GUIDE TO CARD READERS

Lexar Media MULTI CARD READER ( RW022-001 ) (Retail Package)

Manufacturer : LEXAR MEDIA INC
In Stock : 28

List Price:	$38.99
Price:	$16.25
You Save:	$22.74 (58%)

Features

Made By: LEXAR MEDIA INC
Model Number: RW022001
See Description

Product Description

For multi-media fans, a Lexar Multi-Card Reader offers the most versatility. It can read them all: CompactFlash, SmartMedia, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Duo, Memory Stick PRO Duo, Memory Stick Pro, MMC, SD and xD-Picture Card. With its USB connectivity, you can take a file from your digital camera, video camcorder, MP3 player, or PDA and move it seamlessly from the device to your computer. Small and incredibly fast, a Lexar Multi-Card Reader goes anywhere, anytime.

Amazon Product Description

If you own a portable digital device that contains data and information, there's a good chance it stores that information on a removable memory card. When it comes time to transfer or copy that information to your computer for processing, editing, or safekeeping, you have a couple of choices. Firstly, you can connect the device directly to your computer via whatever method it supports. This could present problems, depending on the connection type and speed, the size of the device, and the durability of its connection port and the projected longevity of its batteries.

Alternately, you can remove the memory card and insert it in a dedicated card reader. Of course, you must ensure the card reader in question supports your memory card format(s) and operates at top speed. Lexar's Multi-Card USB 2.0 Card Reader is one such product.

It's definitely fast. Taking advantage of high-speed USB 2.0 connections, the Lexar system transfers data incrementally faster (theoretically up to 40-times as fast) than similar products using conventional USB 1.1. It's also quite likely compatible with whatever memory cards you currently use. Indeed, the sleek and futuristic unit supports all the following formats: CompactFlash (types 1 and 2), Smart Media, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro, MultiMediaCard, SD Card, xD-Picture Card, MicroDrive, MS Duo, MS PRO Duo, miniSD and RS MMC.

The Lexar Multi-Card USB 2.0 Card Reader is fully backwards compatible with slower USB 1.1 ports and does not require additional card adapters. A two-year warranty and free technical support are standard equipment.

Customer Reviews

Average Rating of 3.00 out of 35 reviews

Rating :
Great for people using multiple types of media - Stephanie Pearce, Jul 14, 2009

I work at a photography studio where our cameras use different types of cards, and I need my USB ports for other peripherals. This reader takes up one port and downloads all types of cards quickly. I bought one of these a few years back and recommended it to my boss after he bought another reader at an office supply store that turned out to be junk. Save yourself the time and hassle and invest in this reader.

Rating :
great card reader - C. Miessner, Dec 12, 2008

I have been using this card reader for over a year, and it's never had any problems. It's the easiest thing to use and I highly recommend it.

Rating :
Useless for xD Big Memory Cards - Joypebble, Nov 30, 2008

Positively will not mount my Olympus 2 GB cards on any of my iMac OSX 10.4.11 machines. Useless! Other readers will mount my larder xD cards, but this one is allergic.

Will make a nice stabilizer wedge for a tipsy restaurant table.

---GG

Rating :
Don't bother with this outdated product - NLee the Engineer, Nov 04, 2008

I purchased the Lexar Media MULTI CARD READER (RW022-001) about four years ago. In the past years, it has worked reasonably well. But with the advent of high capacity SD cards (2GB and over), this card reader is now obsolete. Worse yet, I learned the hard way that it may even corrupt newer SD cards.

I benchmarked a Kingston 2GB Elite Pro SD Card using this card reader. After returning the card to my Canon S5, the camera displayed "Memory card error". It turns out the Lexar Media multi-card reader is only compatible with SD 1.0 specification, which is for capacity up to 1GB. But to read/write a 2GB SD, it has to be SD 1.1 compatible. When I put in a 2GB SD into a SD 1.0 card reader and performed a read/write benchmark, it corrupted the directory structure of the SD card. Therefore my camera can no longer recognize the card.
Fortunately, I was able to use 'Photo Rec' (a free open-source file recovery program) to recover most of my image files from this 2GB SD card. I then have to reformat the card from my computer in order to use it again.

When I insert a SDHC card (with capacity 4GB or over) into this card reader, it cannot even see the SDHC card. But at least in this case it will not corrupt the card.

I have since purchased the Transcend M5 Multi Card Reader. Not only is the Transcend M5 compatible with all SD/SDHC cards, it even makes all my CF and SD cards perform about 50% faster! For example: when I benchmarked the SanDisk 2GB Ultra II CF Card in my old Lexar reader, I received a rather disappointing write speed of 4.1MB/S (equivalent to '27x'). The same card in the new Transcend M5 gave me a write speed of 5.9MB/S, or 40x.
(Note that Sandisk claims the Ultra II CF is capable of 15MB/S, but that's the maximum speed under optimal test condition)

In summary, this Lexar card reader is incompatible with SD cards larger than 1GB, is a lot slower than the Transcend M5, but costs more. So I see no reasons in getting this outdated product now.

Rating :
Worked fine for about 1 year max - August West, Oct 26, 2008

Using Windows XP Pro. Worked fine for about a year. Then it started to only transfer data at super super slow speeds. I've tried it on 4 computers that all work fine with other USB devices and card readers, but it does the same thing, complains it was plugged into a USB 1.1 port. I haven't had a computer with USB 1.1 ports for 5 years.
The front panel that swings down and becomes the support is poorly designed and can't even support the weight of the reader empty. It will push shut and hit your cards. Buy another model or brand because this one is a lemon.

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