CheapMemory card readers programmed to fail?

[selldoor]

Wasnt sure where to post this "what Pi**e* me off " seemed appropriate as it really does.
I keep buying cheap memory card readers - and I mean cheap - off ebay and wonder if anyone has the same problem in that for no apparent reason they just fail. obviously tried different pcs and chips but its just not recognised in xp or 7.
My question is does anyone else think they are programmed to fail I am sure it would be easy enough to build a power on counter into them so that after say 50 power ups it just stops.

[Gariarto]

Re: CheapMemory card readers programmed to fail?

My question is does anyone else think they are programmed to fail I am sure it would be easy enough to build a power on counter into them so that after say 50 power ups it just stops.

You sure as heck would think so with their failure rate. I fit one in just about every build I do unless otherwise requested and after some experimentation even the top priced brands fail. I settled on the cheap Rosewill brand and have mixed results. They last about the same but are much cheaper to replace.
Look at the early failure rate of the USB 3.0 offerings now too, disgusting. Though the pre programmed failure date theory is compelling, caught out manufacturers would suffer badly if exposed ! I think it's simply cheap sh*t and thats all.

Like this crap... I watched this where even fakes are faked ?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=wi-b9k-0KfE

and here's (reportedly) a real one.
http://www.righto.com/2012/05/apple-...n-quality.html

[larrymoencurly]

Re: CheapMemory card readers programmed to fail?

Sloppy construction? Most of the stuff I've bought from Ebay or Meritline had much worse soldering than identical products sold elsewhere for 3x - 5x the price, usually around the connectors.

Could it be that the hot plug circuitry wasn't built right? I don't know about hot plugging flash cards, but National Semiconductor says for its LM3526 USB port power switch, a really good capacitor from +5V to ground is needed to handle the surge at plug-in time:

"The USB specification indicates that “no less than 120 μF
tantalum capacitors” must be used on the output of each
downstream port. This bulk capacitance provides the shortterm
transient current needed during a hot plug-in."

I've seen only regular aluminum 100uF caps there. That may have been why that chip blew in my USB card.

[mariushm]

Re: CheapMemory card readers programmed to fail?

lack of esd protection, cheap controllers, poor connectors that don't make good contact after several insertions, poor voltage regulation for the controller... take your pick

regarding tantalum in specs.. i assume it's due to low esr, as 'lytics are somewhat higher esr at 6.3-10v sizes.
But some manufacturers are reluctant to use tantalum due to risk of blowing up and causing fires and higher than 100uF may be too big to use.

[Kiriakos GR]

Re: CheapMemory card readers programmed to fail?

I have see branded memory sticks to fail and even burn your USB ports, and never had an issue with card readers, other than their supporting bandwidth ( data transfer speed).

I do own seven card readers, stick size & desktop type.

[eccerr0r]

Re: CheapMemory card readers programmed to fail?

I haven't had a memory card reader fry... only had one apparently damage a card but not sure if it was it damaging the card or the card burned out (it was a SSFDC).
However I had SD cards fail on me, and did not seem to be related to the reader. It failed in a portable device.

This is different than plastic breaking. Yes I had one card reader whose plastic cracked and the cap no longer holds on. But it still works...

[ratdude747]

Re: CheapMemory card readers programmed to fail?

I've had zero luck with stick readers... I used to have a few that I used to covert some SDHC cards into high-speed flash drives... both died w/o warning. Shame, if some company made a decent reader in the form factor (not the side-load kind), I'd buy a few for sure, even if it cost a bit more $.

[tmiha71]

Re: CheapMemory card readers programmed to fail?

What I sometimes do (see pic), and USB-anything during power-on, or power-off is a big NO-NO ( It is 47uF/10V 4x7mm ). Same thing with readers, only it's 100uf/16V 6.3x7mm as near to chip as possible (usualy on solder points of cable on PCB, no special precautions - allways connected)...
Seems working OK (did not checked with any instrument), can't remember of any USB disconnects...

[Kiriakos GR]

Re: CheapMemory card readers programmed to fail?

The black one in the picture above it costs some real money, but it is faster.
But by looking just the reader its like looking the half picture, the condition of the USB plug is the other half.

Especially for flash drives, wiring and mounting must be internal (in the case),
and special care to be given for protection against vibrations.

[selldoor]

Re: CheapMemory card readers programmed to fail?

Just in case anyone has any problems with the word cheap I thought I would post a picture showing ALL the parts.

Perhaps I should be asking the ebay sellers how long they should last?
These are in the UK not China!!

[RJARRRPCGP]

Re: CheapMemory card readers programmed to fail?

It looks like my SanDisk Cruzer 8 GB USB pen drive just freaking failed!

Causes the Microsoft USB tool to bomb out with an error about being unable to copy files, despite full-formatting with Windows Explorer don't fail.

Made me suspect my new board had a bad USB controller! WTF!

I didn't get this board to have it in $5-dollar-eBay-condition!

But it's fine with my SanDisk Cruzer 4 GB USB stick.....

[tom66]

Re: CheapMemory card readers programmed to fail?

Pretty impressive. One chip, two capacitors, and some connectors... hard to get cheaper than that. I'll bet the number one reason for failure is ESD. Looks like it has no protection against any of that.

[ben7]

Re: CheapMemory card readers programmed to fail?

I'll bet the number one reason for failure is ESD. Looks like it has no protection against any of that.

I second that! That was the first thought that came to my mind when I saw that picture

[selldoor]

Re: CheapMemory card readers programmed to fail?

Hmm - so, I think I have more of these - can I make some simple modification that might help prolong their life? I am careful to use the "safely remove hardware" option.
Apparently not safe enough

[ben7]

Re: CheapMemory card readers programmed to fail?

Hmm - so, I think I have more of these - can I make some simple modification that might help prolong their life? I am careful to use the "safely remove hardware" option.
Apparently not safe enough

There are ESD suppressing chips, you would have to solder one in, which would mean hacking the traces and stuff on the PCB. But I am not familiar with these chips so I don't know how well they will work.

[caminati]

Re: CheapMemory card readers programmed to fail?

All such cheapo devices I tested stopped working after an usually short time.
For the record, I share them here:









Last one lasted a little longer (a few months) and is still somehow working, however spitting read errors in dmesg more and more often.

[caminati]

Re: CheapMemory card readers programmed to fail?

Oh, I forgot to add this to the blacklist (and this even cost roughly twice as much as the others, about 4 euros, and broke down after a month or so):

[Time2Retire]

Re: CheapMemory card readers programmed to fail?

I have a Vivitar Micro SD USB card reader. I've had it for a while, and it works great. I don't have a model number, but it appears to be this one (cheap too!):

http://www.amazon.com/Vivitar-MicroS.../dp/B003DCGN2Q

[caminati]

Re: CheapMemory card readers programmed to fail?

I have a Vivitar Micro SD USB card reader. I've had it for a while, and it works great. I don't have a model number, but it appears to be this one (cheap too!):

Hi, could you specify how long have you been having it? Months?
And do you have any knowledge about the presence/absence of any esd protection device?

TIA

[Time2Retire]

Re: CheapMemory card readers programmed to fail?

Hi, could you specify how long have you been having it? Months?

Year(s)

And do you have any knowledge about the presence/absence of any esd protection device?

No.