SilverStone SST-SDP01 Portable USB 2.0 Card Reader Review
By: Michael Phrakaysone
Edited By: Steve M. Silver

 

There has been a digital boom within the last couple of years. Many more digital products such as new mediums with massive storage size, such as CompactFlash and Secure Digital cards, are dominating the industry and it will only get better. However, with so many formats for these memory cards there have been few ways of transferring their data contents. The only way you can transfer data are from the product you are using them on to your PC. However, that wastes its battery life and subjects it to wear and tear. Moreover, if you would like to use these memory cards for other purposes than the device they are specifically designed for, you still need a device to read and write to them. Enter SilverStone’s SST-PD01, a new card reader. This isn’t just any card reader. Let’s get started with the review!

Specifications

  • Material: Aluminum, Plastic
  • Color: Silver
  • Device Space: 3.5" driver device
  • LED Indicators: RED: power on, GREEN: access
  • Power Support: DC 5V from USB port
  • Transfer Rate: USB 2.0
  • Supported mediums: Compact Flash Cards (both types), IBM Micro Drive, Smart Media Card, Secure Digital Card, Multi Media Card, Memory Stick Card
  • Applications: MP3, PDA, Cell Phone, Digital Camera
  • Package Includes: USB 2.0 6-in-1 Flash Genie, User Manual, Installation driver (For Windows 98 and MAC)

As you can see, the SilverStone SST-SDP01 is a 6-in-1 device, and then some. It can read up to 6 different mediums (Compact Flash, IBM MicroDrive, SmartMedia, Secure Digital, MMD, and Sony’s Memory Stick memory cards) and it has a built in USB 2.0 port within it’s enclosure.

The SilverStone SST-SDP01 comes packaged in a plastic blister pack and prominently states what it is. The rear of the box displays its uses and information regarding the product.

What is included in this package are the following:

  • SilverStone SST-SDP01 Portable USB2.0 Card Reader device
  • User Manual
  • CD with drivers for Windows 98
  • Mounting screws
  • USB cable

SilverStone includes everything you need and even drivers to enable USB 2.0 within Windows 98 and Mac platforms.

The SilverStone SST-SDP01 is a 3.5” device that fits in your empty floppy bay but yet can be removed to be portable. It can be used internally or external which many other card readers cannot do and makes it far more versatile.

The front of the panel includes a free USB 2.0 port on the left, the card reader unit in the middle, and the eject button to take out the card reader unit to become a freestanding portable unit. So you get the best of both worlds and this is very ingenious of SilverStone.

The rear of the unit shows that the eject mechanism is controlled by being spring loaded. To the right of that is the USB port connection you need to make in order for the device to operate. SilverStone provides this cable for you. Now this is where things can be a little tricky. The USB cable end where you connect to your PC’s free USB pin-out on your motherboard is separate single wires and not bundled together. You need to consult your manual to make installation easy for yourself.

To remove the card reader to utilize it’s portability aspect, you press the white button on the right portion located on the front. This will allow the card reader to pop out from the enclosure thus allowing you to remove the card reader. The card reader now displays the SilverStone logo and corresponding labels. There is a red LED on the top also. The rear of this unit contains the USB cable in order for it to work.

Utilizing the portability

To show you how easy it is to move this card reader around you need to do the following…

1. Remove the card reader from the internal enclosure by pressing the eject button on the right side.

2. Remove the card reader unit and connect it to a computer with a free USB port. You now can transfer your data from your desired media by simply drag and dropping from “My Computer” to your destination.

3. Once done with using it externally, simply plug the card reader back in the internal enclosure until you here it click. Now you are able to use it internally.

More pictures!

Conclusion

The SilverStone SST-SDP01 card reader is a very versatile and capable product. It stands out from the crowd as it is very portable and works internally and externally. The fit and finish is amazing also. On top of that, this card reader is USB 2.0 so you can take advantage of mediums that claim 50x, 60x and so on.  I have confirmed that my 60x SD Card clocks in at 8-9MB/s.  I have no hesitation in recommending the SilverStone SST-SDP01 portable USB 2.0 card reader to anyone looking for one of the best card readers on the market thus far.

Pros and Cons

+ Maximum portability
+ Fit and finish
+ Works as advertised
+ It’s USB 2.0
+ Supports multiple medias
- Single pin USB connectors

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