ExpressCard to PCMCIA Adapter

[Luis Otero]

Has anyone tried to use an ExpressCard via PCMCIA adapter to record some footage from the Red? Is Red.com looking into creating an ExpressCard Module?:construction:

 

[Brent J. Craig]

The Red has neither of those slots. I don't understand the question.

 

[Luis Otero]

In other words:

1. has anyone tried to use an ExpressCard using a CF card adapter like this one (http://3gstore.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=15&products_id=422) to record footage from a Red?

2. is Red.com working on developing an ExpressCard Module? I think I read on some posting here before that they were looking into this.:excl:

 

[Barry Green]

They were originally looking into it, I think they abandoned it. Basically, what's the point? ExpressCard SSDs are too slow, and SxS cards are fast enough but cost twice as much as CompactFlash, so -- why bother?

Now, with that said, I bet your idea might work. Anybody with a Red and an EX1 SxS card nearby who could try it?

 

[Luis Otero]

Basically, what's the point? ExpressCard SSDs are too slow, and SxS cards are fast enough but cost twice as much as CompactFlash, so -- why bother?

The point is to have immediate access to a 16GB option, as opposed to be limited to only 8 GB... I am using Red Drive, so this not a storage issue for me, but flexibility of having more than one type of storage dedicated to different configurations (e.g., 2K, 3K, 4K, etc) during the same shooting project.:umm:

 

[Michael Thornton]

Has anyone tried to use an ExpressCard via PCMCIA adapter to record some footage from the Red? Is Red.com looking into creating an ExpressCard Module?

PCMCIA or Card bus is way too slow for data of RED.

Any way between these two adapter there is no need for a Cardbus solution.

http://www.hoodmanusa.com/prodinfo.asp?number=RAW-FW8

http://digigearinc.com/_wsn/page16.html

Unless you mean RED should have an express card slot or cardbus slot.

Hummmm.....

Tek

 

[Luis Otero]

Just the opposite...

Just the opposite...

Just the opposite: use an adapter to be inserted into the Red CF Module that will allow us to use the SxS cards. They are way faster that any CF card.:watsup:

http://www.reduser.net/forum/images/style/attach/jpg.gif

And yes, having a Red.com module for the SxS.

 

[Brent J. Craig]

Just the opposite: use an adapter to be inserted into the Red CF Module that will allow us to use the SxS cards.

I wouldn't be shoving that adapter into a Red!

The Red has a CompactFlash slot. Those adaptors are for PCMCIA/PCcard slots. They are not the same nor are they even similar. You would bend the pins in the Red body. Just because something has rows of little holes in it, it doesn't mean you can make it fit where it doesn't belong.

 

[Barry Green]

PCMCIA or Card bus is way too slow for data of RED.

Quite the opposite. CardBus is capable of 1.3 gigabytes per second, way way in excess of what the Red needs.

But as said below, it's irrelevant unless you wanted to use a P2 card as a storage option (and, at 64GB this fall, that might indeed be explored) but the per-gig cost is going to be double what CF is, and besides, is there any CF->CardBus adapter? I know they go the other way, I've got some of those (let you use CF in a CardBus slot) but I don't think I've ever heard of going the other way (using CardBus in a CF slot).

 

[Barry Green]

The point is to have immediate access to a 16GB option, as opposed to be limited to only 8 GB...

Gotcha. Well, I do think it'd work. You can't use generic memory cards in a P2 or SxS slot, but I think Red has no such restriction, so it seems like you should be able to use an SxS card in an ExpressCard->CF adapter.

But does such an adapter exist?

 

[Luis Otero]

But does such an adapter exist?

Barry,

They do, I think??!!??... Do you think that the one on the picture I posted above would work (space), specially the one on the left, which is the new model available? Please advise.

Thanks,

 

[Brent J. Craig]

Do you think that the one on the picture I posted above would work

I give up. Please, by all means shove that PCMCIA card into the CompactFlash slot on your Red camera. Use a hammer if necessary, it could be a tight fit. I recommend keeping a Dremel tool handy to shave off whatever stops it from fitting.

Then enjoy your expensive paperweight.

 

[Luis Otero]

I give up...

CrewPix.com,

Never give up! That's the last thing any Red'ish must do... Just look at Jim's story and how an amazing piece of "paperweight" he have in our hands due to his attitude of never giving up.

Personally I have pushed big companies through forums like this, and I have had good return-on-investment out of not giving up.

So, to summarize, NEVER GIVE UP !!!!

 

[Andrew M.]

Is this ExpressCard CF card reader above any good?
Looks like most people here prefer FW800 based CF card reader?

http://www.shopdigi.com/product.asp?pf_id=CFEXP

 

[Barry Green]

Luis, a PCMCIA adapter isn't going to work at all. You'd need an ExpressCard to CompactFlash adapter. Basically the inverse of what's pictured in Andrew's post above.

 

[Luis Otero]

Luis, a PCMCIA adapter isn't going to work at all. You'd need an ExpressCard to CompactFlash adapter. Basically the inverse of what's pictured in Andrew's post above.

Barry,

Amen! Do you know if this exist? If so, can you point me out where to buy it?

Thanks!:sorcerer:

 

[Dylan Reeve]

NO. No no no no.

It won't work. Ignoring the fact that the adapters mentioned so far are PCMCIA to ExpressCard not CF to ExpressCard, there is no way they'll help.

The PCMCIA to ExpressCard adapters only support the USB component of the ExpressCard specification (the format supports USB and PCIexpress - devices use one or both). The ExpressCard SSDs currently available only support the USB level of conectivity, they are too slow. SxS cards, which may be fast enough (although I doubt it) are based on the PCIexpress interface level, and will not work in a standard USB or PCMCIA adapter.

While it might technically be possible to connect a ExpressCard devce to a CF slot, it would not be a PCIe connection, so your CF adapter would have to somehow take a UDMA interface (which is what RED is using to connect to the CF cards) and implement a PCIe-compatible interface to communicate with the SxS card, and then act as a bridge from UDMA data (on CF side) to proprietary transport (on the SxS side).

Unless the RED One has a PCIexpress controller internally and a way to externalise that in the changeable module then there is not really any way it can utilise ExpressCard with any better performance than USB2 (which isn't good enough).

The current CF module uses a SATA interface to the camera. This means it should be able to be replaced with a CFast module when that technology matures, but in the meantime you're pretty much restricted to devices which can accept UDMA data directly, which means CF, PATA/SATA Hard Drives and PATA/SATA SSD modules... And possible a few other memory card formats.

At least that's how I understand it.

 

[Dylan Reeve]

Is this ExpressCard CF card reader above any good?
Looks like most people here prefer FW800 based CF card reader?

http://www.shopdigi.com/product.asp?pf_id=CFEXP

That device should be good. Most ExpressCard CF adaptors only utilise the USB interface, so essentially offer only USB2 speeds. That one claims to implement it's reader on the PCIexpress interface, which offers speeds potentially much much higher than USB. It's probably a SATA controller internally with a CF reader hard-wired to it.

 

[Luis Otero]

Dylan,

Very enlightning posting! Thanks for sharing your knowledge.:sorcerer:

 

[Dylan Reeve]

I'm fairly confident that either bigger CF or affordable SSD options are on the way...

As for SxS - I'm still skeptical that it's can support RED's data rates - I've still not seen any published write speeds for it.