CompactFlash
A flash memory format introduced in 1994 by SanDisk Corporation, Milpitas, CA (www.sandisk.com). At 36.4 x 42.8 x 3.3 mm, CompactFlash (CF) cards are larger than other flash formats, but have become very popular for storage in digital cameras. Appearing to the camera as a hard disk, CompactFlash uses the PC Card/ATA interface, but with 50 pins instead of 68. Cards support both 3.3 and 5v operation. CF cards plug into a CF socket or, with an adapter, into a standard Type II PC Card slot.
Type II Cards Are Thicker
Type II CompactFlash (CF2) cards are the second-generation format, which increases the thickness from 3.3 to 5mm. The extra thickness allows for more electronics; for example, IBM's Microdrive houses a hard disk in the CF2 format. In 2004, Pretec Electronics Corporation (www.pretec.com) introduced a 12GB CF2 memory card. See Microdrive.
What Does the X Mean?
The write speed of CompactFlash cards is designated as a multiple of 150 kilobytes per second. For example, 40x = 6MB/sec; 60x = 9MB/sec; 66x = 10MB/sec and 80x = 12MB/sec.
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| CompactFlash Module |
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| CompactFlash modules have become very popular as storage for "digital film." See flash memory for size comparison. |