Question about PCMCIA Slots in a notebook (Expansion)

[KeyserSoze]

Is this even possible? My friend has a newer laptop with only ONE PCMCIA Slot. And he has an older device used to update the GPS system in his car that he said requires TWO slots. Is there any sort of device that will externally serve to fit this device? I googled, and the only things I found were expensive (Over 900$.) I would think that there might be a cheaper device.

If anyone has any idea about this, I would GREATLY appreciate any information or links you can throw my way regarding this.

Thanks in Advance.




KeyserSoze

 

[jschuk]

I haven't seen one with the newer units, but some of the docking stations had PCMCIA slots on them as well. Doens't exactly make for a portable solution.

 

[Busithoth]

I've got a Toshiba 2190, which looks like it has two PCMCIA slots, but only, in fact has one.
Is that the same as your friends? (the 2190 was bought new in October...)

The GPS may only interface with one PCMCIA slot, but the connector is too fat to allow the other slot to be used.

I'm not at all positive that this is the case you're looking at, but thought it might be.

It took me a while to figure out that the second slot on mine was a 'dummy' one.
Not a brilliant design, in my opinion.

good luck

 

[vegetation]

Most likely a type III slot is what's required for the gps unit. There are three types of slots, type I which has been rarely used in the past decade was mostly for memory cards only (not compact flash), type II is the most popular and is used for practically everything like fireware/usb cards, etc. Type III was a popular size for old pcmcia hard drives. The standards only differ by thickness of the unit, not by pin-out of anything else. Obviously a hard drive is quite thick compared to memory or i/o cards so hence the need for type III standard. Any laptop with 2 slots will fit a type III easily. A single slot is a bit more difficult to determine but if it has a skinny little door it's most likely a single type II slot.