> -----Original Message-----
> From: Ethan Dicks [mailto:erd_6502_at_yahoo.com]
> > > Specifically, to actually use this thing, I'll want an
> > > ethernet adaptor (10Mb), and probably some linear flash.
> Linear FLASH? You mean unlike the ATA cards for cameras? The two
> kinds of PCMCIA memory cards I'm aware of have two completely
> different
Now you've made me go and look it up ;)
>From the Poqet PC FAQ: http://bmason.best.vwh.net/PoqetPC/faq.html
What kind of Flash cards can I used in the Poqet PC?
There are two kinds of flash cards. The Poqet PC can read from, but
not write to, "linear" flash cards (sometimes called "Intel" flash)
cards. These flash cards must be formatted and programmed with the
"pseudo-floppy" format on another computer, and then they function
as ROM disks in the Poqet PC.
"SanDisk" flash cards, named after the company that produces them
(SanDisk corporation was known as "SunDisk" until mid 1995), are
commonly available for other palmtop computers like the HP 95/100/
200LX. SanDisk flash cards cannot be used in the Poqet PC.
------
In other words, yes... "linear" flash. :)
> drivers - the cards like you use with an Apple Newton are strictly
> memory devices. Digital Camera-style ATA FLASH cards look like a
> disk drive to the OS. Those are common, plentiful and cheap (I
> picked up some 16Mb cards recently in a sale for $10 each).
Last I checked, the price per MB on linear flash was just slightly
higher than the more common stuff. (I think)
> > > Some SRAM that will operate at (is the low voltage 3 or
> 1.5 on those?)
> > > the lower voltage would probably be good too.
> This is old... I'm pretty sure the PCMCIA is 5V only.
Again from the FAQ:
What kind of PCMCIA cards can I use in my Poqet PC?
The PCMCIA slots in the Poqet PC actually predate the PCMCIA
specification. The slots are generally compatible with Revision
1.0 of the PCMCIA spec. The Poqet's PCMCIA slots have a Type I
(2.5 mm) thickness.
Generally, the only thing that can be put into the Poqet PC are
SRAM cards, which can be formatted on the Poqet PC for use as RAM
disks. The Poqet PC does not read the Card Information Structure
(CIS) on SRAM cards to determine the proper format, but instead
uses a uses a "pseudo-floppy" format. Generally cards formatted on
a Poqet PC can be read by other computers, but cards formatted on
other computers may have to be reformatted before being used on the
Poqet PC.
To work in the Poqet PC, SRAM cards must be PCMCIA Revision 1.0
compatible and must be able to operate at 3 volts. As far as memory
cards are concerned, however, there isn't much difference between
PCMCIA 2.0 and 1.0, so Rev. 2.0 memory cards should work fine.
The 3 volt requirement arises because, as the alkaline batteries in
the Poqet PC die, the system voltage can dip down to the 3 volt level.
If your PCMCIA cards operate only at 5 volts, then you could lose data
as your batteries die.
One thing to remember is that all SRAM cards will retain data at 3
volts. To work in the Poqet PC, the SRAM cards must operate (read
and write data) at 3 volts.
-----
3 volts, definitely.
> IBM has things like the "MicroDrive", but modern PCMCIA disks tend
> to specifically be "CompactFlash Type III" - you can get CF->PCMCIA
> adapters cheap, but you'll probably have to alter them mechanically
> to provide clearance for the HDA of a MicroDrive. I do not know
> the physical height off the top of my head, but the PS-2/E card is
> "quad type-I, dual type-II" - meaning that if you found an old
> PCMCIA hard disk that was Type-III, you'd have a mechanical
> interference
> problem. Dunno about MicroDrives.
Actually, I was just looking for some older "type 2" PCMCIA disks,
perhaps used.
> There's nothing this board can do that a Linux laptop with PCMCIA
> slots couldn't also do. It's not magical, just cool. You can also
True, but Linux didn't like my laptop much last I tried, nor did
NetBSD. Right now it's running Eth's "PC Native Oberon," and is
perfectly happy, but I don't think Oberon will drive its PCMCIA slots,
and I don't have much breathing room on that system anyway, even though
the full install of Oberon is probably smaller than that of DOS on the
same system.
> pick up a PCM "Swap Box" for typically under $50 that puts a single
> Type-II/dual Type-I PCMCIA socket in your ISA-equipped desktop. I've
> used one under Win95 and Linux to dump CF cards.
Ok, but since this system has just fallen into my lap, why not use it?
:)
> Nothing spectacular. The only thing that makes them interesting is
> size.
Again, similar to the Multia in that respect.
Chris
Christopher Smith, Perl Developer
Amdocs - Champaign, IL
/usr/bin/perl -e '
print((~"\x95\xc4\xe3"^"Just Another Perl Hacker.")."\x08!\n");
'
Received on Fri Apr 05 2002 - 13:36:47 BST