Review of Sitecom Miniflash CF reader/writer

To transfer my pictures from my digital camera to my computer I use the Sitecom Compact Flash reader/writer. It's a small device which you plug into a USB port and will function as a disk drive for Compact Flash cards. It will read/write Type I, type II and Microdrives of every brand. Sitecom has a reader/writer for almost every other flash medium like Smartmedia, MemoryStick, Secure Digital and Multimedia cards.

At it's price of € 45.36 it very competitively priced towards other readers/writers. For that money you'll get the reader/writer, a USB extension cable, a cradle and a CD-ROM with drivers and a 7 page manual in various languages in PDF format. The CD-ROM isn't specific for the CF reader/writer but applies to every Sitecom reader/writer.

the installation under Windows 98 didn't go as smooth as I wanted it to go, but after some messing around I got it working. I also installed it on a Windows ME and 2000 PC, that both went much better, there was no need for the CD-ROM and within 2 minutes there was an extra drive on it.

It works just he same as any other USB reader/writer, you plug in the Compact Flash and use it like a disk drive. What makes this reader/writer special is that the cable is only 30 centimeters (approximately one foot) long. This makes it easy to take anywhere. There is an extension cable included that can be used at home. It's also smaller than various other readers/writers and holds itself in place with a small plastic cradle which you can stick to any surface. You can easily remove it again because it sticks a piece Velcro to the surface where you attach the cradle on. This is a very nice feature that no other reader/writer has.

If you want to remove the Compact Flash you have to hold the reader writer back with one hand an pull with the other. If you don't do that it will slide out of the cradle and if you keep pulling it will just slide out of it's extension cable as well. This could have been prevented by adding an eject button.

I am very pleased with this product, with it's competitively price it still manages to deliver some useful features that no other reader/writers have. The short cable make it easy to take anywhere and Windows will automatically detect it and install it without the need of a CD-ROM. You can leave the extension cable plugged in and take the device with you. You don't have to get behind your computer to plug it in again. The cradle prevents it from moving over your desk. The only thing that can sometimes get in your way is the fact that it lacks an eject button so that you'll need two hand to remove the CF card.

The good: Short cable and extension cable included Cradle included

The bad: No eject button Just as good as any other card reader

My score: 8/10

What I paid for it: € 45.36

Product link: www.sitecom.com

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