External storage for axim

rjohnmatthew · 08-03-03, 06:20 PM

Hi All,
Just wondering.....
Is there any mass storage device, something like a portable hard drive ,anything upwards of about 1 gig size that i could use when directly connected to the axim , so that i would be able to play mp3 files directly off it .
obvious advantages being that i neednt use the memory on the axim itself and would be able to carry around lots more songs.
there are external hard disc drives for desktops but i dont think they could be used directly connected to the axim.Or could they???
Another alternative would just be to buy the high capacity CF/Sd cards, but then this could be more cost effective.
Any ideas anyone??

Raynne413 · 08-03-03, 08:14 PM

I believe that microdrives go up to 3 GB.

Howard2k · 08-03-03, 08:15 PM

If it's just "locally" you want you could stream it over wi-fi. Not the answer you're looking but an alternative approach.

drunken · 08-04-03, 12:21 AM

there are no 1GB SD cards, the 512MB were recently introduced, and the 1GB is supposed to be coming out in the fall.

I've seen 2GB CF cards now, so there are options - but i think CF/SD is your only option (don't think there are any that connect to the Axim's cable-connector on the bottom).

smeg36 · 08-04-03, 12:35 AM

I have been looking to get a 2GB PCMCIA Hard Drive (both Toshiba and Kingston make these). There was one that went off on ebay for $79 today. There are also adaptors that can be bought for less than $10 on ebay that will allow you to use them in your CF slot. I saw today that Toshiba even has these up to 15 GB!

Of course there are problems with these, such as increased power consumption, and fragility. But I think they are more than worth it for the cheaper price.

rjohnmatthew · 08-04-03, 05:51 PM

Aah thats the right thing im looking for .
Smeg36 thanks for that post.
Did an ebay search-lots of toshiba PCMCIA hard drives to choose from and as you mentioned they are worth it despite the disadvantages.
However did a search for the adaptor on ebay which didnt turn up anything .Got some PCMCIA adaptors ,which i understand can be inserted into a PCMCIA slot and you can access info on the Compactflash cards.
Does it work the other way around though,ie can you use one of these adaptors on a compactflashcard socket and connect a PCMCIA hard drive to it.
Havent seen one of these things and just thinking!!
If one can access the drive directly from the Axim using one of these adaptors i think that would be brilliant!

08-04-03, 05:55 PM

Hitachi now owns the microdrives, so maybe we'll see some improvement. Their website says there is a 4gb drive now.

smeg36 · 08-04-03, 06:34 PM

Do an ebay search for pcmcia cf converter. It will turn up what you need. I have been told that some of them can bend so the drive is flush with the back of the Ax, and not sticking up, but I don't know if they will all do this. I know this one does.

rjohnmatthew · 08-04-03, 08:31 PM

Got it now!
Thanks a million smeg36.

nemattoad · 08-04-03, 09:02 PM

for clarification, compactflash is built on the PCMCIA standard, they have a different pinout and PCMCIA tends to be slightly bigger, but they are the same technology pretty much, so yes, as long as theres drivers for the OS, and a simple converter, any CF device should work in a PCMCIA slot with an adapter and vice versa

smeg36 · 08-04-03, 10:01 PM

I can't wait until I can find a cheap one again. I was going to bid on one off ebay yesterday, but I got a phone call with 4 minuets left, and it ended up going for $79, and I didn't get to bid.

By the way, the pcmcia hard drives do have drivers for Pocket PC's. Either the Toshiba or the Kingston will work.

PDA_designer40 · 08-13-03, 01:33 PM

I have one of those converters and I have wireless modem that can plug into it, but havent tried yet, need to set up wireless in home. Where can I find a hard drive that can plug into that converter or the pcmcia side of it? Thanks

smeg36 · 08-13-03, 01:39 PM

They are all over the internet, but I think ebay is the best deal. I got the Kingston 5GB PCMCIA Hard Drive off ebay for $115, and the cheapest one I could find anywhere else was $200. Just do a search for PCMCIA Hard Drive. Both the Toshiba and Kingston ones work.

For you wifi card, make sure you have the drivers. I have been trying to get my laptop PCMCIA wifi card to work with my Ax, but I can't find any drivers that will allow it to work.

PDA_designer40 · 08-13-03, 01:42 PM

Thanks SMEG36, I bought that WI-FI card so when I am ready and the drivers are there I will be ready, I would love to buy one of those radios for it, but they dont support the Dell. I just love the gadgets with it. I am a Magiver or a Inspector Gadget type of person. I will check that out in EBay, love that place too. In fact that is how I got my Axim.

PDA_designer40 · 08-13-03, 01:51 PM

Smeg36, I was going to link a place in EBAY to ask you if it would work and it did not. I have seen these things in Ebay where , Im guessing you plug into a laptop or in my case the pcmcia side of my converter a hard drive up to 60 gbs. It is so you can transfer infor from the laptop to it or make backups. They are link around 29.00 and you add the hard drive to it. Would this work? I looked at them by searching PCMCIA hard drives. Could you help me with this. Thanks