New Card Reader

[The Critic]

Last month, I purchased my very first digital camera, a Canon PowerShot A570 IS. Having already spent $340 on the camera, case, 2GB Ultra III memory card, and a rechargeable battery kit, I was not in the mood to spend an additional $20 on a card reader.

My father has a HP computer that he rarely uses, and he never uses the card reader. With a little imagination, here's what I did:

The memory card reader was too small to fit correctly in the 3.5" bay. It was a proprietary unit for HP computers. So, I super-glued the bottom edge of the card reader with the top edge of an empty 3.5" bay cover, and slid the entire assembly back into my Antec Sonata case. Followed up by connecting it to my motherboard via an USB header.

Thoughts on this set-up?

 

[obbop]

You used the ash tray for a card reader???

Brilliant!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[moribundman]

Why do you need a card reader? Can't you connect the camera directly via a USB wire to the computer?

 

[Crashbox]

Card readers tend to be a lot more convenient, especially when manipulating files. My digital camera has a USB port but it's definitely easier to pull the card...

 

[moribundman]

Okay, Ansel, explain how opening the camera, removing the card and plugging it into a card reader (wearing out those precious contacts and getting the card contacts dirty) is more convenient than simply plugging the camera into the computer? I only plug the wire into the camera and turn it on.

I do have a card reader but use it only for other card formats than my camera uses. My card reader uses the same USB port that my camera hooks up. Using the card reader adds just a few unnecessary steps for me if I want to download pictures from my own camera.

 

[97tbird]

I don't know with others, but when I plug the camera directly to the pc, it uses up a lot of battery (I don't have an a/c adaptor for my Konica Minolta: too pricey!), AND I noticed that when using the Crucial card reader (SD), transfer to the PC is a LOT, and I mean a LOT faster than with the camera-pc connection.

 

[moribundman]

My Lexar card reader is not faster than a direct camera-computer link. My camera uses XD cards (or a microdrive, which I don't use). If you are worried about battery life, get two sets of rechargeables instead.

 

[obbop]

Incredibly intelligent, attractive, well-rounded, literate, imaginitive dudes with a bevy of bodacious bikini babes constantly trying to be in the guy's grabbing range use card readers.

Coot has one.

 

[Crashbox]

Quote:

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I don't know with others, but when I plug the camera directly to the pc, it uses up a lot of battery (I don't have an a/c adaptor for my Konica Minolta: too pricey!), AND I noticed that when using the Crucial card reader (SD), transfer to the PC is a LOT, and I mean a LOT faster than with the camera-pc connection.

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I also have a Konica-Minolta digital camera and fully agree that a card reader is much better than using the cable.