Microdrive vs CF card

Does anybody know why 2 GB Lexar CF w/12 MBytes/sec costs $197.95
while 4 GB Sony Microdrive w/97.9 Mbits/sec. cost $189.95 (bhphoto
prices)?

What is the reason for the Lexar media with the same speed as Sony but
half of the capacity to cost even more?

Len

wrote in message
...

Does anybody know why 2 GB Lexar CF w/12 MBytes/sec costs $197.95
while 4 GB Sony Microdrive w/97.9 Mbits/sec. cost $189.95 (bhphoto
prices)?

What is the reason for the Lexar media with the same speed as Sony but
half of the capacity to cost even more?


Simple. They're completely different media. Compact flash is still more
expensive to manufacture than harddrives.

Greg

Well, as you can see from the name (microdrive), it has a tiny hard
drive inside. This technology is cheaper comparing to the flash memory
(the first one). The first doesn't have any moving parts inside. Thus,
the second one is much more fragile and consumes more power to operate.
So, it's your choice...


BTW, 12Mbytes/sec ~ 96Mbits/sec...

Arthur

wrote:
Does anybody know why 2 GB Lexar CF w/12 MBytes/sec costs $197.95
while 4 GB Sony Microdrive w/97.9 Mbits/sec. cost $189.95 (bhphoto
prices)?

What is the reason for the Lexar media with the same speed as Sony but
half of the capacity to cost even more?

Len

On Mon, 26 Sep 2005 21:41:32 GMT, Arthur wrote:

Well, as you can see from the name (microdrive), it has a tiny hard
drive inside. This technology is cheaper comparing to the flash memory
(the first one). The first doesn't have any moving parts inside. Thus,
the second one is much more fragile and consumes more power to operate.
So, it's your choice...


Oh, I see... Do you know if there is any data on the reliability of of
the microdrives? Basically how often do they break and how well can
they survive a "rough" handling? I assume that CF cards have no
problems at all... do they?

From:

|
| Does anybody know why 2 GB Lexar CF w/12 MBytes/sec costs $197.95
| while 4 GB Sony Microdrive w/97.9 Mbits/sec. cost $189.95 (bhphoto
| prices)?
|
| What is the reason for the Lexar media with the same speed as Sony but
| half of the capacity to cost even more?
|
| Len

Go with Compact Flash Flash RAM. MicroDrives are mechanical and suffer from G-force shock
and therefore have a much higher failure rate. They also consume more power and thus drain
the batter faster.

--
Dave
http://www.claymania.com/removal-trojan-adware.html
http://www.ik-cs.com/got-a-virus.htm

wrote:

Does anybody know why 2 GB Lexar CF w/12 MBytes/sec costs $197.95
while 4 GB Sony Microdrive w/97.9 Mbits/sec. cost $189.95 (bhphoto
prices)?

What is the reason for the Lexar media with the same speed as Sony but
half of the capacity to cost even more?

Len

The CF card is all memory. Memory has always been more expensive per
unit of measure than hard-drives. Probably will always be, because they
continue to make advances in hard-drive technology at the same time
they'er advancing memory technology.

It's come down a lot if it's only twice as expensive (4GB [2x2GB] of CF
compared to 4GB microdrive).

A quick search turned up 1GB RAM for a computer at $79.95. The same
place had 250GB Seagate Barracuda drives for $69.99 after rebate.

The 4GB Lexar CF card (12MBps) was $429.99

And a search on-line turned up that 97MBps is a maximum burst rate. The
Sony microdrive has only 12.24 MBps sustained EXTERNAL transfer rate.

wrote:

Does anybody know why 2 GB Lexar CF w/12 MBytes/sec costs $197.95
while 4 GB Sony Microdrive w/97.9 Mbits/sec. cost $189.95 (bhphoto
prices)?

What is the reason for the Lexar media with the same speed as Sony but
half of the capacity to cost even more?

Just groups.Google.com in this NG for the answer.

In short: The price for a microdrive is lower as there is fear of buying
them because they are electromechnical and therefore more prone to failure.

People are willing to pay the premium for solid state because they don't
want failure and esp. the inconveniences that it represents.

Cheers,
Alan.

--
-- r.p.e.35mm user resource: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm
-- r.p.d.slr-systems: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpdslrsysur.htm
-- [SI] gallery & rulz: http://www.pbase.com/shootin
-- e-meil: Remove FreeLunch.

In article ,
wrote:

What is the reason for the Lexar media with the same speed as Sony but
half of the capacity to cost even more?

Because Lexar doesn't make stuff that sucks?

wrote in message
...
On Mon, 26 Sep 2005 21:41:32 GMT, Arthur wrote:

Well, as you can see from the name (microdrive), it has a tiny hard
drive inside. This technology is cheaper comparing to the flash memory
(the first one). The first doesn't have any moving parts inside. Thus,
the second one is much more fragile and consumes more power to operate.
So, it's your choice...


Oh, I see... Do you know if there is any data on the reliability of of
the microdrives? Basically how often do they break and how well can
they survive a "rough" handling? I assume that CF cards have no
problems at all... do they?

Well, I've seen tests on CF cards where they run them through the wash and
drive trucks over them and they still work fine. I wouldn't want to do that
with a microdrive. Not that long ago the ONLY way to get a lot of megabytes
into your camera was with a microdrive, but that's changing. The less
moving parts the better, IMO.

In article ,
wrote:

On Mon, 26 Sep 2005 21:41:32 GMT, Arthur wrote:

Well, as you can see from the name (microdrive), it has a tiny hard
drive inside. This technology is cheaper comparing to the flash memory
(the first one). The first doesn't have any moving parts inside. Thus,
the second one is much more fragile and consumes more power to operate.
So, it's your choice...


Oh, I see... Do you know if there is any data on the reliability of of
the microdrives? Basically how often do they break and how well can
they survive a "rough" handling? I assume that CF cards have no
problems at all... do they?

Anything can fail given rough enough treatment, a CF is basically a
silicon wafer and consequently can be broken with high enough impact.
However given the bad rep Microdrives have I can't imagine using one
For jobs I am being paid for. Lexar and others have good reputations for
CF cards, its a given.

--
LF Website @ http://members.verizon.net/~gregoryblank

"To announce that there must be no criticism of the President,
or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong,
is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable
to the American public."--Theodore Roosevelt, May 7, 1918