I've got a 15" Powerbook 1.33, and I use every port on a daily basis except the PC card port, which I've never used. I know that it's easy to get a wireless card for that port, but I already have Airport Extreme. So what's left? A port that big must have some good uses, right? Any suggestions?
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What do you put in your pbook PC card slot?
- Thread starter bmelon
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bmelon said:
You could get an SD/MMC or compact FLASH card reader. I believe you can use it to add additional USB/Firewire ports. Someday when I have time I plan to try to write device drivers for a couple of CardBus cards my company has developed.
Or you could use it as a piggy bank and shove quarters in it, although I don't recommend this unless you never want to turn on your PowerBook again.
I just play with the little card eject button-thing. I know there is a card that comes out into a bunch of audio ports, i saw it on some guys pbook at a recording studio once. As for the name, i'm not sure. but it exists, if your into that sort of thing.
compact flash card
i have only used it to download pics to iphoto, gives you the freedom no cables around......USB or firewire!!
PB 17" 1.5
bmelon said:
i have only used it to download pics to iphoto, gives you the freedom no cables around......USB or firewire!!
PB 17" 1.5
PC card slot is kind of like the laptop version of a PCI slot. So I would think it would be faster than USB or Firewire.
Thanks everyone; I've just looked into it, and ordered a Delkin Pro Cardbus adapter.
It seems that regular PC Cards run slower than USB2 / Firewire adapters, but this Cardbus one is about 4x faster than PCMCIA and 1.2x faster than Firewire (400 presumably)
I love the fact that I won't have something else sitting on my desk, and that it'll be able to go wherever my Powerbook goes.
It seems that regular PC Cards run slower than USB2 / Firewire adapters, but this Cardbus one is about 4x faster than PCMCIA and 1.2x faster than Firewire (400 presumably)
I love the fact that I won't have something else sitting on my desk, and that it'll be able to go wherever my Powerbook goes.
Since I have an older PBook that doesn't have USB2.0, I have a PCCard USB2.0 Adapter. It also puts 2 USB ports within easy reach
on my old wintel laptop with no built-in wifi i used to use a wireless card, but i can't think of anything i'd use it for other than, as people had mentioned, a compact flash or sd card reader
Back when I had a PowerBook G4 667 (older model), I never used the PC Card slot. I didn't even know that it had one.
EDIT:
EDIT:
The security lock is a separate port from the PC Card slot.wwooden said:
I've got a couple of PC cards from my old PC laptop. Does anyone know if they can be used on a Powerbook? I have a wireless card (probably useless as I have Airport now) and a hi-speed USB card (the PC only had USB 1.0 and this card gave it 2 x USB 2.0 ports) which would be useful as I could use it as a smaller hub.
i also use the delkin card reader really helps when ur downloading 512 or 1 gig of a memory card after a hard day of shooting
The last laptop I had (A god-awful NEC Versa Note) had a built in network card, so I used my cardslot for a modem.
The way I see it, Laptops are getting more and more fitted out with tech as standard that previously was only an option, so cardslots are getting more obsolete.
As for speed, the first zip drive I got had the option of PCMCIA card connector or USB. The card was woefully, woefully slow compared to the USB connection. Not sure if thats a good example.
As for what cardslots can be used for now, I like the idea of having a MS reader, but I think you can get GPS cards which would be kinda cool to have, especially if you do a lot of driving, just sit the laptop on the seat beside you and run it as an in-car GPS that keeps sending you down dead-end gravel roads.
The way I see it, Laptops are getting more and more fitted out with tech as standard that previously was only an option, so cardslots are getting more obsolete.
As for speed, the first zip drive I got had the option of PCMCIA card connector or USB. The card was woefully, woefully slow compared to the USB connection. Not sure if thats a good example.
As for what cardslots can be used for now, I like the idea of having a MS reader, but I think you can get GPS cards which would be kinda cool to have, especially if you do a lot of driving, just sit the laptop on the seat beside you and run it as an in-car GPS that keeps sending you down dead-end gravel roads.
Like other people here i stick a compact flash reader in mine and use it with my camera. It's much faster than usb.
Since mine's a 667 dvi i could use it to add USB 2.0 or wifi but i don't like having something stick out so much from my powerbook. Very likely to get caught on something.
Since mine's a 667 dvi i could use it to add USB 2.0 or wifi but i don't like having something stick out so much from my powerbook. Very likely to get caught on something.
I have only used mine a couple times, that was for a Firewire/USB2 card. Actually a pretty cool piece.