USB 2.0 CF card reader transfer speed?

[maderito]

I'm sure this has come up before - can't find it.

I have a Dazzle 6-1 card reader. It was advertised as a USB 2.0 device - but I think it's only USB 2.0 compliant with USB 1.1 speeds. Now that I'm using 2 GB cards, transferring images has become a chore.

How long should a 2 GB CF card take to download from card reader to computer hard disk at USB 2.0 speeds? It's taking me 30 to 40 minutes per full 2 GB card. I have 2GB Sandisk Ultra II and Lexar 80X cards. The reader is connected to my computer via a hub which is also USB 2.0 compliant.

I've done the math -- just checking my conclusion before running out and buying a new card reader.

[KevC]

USB2.0's theoretical burst speed is 480Mb/s. That's 60MB/s. You'd be lucky to hit that. Chances are, it's about 60% efficient... so that's at least 36MB/s. However, that's just the bus' transfer capacity. A Ultra II and Lexar 80X has a maximum sustained throughput (read) of 10MB/s. So you should get 10MB/s theoretically. 2GB = 2048MB. At 10MB/s.... 204.8s = 3.413min.

Methinks your Dazzle cardreader is only USB1.1. 1.1 has a maximum burst speed of *only* 12Mb/s... which is a lowly 1.5MB/s. At 1.5MB/s... it'll take 1365.3s = 22.76min. But then again, that's maximum. More like 60% efficient... ~37.9min... sounds like your Dazzle is 1.1 ;)

[aam1234]

Any recommendation for high speed USB2.0 hub, preferably without a power source.

Thanks

[pcasciola]

Something is wrong there. I have a Dazzle 8 in 1 USB 2.0 reader, and I can offload my 1Gb Sandisk Ultra II and Extreme in well under 2 minutes. The times you posted are in line with what I was getting with my older 1.1 reader, which was around 10-15 minutes for my 1Gb cards.

[CyberDyneSystems]

30-40 is definately not USB2 speed,..

I use primarily 2GB cards as well.. a Sandisk ultra 2 and a Ridata 52X

Full they take about 5 minutes on a $12.00 generic USB-2 card reader.

[Jesper]

Look at the logo on the package of your USB card reader (if you still have it). It should have this logo:
http://www.usb.org/images/headermain/hi_speed.gif
Note the red part that says "Hi-Speed".
If it doesn't have that, it's most likely an USB 2.0-compatible device that runs at USB 1.1 speed.

[maderito]

I just looked in the Dazzel 6 In 1 User Manual and sure enough - transfer rates "up to 1.5 MB/s" - i.e. USB 1.1.

I distinctly recall the packaging saying "USB 2.0" but I've tossed it. But it took a few secs (i.e. working faster than the damn 6 in 1) to find this online PC Mag review dated 6/30/2002:

The Dazzle is fast but not as fast as its manufacturer, SCM Microsystems, would lead you to believe. The company refers to it as a "USB 2.0" device, going so far as to put a 2.0 sticker on the outside of its packaging. Like any USB 1.1 device, the Dazzle can certainly be used with a USB 2.0 connection, but it can't transfer data at 2.0 speeds. In any case, the sticker is a waste of effort, since the Dazzle is the speediest USB card reader on the market to date anyway. So my memory hasn't failed - there was USB 2.0 printed on the packaging. Interestingly, there is no mention of USB 2.0 on the supplied CD which has manuals and software.

So ... lesson learned and off to do some shopping today - a bit wiser. I'm tempted to try for a product exchange from CompUSA. (I know - it's a bit late in the day :mad: )

Thanks.

[Jon]

USB 2.0 has two levels; "Full Speed" (which is the USB 1.1 12 Mbps rate) and "High Speed" (as Jesper noted above, with the full 480 Mbps transfer rate). Dazzle evidently is going with the "Full Speed" rating.

[maderito]

USB 2.0 has two levels; "Full Speed" (which is the USB 1.1 12 Mbps rate) and "High Speed" (as Jesper noted above, with the full 480 Mbps transfer rate). Dazzle evidently is going with the "Full Speed" rating.
This is a classic case of -- caveat emptor. Thus, says my wife (a lawyer), I don't have a case. :cry:

My gut says I was duped.

My head says it was time to upgrade anyway (my reader is 2 years old).

[CyberDyneSystems]

It certainly is not entirely our own fault when the entire intention of hte marketing was to mislead.. re USB2 "compatibility"

[Jon]

Thus, says my wife (a lawyer), I don't have a case. :cry:

A lawyer says you don't have a case! Then it must be pretty hopeless!

[Longwatcher]

I just recieved the Sandisk CF USB 2.0 card reader about a week ago from BH. It was averaging just over 2 minutes per full 2GB Sandisk Ultra II CF card during last weekends shoot. So I can highly recommend that $19.95 purchase. It beats the 25+ minute download of my 6-in-1 internal card reader.

I figured it was time to upgrade when the camera was transfering to the computer faster then the card reader.

[Scottes]

Thanks for that Longwatcher. I just found out that my Lexar "USB 2.0" cardreader contains more marketecture than architecture.

That is to say, 15.2 mins for 877meg...

[maderito]

A lawyer says you don't have a case! Then it must be pretty hopeless! :):):)

But now I'm seeing that others may have been duped. So now we're talking class action - i.e.. not "a case" but cases. Gotta check with the wife again.

[CyberDyneSystems]

...class action.. :shock: :shock: think of all the companies that would be named in the lawsuit!!!!! It would be HUGE!

[Longwatcher]

Maybe before you get class action happy, I should mention that my new Lexar 5-in-1 reader (SD/MMC/that Sony format I can't remember right now and XD cards) runs at about the same fast speed, as in about 45 secs for copying a 1GB Sandisk Extreme III SD card to the computer. Again it is more then 10 times faster then the internal slot.

So it might be what someone said about USB 2.0 "Full" speed versus USB 2.0 "high" speed.

Also one other note:
When I got my USB 2.0 adapter for my Delkin Picture pad, the first few times I used it the computer kept trying to pretend it was USB 1.0, If it was already connected prior to computer start up. I learned to only plug it in after I started up the computer. I would keep getting a message about high speed device in USB 1.0 slot, when I would first power it on. Actually I still get that message the first time I plug it in after turning on the computer and then it catches on. With the USB2.0 adapter my Delkin Picture Pad is positively quick on the download. I think it goes even faster then the dedicated card readers by a factor of 4.

[Scottes]

Speaking of readers.... My Lexar 4-in-1 always shuts down when I disconnect it before removing the card. So I have to unplug the reader from the computer, plug in a card, then connect the reader back up to the PC. It would seem that just plugging in the card should kick it back to life. Is this normal?

Also, does anyone use a Lexar Jumpshot cable or whatever it's called? Should that be a 2-minute transfer or a 15-minute transfer for a gig card?