Cheap CF Drive Link + How-to

http://www.euric.com/products/product.p ... uct_id=860
I'm not sure if this has been posted before, but here is a CF Reader with integrated ATA controllers... It says it need drivers under Windows, but not for Linux. Any opinions?

The problem is with most sites that have drives that seem like they would be perfect for an MPC do not sell single units directly to customers, and instead sell to large corporate enteties which use them for Fabrication, or Security type hardware devices.

Notice how there are no prices anywhere on that website.

Yeah, I know, but a simple Google search comes up with the a couple of sites that sell them, CIMPLE Spares and the official APRO site. On the CIMPLE site it says that it cannot hot swap, but on the Euric site it says that it can...

It probably needs installed drivers to use the Hot Swap function.

This is so friggin funny to me right now...... I wish I'da been on this site a long time ago.

I've sold a bunch of these on Ebay, but never had the demand and gave up. I have 10 or 20 left in the studio.

If anyone is interested, let me know and I'll sell em on Ebay. Just a little something I manufactured 2 YEARS AGO!!!

NON-HOT SWAP

I have a local shop manufacture the Aluminum trays, and have opted to leave them bare/brushed for costs sake. $20? What's fair? They're brand new.

I can go back into production for more as well if anyone's interested. (New run would have front slot cut out better, as in not 4 punches. see pics)

By the way. You can buy these CF to IDE adapter cards on Ebay for less than $1.00 a piece in lots.

The frames on the other hand I had machined. There are a couple companies who sell frames, but they're $20.

Could be fun to build your own but would cost the same or more after shipping, taxes n crap, or not?

Also, I have a source for the OEM card reader used in the MCD, only I can't get em with black fronts, only beige. I think they're $100 now, but I can check.

PS, Any of these without the controller IC chip will not hot-swap.
It is a small square chip on the PCB. The one listed a couple posts above may or may not work.
It depends whether all the control is onboard, or whether some is handles via software.
Might be worth a shot, but it's hit or miss, and if they say ANYTHING about drivers, it's a really slim chance.

ENJOY!!!





Wow, that pic makes the slot look worse than it is. It was supposed to be punched from the other side,
so you can see the impressions but they're really not as bad as it looks there. Any new run would have this corrected.

Hey SMC, how much would it cost to ship one over to the UK?

Hey guys. I guess sometimes I forget I'm on the WORLD WIDE web, so I'll have to look into shipping overseas, but can't you guys already get that Addonics one over there and save cause of shipping?

Maybe I'm wrong in thinking that overseas shipping would be expensive????

I've never shipped overseas, maybe someone with some experience can give me an idea of cost? They're super light and would be packaged in a box not much bigger than the unit itself.

I like the look of this. Too bad you dont have SCSI ones

Makes me want an all brushsed aluminum chassis

Well, when I get my screen printer lined up I'll offer the 2KXL as a brushed finish.

That make you happy? That and a matching brushed CF drive, black front panel? Grey? Silver?

That'd be sexy.

Give me a few days I'll try to find a source, or see if my source has, a scsi one, and I'll get one to test.

yes, I'm crazy

Ok, hold up, how many pin scsi, what connector?

yeah but I dont have no fonky ass xl I gots the CLASSIC!!!!!

Shoot. I had just ordered a drive from mpcstuff that came in 2 days ago but I have a friend who might be interested.

Word, I have 10 I just grabbed at the studio last night.

I'll post pics tomorrow, today I'm working on a new winter beater!

'91 LS400 baby! 4.0 V8 1UZ motor, rear wheel drive, leather guts, mint interior, minor front end damage! Yezzir! Have her back to mint within a couple weeks! Speedo says 160, I guess we'll see.... Then I'll repost pics of the Caddy and Lexus next to each other with me and my homie sittin on em holdin the MPC's.

heh heh, they're both old and beat up, cars and MPC's..... heh heh fun stuff fun stuff

Hey guys. I guess sometimes I forget I'm on the WORLD WIDE web, so I'll have to look into shipping overseas, but can't you guys already get that Addonics one over there and save cause of shipping?

AFAIK shipping from the US to Poland costs about 20$ - thats what mpcstuff.com told me when I asked them. Not bad I guess.

Peace
Oskar

SMC hey bro, if that thing is approved to work with 2kxl, I`am ordering one, PM me.
I am in Russia, paying via PayPal (or bank transfer?). The color doesn`t matter to me, brushed aluminium works fine.
The thing is, my buddy bought similar CF-IDE adapter (only PCB, no mounting rack) manufactured in China/Hong Kong on EBay at sort of $1, and it didn`t work - the MPC didn`t even realized it as a device.
And the next question is whether I should modify the power cord to work it with the MPC.
Shiiiieet, you guys probably can`t imagine that these lil devices are not to find anywhere in Russia including Moscow, at least not that I am aware of via the internet.

Word up, I'll post a pic in a little while, within a couple hours, of the 10 or so I have.

You see the picture with it in the MPC2KXL? That machine is still running that card reader 2 years strong.

Here's the deal.

IT DOES NOT HOT SWAP!!!!!!!!

I am getting quotes for a company in China to manufacture one to my specs that will hot swap, but that's another story.

FIRST YOU HAVE TO INSTALL THE NEWEST OS, THE OS FOR THE MCD VERSION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THEN INSTALL THE CARD READER!!!!!!!

For now, you have to have the card in the machine when you turn it on in order for it to recognize the card.

You have to turn the machine off in order to remove the card.

Inserting or removing the card will cause the 2KXL to crash and display random letters and characters on the screen. Forcing you to turn it off and back on again.

That being said, This has worked for me with 2 GB Compact Flash cards from Microcenter found here:
http://microcenter.com/single_product_r ... id=0255072

Only $16 US

Now, If anyone would like, If you place an order for the card reader and you want that card,
Add $20 and I'll go to microcenter and pick it up, and include it when the package ships out.

This may take me a minute to get over there for cards, so it would add some days to the wait, but I'll grab em cause I know they work.

Some Compact Flash cards may not work, for whatever reason, I think it has to do with the internal drivers of the card itself,
(ie, some are ATA, etc... I know they can differ somehow)

The final 2 things I'll mention:

These were the first run of the card, and the 4 screw holes on the bottom may not line the unit up 'PERFECT'.
It may take a little fartin around, like, put this screw in, and then pull the back this way a little, then put that one in, then the rest.

I also noticed a little variation in the MPC's themselves, as well as variation in the brackets themselves.

I've put 4 of these in 2KXL's myself, and 3 went in without a lot of fuss, and one, I actually had to drill one of the holes on the bracket cause it was way off on that machine in particular.

This might make it sound worse than it is, they really aren't bad, but I just wanted to throw that out there.

The next run will be a bit better.

The other thing is the 90 Degree bend at the fron that the slot is in. The front panel of the 2KXL is not 'straight'. It sweeps 2 different directions.

Before screwing the bracket in, line it up in the slot, and note how far the top left corner sticks out, usually 1/8", take it out, lay it on the slotted face,
apply some pressure to bend it so that top corner is tighter than 90 Degrees a tiny bit. Re check it, and install.

really not a big deal, easily bent, or leave it, not a biggy either way.

I just don't have a 2KXL anymore, well, it's at my guys, so I probably won't be able to prep em for you in that regard.

I'd say give me a week, so I can get to Microcenter for cards, and then I'll have these things ready to go.

INCLUDES:
Compact Flash Card Reader on Custom Bracket, Power Cable Adapter (Brings the large 4 Pin Molex to the small one for Floppy, in case you need it), IDE Ribbon Cable.

I appreciate the information and the offer but I would recommend making a new thread that is dedicated to what you are proposing (Perhaps in the Sales forum?)

It's already hard enough finding information here with the little organization there already is.