The Lexar Reader is a Smart Reader
Written: Dec 27 '02 (Updated Dec 27 '02)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Fast, efficient, convenient - needs no adapter - perfect for Digitals
Cons: None At All
The Bottom Line: Saves the batteries on your Digital Camera! It is so lightning fast that you won't believe it! Everyone should have a Lexar USB Card Reader!
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| lorace's Full Review: Lexar Media SmartMedia USB Reader |
Note: I originally posted this in the wrong place. I have deleted the original & apologize for any inconvenience!Thanks to DKOZIN, CL, I have the right heading now!
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Years ago, I bought an Olympus 360-L Digital Camera. Naturally, in 2002, this camera is all but obsolete. The online help is still there but to my dismay, it does not have a USB connector utility to speed up the download process. I have used the Camedia Master 3.0 software program that came with the camera. I have also invested in an adapter so downloading doesn’t eat up the batteries at all. But still, I’ve been disappointed.
Then I upgraded to a new computer with, of course, Windows XP for the Operating System. A brand new set of complications ensued for my digital camera. It was necessary to buy the new Camedia Master 4.0, which works with Windows XP.
However, downloading from my camera was still cumbersome. The program kept looking on the USB port, notifying me that it couldn’t find the camera. Every time I had to tell it to check out the Serial Port as there was no place in the program to set options. Then, when it finally found my camera, it took a good 5 minutes to download only 3 pictures. Thank heavens I had bought an adapter.
My Experience with a USB Card Reader
My neighbor is not computer savvy at all, yet he has a top of the hill computer with all the bells and whistles. It is my pleasure to help him out and do what I can to teach him the fundamentals.
He bought a ZIO USB SmartCard reader for his digital camera and I was delegated to set this up for him, though I knew nothing about Card Readers.
I used the software that was provided but couldn’t get the thing to work at all until I went to their Website and downloaded the drivers for Windows XP, and voila! I saw how great these things are. I was so impressed that I put in my order to Santa Claus.
The Lexar USB Card Reader for Smart Media
In Wal-Mart’s I had seen one Card Reader that said it didn’t need any drivers for computers running Windows2000/ME/XP and Mac OS 9/x.
I had given Santa a nudge in that direction and my husband had taken the hint. He chose the Lexar Card Reader and I was thrilled!
The Reader comes with a disc for installing drivers for Windows SE, but I didn’t need to use it at all.
Setup for the LEXAR Card Reader
It couldn’t have been easier. I think you can tell from the picture above what this unit looks like. It’s a dark blue SmartMedia Reader attached to an armored cable (woven mesh cable with a plastic cover), which plugs into a USB port.
The minute I plugged the cable into the USB port on the front of my HP computer, a pop-up informed me that NEW HARDWARE had been discovered, and in mere seconds, another pop-up told me that my new hardware was installed. What could be easier? Using MY COMPUTER, I saw that this hardware is listed as a REMOVABLE DISK, using G: for its name.
Now for the test: I removed my 64mb Smart Card from my camera and inserted it into the card reader’s slot, not having any idea of what would happen. I had purposely left 8 pictures in there for this test.
In less than 2 seconds, I had the menu on my screen that Windows XP uses for all disk drives, and it had highlighted PUT THESE PICTURES INTO a FOLDER. I clicked and was given a choice of folders, with SCANNED PICTURES being the default folder. I wasn’t in the mood to be fussy, so clicked my approval.
In less than 8 seconds all my pictures were downloaded and ready for me to do what I wanted with them. I was dumbfounded, clicked to close, removed the SmartMedia Card, replaced it in my camera, and ran and kissed my husband!
What a gift!
In closing
Lexar Media has a one-year limited warranty on this product. I registered it online at their Website and will list their technical support addresses beneath this review.
If you’ve never tried a Card Reader, be advised that removing and inserting SmartMedia™ Cards takes a little tug and push, but do it carefully and do not to touch the gold-colored spot where the pictures are actually stored. Study your manuals to see which side goes UP, although I found that it will not go into the slot if you happen to have it upside down. (lol)
The Lexar Card Reader will work with all sizes of SmartMedia™, even the new 128MB capacity cards.
Do not remove the card from the Reader while the LED light is on.
I cannot recommend this Usb Lexar Card Reader for SmartMedia™ highly enough. It is just wonderful and is everything I had hoped it would be.
I liked this one better than my neighbor’s, for with that one you had to go to MY COMPUTER and choose the drive before anything happened. That step is not necessary with the Lexar Card Reader. I couldn't believe that it cost only $27.97 at Wal-Mart's.
I’ll still use my Camedia Master Program for editing the pictures, but I know that I will always use this Reader for downloading my Digitals to my Computer.
Thanks for reading, and please leave comments or questions if there’s something I didn’t cover in my review.
Lorace
Technical Support: for (FAQ’s):
www.digitalfilm.com/support/support_main.html
(510) 413-1275
Lexar Media, Inc.
47421 Bayside Parkway
Fremont, CA 94538-9798
Recommended:
Yes
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Member: Lorace
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No matter how you spell it, L-U-V_still says_LOVE! Hope your day is full of it!
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