Article ID: 23

Added: January 17, 2008

Category: Storage Management

Question

What are different storage devices that works with BrailleNote?

Answer

There are numerous devices that can be used to store files on the brailleNote. Besides Flash Disk, BrailleNote supports the following items:

Note: This list is based on BrailleNote mPower. When possible, notes for BrailleNote Apex and PK is included.

• CompactFlash: For BrailleNote mPower, Classic and PK: A matchbok sized storage card that allows a user to store billions of characters worth of information. There is a dedicated CF slot on the back of the BrailleNote - for Classic, between the serial and parallel ports; on the PK, to the right of the AC power socket; on the mPower, between USB client and SD slot (on the left) and serial port (on the right). On the mPower and Classic, an adapter is availible that allows CF cards to be used on the side slot (PC card slot). All members of the BrailleNote except Apex supports this card directly (for Apex, see the sister article, "How to use CompactFlash cards on the Apex" under Storage Management category.). Capacity ranges from 1 GB to 64 GB. At the drive prompt, press C for CompactFlash.
• PCMCIA card (just called PC card): For Classic and mPower: A credit card sized storage card that is used as storage medium. This includes micro drives produced by Toshiba and others, as well as CompactFlash card with a PC card adapter. This card is inserted into the right hand side slot (mPower and Classic only). Capacity ranges from 1 GB to 8 GB. At the drive prompt, press P for PC Card.
• SD (Secure Digital) card: For mPower and Apex: A small, postage stamp sized memory card for storing data. (On the MPower, this card is used for upgrading KeySoft.) On the mPower, the SD card slot is located on the back of the unit, just to the left of the CF slot and underneath a USB client port. On the Apex, the SD card slot is located to the right of the USB host ports. Capacity ranges from 512 MB to 32 GB (512 MB to 2 GB for normal cards, 4 to 32 GB for SD High Capacity cards). As of 2009, SDHC cards are supported by Apex but not on the mPower. At the drive prompt, press S for SD Card.As of 2008, high capacity SDHC cards (size above 4 GB) is not supported.
• USB devices (mPower and Apex): since the BrailleNote mPower and Apex has USB host ports, it allows users to work with USB storage devices. For example, one can use a card reader to read additional memory card formats such as memory stick and another CF or SD card, or use a thumb drive (known as USB Flash Drive) to transfer files between a BrailleNote and a computer. On the mPower, there are two USB ports, located to the right of the serial port. On the Apex, there are three USB ports, located on the back left side of the unit - to the left of the SD card slot. Some of the supported devices include:
  • USB flash drive (commonly called thumb drive): A stick sized memory (typically of a size of a pack of gums) that allows users to store and transfer files between BrailleNote and a computer equipped with at least one USB port. The device looks like a pack of gums with a protruding USB plug and a cap. Common capacity ranges from 512 MB to 16 GB.
  • USb hard disk drive (shortened to HDD): This is essentially either a desktop or laptop hard drive with a device called "drive enclosure." A drive enclosure is some kind of a shell that holds connections and power socket to be used by the drive that is inside it. Usually, a USB cable is plugged into the USB port on the enclosure, and the other end is plugged into the BrailleNote. Common capacity ranges from 40 to 1 TB (Terabyte or 1000 GB). Note: desktop hard drives are larger and requires its own AC adapter, whereas laptop hard drives are smaller and does not require external power supply.
  • USb card readers: This device resembles a small box with slots for various memory card types, including CompactFlash, Secure Digital, Memory Stick (a gum shaped memory card produced mainly by Sony) and others. This "card reader" is useful for using more than one CF or SD cards on the unit.

Notes

To access USB storage devices, at the drive prompt, press H for Hard Disk. USB devices are called "hard disk" on the BrailleNote regardless of type e.g. a thumb drive, hard drive, card reader, etc.

To access CompactFlash cards on the Apex, connect a USB card reader to the BrailleNote, then insert the CompactFlash card. At the drive prompt, go to Hard Disk.

Updated: November 11, 2009