SD to PCMCIA adapters that work on the PM5D

Andrew Broughton

Andrew Broughton

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Feb 2, 2011
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Ok, so I got one of those PCMCIA card readers, and they're not all they're cracked up to be. They're huge, and unfortunately incompatible with my eSATA port, so a bit of a waste of time.

But, for some reason wasting time and effort trying to find little gizmos that make my life the tiniest bit easier seems to amuse me these days. After all, it's not the destination, it's the journey, right?
Anywho, what I'm now in the market for is a PCMCIA adapter for an SD card that will work in a PM5D. My friend has one, but he found it online, it has no name and no manufacturing info on it, so I can't find that same one. I ordered one of the SanDisk 6 in 1 adapters, but the PM5D doesn't recognize it. Returned it, so now I'm curious if anyone has recently found a compatible SD to PCMCIA adapter that the PM5D is happy with?
 
Re: SD to PCMCIA adapters that work on the PM5D

Andrew Broughton said:
Ok, so I got one of those PCMCIA card readers, and they're not all they're cracked up to be. They're huge, and unfortunately incompatible with my eSATA port, so a bit of a waste of time.

But, for some reason wasting time and effort trying to find little gizmos that make my life the tiniest bit easier seems to amuse me these days. After all, it's not the destination, it's the journey, right?
Anywho, what I'm now in the market for is a PCMCIA adapter for an SD card that will work in a PM5D. My friend has one, but he found it online, it has no name and no manufacturing info on it, so I can't find that same one. I ordered one of the SanDisk 6 in 1 adapters, but the PM5D doesn't recognize it. Returned it, so now I'm curious if anyone has recently found a compatible SD to PCMCIA adapter that the PM5D is happy with?
Click to expand...

I think most of the adapters I've seen are for Compact Flash memory. Good luck in your quest, Mr. Quixote.
 
Re: SD to PCMCIA adapters that work on the PM5D

That would be handy since SD cards seem to be the accepted "you have one on your laptop" format this century. I'd buy one. It also seems 2GB is the largest CF that I've seen BEs packing heat get away with. Mine are 256MB.

I gave up some time ago and stashed a USB cable in my toolbox on 5d days where archival is useful. Affixing one in the doghouse should be standard practice for 5d packages.

I also purchased a handheld MP3 recorder that is CF for board tapes...so that it can double as my 5d usb card reader.
 
Re: SD to PCMCIA adapters that work on the PM5D

Hi Andrew, have you double checked the SD card with your friend's adapter?

I found out that not every SD card works for the PM5D. I ordered an adapter like 2 years ago, no brand, works like a charm. The workflow of just sticking the SD card into the laptop (with an integrated SD card reader) is well worth the few Euros I spent for the adapter.
 
Christian Tepfer said:
I found out that not every SD card works for the PM5D. I ordered an adapter like 2 years ago, no brand, works like a charm. The workflow of just sticking the SD card into the laptop (with an integrated SD card reader) is well worth the few Euros I spent for the adapter.
Click to expand...
My point exactly. Where did you get the adapter? Any indication at all of what brand or model it is?
 
Re: SD to PCMCIA adapters that work on the PM5D

Andrew Broughton said:
My point exactly. Where did you get the adapter? Any indication at all of what brand or model it is?
Click to expand...

I have only the ebay title: "5in1 PCMCIA Smart Media MMC MS Pro KARTENLESER ADAPTER" and am using a 256MB SD card with it.

But 2 years later the choice of PCMCIA - SD adapters slimmed considerably. I can't find that adapter again, actually I find a Delock 38 in 1 and the Sandisk 6 in 1 you tried.

There are a lot of different PCMCIA - CF adapters because of Mercedes Benz (they have PCMCIA slots on their Comand APS systems, so there's a lot of offerings of the adapters)
 
Re: SD to PCMCIA adapters that work on the PM5D

I can confirm that an "EDUP MCR-5A" DOES work in the PM5D with an SDCard.
I also know that you've got to format as microsoft "FAT16" (also known as just "FAT").
Things that I suspect, but don't know are -
Use under 2GB (fat16 doesn't work above this anyway) SDCards.
The EDUP MCR-5A does not work with "SDHC" cards (be careful because some manufacturers are now releasing small cards (<2GB) in the SDHC style).
and, I think this adapter works because of the way it enumerates on the PCMCIA Bus - I think some of the cards appear as USB devices that then host the SDCard reader. This MCR-5A PROBABLY enumerates as a ATA device (like the old PCMCIA Flash memory and CF Card adapters do).
Hope this helps - anyone who can confirm other cards that definitely work, please do - this thread is going to be more popular as time goes on and PM5Ds remain in use...
 
Re: SD to PCMCIA adapters that work on the PM5D

We use a SanDisk CompactFlash to PC Card Adapter then purchased a Lexar Professional Compact Flash 1GB card. We got all of this at Best Buy. You then may be able to plug the Compact Flash card directly into a computer for easier file transfering.

PCMCIA adapter.jpg
 
Re: SD to PCMCIA adapters that work on the PM5D

Andrew Broughton said:
Friendly bump to see if any other working products have come to light...
Click to expand...

RIGHT! Just taken the opportunity to do some extensive googling.

The SANDISK SDAD-67 range - as far as I can tell - enumerates as an ATA device and therefore SHOULD work... They seem to be in plentiful supply on many websites including amazon. I'm not guaranteeing it, but the enumeration seems to be the key. The PM5D only knows how to talk to "ATA" over PCMCIA.

Again - this PC-Card does NOT work with "SDHC" cards - ONLY SD Cards.

If anyone brave with £20 to spare wants to give it a go, please report back!

Neak.
 
Re: SD to PCMCIA adapters that work on the PM5D

Is this what you are looking for?

PCMCIA Compact Flash Type I Adapter (CGI)

When we ordered CF cards for the 5D, I had to call them to order the FAT16-formatted CF cards. It wasnt immediately obvious which was the proper card (i just searched again, it still isn't). But they had them and we bought several of the 512mb versions.

However, I prefer the Mac method via USB, too.

Geri O
 
Re: SD to PCMCIA adapters that work on the PM5D

Tim Woodworth said:
We use a SanDisk CompactFlash to PC Card Adapter then purchased a Lexar Professional Compact Flash 1GB card. We got all of this at Best Buy. You then may be able to plug the Compact Flash card directly into a computer for easier file transfering.

View attachment 4791
Click to expand...
Looking for SD to PCMCIA, not CF to PCMCIA. My computer does not have a PCMCIA slot or a CF slot. I've not encountered a notebook with a CF slot, actually.
 
Re: SD to PCMCIA adapters that work on the PM5D

Andrew Broughton said:
Nope. That's CF to PCMCIA. As my title says: "SD to PCMCIA adapter". ;-)
Click to expand...

Andrew, bless your heart for staying on this quest as long as you have...

MacBooks don't have PC slots, either. So I have a PC to CF adapter that goes in the 5Ds and a Belkin USB to a few different flash cards that I found at Best Buy for stupid cheap. I had the PC card adapter and several CF cards for years, until recently when I mistakenly formatted the flash cards to FAT32. That's when I found OEMPC and got new properly-formatted CF cards. I knew the MacBook Pro didn't have the PC Card slot when I bought it (the first notebook I owned that didn't), so with the (literally) pennies I had left over from the Mac purchase, I left with the new MacBook Pro AND the USB to flash cards thingie. And I was set for dealing with the 5D.

My point is that I was able to knock this situation out easily and quickly. Being the pro's pro I know you to be, I don't understand why you are putting yourself through this. But that's my problem, not yours. Finding what you are looking for is, of course, your cross to bear.

And I'd be shocked if OEMPC doesn't have what you're looking for, what with all the stuff I see them carrying (the Clair Nashville guys turned me on to them), but I guess that's a possibility.

Any rate, the best of luck with your search...

Respectfully,
Geri O
 
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