UPGRADING REPAIRING PCs

Types of Flash Memory Devices
Several different types of flash memory devices are in common use
today, and knowing which ones your digital camera is designed to
use is important. The major types include the following:
• CompactFlash
• SmartMedia
• ATA PC Cards (PCMCIA)
• Memory Stick
SmartMedia and CompactFlash cards are available from many manufacturers,
but Memory Sticks are available only from the originator,
Sony, as of this writing.
ATA PC Cards can use flash memory or an actual hard disk. They
can be read directly by the Type II or Type III PC Card (PCMCIA)
slots found on most notebook computers.
CompactFlash, SmartMedia, and Sony Memory Stick flash memory
devices require the use of a card reader to interface with notebook
or desktop computers. Card readers can plug in to any of the following:
• Parallel port
• USB port
• PC Card Type II slot
Tape Backup Drives and Media 155
Most devices that use flash memory storage can be connected via
serial ports for downloading of images or other data, but this is
much slower and is not recommended for heavy-duty use.
Tape Backup Drives and Media
Common Tape Backup Standards
Several tape backup standards exist for individual client PC and
small server tape backup drives:
• QIC, QIC-Wide, and Travan—Three branches of a large
and diverse family of low-cost “entry-level” tape backup
drives, which can handle data up to 20GB@2:1 compression
• DAT (Digital Audio Tape)—A newer technology than
QIC and its offshoots, using Digital Data Storage technology
to store data up to 40GB@2:1 compression