Any ideas for a SmartMedia card reader that works with a newer Mac?
My new (to me) Ricoh Caplio RR1 uses a SmartMedia card (which is just the coolest little thing by the way). I didn't do enough research into this format before hand so I didn't realize that it's one of the hardest old digital storage medias to find adapter/readers for.
I found this Lexar Digital Film Reader brand new in box for cheap on eBay and picked it up. It needs drivers (not plug and play). I used the waybackmachine to go to digitalfilm.com in 2004 and download the latest drivers, but they won't install on my M1 Mac. Something about not supporting older stuff.
Luckily the reader also came with a PCMCIA to CF card adapter which I can use for my Kodak without the reader, so that's cool. But unfortunately I can't think of a way to get this to work with my computer.
Searching around I see lots of other old SmartMedia readers, but what's to say they won't just have the same issue? The last bit of hope I have is this one I found on Amazon which seems to be a newer created card reader that still supports SmartMedia, but it's $30... Just seems like a bit of a premium to pay for my silly fanatics.
The Ricoh RR1 uses a proprietary USB cable as far as I can tell, and I cannot find it sold anywhere, so just plugging it in is out too.
Any other ideas? Is there any adapter I'm missing? Any way you know how to install old drivers? I thought about getting some sort of VM up and running and trying that... but I'd rather spend my time elsewhere 😛 Another thought was to dig around my parents place for one of our old laptops... That would be a fun little setup with these old cameras. Doubtful I could find one that works, though.
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Man this is the kind of puzzle I like to try to solve. It's a tricky one! Two thoughts, that you might have already explored:
1) On this discussions.apple post from 2015, someone replies saying they "use an old SanDisk 8-in-1 USB card reader and it reads Smart Media cards with no problem. No drivers required." It seems like it might be this one? Seems they are around on ebay. Wonder if drivers are still not required?
2) Are you familiar with the photographer Sofi Lee and an Instagram account she's involved with, @digicam.love? (My guess is, if I am, you are!)
At the top of this article, she's holding an Olympus Camedia, and I bet* some of those use SmartMedia cards. I wonder if Sofi or whomever checks the DMs on that Instagram account may have any tips as to reading them/drivers etc.?
*Last week at work, I dug around in a basement cabinet and found two old superzoom-kinda-cameras, and one was a Camedia; it unfortunately wouldn't turn on. But, it did seem to take SmartMedia cards, if I remember correctly. I didn't find a card reader at first, but I can check again on Monday to see there might be one around. I know getting it to work with your computer is as much a part of the problem though. Eh! Happy hunting!
Quote from denniscrommett on April 29, 2022, 3:06 amMan this is the kind of puzzle I like to try to solve. It's a tricky one! Two thoughts, that you might have already explored:
1) On this discussions.apple post from 2015, someone replies saying they "use an old SanDisk 8-in-1 USB card reader and it reads Smart Media cards with no problem. No drivers required." It seems like it might be this one? Seems they are around on ebay. Wonder if drivers are still not required?
2) Are you familiar with the photographer Sofi Lee and an Instagram account she's involved with, @digicam.love? (My guess is, if I am, you are!)
At the top of this article, she's holding an Olympus Camedia, and I bet* some of those use SmartMedia cards. I wonder if Sofi or whomever checks the DMs on that Instagram account may have any tips as to reading them/drivers etc.?
*Last week at work, I dug around in a basement cabinet and found two old superzoom-kinda-cameras, and one was a Camedia; it unfortunately wouldn't turn on. But, it did seem to take SmartMedia cards, if I remember correctly. I didn't find a card reader at first, but I can check again on Monday to see there might be one around. I know getting it to work with your computer is as much a part of the problem though. Eh! Happy hunting!
All good tips, thanks!
I'll check out that card reader. It's hard to know which ones require drivers and which ones don't. It seems like back when SmartMedia was a thing, plug-in-play without drivers was not as established. Nowadays I can't remember the last time I had to get drivers, except for things like graphics cards. But that's a really good lead on one.
Asking Sofi seems like a great resource too. I didn't realize how much I was getting into when I got the camera, haha. From now on I think I'll pay closer attention to see if the lot includes the USB cable, what type of USB cable it takes, and what type of media. It'll all work out one way or another.
I did see in Ricoh's manual that there was an optional accessory for a floppy disk to SmartMedia adapter, like Olympus and some other brands produced. That seems like a fun option too, but I am a little worried because it requires some batteries, and I could just as easily make another purchase that just totally doesn't work 😛
The bottom of this page on Ricoh's website shows a floppy disk adapter and PC Card adapter made for the camera at the time. Still trying to dig up what the name of the cable is... Looks like maybe a few of these early Ricoh R's used a similar cable. My best bet might be just searching for the cameras on eBay and finding one with it.
https://www.ricoh-imaging.co.jp/english/r_dc/past/rdc/7/accesso.html
This is the card reader I use for SmartMedia- works fine on my Mac, no software needed:
Quote from ahoyhere on May 1, 2022, 2:43 pmThis is the card reader I use for SmartMedia- works fine on my Mac, no software needed:
Okay, great to hear confirmation that it works with macs! I saw that in my Amazon search, but really didn't want to roll the dice for $30...
I am on a trip right now visiting my family back in Missouri and dug around some old boxes. Sure enough I found an old card reader that says it does SM. I don't have my card with me so it'll be a while to test, but we'll see if this one works plug-in-play. It does look a little newer than the early 2000s so there's hope lol.
Thanks again for all the help and ideas!
