Registered: Jun 2000
Location: Nashville, TN USA
Posts: 125

I've decided not to decide.
I got both Memplug and Matchbookdrive M100.
We are getting some apps that use CF at work - thus the M100.
The Memplug is just neat with all the built in apps and the Cspotrun doc reader that's coming.

I'll check with some Digital Camera fanatics about the life span of CF vs Smartmedia for multiple writes.

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"If you would not be forgotten, as soon as you are dead and rotten, either write things worth reading, or do things worth the writing." Benjamin Franklin

Registered: Nov 2000
Location:
Posts: 18

I did a search on ebay for "smartmedia (64,64MB)" and found a dutch auction for $58+$6 shipping for a 64MB by Samsung. I think "WOW 58.00" was in the title. It was being sold by memtek who also had 128MB smartmedia dutch auction for $128+$6 shipping. He runs each for a week and opens a new one.

But I ended up ordering from newegg.com ($54 & $0 shipping). It was Dane-Elec smartmedia.

Andy Cross

Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Plant City, FL
Posts: 385

Re: CF vs SmartMedia

quote:

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Originally posted by ajcross
I read a post about digital cameras that a CF card is just Smart Media with a memory controller. This controller can be a transfer speed bottleneck which Smart Media won't have.

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Actually, most CF controllers are much faster than the flash chips themselves. In the case of the Visor, the bottleneck is going to be the Springboard bus which is limited by the Dragonball CPU.

quote:

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I also saw that a post that CF may not last for as many write cycles as SmartMedia. Can anybody confirm this?

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Actually, CF has the advantage in that department. The flash chips in both SmartMedia and current production CF cards are basically the same, but the CF controller has the ability to "map around" bad sectors. Not all SmartMedia devices have this same capability. I've seen some SmartMedia digital cameras that simply move the start of the primary partition ahead a few sectors with each "format" of the SmartMedia card in an effort to keep the heavily written directory and FAT sectors from living in already "worn" sectors.

I'm not trying to bash SmartMedia or MemPlug. MemPlug has a great product worthy of consideration. I just want everyone to have good facts on which to base their decisions

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<ul><li>Dave Kessler<br>President - Kopsis, Inc.</li></ul>

Registered: Aug 2000
Location: Alive and well on VisorCentral.com
Posts: 861

Thanks for the extra info dkessler!!, the main reasons why I got the memplug was 1, all my stuff uses smartmedia (I don't have any compact flash devices or cards), and 2, I like the built in programs in the springboard's flash memory, and 3, I have had issues with handsprings backup module so I am hoping this resolves the issues I have had. I noticed on another one of your thread posts you said that some of the CF springboard makers are also going make memplug like modules.. (I think CF visor users will be very happy if it's anything like the memplug!)

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Registered: Mar 2001
Location:
Posts: 159

Re: Re: CF vs SmartMedia

quote:

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Originally posted by dkessler


Actually, CF has the advantage in that department. The flash chips in both SmartMedia and current production CF cards are basically the same, but the CF controller has the ability to "map around" bad sectors. Not all SmartMedia devices have this same capability. I've seen some SmartMedia digital cameras that simply move the start of the primary partition ahead a few sectors with each "format" of the SmartMedia card in an effort to keep the heavily written directory and FAT sectors from living in already "worn" sectors.

I'm not trying to bash SmartMedia or MemPlug. MemPlug has a great product worthy of consideration. I just want everyone to have good facts on which to base their decisions

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FYI-
We use software to handle all the processes needed to be done by the CF Controller. (Dragonball is already a great micro-controller

Memplug with reliable FAT File System and device driver that would handle any bad sectors and sectors mapping stuff. Thus Memplug with the capability to handle bad sectors and won't heavily write on the same sector.

Registered: Feb 2001
Location:
Posts: 138

After reading extensively in this forum, I've ordered the MemPlug (SM). Thanks to all for their posts on the various possibilities.

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When I get a little money I buy books; if any is left, I buy food and clothes.

Registered: Dec 2000
Location:
Posts: 3

Are there any plans for an MMC adapter? (or are one of these MMC?) I read all the post and didn't notice any mention of it. I'm sitting on a 64M MMC I got on sale because I was expecting support for it on the Geode back in March. D'oh!

Registered: Mar 2001
Location:
Posts: 159

quote:

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Originally posted by cjenkins
Are there any plans for an MMC adapter? (or are one of these MMC?) I read all the post and didn't notice any mention of it. I'm sitting on a 64M MMC I got on sale because I was expecting support for it on the Geode back in March. D'oh!

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Yes, we will have a SD/MMC adapter for Handspring.
It is all I can say now.

PiDeveloper

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product page: http://www.memplug.com
product forum: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/memplug

Registered: Jun 2001
Location: UT
Posts: 25

quote:

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Originally posted by cjenkins
Are there any plans for an MMC adapter? (or are one of these MMC?) I read all the post and didn't notice any mention of it. I'm sitting on a 64M MMC I got on sale because I was expecting support for it on the Geode back in March. D'oh!

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Registered: Feb 2001
Location:
Posts: 447

Just a good ole 8MB springboard for me. I don't have enough important info. (basically things I'll really use) to fill up more than 16MB.