Storage cards larger > 1 GB? >4GB?

mizo9999 · 11-11-2008, 06:52 PM

I am in the 'research' phase--meaning I have no money to buy yet, and am reading everything I can while I save up my pennies and wait--and I vaguely remember hearing that the firmware update (1.1?) enabled the PRS 505 to use memory cards with more storage space than previously. What is the current limit? The Sony site seems to suggest 4 GB's--though it hints at 8 GB--but only--of course--for Sony brand memory sticks.

Will it handle SDHC and up to what size?

gardenstate · 11-11-2008, 09:59 PM

suggest you use 1GB or smaller SD cards. From what I've read, large book collections on the big cards take a long time to sort out by the unit "starting up." It would be best to keep separate collections on each of the 1GB or smaller SD.

don't know about the SDHC card in this unit....

HarryT · 11-12-2008, 04:18 AM

Yes, the 505 supports SDHC cards.

mizo9999 · 11-12-2008, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Yes, the 505 supports SDHC cards.

Thanks to both the responses so far!

-> Harry, what is the upper limit on storage size that the 505 can use on an SDHC? I mean, is it just a performance trade off, like for example you could put a 16GB SDHC memory card in your PRS 505, but it would take thirty minutes to read it or something, but not just ignore the card or crash outright or only be able to read a random selection of the files on it?

Hope that makes sense...

HistoryWes · 11-13-2008, 05:36 PM

I just got my PRS-505, so I'm still a newbie, but... I used a cheap SD 1g card that was in a digital picture frame. I had several errors using this card. Though the PRS itself was fine, the card became unreadable. I could format it and load it up again with books, but the same thing happened. I went out and bought a Sony Memory Stick Pro Duo (2 meg) and an SDHC (4 Meg). They have both been working flawlessly. I haven't noticed any slowdown though at this point they are still mostly empty.

HarryT · 11-14-2008, 03:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mizo9999

Thanks to both the responses so far!

-> Harry, what is the upper limit on storage size that the 505 can use on an SDHC? I mean, is it just a performance trade off, like for example you could put a 16GB SDHC memory card in your PRS 505, but it would take thirty minutes to read it or something, but not just ignore the card or crash outright or only be able to read a random selection of the files on it?

Hope that makes sense...

It can use all of it, but you probably wouldn't want to put 10,000 books on it, given the current cataloguing system of the Sony. Personally, I don't really see a need for an SD card at all, unless you're reading image-based PDF files or something like that. The internal memory will easily store 100+ "normal" books.

jbjb · 11-14-2008, 04:57 AM

I suspect any issues would depend on the actual number of books or their total size, rather than the capacity of the card itself.

I have an 8GB SDHC card in my 505, dramatically underused with a couple of hundred books on it, and it works fine.

In my case, I'm pretty sure the limiting factor will be (as HarryT says) the current cataloguing system - it will get unusable long before the card gets more than a fraction full.

/JB

mizo9999 · 11-14-2008, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jbjb

I suspect any issues would depend on the actual number of books or their total size, rather than the capacity of the card itself.

I have an 8GB SDHC card in my 505, dramatically underused with a couple of hundred books on it, and it works fine.

In my case, I'm pretty sure the limiting factor will be (as HarryT says) the current cataloguing system - it will get unusable long before the card gets more than a fraction full.

/JB

Ah, okay, thanks for the responses! I am wondering if I can cut the tether to my computer and actually carry around my whole e-library with my e-reader; it sounds like to do this I'd want a 'manual' catalog system with multiple, labeled memory cards, maybe 4 GB's each at most...has anyone used this or another method to operate--mostly--independent of a computer hook up? Of course you'd still need to use the computer to actually add new material. And of course the Kindle would let me e-mail stuff directly, but doesn't handle the file formats that I want to use as well.

fglaysher · 11-18-2008, 01:19 PM

A few people have mentioned the problem of Sony's "current cataloguing system."

It's the biggest frustration I have with using my PRS 505.

While I have about 1200 books, in three or four formats, on my hard drive, I only put about 50 at a time on my 2 gig card because I can't possible waste hours, if not days, sorting them into the "Collections." But they become lost without some kind of organization if I put on too many. I actaually want to buy an 8 gig card now on sale at Office Max, but why bother when I can't even get the mileage out of the 2 gigger....

Does anyone know a way or hack to just be able to copy and paste a Windows folder into the 505? I have all my books sorted on my hard drive in folders named as you'd expect: American Literature, English, French, Asian, Etc...

Lack of a decent cataloguing system really keeps me from putting all my books on the PRS 505 and, actually, from really get the most out of the device.

The Cabrile or whatever, has the same limitation. I've ALREADY sorted them on my hard drive. I just want a copy and paste!

Thanks for any suggestions!

Fred

stalker4 · 11-18-2008, 04:40 PM

I got my PRS-505 today, on the box it states supports up to 16Gb sd & Sony memory cards

dordale · 11-18-2008, 05:20 PM

Fred--

You may already know this, but just in case...

You can copy and paste your folders onto your SD card through Windows Explorer--the reader will see them. Unfortunately, though, it will still sort them as it sees fit--does not recognize folder structure. If you try this, the first time you turn your reader on after copying all the files over, it'll probably take a very long time to start up, as the reader will go through every file and index it according to it's own sorting system.

dordale

fglaysher · 11-18-2008, 07:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dordale

Fred--

You may already know this, but just in case...

You can copy and paste your folders onto your SD card through Windows Explorer--the reader will see them. Unfortunately, though, it will still sort them as it sees fit--does not recognize folder structure. If you try this, the first time you turn your reader on after copying all the files over, it'll probably take a very long time to start up, as the reader will go through every file and index it according to it's own sorting system.

dordale

=---

Thanks for mentioning it. I have done tried that, which as you say, dordale, just dumps the books all together. Then finding the one you want from several hundred takes forever....

I think it's a valid question to ask why does Sony makes it possible to have several formats and disk space up to 16 Gigs, when it's impossible to really use it! Many people here on mobileread seem to be dealing with the problem by ONLY putting a relatively few books on it at a time. Which means we constantly have to switch books in and out to be able to find them in a usualable way.

I book my Sony Reader last March and have been hoping Sony would fix this particular problem but they just don't seem to care!

If anyone knows a hack around the problem, I'd love to hear about it.

Thanks.

Fred

DrMoze · 12-16-2008, 08:08 PM

"Relatively few books"on the Reader is a relative term. I might read 100 books in a year (probably somewhat less) and the internal memory holds more than that. So I see absolutely no need to use any memory card. (I don't understand why so many people are obsessed with having their entire large collections in the Reader at once. How many books do you actually read in a month, that doing an occasional transfer is such a chore?)

Besides, I do transfers of new checkouts from the NYC e-library every couple of weeks anyway. And, using memory cards eats up the battery faster, so you'll be 'tethered' to the charger, and to the spinning arrows as the Reader chugs along loading those huge collections.

DocHamm · 12-18-2008, 04:21 PM

I have and use 2GB and 4GB SD cards in my PRS-505. They were a carry over from my previous reading device and work fine on the Sony. I probably wouldn't use more than a 4GB since it takes a bit of time for the Sony to read through the card but it's a personal preferance. If I didn't already have them I might be tempted to just buy the largest I could afford and keep everything in one place.

ProDigit · 12-18-2008, 05:02 PM

I tried an 8GB card in mine, and it was not recognized.
My 4GB SDHC card goes pretty ok!

So there are still some compatibility issues. (The brand was TOPRAM)
The 8GB card was easily recognized by my SDHC USB card reader,and by my digital camera.

11-11-2008, 06:52 PM	#1
mizo9999 Member Posts: 16 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2008 Device: Sony PRS 700	Storage cards larger > 1 GB? >4GB? I am in the 'research' phase--meaning I have no money to buy yet, and am reading everything I can while I save up my pennies and wait--and I vaguely remember hearing that the firmware update (1.1?) enabled the PRS 505 to use memory cards with more storage space than previously. What is the current limit? The Sony site seems to suggest 4 GB's--though it hints at 8 GB--but only--of course--for Sony brand memory sticks. Will it handle SDHC and up to what size?

11-18-2008, 01:19 PM	#9
fglaysher Connoisseur Posts: 86 Karma: 250 Join Date: Apr 2008 Device: Sony Reader & Aluratek Libre Touch	current cataloguing system A few people have mentioned the problem of Sony's "current cataloguing system." It's the biggest frustration I have with using my PRS 505. While I have about 1200 books, in three or four formats, on my hard drive, I only put about 50 at a time on my 2 gig card because I can't possible waste hours, if not days, sorting them into the "Collections." But they become lost without some kind of organization if I put on too many. I actaually want to buy an 8 gig card now on sale at Office Max, but why bother when I can't even get the mileage out of the 2 gigger.... Does anyone know a way or hack to just be able to copy and paste a Windows folder into the 505? I have all my books sorted on my hard drive in folders named as you'd expect: American Literature, English, French, Asian, Etc... Lack of a decent cataloguing system really keeps me from putting all my books on the PRS 505 and, actually, from really get the most out of the device. The Cabrile or whatever, has the same limitation. I've ALREADY sorted them on my hard drive. I just want a copy and paste! Thanks for any suggestions! Fred

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11-11-2008, 09:59 PM	#2
gardenstate Groupie Posts: 195 Karma: 1069472 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Chicago,IL USA suburb Device: Sony PRS-T1 and PRS-950	suggest you use 1GB or smaller SD cards. From what I've read, large book collections on the big cards take a long time to sort out by the unit "starting up." It would be best to keep separate collections on each of the 1GB or smaller SD. don't know about the SDHC card in this unit....

11-12-2008, 04:18 AM	#3
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Yes, the 505 supports SDHC cards.

11-13-2008, 05:36 PM	#5
HistoryWes Teacher/Novelist Posts: 632 Karma: 2274466 Join Date: May 2008 Location: Nevada Device: Nook STR, iPad	I just got my PRS-505, so I'm still a newbie, but... I used a cheap SD 1g card that was in a digital picture frame. I had several errors using this card. Though the PRS itself was fine, the card became unreadable. I could format it and load it up again with books, but the same thing happened. I went out and bought a Sony Memory Stick Pro Duo (2 meg) and an SDHC (4 Meg). They have both been working flawlessly. I haven't noticed any slowdown though at this point they are still mostly empty.

11-14-2008, 04:57 AM	#7
jbjb Somewhat clueless Posts: 739 Karma: 7747724 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis, iPhone 6 Plus	I suspect any issues would depend on the actual number of books or their total size, rather than the capacity of the card itself. I have an 8GB SDHC card in my 505, dramatically underused with a couple of hundred books on it, and it works fine. In my case, I'm pretty sure the limiting factor will be (as HarryT says) the current cataloguing system - it will get unusable long before the card gets more than a fraction full. /JB

11-18-2008, 04:40 PM	#10
stalker4 Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2008 Device: Sony PRS 505	I got my PRS-505 today, on the box it states supports up to 16Gb sd & Sony memory cards

11-18-2008, 05:20 PM	#11
dordale Wizard Posts: 1,731 Karma: 3472866 Join Date: Apr 2008 Device: Sony PRS-650 & 350; Kindle Voyage; Kobo Aura HD, Aura One, and Forma	Fred-- You may already know this, but just in case... You can copy and paste your folders onto your SD card through Windows Explorer--the reader will see them. Unfortunately, though, it will still sort them as it sees fit--does not recognize folder structure. If you try this, the first time you turn your reader on after copying all the files over, it'll probably take a very long time to start up, as the reader will go through every file and index it according to it's own sorting system. dordale

12-16-2008, 08:08 PM	#13
DrMoze Booknut Posts: 858 Karma: 2852 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: West Palm Beach, Florida! Device: Sony Reader 500/505/300/350, Nook Glowlight Plus (6")	"Relatively few books"on the Reader is a relative term. I might read 100 books in a year (probably somewhat less) and the internal memory holds more than that. So I see absolutely no need to use any memory card. (I don't understand why so many people are obsessed with having their entire large collections in the Reader at once. How many books do you actually read in a month, that doing an occasional transfer is such a chore?) Besides, I do transfers of new checkouts from the NYC e-library every couple of weeks anyway. And, using memory cards eats up the battery faster, so you'll be 'tethered' to the charger, and to the spinning arrows as the Reader chugs along loading those huge collections.

12-18-2008, 04:21 PM	#14
DocHamm Member Posts: 12 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2008 Device: Sony PRS-505	I have and use 2GB and 4GB SD cards in my PRS-505. They were a carry over from my previous reading device and work fine on the Sony. I probably wouldn't use more than a 4GB since it takes a bit of time for the Sony to read through the card but it's a personal preferance. If I didn't already have them I might be tempted to just buy the largest I could afford and keep everything in one place.

12-18-2008, 05:02 PM	#15
ProDigit Karmaniac Posts: 2,553 Karma: 11499146 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Miami FL Device: PRS-505, Jetbook, + Mini, +Color, Astak Ez Reader Pro, PPW1, Aura H2O	I tried an 8GB card in mine, and it was not recognized. My 4GB SDHC card goes pretty ok! So there are still some compatibility issues. (The brand was TOPRAM) The 8GB card was easily recognized by my SDHC USB card reader,and by my digital camera.