Need help finding CF card reader that works w/Panther

voxappsvoxapps
Posted:
in iPod + iTunes + AppleTV edited January 2014
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?

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 10
    torifiletorifile Posts: 4,024member
    Hmm. I have a Sandisk 6 in 1 reader that works fine for memory sticks and sd cards (here's a similar one). I haven't had the occasion to try it out for CF reading, but it worked with Jag for CF reading. (I think... it's been a while since I've used a CF card)
  • Reply 2 of 10
    osxaddictosxaddict Posts: 131member
    I have this Microtech snapshot card reader that works just fine. USB 1 seems to work great in 10.3.3
  • Reply 3 of 10
    rokrok Posts: 3,519member
    i thought damn near all usb card readers should work withotu drivers under jag (and definitely under panther). didn't apple just integrate usb storage drivers into the mac os, which is all those old readers used to use anyway? did you actually try the zio! reader? i'd be surprised to hear it didn't actually work.
  • Reply 4 of 10
    voxappsvoxapps Posts: 236member
    Yep, it "didn't actually work." The Zio did absolutely nothing. Well, that's wrong: actually, it did light up, but under Panther it was invisible to the desktop, iPhoto, and Image Capture. The Dazzle shows a volume on the desktop but is unable to transfer the data on the CF card in an uncorrupted manner. The Dazzle also requires a powered USB hub to operate, when most of the other readers can just plug into the keyboard.



    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.
  • Reply 5 of 10
    rraburrabu Posts: 264member
    I use a Zio! USB CF card reader with my iBook with no problems at all. I can drag files to/from the card in the Finder as it mounts as a disk. Also, iPhoto imports from the reader no problem. I have a Canon camera that I use to take the photos with.
  • Reply 6 of 10
    eugeneeugene Posts: 8,254member
    I have the Y-E Data multi-card reader. It sucks. Don't get it.



    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.
  • Reply 7 of 10
    eugeneeugene Posts: 8,254member
    Quote:

    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.
  • Reply 8 of 10
    akumulatorakumulator Posts: 1,111member
    I have the Sandisk Compact Flash card reader (not the 6-in-1 or whatever) and it works fine with no driver installation. Go out and buy it, it's cheap. Do it!
  • Reply 9 of 10
    voxappsvoxapps Posts: 236member
    Thanks to all for the good suggestions.



    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).
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