Sdhc Card Sizes

[Enverex]

After all the thought about SDHC card sizes and that they /can/ go up to 2TB but none have appeared over 32GB yet. Does anyone think we're going to see larger? It would be a shame to be capped at 32GB cards on the pandora due to movie sizes and such and wanting to keep everything in one place.

So thoughts and hopes?

 

[WizardStan]

my Googlefu tells me that no one is even considering 64GB SDHC cards. Everyone is focused on getting the SDXC cards out for 2010.
I wouldn't discount the Pandora being able to use SDXC cards, though. From what I've read, it's all the same interface and hardware, just faster and bigger, and with the exFat file system instead of FAT32 by default. An SDHC reader might be able to read and write them, albeit at slower speeds.

 

[Enverex]

my Googlefu tells me that no one is even considering 64GB SDHC cards. Everyone is focused on getting the SDXC cards out for 2010.

That's highly depressing.

I wouldn't discount the Pandora being able to use SDXC cards, though. From what I've read, it's all the same interface and hardware, just faster and bigger, and with the exFat file system instead of FAT32 by default. An SDHC reader might be able to read and write them, albeit at slower speeds.

Everything I've read contradicts this, saying that the cards wont be the same form factor so they wont physically fit, and the interface is different so they wont be physically upgradable. I pray that you're wrong and someone can confirm that you're right, but still, it's worrying. 32GB isn't very much...

 

[Squidge]

After all the thought about SDHC card sizes and that they /can/ go up to 2TB but none have appeared over 32GB yet. Does anyone think we're going to see larger? It would be a shame to be capped at 32GB cards on the pandora due to movie sizes and such and wanting to keep everything in one place.

The SDHC specification on sdcard.org clearly states the maximum capacity for SDHC is 32GB. Yes, people can violate the specification and exceed that, but whether such cards work (and in what hardware) is unknown. Due to this, I don't think many people are going to be releasing 64GB SDHC cards, as there market will be unknown (apart from a few China/Taiwan/Korean companies maybe that usually do that kind of thing). I do expect some fake 64GB and possibly higher cards on ebay however.

From what I've read, SDXC should be compatible with the Pandora through a firmware upgrade anyway. You will not get the higher speeds (as that requires different hardware), but you should be able to get the higher capacity and SDHC speeds.

 

[Enverex]

Well from what I've read the Pandora wont be hitting the speed limits for SDHC anyway so that shouldn't be an issue. Does anyone know what Read/Write speeds the SDHC interface in the Pand is likely to be able to achieve?

 

[WizardStan]

no, the form factor is definitely the same, unless you have something that says otherwise. Wiki claims they're all the same, and a few other articles state they're the same, though that could all be confusion. Point being that even the official statement doesn't say anything about the form factor, other than it has the same physical dimensions as every other SD revision that came before it. I suppose they could do something like put a pin or something in place that physically changes it to incompatible with past readers.

 

[Squidge]

I suppose they could do something like put a pin or something in place that physically changes it to incompatible with past readers.

Not according to this datasheet I'm reading.

Oops, did I just say that?

 

[Tungsten]

my Googlefu tells me that no one is even considering 64GB SDHC cards.

Panasonic is the only one who has considered it http://www.thestandard.com/predictions/suggestions/64gb-sdhc-cards-announced-end-2008
but like Squidge said, most likely SDXC will work with a firmware upgrade

 

[Enverex]

my Googlefu tells me that no one is even considering 64GB SDHC cards.

Panasonic is the only one who has considered it http://www.thestandard.com/predictions/suggestions/64gb-sdhc-cards-announced-end-2008
but like Squidge said, most likely SDXC will work with a firmware upgrade

That says they are considering making 64GB SDXC cards, not SDHC cards...

 

[midna25]

This is horrible! I won't be able to get 64.5GB of space on the Pandora at once! I'll go through that in a day! And I couldn't even consider buying extra SD cards! I would have to, like, take the old ones out!

But seriously. The Pandora is equipped with everything you need to get as much space as you need. Don't panic. (In large friendly letters)

 

[WizardStan]

I suppose they could do something like put a pin or something in place that physically changes it to incompatible with past readers.

Not according to this datasheet I'm reading.

Oops, did I just say that?

No, you typed it.
I know it would be stupid of them to do so, but it wouldn't be the first time a company did something totally arbitrary to screw over the user to make more money.

 

[Zeno Arrow]

I suppose they could do something like put a pin or something in place that physically changes it to incompatible with past readers.

Not according to this datasheet I'm reading.

Oops, did I just say that?

Looking at being involved with the firmware update Squidge?

 

[trooper]

Pandora has two SD card slots.
2 x 32GB = 64GB, Mmmmmm, Sorted.

Trooper

 

[Lorkile]

Yeah, but because it has two then 2 x 64GB equal step 1. Step 2 ???. Step three profit! (128GB of portable space, hell yeah!).

 

[gruso]

I suppose they could do something like put a pin or something in place that physically changes it to incompatible with past readers.

Not according to this datasheet I'm reading.

Oops, did I just say that?

Interesting. h34r: The SD association clearly states that existing devices won't be compatible. But Pandora doesn't quite exist yet... am I going in the right direction here?

 

[Pleng]

Of course, in the worst case scenario, there will undoubtedly be tiny USB based SDXC based readers that most definitely *WILL* be compatible with the Pandora as they will be mass storage devices.

On the one hand it's not as elegant as being able to use them directly, but on the other hand it gives the potention for 32+32 (the internal slots) + 64Gb = 128Gb of storage!

Does the Pandora motherboard have any internal USB headers? I think probably not, but if it does would it be totally out of the question to do some kind of hardware mod to replace the original slots with a new custom reader?

 

[Enverex]

Pandora has two SD card slots.
2 x 32GB = 64GB, Mmmmmm, Sorted.

Trooper

The point of the thread was to discuss larger capacities for those of us where 64GB wont always be enough (and don't want to keep swapping cards due to losing them or convenience).

 

[mawler]

Interesting. h34r: The SD association clearly states that existing devices won't be compatible. But Pandora doesn't quite exist yet... am I going in the right direction here?

Existing SD and SDHC host devices will not be compatible with new SDXC cards, but existing SD and SDHC cards will still continue to be offered by card manufacturers for the foreseeable future. Existing SD and SDHC cards will work in SDXC host devices.

Emphasis mine. That means it just requires a firmware upgrade. The form factor is exactly the same.

 

[gruso]

That's not what they're saying though. Pandora is an SDHC host device, and I quote, "Existing SD and SDHC host devices will not be compatible with new SDXC cards". If a firmware upgrade was the only requirement, as it was for SD devices when SDHC was introduced, then surely they would say that?

I'm asking Squidge if he knows something we don't.

 

[Squidge]

That's not what they're saying though. Pandora is an SDHC host device, and I quote, "Existing SD and SDHC host devices will not be compatible with new SDXC cards". If a firmware upgrade was the only requirement, as it was for SD devices when SDHC was introduced, then surely they would say that?

To use all the features of SDXC, a simply firmware update will not be enough in a lot of cases. However, I don't see why a firmware update on the Pandora shouldn't allow you to use them in a limited form (ie, access the additional storage space).