What do the 'X' figures on Compact Flash cards mean?

The speed rating system used with Compact Flash cards is the same as that used in the CD-ROM industry. A data transfer rate of 1X means that the card can transfer data at 150 kilobytes (KB) per second.

If you consider the speed of the card alone and not the capabilities of the input device (e.g. a digital camera) nor the output device (e.g. a card reader) then theoretically, the higher the speed rating, the faster your Compact Flash card can store images.

For example, if you take 30 high-resolution images and each one is 3.5 megabytes (MB) in size, the theoretical speed at which the various Compact Flash cards read and write the data are indicated below.
 

Speed Rating Transfer time of 30 high-resolution pictures @ 3.5MB each 8X 40 seconds 12X 26.7 seconds 40X 8 seconds Actual speeds may vary based on the quality of the flash card, size of the file and device used.

Not everyone will benefit from high-speed Compact Flash cards. The needs of someone who only takes a few digital photos are different to those of a professional photographer who will use expensive, specialized products designed to take advantage of fast cards. In fact, many people won't notice much of a difference as the actual performance of a Compact Flash card can have more to do with the limitations of your device than the flash card itself.

Not only do Compact Flash cards have a maximum speed rating, but your camera (or other device) also has its own speed rating. When these products are combined, they'll work to the slowest common denominator. For example, if you use a 12X flash card in a camera designed to work at 8X speed, you'll be transferring data at the slower 8X speed.

Determining the real speed of your camera can be difficult. Most camera manuals won't tell you what speed of flash card you should buy, just that you should only buy their brand, which isn't much help. A general rule of thumb: If your camera has a pixel count (resolution) of less than five megapixels, the speed rating of the flash card doesn't matter much. The improvement you're likely to see in a higher rated card will only be fractions of a second, virtually undetectable to all but the most discerning user.

Who needs high-speed Compact Flash memory?

Professional photographers using professional-grade cameras should use high-speed flash.
If you are serious about your photography and own a camera with a pixel rate above five megapixels, you will benefit from a flash card with a higher speed rating.
If you think you may upgrade to a high performance camera in the future, it may save you money to buy a fast Compact Flash card now rather than purchasing another later.
But, if you're like most of us, and your camera has a resolution of less than five megapixels, you'll still get great performance from cards rated between 8X and 12X.

Why must I format my memory card?

Before using your new memory card with your digital device, you must format the card in the device. Instructions on how to format the card in your device can be found in the users guide for your product.
Always format your flash memory card in your electronic device before using it. Your memory card must be formatted for your electronic device prior to using it in that device.

How many digital photos can a memory card store?

Unlike regular film, it's difficult to predict exactly how many photos you can fit on a flash card. The file size for one digital photo can depend on a number of factors:

Resolution: The higher the resolution, the bigger the file.
Compression: Your camera may give you the option of choosing a compression format (for example JPEG or TIFF) or taking uncompressed photos. Uncompressed files are the largest, and compression formats vary in size.
Colours: RGB photos (format for viewing on a monitor) are three times as big as black-and-white photos, and CMYK photos (format for printing) are four times as big as black and white.
Your camera model and the shooting conditions: Each camera gives slightly different results, and you may even get a different number of photos per card, depending on the subject you are shooting and light conditions.

The chart below can be used as a general guide:

How much music can a memory card store?

The most common file format for storing music on mobile devices is the MP3 file format.
If you want to create a library of songs in MP3 format, you'll probably need several flash cards. A 64MB memory card can hold about an hour's worth of MP3 songs. If you spend a lot of time listening to music and don't want to hear the same song twice, you'll want a card that holds 256MB or more. In general, bigger is better when it comes to flash cards for MP3 players. It's best to buy the biggest cards you can afford.
 

How many MP3s can I fit on a flash card?

As with digital images, it's difficult to predict exactly how many. The file size for one MP3 depends primarily on two different factors: Compression level and length of song.
Compression level.
When you convert CD tracks to MP3s, you can select the bit-rate level (the measure of compression in kilobits per second) through the software you are using, similar to selecting the image-quality setting of your digital camera. Higher bit-rates mean better sound quality but larger file sizes.
Standard CD audio has a bit-rate of more than 1400 kbps, which is why a CD can only hold a certain number of songs (at 1400 kbps, a four minute song equals 42 MB).
Length of song.
For any given compression level, the longer the song, the larger the file size.

The below chart offers a rough guide for common MP3 compression rates:

4 minute song compressed at 128 Kbps +/- 3.84 MB 4 minute song compressed at 64 Kbps +/- 1.92 MB Card size Number of songs Card size Number of songs 64MB 16 64MB 33 128MB 33 128MB 66 256MB 66 256MB 132 512MB 132 512MB 264 1GB 264 1GB 528

Why is it that the Memory card formatted size and advertised size can be sometimes different?

When you format a memory card, the size indicated by your device or PC may appear smaller than the advertised capacity of the memory card.
Computer Operating Systems commonly define 1 Megabyte (MB) as 1,024 Kilobytes (KB). Flash Memory Card Manufacturers commonly define 1 Megabyte (MB) as 1000 Kilobytes (KB).
Therefore, a memory card with an advertised capacity of 128MB may show a smaller formatted size on a PC. This is standard for all memory cards.

What is the difference between USB 1.1 and USB 2.0?

USB 1.1
The first version of the USB standard is known as USB or USB 1.1
The transfer rate is a maximum of 12 Mb/sec or 1.5 MB/sec
USB 1.1 devices can be used in USB 2.0 ports (but will only operate at USB 1.1 speeds).

USB 2.0
More recently a new, faster version of the USB standard was launched called USB 2.0 or Hi-Speed USB.
The transfer rate is 480 Mb/sec or 60 MB/sec, which is 40x faster than USB 1.1. Most current PC's will have these faster USB Ports available.
USB 2.0 and USB 1.1 are fully compatible with each other and can be used in any USB port. However, a USB 2.0 device will function at a slower speed if used in a USB 1.1 port.

Which one should I buy?
If you regularly deal with large files, the USB 2.0 option will save you time. USB 2.0 is the latest standard and works best with new PC's that support the USB 2.0 standard.
If you only deal with small file sizes and use the device infrequently then the USB 1.1 device is a good value option.
 

Which Memory Card Should You Buy?
 

Memory card type or 'format':
First, select the right memory card type for your device by checking your device manual. The memory card type is the most important part of selecting the right memory card for your device. The form factor (size and shape) of the flash card corresponds to the memory slot on your device. There are a variety of form factors for flash memory, so make certain you select the form factor that's compatible with your device. Common types of memory card include: Compact Flash, MultiMediaCard, Secure Digital, Smart Media and MemoryStick.

Memory card capacity:
Next, determine the right capacity for your needs. The capacity of the memory card (how many megabytes (MB) or gigabytes (GB) it can store) is a matter of personal preference or your storage requirements. Generally, higher capacity cards can store more data but are more expensive than smaller cards. However, it is often more economical to buy one large card than several smaller ones.

Large capacity versus small capacity:
Some people prefer to use large capacity memory cards so that they don't have to worry about running out of storage space. You'll also need a large capacity card if you wish to store a lot of high-resolution photos or mp3 files. Selecting a high capacity card is also a good choice if you plan to transfer your files or photos to your computer hard drive and then reuse your flash card over and over.
Some people prefer smaller capacity cards so that they can store photos and files on the card permanently. Many people find that having several smaller capacity cards makes it easier to organize, store and catalogue their digital photos, mp3 music, applications and other data.
Some people also feel safer using smaller capacity cards. For example, if you store all of your data on one high capacity card and then lose or damage that memory card, you will have lost all your data. If you have your photos or data stored on a lot of smaller capacity cards, it's less of a disaster if you lose one. For this reason, it is always a good idea to backup any important data. A memory card reader can make it easier to backup your files onto your computer.

Memory Cards for your digital camera:
When buying memory cards to use with your digital camera, remember that the more megapixels your camera has, the fewer photos a card can store. Many cameras come supplied with a small capacity memory card (often just 8MB or 16MB). If you take high-resolution photos, your card will fill up after just a few shots.

What's the difference between the various memory cards?

Compact Flash (CF)
Smart Media (SM)
MultiMediaCard (MMC)
Secure Digital (SD)
Sony Memory Stick
XD Picture Card

Compact Flash (CF)

The CompactFlash memory card was developed soon after the PC Card, and in many ways is simply a smaller version of the PC Card. This was the first type of memory card that was developed for use in digital cameras. The CompactFlash Memory card has all of the same advantages as the PC Card, but is smaller. The CompactFlash Memory card is currently the most common type of memory card used in digital cameras, and is compatible with all current professional digital cameras. CompactFlash Memory cards have a control circuit built right into the memory card. This circuit allows the card to "tell" the camera or computer how much capacity it contains so the camera or computer can take advantage of all the available memory.
 

Smart Media (SM)

The Smart Media memory card (also known as a SSFDC - Solid State Floppy Disc Card) is a more recent product which became commonly available in the mid 1990's. This memory card is smaller and much thinner than the CompactFlash memory card. Smart Media Memory Cards are also more efficient with regards to power, and the batteries in the digital cameras that use this type of card tend to last longer.

There are some drawbacks to the Smart Media memory card system. One problem is that the cards have no shielding, so they are susceptible to data loss and damage from electromagnetic fields (such as airport x-rays).

These memory cards are also not as compatible with various electronics as CompactFlash memory cards. Smart Media memory cards also do not have a memory controller; which means the camera you purchase will not be able to read any cards with a larger capacity than was available when the camera was manufactured.
 

Multi Media Card (MMC)

The Multi Media Memory Card (MMC) was developed to try and incorporate the best features of Smart Media and CompactFlash memory cards in to one system. This memory card system is very similar to the Memory Stick card with regard to its capabilities but is a non-proprietary form.

The MultiMedia Memory Card has become fairly common in products such as ultra compact digital cameras, PDAs (Personal Digital Assistant), cell phones, and MPEG players. They cost about the same as CompactFlash memory cards.
 

Secure Digital (SD)

The Secure Digital (SD) Memory Card is similar to the MultiMedia Memory Card in appearance and is compatible with the MultiMedia Memory card. It is a highly secure stamp-sized flash memory card. Jointly developed by Panasonic, Sandisk, and Toshiba, the Secure Digital Memory Card maintains a high transfer rate for fast copy/download.

It also exhibits low power consumption to maximize battery life in small portable devices; making it a good choice for digital cameras and other portable digital devices. The Secure Digital Memory Card is distinguishable from the Multi Media Memory Card by the user selectable mechanical write protect switch on the exterior card casing.
 

Sony Memory Stick

The Memory Stick was developed by Sony. The Memory Stick memory card is well shielded and durable like the CompactFlash memory cards but is much smaller to allow it to be used in smaller products such as compact digital cameras, PDAs, and MPEG players.

The Memory Stick is used mostly with Sony products and allows you to transfer data between Sony’s PDAs, televisions, computers, and cameras. This is very convenient if you only purchase Sony products. Sandisk’s memory stick is compatible with Sony products.

XD Picture Card

Developed by Fuji film and Olympus, the xD-Picture Card is a high-capacity flash memory format for digital cameras. The xD-Picture Card is currently the smallest storage format of its kind on the market, about the size of a penny. It has the potential for up to 8GB of storage capacity in a single card. Currently, the xD-Picture card is available in capacities up to 512MB.

Fujifilm and Olympus offer cameras compatible with the xD-Picture Card. In addition, the xD-Picture Card was designed to minimize power consumption, saving battery life and with fast read/write capabilities for smoother digital camera operation. Compact Flash adapters are available, allowing the use of xD-Picture cards in a variety of cameras and other devices from multiple manufacturers.

How do I know this card works with my camera/phone/device?

Check the existing card and see what is written on it. Then click on the category down the left hand side that matches your card.
You can choose any size of card, so even if your current card is only 128MB you can choose a 1GB card (1024MB) and it will be compatible.
Also, all the Ultra cards (these are faster versions) such as Ultra CompactFlash will also work with devices that currently use just CompactFlash (and the same applies to Ultra Secure Digital and Ultra Memory Stick).
The only exception is with MemoryStick. If your existing card is for example a 64MB MemoryStick, then you may also be able to take MemoryStick Pro (check the compatability tool below in this case).

When installing a SmartMedia or CompactFlash card into Windows 2000, the computer hangs. Is there a fix?

This is usually caused by a resource conflict in the I/O range. Try resetting the I/O ranges to 0110-011F or 0160-016F as follows:

1. Insert the card and wait a few minutes.

2. After the system recovers, check My Computer for a removable drive letter.

3. After verifying that there is no removable drive letter, then navigate to Device Manager. (Device Manger can be found in My Computer…Control Panel…System…Hardware…Device Manager.)

4. In the Device Manager, navigate as follows: IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers…PCMCIA IDE/ATAPI controller; double-click on Properties, then click on Resources.

5. Uncheck the "Use Automatic Settings" box. Highlight the Input/Output range, and click on Change Settings.

6. Update the I/O range to 0110-011F or 0160-016F.

7. If these I/O ranges do not work, try the remaining I/O ranges in Basic Configuration. If there are no I/O ranges that work, ranges 0110-011F or 0160-016F must be freed up to use the SmartMedia or CompactFlash card.

While transferring data from a two-partitioned drive using DriveLink to a new drive, TwinDisk hangs.

TwinDisk does not support transfer of data from a drive that contains a NTFS partition. In this case, it is best to backup the data via tape or or network, followed by a restore to the new drive.

When using Windows NT, the ATA Flash card is mapped to drive C.

Re-map the ATA Flash card as follows:

1. Go to Disk Admin and reassign the ATA Flash card from drive C to another unmapped drive letter.

2. After reboot, return to Disk Admin and map the fixed disk to drive C. Reboot again.

3. After reboot, return to Disk Admin and map the ATA Flash card to the desired drive letter.