Hardware Reference
In-Depth Information
SSDs and USB flash drives are not listed because they do not have a single standardized form factor.
SSDs, normally used as hard disk drive (HDD) replacements, come in different form factors,
including the same form factor as 1.8-inch, 2.5-inch, and 3.5-inch HDDs as well as adapter card-
based versions that plug into a slot in the motherboard.
CompactFlash
CompactFlash was developed by SanDisk Corporation in 1994 and uses the ATA (AT Attachment)
architecture to emulate a disk drive; a CompactFlash device attached to a computer has a disk drive
letter just like your other drives. When CompactFlash was first being standardized, even full-sized
hard disks were rarely larger than 4GB, so the limitations of the ATA standard were considered
acceptable. However, CF cards manufactured after the original Revision 1.0 specification are
available in capacities up to 128GiB. While the current revision 6.0 works in [P]ATA mode, future
revisions are expected to implement SATA mode.
The original size was Type I (3.3mm thick); a newer Type II size (5mm thick) accommodates higher-
capacity devices. Both CompactFlash cards are 1.433-inch wide by 1.685-inch long, and adapters
allow them to be inserted into laptop computer PC Card slots. The CompactFlash Association
(
www.compactflash.org
)
oversees development of the standard.
SmartMedia
Ironically, SmartMedia (originally known as SSFDC for
solid state floppy disk card
) is the simplest
of any flash memory device; SmartMedia cards contain only flash memory on a card without control
circuits. This simplicity means that compatibility with different generations of SmartMedia cards can
require manufacturer upgrades of SmartMedia-using devices. Now defunct, the Solid State Floppy
Disk Forum originally oversaw development of the SmartMedia standard.
Tip
If you use a SmartMedia-based Olympus digital camera that has the panorama feature, be sure
to use Olympus-brand SmartMedia because other brands lack support for the panorama feature.
MultiMediaCard
