SDHC substitute for SxS cards

Ola Christoffersson · November 19th, 2008, 03:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter Kraft

But that looks so easy! There must be a catch. Didn't I read about somebody in this thread trying to shave a couple of millimeters off his card and breaking it?
Can anybody else confirm that this is working well?

Alex Raskin · November 19th, 2008, 04:18 PM

Ola, Transcend cards definitely cannot be shortened, as the circuit board sits almost flush to the border of its plastic case. I tried and bricked one that way.

It's shocking that Sandisk is so different.

I guess I'll order one and try shortening it!

Ronn Kilby · November 19th, 2008, 04:31 PM

Somebody try that with a Transcend card - they're cheaper!

Steven Thomas · November 19th, 2008, 05:35 PM

Ronn,
As just mentioned above, you can not shorten the Transcend.

Steven Thomas · November 19th, 2008, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andy Stone

The rumor is that Kensington has discontinued the reader.

And apparently only a rumor...
You can actually buy these right from Kensington for $40 USD:
7-in-1 Media Reader for ExpressCard® slot

They are in stock. They listed these out of stock a couple weeks ago.
So, it sure appears they are still building these cards.
In anything, if they notice an increase in sale orders from their dealers, they may just keep making them. I'm sure they've seen the sales boost on this card.

Bob Grant · November 19th, 2008, 06:42 PM

I spoke with eXpansys AU a couple of days ago. The Kensington adaptors are now in the USA. Significant numbers will be in Australia shortly.

Robert Young · November 19th, 2008, 10:00 PM

Apparently the San Disk cards are not all the same. Not only are my 16 GB cards not translucent, like the card on the demo video, but when I chopped the end off of one of them the cut went thru what looks like a brittle bakelite circuit board. So, that's all kind of hanging out in the breeze now. The card still works fine- plays the files already on the card, will record, camera says its got 58 min, etc. but I'm thinking- one drop of moisture on the cut end may well do it in.

Alex Raskin · November 19th, 2008, 10:53 PM

Robert, Peter Kraft's link (page 64 of this thread) shows photo of the Sandisk card's intestines, and clearly there's some kind of shiny board inside.

The guy in the video insists it can be cut without any effect on functionality.

If so, Robert's concern still stands: how do we deal with the open end where the cut was made?

I'd seal the cut with something non-conductive, like hot glue or alike.

Robert Young · November 20th, 2008, 12:38 AM

Glue might do it, but I think I'll just leave the door open and not cut any more cards for the time being. I have a feeling a more suitable solution is percolating around out there. Just a matter of time.
Actually, I just used 3 coats of clear fingernail polish (Sally Hansen, Hard as Nails) and it looks nicely sealed- should be fairly durable too. We'll see.
Jeez... Sony must be watching all of this in horror.

Herminio Cordido · November 20th, 2008, 01:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert Young

Glue might do it, but I think I'll just leave the door open and not cut any more cards for the time being. I have a feeling a more suitable solution is percolating around out there. Just a matter of time.

cutting it is just perfect, why would you wait for a more suitable solution? actually what would be a more suitable solution? a new door perhaps?
maybe just wait a week for the new Sandisk Ultra II Nano

Jon Sands · November 20th, 2008, 01:22 AM

That's very odd Robert, that your sandisk is different. It wouldn't happen to be the 30mb/s version would it?

The translucent card I halved was the Sandisk Ultra II SDHC 15MB/s 16GB. Which is still working awesome by the way. As for sealing up the end, I wouldn't worry too much about it. It's literally some solid state chips and the conductors on the outside of the card. There's a reason people accidentally put these things through the laundry and they still work fine! Sealing it up is still probably a good idea though, never know what could get in there.

Robert Young · November 20th, 2008, 01:25 AM

Herminio
Somehow, after actually cutting it, this solution seems less than ideal. The open door is not a critical problem for me, but the integrity of the recording media is. Maybe cutting and sealing as I have done will not effect longevity, or resistance to moisture, dust, etc., but I don't know that right now. A very nice solution would be Kensington making a card reader that is a couple of mm shorter, or San Disk making the SD card a little shorter. At some point the actual Express Cards will be as cheap as the SDHC arrangement.

Robert Young · November 20th, 2008, 01:30 AM

Jon
It's the 16GB card.
All the imprint info on the front of the card is identical to the one in the video, but it is absolutely opaque black plastic, and what I can see thru the cut end looks like a circuit board. It is actually working just fine in the EX, but does seem different from the one that was demo chopped in the video

Jon Sands · November 20th, 2008, 01:45 AM

Well that sure is strange, it would be nice to get to the bottom of this to prevent any future circuit board chomping. So you're sure that your card is not the 30MB/s version? Also, does your card have a circled 4 on it? (might be the revision number)

Peter Kraft · November 20th, 2008, 01:48 AM

Robert, you are a doctor which brings me to the idea,
why not x-ray the sdhc card(s) and only shorten it/them
if possible.
I asked at my othopaedic doctor's and they'd be willing
to do me that favor. Why not?

November 19th, 2008, 10:00 PM	#967
Robert Young Trustee Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Coronado Island Posts: 1,472	Apparently the San Disk cards are not all the same. Not only are my 16 GB cards not translucent, like the card on the demo video, but when I chopped the end off of one of them the cut went thru what looks like a brittle bakelite circuit board. So, that's all kind of hanging out in the breeze now. The card still works fine- plays the files already on the card, will record, camera says its got 58 min, etc. but I'm thinking- one drop of moisture on the cut end may well do it in. __________________ Bob

November 20th, 2008, 12:38 AM	#969
Robert Young Trustee Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Coronado Island Posts: 1,472	Glue might do it, but I think I'll just leave the door open and not cut any more cards for the time being. I have a feeling a more suitable solution is percolating around out there. Just a matter of time. Actually, I just used 3 coats of clear fingernail polish (Sally Hansen, Hard as Nails) and it looks nicely sealed- should be fairly durable too. We'll see. Jeez... Sony must be watching all of this in horror. __________________ Bob

November 20th, 2008, 01:25 AM	#972
Robert Young Trustee Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Coronado Island Posts: 1,472	Herminio Somehow, after actually cutting it, this solution seems less than ideal. The open door is not a critical problem for me, but the integrity of the recording media is. Maybe cutting and sealing as I have done will not effect longevity, or resistance to moisture, dust, etc., but I don't know that right now. A very nice solution would be Kensington making a card reader that is a couple of mm shorter, or San Disk making the SD card a little shorter. At some point the actual Express Cards will be as cheap as the SDHC arrangement. __________________ Bob

November 20th, 2008, 01:30 AM	#973
Robert Young Trustee Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Coronado Island Posts: 1,472	Jon It's the 16GB card. All the imprint info on the front of the card is identical to the one in the video, but it is absolutely opaque black plastic, and what I can see thru the cut end looks like a circuit board. It is actually working just fine in the EX, but does seem different from the one that was demo chopped in the video __________________ Bob

November 19th, 2008, 04:18 PM	#962
Alex Raskin Trustee Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 1,435	Ola, Transcend cards definitely cannot be shortened, as the circuit board sits almost flush to the border of its plastic case. I tried and bricked one that way. It's shocking that Sandisk is so different. I guess I'll order one and try shortening it!

November 19th, 2008, 04:31 PM	#963
Ronn Kilby Major Player Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Fletcher Hills, CA Posts: 211	Somebody try that with a Transcend card - they're cheaper!

November 19th, 2008, 05:35 PM	#964
Steven Thomas Trustee Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Gilbert, AZ Posts: 1,896	Ronn, As just mentioned above, you can not shorten the Transcend.

November 19th, 2008, 06:42 PM	#966
Bob Grant Trustee Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Sydney Australia Posts: 1,570	I spoke with eXpansys AU a couple of days ago. The Kensington adaptors are now in the USA. Significant numbers will be in Australia shortly.

November 19th, 2008, 10:53 PM	#968
Alex Raskin Trustee Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 1,435	Robert, Peter Kraft's link (page 64 of this thread) shows photo of the Sandisk card's intestines, and clearly there's some kind of shiny board inside. The guy in the video insists it can be cut without any effect on functionality. If so, Robert's concern still stands: how do we deal with the open end where the cut was made? I'd seal the cut with something non-conductive, like hot glue or alike.

November 20th, 2008, 01:22 AM	#971
Jon Sands Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Indianapolis, Indiana Posts: 107	That's very odd Robert, that your sandisk is different. It wouldn't happen to be the 30mb/s version would it? The translucent card I halved was the Sandisk Ultra II SDHC 15MB/s 16GB. Which is still working awesome by the way. As for sealing up the end, I wouldn't worry too much about it. It's literally some solid state chips and the conductors on the outside of the card. There's a reason people accidentally put these things through the laundry and they still work fine! Sealing it up is still probably a good idea though, never know what could get in there.

November 20th, 2008, 01:45 AM	#974
Jon Sands Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Indianapolis, Indiana Posts: 107	Well that sure is strange, it would be nice to get to the bottom of this to prevent any future circuit board chomping. So you're sure that your card is not the 30MB/s version? Also, does your card have a circled 4 on it? (might be the revision number)

November 20th, 2008, 01:48 AM	#975
Peter Kraft Major Player Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Europe Posts: 245	Robert, you are a doctor which brings me to the idea, why not x-ray the sdhc card(s) and only shorten it/them if possible. I asked at my othopaedic doctor's and they'd be willing to do me that favor. Why not?