Need help finding CF card reader that works w/Panther
Is anyone successfully using a Compact Flash card reader with USB 1.1 and Panther (10.3.3)? I bought a new 4MP Canon camera and I want to be able to upload my photos without tying up my camera and exhausting its battery.
First I tried a Zio! reader that featured the MacOS logo on the box and found it works with OS 9 only. Back to the store for a quick refund.
Then off to the Apple store. They have only one reader: a Lexar model that's FireWire only and the iMac I'm using as my photo storage system doesn't have FireWire.
So then I buy a Dazzle "Hi-Speed Universal 8 in 1" reader that claims it works with OS 10.x "and higher": it mounts a volume on the desktop but iPhoto reports most of the images cannot be read and the few that it imports are corrupt (color banding, rainbow streaks, etc. across the images). Image Capture won't even begin the import process from the Dazzle reader. (Note: the images aren't actually corrupt on the flash card since I can import the same images quite successfully by attaching the camera directly and using iPhoto.)
Am I just out of luck or does someone make a CF reader that actually works with Panther?
First I tried a Zio! reader that featured the MacOS logo on the box and found it works with OS 9 only. Back to the store for a quick refund.
Then off to the Apple store. They have only one reader: a Lexar model that's FireWire only and the iMac I'm using as my photo storage system doesn't have FireWire.
So then I buy a Dazzle "Hi-Speed Universal 8 in 1" reader that claims it works with OS 10.x "and higher": it mounts a volume on the desktop but iPhoto reports most of the images cannot be read and the few that it imports are corrupt (color banding, rainbow streaks, etc. across the images). Image Capture won't even begin the import process from the Dazzle reader. (Note: the images aren't actually corrupt on the flash card since I can import the same images quite successfully by attaching the camera directly and using iPhoto.)
Am I just out of luck or does someone make a CF reader that actually works with Panther?
Comments
I'm thinking of trying a Lexar reader because they are the only vendor I've seen that actually mentions OS 10.3.3 on their Web site. The other companies seem to have lost interest around 10.1, or so it seems.
I also have the Lexar FireWire CF reader. It's pretty good though I wish it had an ejection mechanism so I wouldn't have to apply more finger pressure to my Microdrives than absolutely necessary.
Originally posted by tonton
What kind of machine are you using that's running Panther and doesn't have FireWire? As far as I know Apple doesn't support such a machine. Perhaps it'a an old USB implementation and that's why it doesn't work.
The original iMacs and Lombard PowerBooks have USB but no FireWire. Panther is supported on any Mac with built-in USB.
I ended up buying the Lexar USB 2.0 CF card reader and it works almost perfectly. Its only flaw is that it seems to draw more power than my USB keyboard port can provide so I need to plug it directly into the iMac (I have a powered USB hub, but it's full.) Not a big deal at all.
Aside from that, "it just works." Lexar seems committed to supporting OS X so I feel good about giving them some of my money (US $20).