Cheap CF Drive Link + How-to

Mekishiko wrote: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.

Word.

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=107957&p=976482#p976482

Is there any reason why this card reader wouldn't work?

http://www.digitalera.co.uk/products/ID ... 34-51.html

Yes:

""Hot Swap" software Supports DMA mode Uses normal IDE cable This IDE reader is a drive that allows computers with an IDE controller to read and write ATA Flash PCMCIA Cards and Compact Flash Cards"

Hot swap SOFTWARE supports DMA......

The hardware has to support it. This unit requires a driver to jumper DMA Mode from IDE

How are you gonna install the driver on the 2KXL?????

I highly doubt it, but IF my countless hours of research are incorrect or their statement above is incorrect, it may.

If someone could try it, and it worked, we'd have a dope hotswap solution, but again, it relies on software to handle that part of it so I'm 99.99999% sure it won't fly.

I'd buy one to try it, but I've done that already with over a dozen 'card readers' and probably 2 dozen Circuit Boards FOR card readers (The circuit board is the card reader, the rest is just a case, nothing more)

Ok another success story here: I got the Addonics drive from the UK link on a previous page.

Install OS 1.20

Drive came with a power cable - cut off the connector that plugs into the card reader leaving the longest length of red and black wire attached. (Remove yellow and black wires)

Cut old floppy drive power cable in half and attach the motherboard end to the card reader cable (red and black wires.)

I forgot/didn't read that I had to get an IDE cable - you don't use the cable for the floppy. Bought one from my local Maplin but you should be able to salvage one from an old PC.

Connect the power and IDE cables to the motherboard.

Screw everything back together - worked perfectly first time with a 128mb Verbatim CF card.

Thinking about it I didn't set the jumper on the card reader so it must have been in the correct position already. Also to physically install the drive I just used very strong glue to glue the bracket that the floppy drive was mounted with to the CF drive tray. It won't be used heavily and I'll be careful with it so I'm not too worried about that method right now. If it doesn't hold up I'll just drill the holes and screw it together but for now I just wanted to get up and running - I've waited too long!

So if you're still thinking about the Addonics - it definitely works, go for it!

Mekishiko wrote:Currently I have been using a SanDisk SDCFH-1024-901 1GB Ultra II CompactFlash Card for about 5 months now with no issues and can be had on eBay for about $8 USD.

http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Sandisk-1gb-Ultra-II-Compact-Flash-CF-Memory-Card_W0QQitemZ330299159709QQcmdZViewItemQQptZDigital_Camera_Memory_Cards?hash=item330299159709&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1309|301%3A1|293%3A1|294%3A50

I ordered one of these and it's not the one in the pic. It IS a SanDisc and its official but, THIS ONE DOES NOT WORK!!! The one in the picture DOES WORK, I have one. But the one that they are selling on Ebay is not the one pictured and does not work with the CF reader.

That is weird, I ordered 3 of them from that dealer on Ebay. Although they DID LOOK DIFFRENT, (They had an all black background instead of the stripes) They still worked perfectly.

Mekishiko wrote:That is weird, I ordered 3 of them from that dealer on Ebay. Although they DID LOOK DIFFRENT, (They had an all black background instead of the stripes) They still worked perfectly.

Maybe I need to format?
I'll check again.

thx

nice! SMC. I would've bought that one instead of the addonics one. You really made it a whole package. No drilling required and no cable mods.

I still have an addonics CF drive new in the box, never used, $20 free shipping in the US. If no one here buys it, it will go on ebay.

taxman806 wrote:

Mekishiko wrote:That is weird, I ordered 3 of them from that dealer on Ebay. Although they DID LOOK DIFFRENT, (They had an all black background instead of the stripes) They still worked perfectly.

Maybe I need to format?
I'll check again.

I formatted the CF and it worked!

A couple a questions:
1. I read this about 3 times yet I want to be sure....I can use the existing power cord in the MPC that powered the floppy?!?!??!!
2. Is there a way to detect the device even if your card is not comliant?

Thanks

Q1)Yes you can use the Small style Power connector that already goes to the floppy, I modded Mine because I was doing other stuff with it.

Q2) It depends, the term "Incompatible" is really general and could mean any number of things IE: The Full sized isnt recognized, or when you try to save it locks up, or the MPC doesn't even power on when the car is inside. But a working compact flash card <1GB (Try the ones listed here) needs to be inside of the drive when you turn on the machine or else it will not be recognized. once again NOT HOT SWAPPABLE.

LOL read the tutorial more, I wrote that stuff in there already.

I did it. Thanks for the reply. Only reason I posted is because I reached my wits end after challenging self to accomplish this over the holiday weekend. I was a bit too gentle while plugging IDE into MPC board. I pushed way in and BOOM BAP, ATAPI M*ck*eF*ck*es, game over. Before I posted previous msg I reconnected floppy to confirm that power cord was working fine. Afterwards I drilled my holes to secure the reader and I am up. I am going to order another for backup. One ADIDECFB, one IDE cable..$43 compared to you know who knows what for a kit.

I take pride in following directins so this was personal.

you can do this for cheap.

you could in sense install the CF card reader internally and get by for $5 if you don't need constant access to the card.

The kicker is the bracket, made with lower mounting holes and a front panel that fits well and looks ok.

Granted, the Addonics one is complete with a bracket, you need to mod it for a good fit.

The DIY can be real cheap. I figure my reader and new bracket is a good inexpensive complete kit made specifically for the MPC at this point. (Which has a surround, so even sticking out it looks like an aluminum replacement fit of the old floppy or zip).

Otherwise, one can just get by with modding the addonics and adding or modding the power cable, and adding a ribbon cable.



No matter what, the DIY or my kit are WAY better alternatives to $125 through MPCStuff.

yay......

ok