Memory Card for Camera

RussJK

Stompa wrote: »

I've yet to suffer a corrupt SD card (or any noticeable loss of speed) despite extensive use and no reformatting or defragging, so I'll stick with that for now.

I've fixed corrupt flash media using SD Formatter*, and also found there's a significant difference in speed when compared to the standard Windows formatter. The real world effect of this can mean the difference between having a card capable of HD recording from a HDCam, or a card that gives speed errors despite being rated for HD recording.

Here's some comparisons I made quite awhile ago which compared the standard Windows formatter to the SD Formatter, for approximate speeds when transferring large files (350mb-1gb):

Corsair Voyager GT 16gb (25mb/sec rated)
Windows formatter: 10mb/sec
SD Formatter: 16.5mb/sec

Patriot XT Xporter 8gb (25mb/sec rated)
Windows formatter 5-12mb/sec (depending on allocation unit size, etc)
SD Formatter: 16.5mb/sec

Sandisk Cruzer Micro U3 8gb
Windows formatter: 5.5mb/sec
SD Formatter: 10mb/sec (I never bothered using this particular USB stick much until after I used the SD formatter on it, as it was too slow initially)

Corsair Voyager GT 4gb (slower drive)
Windows formatter: 4mb/sec
SD Formatter: 5mb/sec


I used the full (overwrite) option for both format tools. I even played around with various unit allocation sizes using the Windows formatter but could never get the same speeds as when using the SD Formatter.

It's the SD Group itself that makes the claim that their format tool is better for the task than the standard OS Formatters; I don't pretend to know why it is better, only that it certainly appears to make a real world difference. *Yes I know the standard formatter can fix corrupt media as well.

Stompa

RussJK wrote: »

I've fixed corrupt flash media using SD Formatter*, and also found there's a significant difference in speed when compared to the standard Windows formatter. The real world effect of this can mean the difference between having a card capable of HD recording from a HDCam, or a card that gives speed errors despite being rated for HD recording.

Here's some comparisons I made quite awhile ago which compared the standard Windows formatter to the SD Formatter, for approximate speeds when transferring large files (350mb-1gb):

Corsair Voyager GT 16gb (25mb/sec rated)
Windows formatter: 10mb/sec
SD Formatter: 16.5mb/sec

Patriot XT Xporter 8gb (25mb/sec rated)
Windows formatter 5-12mb/sec (depending on allocation unit size, etc)
SD Formatter: 16.5mb/sec

Sandisk Cruzer Micro U3 8gb
Windows formatter: 5.5mb/sec
SD Formatter: 10mb/sec (I never bothered using this particular USB stick much until after I used the SD formatter on it, as it was too slow initially)

Corsair Voyager GT 4gb (slower drive)
Windows formatter: 4mb/sec
SD Formatter: 5mb/sec


I used the full (overwrite) option for both format tools. I even played around with various unit allocation sizes using the Windows formatter but could never get the same speeds as when using the SD Formatter.

It's the SD Group itself that makes the claim that their format tool is better for the task than the standard OS Formatters; I don't pretend to know why it is better, only that it certainly appears to make a real world difference. *Yes I know the standard formatter can fix corrupt media as well.

Thanks, that's interesting stuff.

One (probably really dumb) question though, is the memory contained within a standard USB drive 'SD memory'? It seems a reasonable assumption, but I don't know for sure, and Google hasn't helped much!

RussJK

Stompa wrote: »

One (probably really dumb) question though, is the memory contained within a standard USB drive 'SD memory'? It seems a reasonable assumption, but I don't know for sure, and Google hasn't helped much!

Well it's all NAND flash memory anyway

Stompa

Hmmm, after formatting a standard USB drive with SD Formatter, Windows tells me that "the drive is not formatted". I'll stick with the standard Windows formatter I think!

santer_2

What does the format size adjustment option do?

Stompa

santer wrote: »

What does the format size adjustment option do?

According to the manual here:

http://www.sdcard.org/consumers/formatter_3/

(2) Format Size Adjustment
If the formatted capacity of the card is not a multiple of capacity in a cylinder, some hosts may not
access the card successfully. This option adjusts formatted capacity to a multiple of capacity in a
cylinder.

OFF:
This option does not adjust the formatted capacity. Usually, this option should be selected.

ON:
This option adjusts the formatted capacity to a multiple of capacity in a cylinder. This option may
reduce the formatted capacity.
This option should be used by specific users who encountered a trouble with formatted capacity.

santer_2

Just lost the write protect switch part on a 4GB card, suppose it's a bin job now?

Dave_C_2

santer wrote: »

Just lost the write protect switch part on a 4GB card, suppose it's a bin job now?

Nope, You can re-use the card. The "switch" isn't a switch it's a tab like the write tabs on VHS tapes used to be. Just tape over the dent where the switch was.

Youtube here.

Dave

santer_2

Brilliant

Had to use a few bits, think it is to make sure you cannot push the covered part in?

Thanks