Is a (SCSI) PCMCIA card reader worth it?

J. Yu · Dec 26, 1999

After having the E950, I run into a common problem that it takes too long
to download pictures from the camera. I spent last 2 days on the net looking
for a solution. A parallel port reader and scsi interface PCMCIA reader become
the finalist in my search. The reason I rule out USB is that I am using NT4.0
and have no plan to move to Win98. By looking at the price of both, the
difference can be as much as a 48MB CF. I am using other SCSI components
in my PC, should I go for the Microtech PCMCIA reader or something like
a Sandisk PAR port reader? Please help!

--Jeffrey

Barry14557 · Dec 26, 1999

The Microstech scsi is the way to go. I use NT4 and the transfer rates are amazing.

Good luck

J. Yu said:
After having the E950, I run into a common problem that it takes too long
to download pictures from the camera. I spent last 2 days on the net
looking
for a solution. A parallel port reader and scsi interface PCMCIA reader
become
the finalist in my search. The reason I rule out USB is that I am using
NT4.0
and have no plan to move to Win98. By looking at the price of both, the
difference can be as much as a 48MB CF. I am using other SCSI components
in my PC, should I go for the Microtech PCMCIA reader or something like
a Sandisk PAR port reader? Please help!

--Jeffrey

Maurice Gordon · Dec 26, 1999

I just bought the Microtech USB version. While its transfer rate is a little slow, all I am using it for is viewing the contents of a 340MB micordrive using ACDSee and for copying the photos to the PC hard drive. I am not trying to edit on the Microdrive.

Personally, I do not think it is worth over twice the price for the SCSI version. Bought mine from PC Connection at $70.

Murray

J. Yu said:
After having the E950, I run into a common problem that it takes too long
to download pictures from the camera. I spent last 2 days on the net
looking
for a solution. A parallel port reader and scsi interface PCMCIA reader
become
the finalist in my search. The reason I rule out USB is that I am using
NT4.0
and have no plan to move to Win98. By looking at the price of both, the
difference can be as much as a 48MB CF. I am using other SCSI components
in my PC, should I go for the Microtech PCMCIA reader or something like
a Sandisk PAR port reader? Please help!

--Jeffrey

J. Yu · Dec 26, 1999

I do like USB, but NT4.0 doesn't seem to support it.

Will Windows2000 support USB, by the way?

Jeffrey

Murray Gordon said:
Personally, I do not think it is worth over twice the price for the SCSI
version. Bought mine from PC Connection at $70.

Murray

J. Yu said:

After having the E950, I run into a common problem that it takes too long
to download pictures from the camera. I spent last 2 days on the net
looking
for a solution. A parallel port reader and scsi interface PCMCIA reader
become
the finalist in my search. The reason I rule out USB is that I am using
NT4.0
and have no plan to move to Win98. By looking at the price of both, the
difference can be as much as a 48MB CF. I am using other SCSI components
in my PC, should I go for the Microtech PCMCIA reader or something like
a Sandisk PAR port reader? Please help!

--Jeffrey

Click to expand...

dale · Dec 26, 1999

I have an external scsi Minolta CD-10 Pc Card reader and an IBM
Microdrive for my D-1. I love it. It is fast. About $100 or so.
Painless install under Win98, don't know about NT.

J. Yu said:
After having the E950, I run into a common problem that it takes too long
to download pictures from the camera. I spent last 2 days on the net
looking
for a solution. A parallel port reader and scsi interface PCMCIA reader
become
the finalist in my search. The reason I rule out USB is that I am using
NT4.0
and have no plan to move to Win98. By looking at the price of both, the
difference can be as much as a 48MB CF. I am using other SCSI components
in my PC, should I go for the Microtech PCMCIA reader or something like
a Sandisk PAR port reader? Please help!

--Jeffrey

J. Yu · Dec 26, 1999

$100 for an external SCSI reader is a good deal. Where and when
did you get it?

Jeffrey

dale said:
I have an external scsi Minolta CD-10 Pc Card reader and an IBM
Microdrive for my D-1. I love it. It is fast. About $100 or so.
Painless install under Win98, don't know about NT.

dale · Dec 26, 1999

I bought mine from Norman Camera for $120. If you look around I think
you can find it for less. Norman is a good dealer and I bought it
as part of my Nikon D-1 package.

J. Yu said:
Jeffrey

dale said:

I have an external scsi Minolta CD-10 Pc Card reader and an IBM
Microdrive for my D-1. I love it. It is fast. About $100 or so.
Painless install under Win98, don't know about NT.

Click to expand...

tjorvi · Dec 27, 1999

I installed a Sandisk ImageMate Parallel port reader for my dad on his NT 4.0 Workstation. Had some problems with it until I downloaded the newest driver from http://www.sandisk.com (version is 1.44). The speed was great and it now works like a dream. But you have to get the newest driver.
tjorvi

J. Yu said:
After having the E950, I run into a common problem that it takes too long
to download pictures from the camera. I spent last 2 days on the net
looking
for a solution. A parallel port reader and scsi interface PCMCIA reader
become
the finalist in my search. The reason I rule out USB is that I am using
NT4.0
and have no plan to move to Win98. By looking at the price of both, the
difference can be as much as a 48MB CF. I am using other SCSI components
in my PC, should I go for the Microtech PCMCIA reader or something like
a Sandisk PAR port reader? Please help!

--Jeffrey

Charles Chien · Dec 27, 1999

J. Yu said:
I do like USB, but NT4.0 doesn't seem to support it.

Will Windows2000 support USB, by the way?

Jeffrey

It looks like it does - http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/guide/platform/overview/default.asp , and http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/guide/professional/overview/mobile/ .

Charles

Ted K. · Dec 27, 1999

Did you have your printer running off the parallel port before installing the PP reader?

If so, did you add a new parallel port to the computer? Or some kind of switch? Or does you dad plug and unplug the two devices?

tjorvi said:
I installed a Sandisk ImageMate Parallel port reader for my dad on his NT
4.0 Workstation. Had some problems with it until I downloaded the newest
driver from http://www.sandisk.com (version is 1.44). The speed was great and it
now works like a dream. But you have to get the newest driver.
tjorvi

J. Yu · Dec 27, 1999

That is a good news!

But I am getting a parallel port version because I don't want to wait.
The nice, fast SCSI is an overkill if I can merely use it once a week or
even less .... Thanks for all the input gathering here. They have
been very helpful.

--Jeffrey

Charles Chien said:
It looks like it does -
http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/guide/platform/overview/default.asp ,
and
http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/guide/professional/overview/mobile/ .

Charles

tjorvi · Dec 28, 1999

He dosn't have a printer on that computer. You can connect a printer through the Imagemate. The drivers support parallel port sharing. I did not try this since my father does not need it. You could as you suggest, connect the imagemate to LPT2: if you have it installed.

good luck
tjorvi

Ted K. said:
tjorvi said:

I installed a Sandisk ImageMate Parallel port reader for my dad on his NT
4.0 Workstation. Had some problems with it until I downloaded the newest
driver from http://www.sandisk.com (version is 1.44). The speed was great and it
now works like a dream. But you have to get the newest driver.
tjorvi

Click to expand...

J. Yu · Dec 28, 1999

Just got the parallel port version, plug it in, install version 1.33,
things are working except the "hot swap". I mean I was able to
move pictures off the CF without any problem. Then I installed
v. 1.44, the hot swap problem is resolved right away. When it
comes to performance, I can't ask for more. I haven't timed it
yet, but it is fast enough that a long time SCSI user like me couldn't
pick anything to complain!!! Thanks everybody!

--jeffrey

tjorvi said:
J. Yu said:

After having the E950, I run into a common problem that it takes too long
to download pictures from the camera. I spent last 2 days on the net
looking
for a solution. A parallel port reader and scsi interface PCMCIA reader
become
the finalist in my search. The reason I rule out USB is that I am using
NT4.0
and have no plan to move to Win98. By looking at the price of both, the
difference can be as much as a 48MB CF. I am using other SCSI components
in my PC, should I go for the Microtech PCMCIA reader or something like
a Sandisk PAR port reader? Please help!

--Jeffrey

Click to expand...

Charles Prichard · Dec 29, 1999

Yes, it is. I am using an internal SCSI PC Card drive with Windows 98 and it works great. Fast and problem free (If you are an experienced SCSI user, that is!

.

I got mine for $40.00 from an auction on eBay from an outfit called "Macresq". They don't have anything up for sale right now, but you could look at their web page and perhaps give them a call.

http://www.macresq.com/

Charles Prichard
[email protected]
--------------------------------------

J. Yu said:
After having the E950, I run into a common problem that it takes too long
to download pictures from the camera. I spent last 2 days on the net
looking
for a solution. A parallel port reader and scsi interface PCMCIA reader
become
the finalist in my search. The reason I rule out USB is that I am using
NT4.0
and have no plan to move to Win98. By looking at the price of both, the
difference can be as much as a 48MB CF. I am using other SCSI components
in my PC, should I go for the Microtech PCMCIA reader or something like
a Sandisk PAR port reader? Please help!

--Jeffrey

Bill Suydam · Jan 1, 2000

J. Yu said:
After having the E950, I run into a common problem that it takes too long
to download pictures from the camera. I spent last 2 days on the net
looking
for a solution. A parallel port reader and scsi interface PCMCIA reader
become
the finalist in my search. The reason I rule out USB is that I am using
NT4.0
and have no plan to move to Win98. By looking at the price of both, the
difference can be as much as a 48MB CF. I am using other SCSI components
in my PC, should I go for the Microtech PCMCIA reader or something like
a Sandisk PAR port reader? Please help!

--Jeffrey

I have a laptop with two built-in PC (PCMCIA) card slots, so for me it was a no-brainer. It only cost me $15 to get the adapter. While waiting for its delivery, I had to use the serial interface. I can't imagine that people actually do it that way, given a choice. The PC Card solution is as simple as it gets and to my knowledge, the fastest option. Can't speak for the Mac/SCSI interface issues and accompanying cost. But the PC card interface puts everything else to shame and works well with the Nikon-supplied software (Nikon View?). Also, if you buy Thumber for $12, it will automatically transfer the images for you when you start it up and delete them from the card at the same time (settable option). It just doesn't get any better than that.

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Is a (SCSI) PCMCIA card reader worth it?

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