PCMCIA extension cable

Metaltech

Junior Member
Sep 11, 2012
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Hello, new member here. I tried to solve my problem, and searching led here. I hope someone can help.

I service computer-controlled industrial equipment. The controllers are usually proprietary hardware and software, though sometimes based on common PC hardware. A customer's machine controller has a PCMCIA slot to accept a memory card, seen by the OS as a hard-disk. It works well, but requires opening the electrical cabinet to access the card and exchange it with a card with a different file on it.

I want to mount an external card slot, accessible from the outside of the machine, so it is quicker and safer to change cards. This will also protect the built-in card slot, which is mounted on an expensive circuit board. I've looked for an "extension" cable, with a male connector on one end and a female on the other end. The length would need to be about 15", I estimate. I haven't been able to find anything that will work. Does anyone know of such a device, or even if individual parts exist where I could make my own? Thank you for any help you can offer.
 

Harvey

Administrator<br>Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
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Would this USB to PCMCIA adapter help?

39-328-001-06.jpg

If so, it shouldn't be hard to build or find a suitable panel mounted connector and extension to the adapter.
 
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corkyg

Elite Member | Peripherals
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Mar 4, 2000
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There are adapters like Harvey has illustrated for PC Card (PCMCIA) to eSATA, Firewire, and USB. There are also PCMCIA extension cables, but they are limited to no more than 25cm in length.

Lenovo and Toshiba made HDDs to plug into PCMCIA connectors in laptops. What you describe sounds like an adaptation of that.

To extend the port outside of the case would probably be best done to USB or eSATA. I have used the eSATA adapter - 5X faster than USB2. The PCMCIA model is on the left in this pic:

eSATAlap.jpg
 

Metaltech

Junior Member
Sep 11, 2012
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Harvey and Corky~

Thanks to both for your replies. I had come across adapters like the ones you're showing, but they seemed to require putting a driver on the PC. Therein lies the problem with these proprietary systems that aren't using Windows, Linux, MacOS or some commonly available OS.

Harvey, the PCMCIA-to-USB you show does have a driver CD that comes with it. I'm not the brightest LED on the tree, but as I understand a driver in this application, it spoofs the OS into thinking that those USB ports at the end are actually PCMCIA.

Or, did I not understand the functioning of the adapters? It would be great if the "conversion" was done within the device, and transparent to the operating system. In that case, these devices would do just what I need.

Looking forward to your thoughts, or anyone else's. Again, thanks.
 

Harvey

Administrator<br>Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
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It would be best if the adapter did all the work in hardware to make the USB, SATA or eSATA device appear to the computer as a fully compliant PCMCIA device, independent of the OS.

You really need first hand information about these products. The best way to confirm whether a given adapter meets your needs would be to contact the tech support staff at the manufacturers of the candidate devices you find.

Hope that helps. :)
 

Metaltech

Junior Member
Sep 11, 2012
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The best way to confirm whether a given adapter meets your needs would be to contact the tech support staff at the manufacturers of the candidate devices you find.

Well said. I'll do just that. I'll post back my findings later, which may help someone else at some point. I might just buy and try anyway, as these devices aren't costly. Thanks again for your thoughts.
 

Metaltech

Junior Member
Sep 11, 2012
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Harvey

I contacted Syba on the USB adapter. They confirm that it does indeed require a driver on a supported OS, so on to Plan B or C or ...