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Author Topic: PCMCIA reader  (Read 3688 times)

Offline Steve_J

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« on: December 11, 2003, 08:39:19 PM »
I just bought a PCMCIA card reader on eBay and I can't get it to work. It's a Minimasster made by a company called Mass Microsystems. I can't seem to locate them on the internet so they may be out of business. It is SCSI and SCSI Probe can see it but it doesn't show up on my desktop. Does it need a driver? I didn't pay much for it so no big loss if it doesn't work. I wanted to use it to get Sony MemoryStick pictures into my computer. I have a beige G3 tower running at 500 Mhz and using OS9.2.1 Hellllllp!  thanx.gif
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Offline Paddy

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« Reply #1 on: December 11, 2003, 11:53:42 PM »
Oof...that's an old one! The only references I found were:

http://colegroup.com/miscellanea/TCD/Cole136.HTML (July 1995) and this place, which has 'em for sale for $78!

http://www.computerpartsgalore.com/periph-misc.htm

(maybe they'd buy yours? wink.gif )

I'm a little confused though - PCMCIA cards are the ones that laptops use. I think what you've got is an external card reader, and are you sure it reads Sony Memory sticks? The references above only mention Type I, II and III cards, which are Compact Flash. I couldn't find a single reference to Sony Memory sticks and MiniMassters. Furthermore, Sony didn't start making Memory Sticks until 1998 - the MiniMasster appeared three years earlier, which doesn't mean there never was one for Memory Sticks, but considering the dearth of info on the device, I'd bet it didn't last long.

As for Mass Microsystems, they were acquired by Ramtek in 1991. Here's some info which may be way out of date:

http://marina.mfarris.com/theref/manufactu...crosystems.html

They do still seem to be in business though (maybe):

http://www.robertson.com/projects_sales_support.html

More antique "news":

http://www.mactech.com/articles/mactech/Vo...0/MacWorldExpo/

...a 45MB removable HD for $100!!! (Mass Microsystems again)

Anyway - www.driverguide.com has no drivers at all from Mass Microsystems. And so, I suspect you may be out of luck - unless you want to try emailing Thomas Massie and seeing if he'd help! Kinda like asking Steve Jobs for Lisa software though...

Thomas Massie's current endeavor.
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Offline Steve_J

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« Reply #2 on: December 12, 2003, 12:50:07 PM »
QUOTE(Paddy @ Dec 11 2003, 10:53 PM)
Oof...that's an old one! The only references I found were:

http://colegroup.com/miscellanea/TCD/Cole136.HTML (July 1995) and this place, which has 'em for sale for $78!

http://www.computerpartsgalore.com/periph-misc.htm

(maybe they'd buy yours? wink.gif )

I'm a little confused though - PCMCIA cards are the ones that laptops use. I think what you've got is an external card reader, and are you sure it reads Sony Memory sticks? The references above only mention Type I, II and III cards, which are Compact Flash. I couldn't find a single reference to Sony Memory sticks and MiniMassters. Furthermore, Sony didn't start making Memory Sticks until 1998 - the MiniMasster appeared three years earlier, which doesn't mean there never was one for Memory Sticks, but considering the dearth of info on the device, I'd bet it didn't last long.

Paddy;

Exactly, this is an external PCMCIA card reader. I have a Sony adapter that is a PCMCIA card into which Memory Sticks are plugged. I use it with my laptop, but I am tired of offloading pictures into my laptop and the going through the rigamarole to transfer them into my main computer.

I found a few of the references you mention, the one from Cole and the one about MASS Microsystems being bought by RamTek which confused me since it predates the production date of the reader. I will try some of the others you mentioned though.

I'm still wondering if a driver is required for the unit though.

Tjanks for the help Paddy and Happy Holidays
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Offline Paddy

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« Reply #3 on: December 12, 2003, 09:26:20 PM »
Interesting - so this is actually a PCMCIA reader - what I was thinking was that it was a Compact Flash card reader. CF cards come in Type I and Type II, which isn't exactly the same as PCMCIA cards Type I and II (different number of pins - you need an adapter to stick a CF card into a PCMCIA slot).

Well, failing finding the driver for the MiniMasster, you might be interested in one of these 8-in-1 readers. They don't cost much more than a card reader for one format (in fact I think I spent about $30 on my CF reader a couple of years ago!), and if you change your camera or want to pop someone else's card into it, you're all set.
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Offline Steve_J

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« Reply #4 on: December 12, 2003, 11:12:26 PM »
Paddy;

I've been seeing ads for the media readers you mentioned. Maybe I'll have to give one a try if I can't get this thing to work.
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Offline jepinto

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« Reply #5 on: December 13, 2003, 05:03:26 AM »
Reading this got my curiosity going....(what is that saying about a cat and curiosity?  Does it apply to horses?) and there is a wealth of readers out there!

free after rebate!

15 in 1 card reader-$21.95 (Is there really that many types of media?)

I purchased this one (lowest price with shipping $26.64 with shipping now) and it forced me into a new computer.  It seems that card readers are persnikity!  They do NOT work with PCI/USB cards.  It MUST be built in USB.
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Offline Paddy

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« Reply #6 on: December 13, 2003, 08:50:10 PM »
Circuit City has the 8 in 1 Sandisk readers for $4.99 after rebates. There is a catch though - it's only available at a Circuit City retail location - not on the web!

And there is a catch on the MacMall "free" reader...the shipping is an outrageous $11.31 UPS GROUND!!!

The Circuit City one does xD-cards and the new "Memory Stick Pro" - which I assume is the newer, larger capacity Memory Sticks.

Does this mean that these readers won't work with my new USB 2.0 card, Jennie?   sad.gif  I got the card 'cuz it was  cheap (after Thanksgiving sale) and I figured a few more USB ports and USB 2.0 might come in handy on my G4. Or is that they don't work on machines with no USB at all, which have add-on PCI USB? The Sawtooth has two USB 1.1 ports - and I'm tired of the spaghetti on top of my desk with the hub. Figured this was an easy way to solve it (and move yet more spaghetti under the desk!) Well, I guess I'll find out when I get around to installing it! Hmmm....I know they work on an XP machine - Steve at Steve's Digicams has an add-on USB 2.0 PCI card in his PC and successfully tested out new card readers on it. Judging from the specs of his machine, he definitely had native USB 1.1.
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Offline jepinto

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« Reply #7 on: December 13, 2003, 10:07:36 PM »
Paddy:  All I know is what I read, and the FAQ all say "built in USB"  And the ioGear that I'm using now wouldn't work on the 6400 with the PCI card.  Sumtin to do with the port had to be powered on before the OS booted.... huh.gif

I know you know that USB 2 is backwards compatible, so maybe use the reader on the built in and use the other prephials on the new card?
« Last Edit: December 13, 2003, 10:11:43 PM by jepinto »
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Do not fear your enemies.  The worse they can do is kill you.  Do not fear friends.  At worst, they may betray you.
Fear those who do not care; they neither kill nor betray, but betrayal and murder exist because of their silent consent.
~Bruno Jasienski~

Offline sandbox

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« Reply #8 on: December 14, 2003, 01:24:16 AM »
Built-in USB is sometimes required for USB peripherals. In my case there was no drivers for the plug-in USB card. I managed to tweak a driver to run all 5 operations of my 5 in 1 Brother’s printer, but it took a while to figure it out. PCMCIA cards will also have their limits when it comes to USB and FireWire peripherals.

you know what they say...........
The big print gives it to you and the small print takes it away.

So read your paperwork carefully before you buy a paperweight.  sad.gif
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Offline krissel

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« Reply #9 on: December 14, 2003, 09:06:59 PM »
I think many of the multi-readers that support 2.0 are the ones that need built-in USB. I have a Lexar reader that works fine with my PCI FW/USB CompUSA combo card. I just had to make sure all the mass storage extensions were loaded in OS 9 to make it work. Now X is probably a different story.  unsure.gif
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