Thinkpads Forum

I been looking at buying a PCMCIA CARD for USB 2.0 & Firewire. I am buying the PCMCIA card for my Nano 2nd Gen. 8MB Black!

I am so disappointed because a lot of the PCMCIA Card's USB 2.0 port are not powered through the bus but must connect a power cord to the USB 1.1 for power. Others brands only have one USB that is powered; the other USB is non-powered. Some say power is limited; do not treat like latest notebook USB 2.0 ports! A couple have a DC adaptor with battery to supplement power to get it to the power level of a model notebook USB 2.0 port! Still others; speed is equal to that of the old USB 1.1 and so even slower?

To make it the same amount of power in the USB port as a latest model USB 2.0 port you need to buy a AC adopter.



Because of the above info; I decided to ask the pros here! What do you suggest for a PCMCIA combo USB/Firewire Card for my 600X? I will be using it to recharge my Nano as well as upload and download my Nano record collection. I may connect it to my digital camera too!

Thanks.

Harry

P.S. if no recommendations on a combo; then how about just a USB 2.0 card?

Finally, where can I purchase it for a reasonable price too.

After reading about the PCMCIA USBs and their power output; I decided up the Belkin PCMCIA USB 2.0 with AC adopter. The AC adopter is the only one out of the 13 that I check up on that can duplicate the power of the latest USB 2.0 notebooks. All others used the USB 1.1 to get additional power but falls way short on the power to run or charge anything except for the smallest devices. All others devices are design with the latest notebook USB 2.0s in mind.

It cost around $55-$65.00.

I purchase it used for around $40.00.

It seems that the USB 2.0 in my Belkin PCMCIA card is enough to charge my Nano. I was shocked! Well I am read for anything now since I have an AC adopter to boost the USB 2.0 port.

The battery specs I found on-line for the iPod Nano says that it is 300mAh @ 3.7V, which should work fine with the USB's 100ma low-power mode or 500ma high-power mode. Fast charge to 80% of capacity is supposed to take 1.5 hours, with a full charge at 3 hours.