[geeks] PCMCIA Flash

[vance at neurotica.com]

On 28 Jan 2003, Dan Sikorski wrote:

> > Ok.  I just got myself a PDA that has a Type-III PCMCIA slot, and a
> > Type-II CompactFlash slot.  It's a ROM-based WindowsCE machine and I
> > intend to install NetBSD/hpcmips 1.6 on it.  Now, I've been looking at
> > some of my options for storage...  tell me if you have any additional
> > suggestions:
>
> Ooh! sounds like fun! i just got a compaq ipaq model 3835 and was
> thinking about a similar project!

The one I picked up is an IBM WorkPad z50.  I'm trying to pick up another
one right now.  Under NetBSD, it is supported to the extent that it even
has an Xserver.  This thing is sweet.  Full-size keyboard, 640x480x16b,
8.2" screen, 131MHz MIPS/NEC VR4121, 48MB RAM.

> > 1GB CompactFlash
> > Pros:	No moving parts.
> > Cons:	Expensive.  Small capacity.
>
> the expensive aspect has turned me off to this option, that and flash
> has a limited number of writes in it's lifetime.  even if that's a high
> number, i still shy away from it.

Oh yeah.  I forgot about that.  I think that it might be out of my price
range anyway.

> > 1GB Microdrive
> > Pros:	I get employee price.
> > Cons:	Moving parts.  Small capacity.
>
> This is what i was thinking of using with a compact flash-pcmcia adapter

I wouldn't need to use one of those, since I already have a CF slot, but
this would be the only moving part in the entire system, and I wanted to
have moving parts.  My PDA doesn't even have a fan.

> > The above two would be used in combination with a PCMCIA 802.11 card which
> > would be no problem under NetBSD.
>
> I'm in a bit of a different situation.  My ipaq has a "secure digital"
> slot in in, and i can get either a single or dual slot pcmcia sleeve for
> it.  I haven't really decided weather i should get a decent sized secure
> digital card, use that and the wireless in a single pcmcia sleeve, or go
> for the dual sleeve and use the microdrive and the wireless card.  (i
> already have a spare orinoco silver card.)  But then, i don't know that
> the secure digital slot would be supported in anything but wince.

How big is this thing?  I admit, having two PCMCIA slots would solve much
of my problem.

> > 5GB PCMCIA Hard Drive
> > Pros:	Good deal.  Great capacity.
> > Cons:	Moving parts.
>
> I wasn't as aware of these.  What is pricing like?

Apparently they're available for about $150 if you look a little.  Not bad
for 5GB.

> > PCMCIA Flash (I don't know what capacities are available.)
> > Pros:	??
> > Cons:	No moving parts.
>
> you'll probably have an easier time finding compact flash.  At least
> that's what i've seen more of.

I've seen PCMCIA flash up to 10GB, but it's *extremely* expensive.

> Here's my grand plan.
>
> I want to load linux or netbsd on my ipaq to run XMMS on it.  Sound
> strange? it should, but let me continue.  XMMS has an output plugin for
> ESD (the Enlightened Sound Daemon).  This allows the output of XMMS to
> be piped over the network to a machine running ESD which will then
> output that sound through the sound card.  See where this is going?
> Either running XMMS locally on the ipaq, or running it on another
> machine on the network and displaying it on the ipaq, i'll have the
> ultimate remote controlled, network attached mp3 player.  I'll be able
> to stick a sparc5 on the network in the stack with my audio stuff,
> outputting mp3's from my fileserver without a horrible interface like
> i've seen from similar commercial products.  All of this controlled by
> my handheld ipaq via wireless LAN anywhere i can get 802.11b signal.
> I've done ESD over the network from machines to a sparc5, but haven't
> done the handheld/wireless aspect of it.  An extended objective to this
> could be to see if i can manage some IP multicasting to send the audio
> stream to multiple ESD boxes in multiple rooms.

Ah cool.  That's nothing like what I want to do.  8-)  I'm planning on
keeping mine as portable as possible to use in the car.  There are times
when my TiBook is a bit too big, and I intend on using this.  It's a whole
lot smaller.

Peace...  Sridhar