SD card reader

By miguel_out

Supporter (13)

07-04-2010, 14:56

Hello MSX lovers,
Do you know if it's possible to buy somekind of a SD card reader for the MSX?

Best regards,
Miguel

By RetroTechie

Paragon (1563)

07-04-2010, 18:17

Welcome to this forum, Miguel !
There exist several MMC/SD card interfaces for MSX:

A guy named sharksym made an interface that uses an SCC chip. Reportedly he sold some ready-made circuit boards a while ago, but I wouldn't know if he still has any for sale. Schematics are available so in theory you could build your own... would be a LOT of work though.
Based on sharksym's design, Erik van Son made a compact version using a CPLD (programmable logic component). It uses the same BIOS/software as sharksym's interface. He made a batch of them, and might make some more if enough people are interested - so let him know that you are! He posts on this forum as Erikie, you can find his e-mail by checking the contacts list on this site (when logged in).
Leonardo Padial used to make/sell various MSX hardware, including an MMC/SD interface. His website doesn't seem to be maintained anymore, but someone mirrored it here. Probably not software compatible with sharksym's interface, but this may be your best option... if he's still selling.
Sunrise for MSX used to sell CompactFlash interfaces (sold out), and there was talk about production of another batch. There exist CF adapters for other types of cards like SD or xD picture cards. Check user "sunrise" on this forum (Rob Hiep) for contact details - be patient though! ._,

Probably the best you can do is contact all of these guys to check for options, availability and (shipping) price, and keep an eye out for 2nd hand options while you wait for replies. If you get some answers: can you do us a favor, and post back here with current status on these things? The "flash based mass storage wanted" is a regularly recurring question, so an update on availabilty & pricing would be much appreciated.

By sunrise

Paragon (1091)

07-04-2010, 22:03

I donot know why everytime people like retrotechie likes to continues remarks about us.
But simply sunrise and padial continue to make products.
The new serie is upcoming and the last spareparts have been arranged so that the soldering company can make its effort.
People who visited the last MSX fair at Nijmegen would have seen the new package for the CF interface-thanks to photo manuel made-. So assuming that it will be not be available, nonsense

By Leo

Paragon (1236)

07-04-2010, 22:20

CF interface is a very good product , very fast.

By lugum

Supporter (3)

07-04-2010, 22:39

i am too looking for one, though some sites of sellers dont even seem to exist anymore or havent been updated for years...

By usuario_msx2

Paladin (763)

07-04-2010, 22:59

Welcome to this forum, Miguel !
A guy named sharksym made an interface that uses an SCC chip. Reportedly he sold some ready-made circuit boards a while ago, but I wouldn't know if he still has any for sale. Schematics are available so in theory you could build your own... would be a LOT of work though.

You don't need build yourself, you can buy it to Sinfox:

blog.dreamwiz.com/usr/s/i/sinfox/22/sinfox_20100120011147_12325846_5.JPG

http://www.msx.org/forumtopic9153.html

By Leo

Paragon (1236)

08-04-2010, 20:25

i am too looking for one, though some sites of sellers dont even seem to exist anymore or havent been updated for years...

you should look in the profile of sunrise , use his new email address and write him.
The site is not updated and looks abandoned for some reason but that does not
mean the hardware ordering+production is abandonned, at all.

By lugum

Supporter (3)

16-04-2010, 15:48

i am too looking for one, though some sites of sellers dont even seem to exist anymore or havent been updated for years...

well i tried contacting erik von son, but his emailadress is from quicknet (which is
a provider who doesnt exist anymore)

also tried contacting sunrise, no reply yet.

according to retrotechie's post then there is also leonardo and sharksym but it's not sure if they are still selling.

so it seems basically only sunrise might still be selling?

By Leo

Paragon (1236)

16-04-2010, 16:48

i think leonardo padial is still actively selling his interface .
i can sell you one of mines if you are stuck, i have many , in fact 3x from erik von son

By Bastiaan

Champion (333)

16-04-2010, 16:48

the quicknet.nl domain now redirects to ziggo.nl, but http://speedtest.quicknet.nl/ still exists.

so you could try @ziggo.nl ?
He often used to read this forum though...

By RetroTechie

Paragon (1563)

16-04-2010, 16:52

That provider has stopped, need not mean that e-mail addresses stop working... services offered on a domain are often continued by [whatever new owner of that domain]. Erikie regularly posts on this forum, so chances are good he's got a current e-mail address in the contacts list.