Topic: Any small portable devices that will allow you to copy memory cards?

[SClassical]

Hi I would like to copy a memory card without using a computer in the field. Is there such thing? I see big ones priced at a few hundred but nothing small like a memory card reader.

[Scooter123]

Check with an upscale Camera store.  They are called "Photo Safes" or Card Safes.  They copy the card directly to a hard drive.  They are about the size a paperback book.  They are very pricey, about $300.  A small laptop and an external drive is a better choice.

[SClassical]

Hmm that is what I thought...I could get a mini laptop with a large capacity internal HD and a memory card reader for that price for about the same price. Was hoping that there are something which is simple and cheap and portable.

[aosone]

I haven't seen any cheap option either. If I'm on the road for a few days and fill all my cards up, I dump the files onto a netbook or Macbook.

The other option is spare cards. NewEgg has Transcend 16GB Class 10 cards for $22 today. Free shipping. I've never had any issues with this brand. Been using an 8GB class 6 Transcend card for heavy use over the last year or so.

[flipp]

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000MG120Y/ref=olp_product_details?ie=UTF8&me=&seller=
< if you click the "explore similar items" link on the above page several other options are available from $60 - $150 >

There are some posts about this device here on TS. I have one and have had no problems with it other than the first one I got was DOA (the replacement has worked flawlessly). My major complaint is it is relatively slow when transferring to the internal hard drive. It transfers much faster when hooked to the comp and used as a card reader.

Reading some reviews when I searched google it seems many of these units have been unreliable. Couple that with this unit being difficult to find and you are probably better off getting a netbook or a few more memory cards.

[rastasean]

no doubt these things (or at lease the idea) is pretty neat because its insurance for the card in case something happens and it prevents you from hauling a laptop around, but it seems manufactures haven't spend a lot of research into making something very affordable and practical.

On the other hand, if you're certain you want to buy one, check this out.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/573864-REG/Epson_B31B192002_P_7000_Multimedia_Photo_Viewer.html

obviously that is intended for photographers but I don't see how it couldn't copy wave files. If you're just wanting to copy wave/audio files, buy extra memory cards.

[SClassical]

That's actually more than I was thinking. Was hoping to have a simple small cheap compact flash copier.
Something like this:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Vosonic-Xs-Drivell-VP2060-Flash-Reader-USB-Reader-New-/380270815883?pt=PCC_Drives_Storage_Internal&hash=item5889e82a8b#ht_984wt_1139

But it's sort of bulky if put in a pocket.

[sunjan]

For tapers, concensus seem to be that there's little point backing up in the field, most of us go straight home to the computer after the gig anyway.
And flash media being so cheap, most of us just buy a stack of cards if you go on the road for a longer tour.

If you need 100% redundancy for some reason, look at dedicated PSD (Portable Storage Drives), unfortunatey still $120 and upwards (nexto, Sanho, Wolverine etc).
See this old thread from 2008:
http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=65298.msg1288138#msg1288138

Something cool that dropped a lot in price recently is Belkin Media Card Reader for Ipod, street price these days only $20:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250717025256

If you have an old Ipod in your drawer, this would probably be the cheapest/smallest solution...

[kirk97132]

That doesn't list SDHC cards just the SD which makes me wonder if would work on the higher capacity cards?

[12milluz]

http://www.amazon.com/Memorex-TRAVELLINK-USB-CARD-READER-32028500/dp/B000BZ6P1M

I have one of those I got a few years ago for about $15 when a store went out of business. I don't use it too often, but it is useful when I need it. Look on ebay. Maybe you can find one cheap?

[sunjan]

That doesn't list SDHC cards just the SD which makes me wonder if would work on the higher capacity cards?

You have a point there, it's probably obsolete.

In the meantime, I've been shopping around, and there are truckloads of combined card readers/HDD enclosures with battery for standalone operation, all in the $15-$40 range.
Cirago CST2000 Smart Mobile Storage, $13: http://salestores.com/cirago08.html
Digimate II/III, pick it up used for $16: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120627429921

If you want to go the Ipod way, there is a successor to the old Belkin, called PNY Zoomit, going for $36:
http://www.joorat.com/product_p/pzoomitrdrsdhcr.htm

You could also pick up an Apple Camera Connector (from $26), which supposedly can work with generic "USB stick type" card readers:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1249355&tstart=0

And if you want to go solid state and avoid backing up to HDD alltogether, there are SDHC duplicators, starting from $54:
http://www.geekstuff4u.com/thanko-microsd-sd-duplicator.html

[SClassical]

This is really good:
http://www.geekstuff4u.com/thanko-microsd-sd-duplicator.html

I think I need to buy it from Japan.

I found this which might be good:
http://www.alibaba.com/product-free/235115151/Memory_Duplicator.html

But I have to buy it from Korea.

Why everything they sale in US are so big and bulky?...Hope they will start to making mini stuff one day.. Maybe the US market prefer big things..

[fmaderjr]

And flash media being so cheap, most of us just buy a stack of cards if you go on the road for a longer tour.

Yeah, I don't see the point of backing up in the field with today's prices for SD cards.

[SClassical]

I was actually thinking of using it to give a  copy of the recording to the artist after a recording session. I have a SD722 which allows me to keep the original in the HD and have a copy in the CF (microSD) card to lend to the artist straight away. In the near future if I plan to use either USBpre2>MTII or SX-M32>MTII in the field, there will only be 1 copy. So I will need a microSD copier (I use a microSD compact flash adaptor).

I did find this:
(From Hong Kong)
http://www.videocom.com.hk/html/en/products_pc_cardreaders.html

(From Japan)

http://www.techjapan.com/Article1079.html

http://www.newlaunches.com/archives/panasonic_sd_card_copier.php

Plan to give this to my clients:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Gold-USB-2-0-Card-Reader-TF-T-Flash-Micro-SD-8GB-/290496459408?pt=PCC_Drives_Storage_Internal&hash=item43a2f03290
At the end of the session. When I'm not carrying my SD722 in sessions.

[SenorMoofer]

This may have been mentioned and i missed it but what about a Palm? something like a Palm TX could be had pretty cheap stick the SD card in copy it to the system memory seems like i remember some of the palm devices having quite a bit of memory on board.

[sunjan]

This may have been mentioned and i missed it but what about a Palm? something like a Palm TX could be had pretty cheap stick the SD card in copy it to the system memory seems like i remember some of the palm devices having quite a bit of memory on board.

Good idea! Although most Palms (or indeed most PDAs) have 256MB or less storage space. The only suitable candidate I can find is Palm LifeDrive, typically sells used for around $80-$100 on Ebay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110607093772

If you only need to copy the contents and give one SD card to the artist, the OP might as well go for the $15-$20 solutions I posted earlier...

[duch]

A bit off topic but ...

In the near future if I plan to use either USBpre2>MTII or SX-M32>MTII in the field

Scyue, have you ever used an MTII daily in the field ? If not, I think you should really lend one and field test it for as long as possible before doing anything important with one of those unit. They've proven to be very unreliable and an ergonomic disaster (especially if you come from very well thought and built unit like SD and Sony). I used three different units, all of them failed at some point (the last being the worse, some files were just lost and impossible to recover, if I had'nt been suspicious enough to have a backup ... ).

[notlance]

Perhaps this product has been mentioned already, but it does seem to be what you are looking for:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/681428-REG/Digital_Foci_P19_500_PST_251_Photo_Safe_II.html

This one is more expensive but is faster and has better reviews:

http://www.amazon.com/eXtreme3-Digital-Hi-Speed-Backup-Storage/dp/B0021AELI4/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1289314239&sr=1-1

[sunjan]

Yeah, photo storage devices were suggested earlier in this thread, but the OP is looking for something much cheaper:

Hmm that is what I thought...I could get a mini laptop with a large capacity internal HD and a memory card reader for that price for about the same price. Was hoping that there are something which is simple and cheap and portable.