i think
EagleTech is the brand). I was having alot of trouble with older sd
readers with the new card.
The CF adapter works great, and in all cf readers/cameras I have
tried it in.

Click to expand...

4GB is just an extension beyond the original SD spec but it can work. My stuff works with 4G SD, as do many others reported here. Some stuff does not work, it's a matter of luck at the moment and how forward thinking the manufacturer was, if your stuff works you are smiling, if not you have to buy new hardware. SD specs have been extended beyond 4G now but again that will need new hardware.

Walt Jennings said:

What's "non-standard" to prevent you from buying one of the major
name cards?

Click to expand...

its nonstandard since its not COMMONLY implemented by enough vendors.

the cams I shoot (pany) stop at 2gig, 100% guaranteed (we've tried).

so for me, at least, its NON STANDARD. it really is. you can talk about specs and block lengths, but at the end of the day, if the vendors don't implement it with enough consistency, its non-standard.

Walt Jennings said:

linuxworks said:

cant' comment about 4gig sd cards since I don't run those (too
non-standard to even consider buying, yet, for my digicams)

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

--
Bryan (pics only: http://www.flickr.com/photos/linux-works )
(pics and more: http://www.netstuff.org ) ~

Because the A-Data card is not an SD HC card, any old card reader should be able to read it.

There are some very old card readers out there that assume all blocks are 512 bytes, and those will see this card as "1GB". They will also see ALL cards 2GB or 4GB as "1GB", incorrectly. I have two such readers, both no-name USB2 readers.

Any recent reader should see all 4GB.

If the card has an SD HC logo on it, then you need an SD HC reader and compatible camera. They're very different and there aren't many of those around. 8GB will force the issue, since they will all be SD HC.

I'm having no problem with the A-Data 4GB cards.

linuxworks said:

its nonstandard since its not COMMONLY implemented by enough vendors.

Click to expand...

No, it's "nonstandard" because it's in direct violation of the SD 1.0 spec. The spec specifically states that the maximum card size is 2GB. So, by definition, all 4GB cards are "out of spec".

That's the letter of the law, and what people mean by "nonstandard".

However, because it's an easy upgrade, it's also much more popular than the "SD HC" standard which requires all new readers and cameras.

I, for one, am glad these 4GB cards exist, in spec or not.

For what it's worth, we'll have to go through this all again at 32GB where SD HC maxes out. Sounds like SmartMedia all over again, doesn't it?

Steve Haehnichen said:

linuxworks said:

its nonstandard since its not COMMONLY implemented by enough vendors.

Click to expand...

No, it's "nonstandard" because it's in direct violation of the SD
1.0 spec. The spec specifically states that the maximum card size
is 2GB. So, by definition, all 4GB cards are "out of spec".

Click to expand...

I've heard the interpretation both ways. personally, I think 4gig is out of spec and I won't use it until (1) my cam speaks fat32 and (2) the new sdhc cards and cams are out and common (and have their bugs worked out).

the 4gig sd 1.x cards seem too hackish to me. and I don't see any compelling need to use 4gig parts instead of 2gig parts.

if the block length is set larger, I believe the 4gig physical layer can be reached and still, technically, be in-spec. but that's just the phys layer - you still have to worry about the filesystem layer (fat vs fat32).

Steve Haehnichen said:

I, for one, am glad these 4GB cards exist, in spec or not.

Click to expand...

I think they do more harm than good. adding confusion and even partial incompat - on purpose - is a Bad Thing(tm). I think it was stupid to race to 4gig before it was really fully standardized. it was a money grab from the brands and I think it was short sighted.

--
Bryan (pics only: http://www.flickr.com/photos/linux-works )
(pics and more: http://www.netstuff.org ) ~

I don't care what you call it, and I don't care how other people feel about it, 4G works just fine and dandy for me with no problems whatsoever