# Using SmartMedia for data transfer purposes... **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 28, 2003, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-smartmedia-for-data-transfer-purposes/171739 "2003-04-28T18:19:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![FyreFiend](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/919ad9/32.png) [@FyreFiend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FyreFiend)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2003, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-smartmedia-for-data-transfer-purposes/171739/21 "2003-04-29T22:34:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Napier \* > \*\*Word of warning - you can’t mix brands of SmartMedia readers and cards. Although all of them are compatible with different camera maker’s cards, each brand recognizes cards made by their competitor and rejects them as bad. > At least, that’s what the clerk at BestBuy told me when I tried to return a SanDisk brand card that wouldn’t work in my non-SanDisk reader. So I took a chance on a SanDisk reader, and it worked with SanDisk cards, though not with the other brand of cards. All the cards worked with their own brand of reader, or with my 2 Olympus cameras, but all were labeled as defective when I tried to read them on the opposite brand of reader. \*\* Errr… I have a SanDisk reader, Olympus Camera, Creative Nomad IIc, and 5 SM cards of different makes and they all work fine with each other. The only issue I have is with the camera but that’s because the camera’s firmware can only handle cards 16MB or smaller. ---
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-smartmedia-for-data-transfer-purposes/171739/22 "2003-04-30T13:20:15Z")
Err… I don’t know why yours work and mine didn’t, but the clerk’s prediction did come true. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-smartmedia-for-data-transfer-purposes/171739/23 "2003-04-30T14:57:55Z")
I think you can use any reader you want, you might want to check what people on the web say first about a specific reader. Here is one that seems fun from [techbargains.com](http://techbargains.com) : "6 in 1 reader $16.95, Apr 29 [Dealsonic.com](http://Dealsonic.com) has the Bytecc 601A Aluminum Pocket Size USB 6-IN-1 Card Reader / Writer on sale for $16.95 Shipped. (PN#: DSBT601A6IN1RDR) Compactflash, Smartmedia, MMC, Secure Digital, Memorystick, and Microdrive compatbile." ---
**Author:** ![bernse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@bernse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bernse)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-smartmedia-for-data-transfer-purposes/171739/24 "2003-04-30T15:10:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by bcullman \* > \*\*Really SmartMedia is old News. > > USB thumb Drives are the way to go. > \*\* Yes, but the smartmedia/CF cards can be used for transferring files, various MP3 players and many digital cameras. One media does everything for me in my case. Buying a seperate unit (USB drive) that can only be used for one purpose actually doesn’t seem like such a good idea to me. ---
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-smartmedia-for-data-transfer-purposes/171739/25 "2003-04-30T16:30:01Z")
I agree with bernse. In fact, I’m going to dust off my old Olympus 500L camera and start using it again as it uses SmartMedia cards. I just looked in the camera and there’s a 2 MB card in there. _2_ MB!!! How funny is that? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-smartmedia-for-data-transfer-purposes/171739.md?page=1)