Cheap black components: Update - more card readers

[bzo]

I'd be careful with those Foxconn readers at Compgeeks. I almost bought one last week, but in doing a little digging around, they appear to be be USB 2.0 full speed (11Mbps) not USB 2.0 high speed (480Mbps). The compgeeks description of 1.5MBps read/write rates seems to bear this out.

 

[tcsenter]

Originally posted by: fastcuda
anybody try or can recommend these cheap modems they have? They have 2 5 dollar ones and a 8 dollar hardware modem at the bottom of the page with the floopy drives on it.

The 'hardware' modem is not a true hardware modem, in spite of many vendors advertising it as such. It uses the Intel (Ambient) 536EP "Controllerless" modem chipset with on-board DSP. A hardware modem would have both the controller and DSP (with ROM) on-board. The controller functions for this modem are handled by the CPU, which makes it sort of hybrid between a software and hardware modem. Lower CPU utilization than a software modem but higher than a true hardware modem.

I would recommend it over the NetoDragon, which is a true softmodem. The Intel modem has a coupling transformer instead of a silicon DAA/hook/switch like the NetoDragon has, the latter being much less reliable or fault tolerant (surges and ESD). Intel has recent drivers for Windows (12/8/2003) and driver support for Linux (Mandrake, Red Hat, Suse).

I'd be careful with those Foxconn readers at Compgeeks. I almost bought one last week, but in doing a little digging around, they appear to be be USB 2.0 full speed (11Mbps) not USB 2.0 high speed (480Mbps). The compgeeks description of 1.5MBps read/write rates seems to bear this out.

Indeed, good catch. Although, flash cards have relatively slow transfer rates, excepting the high performance cards. My Viking and Sandisk Compact Flash cards do about 4~6 MB/sec through a USB2.0 high speed interface, according to Sisoft Sandra's Removable Storage Benchmark. I'm not sure how other card types would fare.

1.5MB/sec will be a bottleneck, but to what extent and is it tolerable...

 

[bzo]

1.5MB/sec will be a bottleneck, but to what extent and is it tolerable...

It was definately worth the extra $3.01 to get the high speed reader for me

On a related note, I ordered the reader from Westoutlet, but they seem to be having major problems with their store. I have so far received over 300 duplicate order and account creation emails. Unless you want a bunch of email cluttering your inbox, I'd wait on ordering until they fix this problem...

 

[tcsenter]

I have so far received over 300 duplicate order and account creation emails.

:Q

 

[glassnake]

The card reader looks very nice and a good price. I couldn't find Westoutlet listed on Resellerratings, but Shopnow123 (the other name on the Westoutlet home page) was listed. Poor ratings but nothing more recent than a year and a half ago. Dealsonic is about $3 more shipped for me, but it's a known source with a much better rating. I may just go with them instead.

Does anybody have any recent experience with Westoutlet/Shopnow123?

 

[digdugdogg]

Dealsonic's deal is the same price for the USB reader, but with $3 more shipping?

 

[tcsenter]

Originally posted by: digdugdogg
Dealsonic's deal is the same price for the USB reader, but with $3 more shipping?

Dealsonic's price is $15.99, works out to be over $23.00 with shipping and tax (in CA) for one unit.

Does anybody have any recent experience with Westoutlet/Shopnow123?

Just use a credit card so you'll have some protection in the event something doesn't go well.

 

[glassnake]

Dealsonic's price including shipping to me in Michigan is $21.94. Westoutlet's price including shipping is $18.85. Difference ~$3.

As far as using CC - using sources like Resellerratings is to help avoid the problems. It isn't worth the potential hassle of a problem with a flaky company and having to dispute a charge for a $3 difference. If somebody else thinks differently - fine. Still a good find either way.

 

[tcsenter]

Westoutlet.com and Shopnow123.com is part of Majestron Distributing. You need a reseller permit to purchase from Majestron. They've been in business for some time now.

IIRC, Shopnow123.com started as Majestron's Ebay presence. There is an Ebay Store named www.shopnow123.com operated by a seller with the Ebay ID "theplace" since 1999. They have a feedback score of 99.1% with over 50,000 transactions.

I think that beats four 2 year-old reviews on resellerratings. Maybe these were disgruntled Ebay buyers? Anyway, I'm not sure how long Westloutlet.com has been operating.

 

[bzo]

well, despite their store problems, my order shipped the same day. The email deluge stopped last night after over 600 emails! Fortunately, I use this outlook inbox tool called clearcontext that minimized the annoyance of all that junk.

 

[MAG1969]

I ordered the usb card reader from Westoutlet.com (aka shopnow123) earlier this week. They sent me an email notice that the item was shipped USPS and gave me a tracking number. Tracking number turned out to be bogus (tracking number not found). Awaiting for their return email.


****Just got it in the mail****

Mike

 

[tcsenter]

Tracking numbers can be issued up to 24 hours before the carrier physically receives the package. If it was a USPS Delivery Confirmation #, that is only confirmation of delivery, not a tracking #. Nothing will show up for a Delivery Confirmation # until the package has been delivered (hence the name).

 

[BigEdMuustaffa]

Any free shipping codes?

 

[Tyson95]

Thanks OP

 

[thunderroller]

good find

 

[bzo]

shoot, looks like the westoutlet/sabrent card reader is not compatible with the nforce2. Whenever I try to read/write more than a small file on it, the card reader locks up. I've had this problem with a USB 2.0 2.5" hard drive enclosure before. Apparently the nforce2 is really picky on USB 2.0 timings.

 

[DarkTXKnight]

hmmm if thats the case, are there any other card readers that are black and read that mini XD card stuff besides that brand??? Im tired of always having to plug the camera in

 

[BigEdMuustaffa]

Originally posted by: DarkTXKnight
hmmm if thats the case, are there any other card readers that are black and read that mini XD card stuff besides that brand??? Im tired of always having to plug the camera in

Try getting an xd adapter so it will fit into one of the other card reader slots....

 

[tcsenter]

Originally posted by: bzo
shoot, looks like the westoutlet/sabrent card reader is not compatible with the nforce2. Whenever I try to read/write more than a small file on it, the card reader locks up. I've had this problem with a USB 2.0 2.5" hard drive enclosure before. Apparently the nforce2 is really picky on USB 2.0 timings.

No problems here on VIA chipsets with VT8235 and VT8237 SB, or Intel ICH4.

Test it on a different machine? You might have received a bum reader. Anyone else having this problem with NForce2? It would be good to know if there is a compatability problem.

 

[tcsenter]

Originally posted by: BigEdMuustaffa

Originally posted by: DarkTXKnight
hmmm if thats the case, are there any other card readers that are black and read that mini XD card stuff besides that brand??? Im tired of always having to plug the camera in

Try getting an xd adapter so it will fit into one of the other card reader slots....

Smart Media Card Reader Adapter for xD Card - $6.00 (?? shipping)

MGXD-300 xD-Picture Card to SmartMedia Adapter - $9.00 (free ship with code provided on product page)

 

[imported_Roman]

sweet thread, got some shopping done here

 

[DarkTXKnight]

not a bad idea... thanks!

 

[lordbob99]

Sony Black Floppy drive $8 shipped

or

Mitsumi Black Floppy drive $8 shipped

Free shipping code should be pretty easy to find

 

[Devistater]

Originally posted by: tcsenter

Originally posted by: bzo
shoot, looks like the westoutlet/sabrent card reader is not compatible with the nforce2. Whenever I try to read/write more than a small file on it, the card reader locks up. I've had this problem with a USB 2.0 2.5" hard drive enclosure before. Apparently the nforce2 is really picky on USB 2.0 timings.

No problems here on VIA chipsets with VT8235 and VT8237 SB, or Intel ICH4.

Test it on a different machine? You might have received a bum reader. Anyone else having this problem with NForce2? It would be good to know if there is a compatability problem.

Also, something I came across in another thread that can help ANY usb issues if you are doing front ports or ports that plug into a motherboard header. You know that one pin on the USB header thats filled in? Thats called the key. There's one next to it that is a pin. That one next to it should NOT be connected. Some older plugs that plug into headers connect that extra pin to ground, it should not be. If this is the case, try cutting that wire only.

Diagram:
. . USB wires
. . USB wires
. . USB wires
. . USB wires
. NC (no connect pin, should NOT be connected to anything) and Key



Another couple things to try: try directly plugging into the port, no hubs, etc.