best USB3 or Thunderbolt adapter for SxS cards at DVinfo.net

Malcolm Hamilton · November 13th, 2013, 09:28 AM

Question for people who use SxS cards, and who, like me, no longer have a MacBook Pro that has an ExpressCard slot (logic board in my 2008 MBP just died).

On another thread, someone said that the Sony USB3 SxS card reader is a very nice device, but given that it's $300, should I maybe look at the Sonnet Echo Pro ExpressCard/34 Thunderbolt Adapter, which is $130?

It imports at 100 MBps according to my quick read of the page on B&H, and I think it's bus-powered as well.
Plus, this thing (I'm not good at grasping all of the technical details) might allow me to connect my 2-bay eSATA enclosure when I'm editing on the road.

Any Sonnet Echo Pro ExpressCard/34 Thunderbolt Adapter users out there who can weigh in?
(or anyone who knows about these two options—Sony SBAC-US20 vs. Sonnet—or other options, for reading SxS cards?

Regards,
Malcolm

Alister Chapman · November 13th, 2013, 09:59 AM

I have the Echo Express and it works very well indeed. Bus powered so no need for a power supply, cheap too.

One plus is that it does not tie up one of the two USB ports, so both ports are available for expansion. The down side is that it ties up the thunderbolt port and if you only have one TB port that means you can't use many TB devices unless they have daisy chain capability, in which case the Echo Express becomes the end device.

I have used it with esata adapters to connect to esata devices and again it works as expected, provided you have the right esata express card adapter.

It gets my vote.

The US20 is good too, very fast if you have USB 3 (about the same as the Echo Express). Big improvement over the old and slow US10.

Malcolm Hamilton · November 13th, 2013, 10:21 AM

Thanks for this, Alister. My esata ExpressCard adapter fit into the side of my old MacBook Pro, just like my SxS cards did... I'm hoping this means that it would work with the Echo Express...
I find it odd, frankly, that this Echo ExpressCard Pro is less than half the cost of the Sony USB3 reader.
I can see Sony charging $300 for their unit if it's the only thing out there. But aren't they charging too much for it, if there are other units that do the same thing, for half the money? Don't get me wrong—I'm a big fan of Sony. I just think their card reader is too expensive. Am I being harsh?
Regards,
Malcolm

Shaun Roemich · November 13th, 2013, 01:02 PM

My Sonnet Echo Express is due to arrive today, based almost solely on Alister's recommendation.

I'll advise the OOBE as soon as it arrives.

Malcolm Hamilton · November 13th, 2013, 02:49 PM

That would be great Shaun...
regards,
Malcolm

Eric Deyerler · November 13th, 2013, 07:20 PM

I bought the Sonnet Thunderbolt Adapter for my SxS-Cards, the import time for 32 GB SxS is under 3 minutes, this is quite fast, direct from the camera it is on my iMac round about 1 hour, with my mac book air 20 minutes. With the Sonnet Echo it`s the best way for me to import, when I shot with my new pmw400 I can directly save my recorded media, during shoting.

Shaun Roemich · November 13th, 2013, 09:26 PM

Works great!

Sonnet Technologies website is having issues tonight so getting AT the driver that makes everything work took about 30 minutes but after installing Sonnet's driver and restarting it works under OSX10.6.8 and 10.9 on my desktop and my laptop (a brand new MacBook Pro 13" retina base)

Robin Probyn · November 15th, 2013, 05:42 AM

I have the sonnet too.. and yes its good.. but i only have 1 TB port ,which I use for the HDD Im copying to..

One small problem with the sonnet is you need software (driver ) for it.. thats from Sonnet.. so they have to wait to get info from Sony every time there is a new OS conflict.. I think it was last year? with Mountain Lion suddenly people couldn't use their Sonnet card reader.. and it took a fair while for Sonnet to get a new driver out..

Where as the US20 needs no software at all.. mounts as any HDD would.. and the speed is the same as Sonnet.. I like that safety of not having to worry about the sonnet driver .. but agree the price is way too high!

November 13th, 2013, 09:28 AM	#1
Malcolm Hamilton Major Player Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Ottawa, Canada Posts: 844	best USB3 or Thunderbolt adapter for SxS cards Question for people who use SxS cards, and who, like me, no longer have a MacBook Pro that has an ExpressCard slot (logic board in my 2008 MBP just died). On another thread, someone said that the Sony USB3 SxS card reader is a very nice device, but given that it's $300, should I maybe look at the Sonnet Echo Pro ExpressCard/34 Thunderbolt Adapter, which is $130? It imports at 100 MBps according to my quick read of the page on B&H, and I think it's bus-powered as well. Plus, this thing (I'm not good at grasping all of the technical details) might allow me to connect my 2-bay eSATA enclosure when I'm editing on the road. Any Sonnet Echo Pro ExpressCard/34 Thunderbolt Adapter users out there who can weigh in? (or anyone who knows about these two options—Sony SBAC-US20 vs. Sonnet—or other options, for reading SxS cards? Regards, Malcolm

November 13th, 2013, 09:59 AM	#2
Alister Chapman Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Bracknell, Berkshire, UK Posts: 4,957	Re: best USB3 or Thunderbolt adapter for SxS cards I have the Echo Express and it works very well indeed. Bus powered so no need for a power supply, cheap too. One plus is that it does not tie up one of the two USB ports, so both ports are available for expansion. The down side is that it ties up the thunderbolt port and if you only have one TB port that means you can't use many TB devices unless they have daisy chain capability, in which case the Echo Express becomes the end device. I have used it with esata adapters to connect to esata devices and again it works as expected, provided you have the right esata express card adapter. It gets my vote. The US20 is good too, very fast if you have USB 3 (about the same as the Echo Express). Big improvement over the old and slow US10. __________________ Alister Chapman, Film-Maker/Stormchaser http://www.xdcam-user.com/alisters-blog/ My XDCAM site and blog. http://www.hurricane-rig.com

November 13th, 2013, 10:21 AM	#3
Malcolm Hamilton Major Player Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Ottawa, Canada Posts: 844	Re: best USB3 or Thunderbolt adapter for SxS cards Thanks for this, Alister. My esata ExpressCard adapter fit into the side of my old MacBook Pro, just like my SxS cards did... I'm hoping this means that it would work with the Echo Express... I find it odd, frankly, that this Echo ExpressCard Pro is less than half the cost of the Sony USB3 reader. I can see Sony charging $300 for their unit if it's the only thing out there. But aren't they charging too much for it, if there are other units that do the same thing, for half the money? Don't get me wrong—I'm a big fan of Sony. I just think their card reader is too expensive. Am I being harsh? Regards, Malcolm

November 13th, 2013, 01:02 PM	#4
Shaun Roemich Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Vancouver, British Columbia (formerly Winnipeg, Manitoba) Canada Posts: 4,088	Re: best USB3 or Thunderbolt adapter for SxS cards My Sonnet Echo Express is due to arrive today, based almost solely on Alister's recommendation. I'll advise the OOBE as soon as it arrives. __________________ Shaun C. Roemich Road Dog Media - Vancouver, BC - Videographer - Webcaster www.roaddogmedia.ca Blog: http://roaddogmedia.wordpress.com/

November 13th, 2013, 02:49 PM	#5
Malcolm Hamilton Major Player Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Ottawa, Canada Posts: 844	Re: best USB3 or Thunderbolt adapter for SxS cards That would be great Shaun... regards, Malcolm

November 13th, 2013, 07:20 PM	#6
Eric Deyerler Regular Crew Join Date: May 2009 Location: Schwabach (Germany - Bavaria) Posts: 199	Re: best USB3 or Thunderbolt adapter for SxS cards I bought the Sonnet Thunderbolt Adapter for my SxS-Cards, the import time for 32 GB SxS is under 3 minutes, this is quite fast, direct from the camera it is on my iMac round about 1 hour, with my mac book air 20 minutes. With the Sonnet Echo it`s the best way for me to import, when I shot with my new pmw400 I can directly save my recorded media, during shoting.

November 13th, 2013, 09:26 PM	#7
Shaun Roemich Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Vancouver, British Columbia (formerly Winnipeg, Manitoba) Canada Posts: 4,088	Re: best USB3 or Thunderbolt adapter for SxS cards Works great! Sonnet Technologies website is having issues tonight so getting AT the driver that makes everything work took about 30 minutes but after installing Sonnet's driver and restarting it works under OSX10.6.8 and 10.9 on my desktop and my laptop (a brand new MacBook Pro 13" retina base) __________________ Shaun C. Roemich Road Dog Media - Vancouver, BC - Videographer - Webcaster www.roaddogmedia.ca Blog: http://roaddogmedia.wordpress.com/

November 15th, 2013, 05:42 AM	#8
Robin Probyn Major Player Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Tokyo Posts: 590	Re: best USB3 or Thunderbolt adapter for SxS cards I have the sonnet too.. and yes its good.. but i only have 1 TB port ,which I use for the HDD Im copying to.. One small problem with the sonnet is you need software (driver ) for it.. thats from Sonnet.. so they have to wait to get info from Sony every time there is a new OS conflict.. I think it was last year? with Mountain Lion suddenly people couldn't use their Sonnet card reader.. and it took a fair while for Sonnet to get a new driver out.. Where as the US20 needs no software at all.. mounts as any HDD would.. and the speed is the same as Sonnet.. I like that safety of not having to worry about the sonnet driver .. but agree the price is way too high!