Hi! My mailsever cannot send mail to the OGO mailing-list, so I'm sending
this directly to you. Feel free to forward it to the list, if you see fit.
BTW, thanks for forwarding my messages so far.
I have an update on my attempt to buy and use an ATA flash card on the Ogo.
Last time, I wrote:
> The tech support guy said the card's power ratings are:
>
> Sleep .6mA
> Read 25/35mA
> Write 25/35mA
After double-checking Pretec's web site, I discovered that these ratings
are incorrect. I guess I mistook the guy I spoke to for tech support
instead of sales; he did sound a bit uncertain of himself at times. Anyway,
the correct ratings are:
Sleep .6mA
Read 20/65mA (Max)
Write 25/80mA (Max)
I guess I'll probably have to use it in low performance mode.
> The read/write ratings depend on the performance mode you(!!) choose:
>
> Low performance 1Mb/sec
> High performance 8Mb/sec
The web site does NOT quote the low performance transfer rate so this could
be wrong, and those Mb's are megabytes, not megabits. Anyway, if you want
more info/specs on the card check out their web page at http:
//www.pretec.com/products/flashdata.html.
> Also, he claimed that the ATA card is faster than SRAM and Intel linear
flash
> (what are their performance ratings?). He added that the Pretec card was
> modelled(??) after the Sandisk card we hear so much about in the usenet
> newsgroups.
I also double-checked my June copy of Byte, and found that NOR flash is
inherently faster than NAND flash in terms of random access because NOR
uses parallel bit access versus serial access in NAND flash. Since the
Pretec card uses NAND flash and Intel linear cards (like MagicRAM) use NOR
flash, I really wonder how Pretec managed to overcome that particular
disadvantage. PERHAPS, the Pretec card uses some pipelining/burst scheme
to do faster block transfers, but is still slower in terms of address
"seeking", ie. slower initial read/write w/ faster subsequent reads/writes
in block access.
> > Maybe it is time to give one of the Low Power Flash cards a try.
>
> They have 2MB, 4MB($199), 8MB($310), 16MB($550?), etc. cards--I didn't
ask
> about the 2MB price. That significantly beats MagicRAM flash in every
> category except sleep mode power usage(!!), and with their 30-day
satisfaction
> guarantee I was sold on the deal and ordered a 8MB card which however is
> backordered til next Wednesday. Their number is 510-440-0535 if you're
> interested. I'll let you know more when I receive the card.
Well, last night, while thumbing through my Byte magazine, I came across a
memory dealer called L.A. Trade (as in Los Angeles Trade) in the back ad
pages. The ad mentioned that they sold ATA flash at cheaper prices, so I
called them up today. Guess what... they carry the same Pretec cards, so I
cancelled my order w/ Pretec and placed a new order w/ LA Trade. Their
prices for the same cards are currently 4MB($169), 8MB($256), 12MB($323),
16MB($399), so I ordered the 12MB card instead w/ total cost roughly
equalling the 8MB card from Pretec--Pretec charges $17(?) for shipping(!!).
What a bargain! BTW, Pretec sells the 12MB card for $440.
Anyway, LA Trade's number is 800-433-3726 if you're interested. Make sure
you ask for the Pretec ATA flash. They also sell PreMax ATA's and other
non-ATA flash cards.
Still eagerly waiting...
_Man_
PS: Thanks to everyone who's forwarded my messages to the mailing-list.