This unit will read and write 17 different card types, yes I said 17 and I must admit I did not even know there were 17 different card types.
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If pressed I could probably name 10 or maybe up to 12 if you think of something like Compact Flash being two and the IBM Micro Drive being a slightly oversize version of Compact Flash.
The box lists them all and once you see Memory Stick listed seven times everything slips into place, several of these are normally read via an extension or adapter and I assume they all work here natively as the Memory Stick slot is divided into two sizes.
The dimensions of the Sitecom unit are little different from the Media Gear 9 in 4 unit I reviewed just over a year ago. 11.5x6.5x2cm but the width (6.5cm) needs to be increased by 2cm to allow for the built in USB cable (will work with USB 1.1). The top has two LEDs to signify connected and access.
There are basically four slots with the Memory Stick being sub divided and Smart Media and XD sharing another slot in a clever manner. Of course the almost identical Secure Digital (SD) and MMC also share a slot.
Installation for any user of Windows ME or later is just a matter of plugging the metre plus USB lead in and waiting, on one machine the initial wait was more than a minute due to the complexity of the slots, after the initial plug in future recognition was only a few seconds.
You now have four extra drive letters in My Computer and it is possible to transfer files not just to and from the PC to or from - a card but direct from one card to another providing they occupy different slots. In fact you could use all four slots simultaneously.
So slot 1 has Compact Flash I, Compact Flash II and Micro Drive. Slot 2 has Secure Digital, MMC and I assume Mini SD Card and RS-MMC Card. Slot 3 has the very differently sized Smart Media, XD and I assume SM Ram card. Leaving the sub divided slot 4 for Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro, Memory Stick Duo, Memory Stick Pro Duo, Memory Stick Magic Gate, Memory Stick Magic Gate Duo and Memory Stick select functions. I think I have determined the correct slots but as some of the types mentioned are totally new to me I cannot be sure, however there are 17 - according to Sitecom different types fitting in the supplied 4½ slots of the card.
As I do not have any samples of any capacity of Memory Stick, slot four always remained unpopulated, but I fitted a variety of cards into the other three slots and they all talked to each other as well as the PC.
Sitecom products are available from a lot of dealers but should you have any difficulties then try www.meroncourt.co.uk/prodview/992 the stated price is £13.99.
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