PCMCIA Slot

[Zarkon]

I haven't received my Thinkpad yet, but I'm asking so I can plan some Newegg purchases: I know that the expansion slot has an ExpressCard slot and a regular PCMCIA type I/II slot on top of each other, but does that mean that I can only use one of those at one time?

Was planning on getting a TV tuner card and a Firewire card, but I'll have to change the tuner card to a USB tuner device if I can only use one card.

[jeremivw]

I haven't received my Thinkpad yet, but I'm asking so I can plan some Newegg purchases: I know that the expansion slot has an ExpressCard slot and a regular PCMCIA type I/II slot on top of each other, but does that mean that I can only use one of those at one time?

Was planning on getting a TV tuner card and a Firewire card, but I'll have to change the tuner card to a USB tuner device if I can only use one card.

Good question. Both slots can be funtional at one time, but what you've got to watch out for is the overhang (outside the slot). That could potentially keep one of the cards from seating properly (if they both hang out and push on each other.

In my case, I'll be using an ExpressCard Gigabit NIC and a CardBus card reader. The PC Card is completely internal so the fact that the NIC will hang out an inch or so is no big deal. You've got to really watch those ExpressCards. Everone that I've seen (SATA controllers, FW cards, NICs, etc.) hang out from the end of the slot significantly.

BTW: You know ExpressCard is PCIe (1x) right? 'Bout 4-5 times the bi-directional throughput as the CardBus (PCI) slot...so use it first!