Seeking local source for thin-client IDE flash modules.

[Evan Leibovitch]

Lennart Sorensen wrote:
> On Fri, Dec 05, 2008 at 05:10:13PM -0500, Scott Sullivan wrote:
>   
>> That would be a likely candidate, still running  into the space issue.
>> The module I'm looking  is pictured at the bottom of page 2nd from left, 
>> top row:
>> http://usa.apacer.com/us/products/ATA-Disk_Module_(ADM)_specs.htm
>>     
>
> Those are of course a proprietary design, while a CF adapter lets you
> use whatever cheap CF card you ever want.
>   
I agree with the concept, but maybe these days it's a better idea to
consider SDHC rather than CF cards, given that SDHC cards are showing up
in higher capacities and lower cost/GB thanks to their popularity in
devices such as camcorders.

Something such as 
http://www.addonics.com/products/flash_memory_reader/adidesd.asp
(without the enclosure)
or
http://www.made-in-china.com/china-products/productviewxqCnNouVamUg/SD-to-IDE-Converter.html
or
http://cgi.ebay.com/SDHC-SD-MMC-3-5-Desktop-IDE-HDD-SSD-adapter-mini-ITX_W0QQitemZ370126235437QQcmdZViewItemQQptZPCA_Cables_Adapters?hash=item370126235437&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318|301%3A1|293%3A1|294%3A50

Anyway, you get the idea. The adaptors are out there.

>> As I noted in the original email, I'm looking at the options for slimmed 
>> down's distro, and the OLPC XO provides a nice reference design on how 
>> to go about slimming Fedora (my preferred distro). But if I could get 
>> those same modules with a greater capacity, it would make the task far 
>> simpler.
>>     
>
> Well a 16GB CF card runs about $100 as far as I can tell.  32 and 64GB
> cards also exist.
>   

If going SDHC, decent speed 16GB can easily be had locally for under $50
(with the lowest at $36) and is big enough to hold the most bloated
Linux distribution. Right now that seems to be the sweet spot because
32GB cards are much harder to find and in the $200-250 range.

And, of course, one other alternative is to use a regular SSD that's
configured to talk directly to the IDE interface, using a form factor
resembling (and mounting like) a regular (2.5") hard disk. Those range
from $100 for 32GB to $400-500 for 128MB.

I'm not yet aware of a 64MB CF or SDHC card in wide public availability.

- Evan

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