Other Source Component Reviews

Right about now, some of you might be pondering the twin questions, "What the hell are memory cards?" and "Why do I want them?" Flash memory cards store data such as recorded music or digital photos on tiny silicon wafers inside durable shells with no moving parts. The density with which this data can be stored has been increasing to meet an ever-growing consumer need, while prices have dropped, too.

The Samsung DVD-V3800 allows the digerati to move beyond the realm of computer and handheld devices, to share content stored on this convenient, removable media in a comfortable, communal space: the home theater. Physically, this deck's 4-in-1 card port needs to mate with only three sizes/shapes, as MultiMedia and Secure Digital (SD) cards are almost identical; the latter is copyright-friendly with Secure Digital Music Initiative–compliant protection and provides a mechanical write-protect switch.

Which card you choose will be largely dictated by which camera, portable MP3 player, or other portable digital device you own. Loading those cards with choice content is simplest with a computer accessory like the SanDisk ImageMate 8-in-1 reader ($40), a high-speed but backwards-compatible USB 2.0 pod that transfers files between the computer and any of its octet of supported cards, sold separately. In addition to MultiMedia and SD cards (the smallest), SmartMedia (the thinnest), Sony's Memory Stick, and its faster, higher-capacity cousin Memory Stick PRO, the ImageMate 8-in-1 supports CompactFlash Types I and II (the highest capacity) and the new xD Picture Card for Olympus and Fujifilm xD cameras. Since all slots are active, you can also copy files between individual memory cards, all with a simple drag-and-drop interface.

SanDisk
(866) SANDISK
www.sandisk.com