Dual SD slots

Mg12 · 03-13-05, 12:25 PM

I have owned an Axim X5 (300MHz) for about two years now, and my primary reason for choosing it over others was its use of two memory card slots (at the time, most other PDAs were using only SD), one for SD and the other for CF. The ability to use two different cards at once is very convenient; however, it could be made even better.

With the advent of more and more SD-based expansion devices and cheaper memory prices, why not use dual SD slots instead of one SD and one CF? This would not only cut down on cost (two identical hardware devices as opposed to two different types), but it would also allow the PDA to be smaller overall.

Tell me what you think.

Brooklyn_101 · 03-13-05, 12:47 PM

I agree....except there are larger cf carder (memory wise)...

NiwRoC · 03-13-05, 12:54 PM

I believe you have more options with a CF slot than SD. Plus the memory upgrade option is within most peoples budget. CF microdrive 4GB for $169.00.

crash613 · 03-13-05, 01:05 PM

how about something like this?

CF to SD Converter

This one is kind of large, but if you looked, i'd bet you'd find smaller ones

Mg12 · 03-14-05, 07:56 PM

Hmm... it may be true that CF peripherals are still cheaper, but I have noticed that, even at retail stores such as Best Buy, a 1GB SD card is within a few dollars of a comparable 1GB CF card (actually they are both $98.99). Unless one is considering the higher capacity cards, which aren't cheap enough for many users to justify buying, memory card arguments are effectively inadequate.

Regarding microdrive-type CF devices, these are relatively power hungry (compared to solid state flash memory) and they contain moving parts, which is one of a Pocket PC's main strengths: it has no moving parts! It is much more difficult to break something that is sandwiched together in layers of silicon than it is to effectively ruin a mechanism filled with swiftly spinning disks. Hopefully I have succeeded, at least partially, in negating this argument as well...

SD is the new(er) format available for the Pocket PC platform, not to mention countless other devices, and so it is only logical that dual slot PPCs be outfitted with dual SDIO slots.

Anyhow, this is more food for thought and response. Maybe this post will reach the eyes and/or ears of some ambitious PPC architect (designer? engineer? No se) and we will see a marked improvement in dual card Pocket PCs. Let the revolution begin...

bengine · 03-14-05, 08:11 PM

How about this one. It's basically a CF that allows you to plug SD card into it. Who said you can't used SD on the CF slot. :)

http://www.mittoni.com/securedigital/adapter2.html

Mg12 · 03-14-05, 08:46 PM

Yes, yes, I understand completely that solutions exist to create an SD slot out of a preexisting CF slot, but that isn't my point.

Firstly, I assume that SDIO cards would have a more difficult time of functioning through a CF slot than they would with a direct SDIO interface. If I am wrong in this assumption, please correct me and this post may fall silent... for some time until I find another angle to my technological preaching.

Secondly, and in my mind more important when discussing PDAs of any type: Pocket PCs are meant to fit in a pocket; my cargo pants allow my Axim to fit a pocket without showing, but jeans are hard pressed to hold it all in.

By foregoing the bulk of a CF slot for a considerably slimmer pair of SD slots, dual slotted PDAs could be made much smaller than is currently possible.

tyrannical · 03-14-05, 09:09 PM

yes, take away our options, and add two of the same slot into a ppc.

It's not a good suggestion at all. Furthermore, it's not going to reduce the price.

AcuraTLSFan · 03-14-05, 09:27 PM

Reason is because the market isn't demanding Dual SD slots...the market barely demands 1 SD and 1 CF. The CF models only come on higher end more expensive PDA. Most mainstream will have 1 SD

Regarding size...the CF slot isn't the limiting factor. As you can see with current products. PDA with or without a CF slot will be of similar size.

For whatever CF device they have, they have the same in the SD format. CF slot is good for devices you can't shrink down to SD size. Also CF is the same layout as the laptop PCMCIA devices, so you don't need to modify the device much from form to form.

But the first question you should've asked is "Can it be done?" Do we even know that the CPU/Chipset can even support 2 SD slots?

Mg12 · 03-14-05, 09:36 PM

Ty -

Your response is futile at best, a waste of minimal server storage at worst. SD is the new technology, CF is the old. Two SD slots will not restrict user freedom; rather, it will ensure usability with newer peripherals in the future. Don't fool yourself into thinking that CF will be around forever. No, neither will SD, as this is the electronics industry, but it will most certainly exist after the last CF design is made.

Mg12 · 03-14-05, 09:46 PM

"Can it be done?"

Acura -

This is the heart of the issue, and I'm glad that you put it into words, as I certainly wasn't prepared to do so. Accuse me for selfishness, if you will... and you would be correct to do so. :approve: I want dual SD! It just makes sense to me...

Perhaps there really is no market requirement for dual SD, but that hasn't stopped companies from releasing strange (at the time) products that became huge hits (iPod, anyone?). The market is still at a stage at which PCMCIA can call the shots based on portable peripherals, but this will not remain so for long. PC Express cards are now making their debut on notebooks, and I'm not sure as to what that will mean for PPCs, but it probably won't translate into "more CF, please!".

jsutme7628 · 03-14-05, 09:48 PM

Originally Posted by Mg12

Ty -

Your response is futile at best, a waste of minimal server storage at worst. SD is the new technology, CF is the old. Two SD slots will not restrict user freedom; rather, it will ensure usability with newer peripherals in the future. Don't fool yourself into thinking that CF will be around forever. No, neither will SD, as this is the electronics industry, but it will most certainly exist after the last CF design is made.

Considering how CF Microdrive are expanding (and will be expanding) exponentially compared to SD and more manufacturers are integrating it into their devices (i.e MP3's, Cameras), I think the CF standard is safe at least for a couple more PDA generations.

tyrannical · 03-14-05, 09:59 PM

Originally Posted by jsutme7628

Considering how CF Microdrive are expanding (and will be expanding) exponentially compared to SD and more manufacturers are integrating it into their devices (i.e MP3's, Cameras), I think the CF standard is safe at least for a couple more PDA generations.

Exactly.

I also find it amusing that Mg12 is insulting me without knowing my background. Considering how much development work I do, I'll refrain from making him eat crow for the time being. Suffice to say that he was right about one thing - it does appear futile to argue with him :)

Mg12 · 03-14-05, 10:03 PM

I just can’t fathom how an anachronism such as spinning media could overtake flash-based media for any length of time. Microdrives might be cheaper at present, but I don’t think they will remain so for long. Consider also, that flash memory was prohibitively expensive beyond the 128MB range a mere five years ago, and yet here it is, dropping drastically in price while Microdrives haven’t changed overmuch in comparison (correct me if I’m wrong).

tyrannical · 03-14-05, 10:32 PM

I dislike microdrives for the most part as well, but one size does not fit all. If we ever get linux on the x50v, I would much prefer a microdrive for swap space than using flash.

You just have to keep in mind that just because something doesn't currently matter to you, that it doesn't necessarily mean it will not in the future, or for others.