All memory card readers are not created equal!

[Gracie]

I bought a Class 4 SDHC 4 GB memory card for my Canon point and shoot camera. While it didn't cost that much, i found out that the card reader on my 1-year-old HP printer does not support SDHC - only SD.

I do not like to load my camera software onto the computer since I would never use it. I have Photoshop and the printer's software which is everything I need. So I rely on the printer's card reader to transfer photos.

I cannot believe that there is so much difference in the SDHC that the "older" card readers can't support it. My printer is only 1 year old - electronic product obsoleteness is definitely increasing.

Anyway, now I am trying to decide whether I want to buy a comparable speed/size SD card or a USB card reader that supports SDHC.

Any recommendations?

[Hammster]

Gracie, did your camera come with a USB cable? I leave my card in the camera and just connect my camera to the computer via the USB cable and the USB ports on the camera and computer.

[Gumbeaux]

Anyway, now I am trying to decide whether I want to buy a comparable speed/size SD card or a USB card reader that supports SDHC.

Any recommendations?

I would buy the SDHC reader. There's really no reason not to. I think in the near future almost SD cards will be high capacity.

You can buy a SDHC card reader from Amazon.com for only three bucks. I bought several of these and got one free when I purchased some SDHC cards. I keep one of these in my camera bag since it is so small and use it to send pictures to friends and family while on vacation. You can also use a reader with a card as a storage device to store documents (Excel, Word, etc.,etc.) on it.

[gertdog]

Loren,

I recently got a mobile phone that has a microSD card, and I bought a SanDisk MobileMate SD+ card reader which will work with both the microSD card and the SD memory card in my Canon digital camera. It was 9.99 at Amazon.com. Seems to work quite well!

Link to SanDisk MobileMate SD+

[Gracie]

Stephanie and Gumbeaux - when you plug in the reader to your USB port, does it just read as a drive on your computer? For 3 bucks I could at least try the reader. Why did you feel you needed a few of them?

Hammster - don't you need camera software installed to plug in your camera? I do have a USB cable but never knew how to use it.

[gertdog]

Loren, yep, it just reads it as a "mass storage device."

[Hammster]

Hammster - don't you need camera software installed to plug in your camera? I do have a USB cable but never knew how to use it.

You don't need your camera software installed to use the USB cable. When you use the USB cable the computer will recognise your camera as a mass storage device just like it does a card reader.
The one thing that happens to memory cards is the gold contacts on the outside of the card wear out with the removal from the camera, installation into a card reader and removal from card reader and then installation back into the camera. Leaving the card in the camera and using the USB cable reduces that wear. The connectors on the USB cable and ports are designed for frequent connecting and disconnecting.

[Gumbeaux]

.....Gumbeaux - when you plug in the reader to your USB port, does it just read as a drive on your computer?.........Why did you feel you needed a few of them?

It reads (and writes!) like another drive on your computer. (see attached photo) That's the beauty of using a card reader. I very often write to a card when using a card in a digital picture frame. I can enhance the photos and sort the order before putting them on the picture frame.

I bought four card readers (since I got them cheap) and have one on my computer at home, one on my computer at work, one in my camera bag, and one on my wife's laptop. Transferring files is much faster this way ( vs. using the camera or emailing) and does not require me to take my camera to work or to someone's house to transfer files.

[Gracie]

Hammster and Gumbeaux - this discovery came about when I wanted to post on the Picture I Took Today thread. You both have inspired me to always carry my p&s camera!

You don't need your camera software installed to use the USB cable. When you use the USB cable the computer will recognise your camera as a mass storage device just like it does a card reader.

I will have to try that to get these pictures off the camera now.

It reads (and writes!) like another drive on your computer. (see attached photo) ....

I bought four cards (since I got them cheap)

I use my Compact Flash card to read, write and organize photos I want to put on my iPhone but I never thought to do that with the SD card.

Did you mean you bought four card readers rather than four cards? They certainly are cheap enough.

[Gumbeaux]

Did you mean you bought four card readers rather than four cards? They certainly are cheap enough.

Yeah, but I have 4 HDSC cards also.

[Gracie]

I just ordered that SanDisk reader - $8.04 total with shipping. I would have ordered 2, but there wasn't any break on the shipping. It was $4.98 shipping for each one you ordered and the reader itself was only $3.06.

In the meantime, I'm going to hook up the camera to the computer via the USB port.

Thanks everyone!

[Gumbeaux]

Gracie,

I forgot to mention that I have a USB extension cord that I use with my card reader, iPod, scanner, and other USB devices. This allows me to use the "hard to get to", often not used, USB ports on the back of my computer.

It's definitely a handy, inexpensive item.

[Gracie]

Gumbeaux - that's very cool! DD has both the front USB ports commandeered for her iPhone and iPod (the ends are different of course even though they look identical without a magnifying glass ) and I was wondering how I was going to crawl behind the CPU to plug in my new card reader.

Thanks - off to order that too!!

Editing to add - ordered!!

[Gumbeaux]

I just ordered that SanDisk reader - $8.04 total with shipping.

Have you received this yet and is it working for you?

[Gracie]

Yes - thank you - they both work perfectly! I thought I had more USB ports on the back of the computer and was planning to plug in the extension cord there and just leave it for anytime I needed the reader. But there aren't any unused ports in back - just the mouse and the keyboard ports.

So I was going to return the extension cord since now I have to use the 2 ports in front. I unhooked one of DD's Apple USB cords in front and was just going to plug in the reader, but the design of the reader is such that it's really wide right next to the plug so the reader couldn't plug all the way in because it got stuck on the lip of the computer. So I do need the extension cord to plug into the port.

Maybe I need to invest in one of those 4-USB hub things!

Thanks again Gumbeaux!!

[Gumbeaux]

So I was going to return the extension cord since now I have to use the 2 ports in front. I unhooked one of DD's Apple USB cords in front and was just going to plug in the reader, but the design of the reader is such that it's really wide right next to the plug so the reader couldn't plug all the way in because it got stuck on the lip of the computer. So I do need the extension cord to plug into the port.

Maybe I need to invest in one of those 4-USB hub things!

Thanks again Gumbeaux!!

My father had the same problem with his computer not allowing a card reader to be plugged in.

The USB extension cord that I have makes things things a lot easier. I have the end that you plug the card reader into conveniently located on my desk right next to my mouse. I never have to have my iPod, printer, cell phone, and external hard drive plugged in at the same time so I just switch what I have plugged in as needed. I have the cord snaked behind my computer desk so that it is not in the way. I have a self-powered hub but some things don't work with it and some things work slower so that's why I switch things using the extension cord.

[Gracie]

I never have to have my iPod, printer, cell phone, and external hard drive plugged in at the same time so I just switch what I have plugged in as needed. I have the cord snaked behind my computer desk so that it is not in the way. I have a self-powered hub but some things don't work with it and some things work slower so that's why I switch things using the extension cord.

Yes you are right - I didn't think of just leaving it in all the time then when she needs the ipod or iphone plugged in she can just do that. As it is right now, the 2 front USB ports each have the ipod and the iphone cords always in there.

We have the self-powered USB hub on our upstairs computer since DH has some hardware that allows him to digitize his albums and cassettes plus a ton of other things. It seems to work ok but I am glad to hear the extension cord is more reliable.

[Meganator]

...DD has both the front USB ports commandeered for her iPhone and iPod (the ends are different of course even though they look identical without a magnifying glass )

Hmmm....are you sure? We have a single cable that DH uses to sync is iPhone and I use to sync my iPod. We also use the same cables when we charge them at a regular outlet.