sio2sd

[jc78_2005]

i ordered the sio2sd this eve, looking forward to getting it! anyway, i know most games are very small by todays standards, so i was thinking like a 512 mb sd card, anyone have a rough estimate of howmany that would hold? more than i will ever play im sure

[Rybags]

SD cards are cheap enough to just buy one a week, so why not just grab a 2 gig one?

[jc78_2005]

SD cards are cheap enough to just buy one a week, so why not just grab a 2 gig one?

 

yeah well i honestly dont know how big its supports? if it wil lhandle a gig , then i would get a gig, just not sure if there is a limit on what it works with

[Marius]

I know there is a sio2sd thread already on this forum. Perhaps you'd better ask it there?

 

But 512MB is already a lot of space for atari 8bit.

 

My personal experience is that when you have lots of space, you fill it up with good and bad games/demos and stuff.

When you have less space, you are more 'secure' in which software you add, and which not.

 

Remember: when you put all the software available on that SD card, you will have a very hard time browsing the software.

Even when you make categories, it is still a pain in the backside to get through directories.

 

So that's why I write: just put the things you (really) use/play/like on it, and leave the rest on your PC/MAC/Internet.

 

I'm rather sure that in that case 16 or 32MB is already enough!

 

When you are planning to run a BBS ... you need more space. And for backup/archiving you'll need more space too. But I think that last thing is not the first goal of sio2sd.

 

When you use ATR's only (so no binaries like .xex/.com) on your 512MB SD card, and the average size of an ATR (normal size) is 133KB results in space for about 4000 atr's.

 

I have setup one 16MB ATR for games and demo's and that is filled for 75% now. But imagine: On 512MB fit 32 of these large partitions! I'm not going to fill that in my whole life (again: with stuff I really want to play/see/hear/use)

 

Anyway: have fun with your device. It's a very nice one.

 

Marius

[jc78_2005]

I know there is a sio2sd thread already on this forum. Perhaps you'd better ask it there?

 

But 512MB is already a lot of space for atari 8bit.

 

My personal experience is that when you have lots of space, you fill it up with good and bad games/demos and stuff.

When you have less space, you are more 'secure' in which software you add, and which not.

 

Remember: when you put all the software available on that SD card, you will have a very hard time browsing the software.

Even when you make categories, it is still a pain in the backside to get through directories.

 

So that's why I write: just put the things you (really) use/play/like on it, and leave the rest on your PC/MAC/Internet.

 

I'm rather sure that in that case 16 or 32MB is already enough!

 

When you are planning to run a BBS ... you need more space. And for backup/archiving you'll need more space too. But I think that last thing is not the first goal of sio2sd.

 

When you use ATR's only (so no binaries like .xex/.com) on your 512MB SD card, and the average size of an ATR (normal size) is 133KB results in space for about 4000 atr's.

 

I have setup one 16MB ATR for games and demo's and that is filled for 75% now. But imagine: On 512MB fit 32 of these large partitions! I'm not going to fill that in my whole life (again: with stuff I really want to play/see/hear/use)

 

Anyway: have fun with your device. It's a very nice one.

 

Marius

thank you !! thats the answer i was looking for. i totally agree it turns into "i got this many games" instead of what i play, thats why i was asking.i will go with the 512 because i do plan to use xex files also. and im sure i will never fill it up so to say.

[Mathy]

Hello guys

 

All SIO2SD versions should support up to 2 GB. That's how far the file system that's usually used on these things will go.

 

Just get whatever you can get easiest. Finding a new 0.5 GB SD-card in a (real live, not online) shop could be gettings harder every day. Most of the SD's I see in shops are 2 Gb and 4 GB (but you need another file system for the latter, which Raster's version will never support, since the Atmell chip inside can't support it). You might be able to find smaller cards online and either new or used. But by the time you add postage to it....

 

greetings

 

Mathy

[Marius]

Hello guys

 

All SIO2SD versions should support up to 2 GB. That's how far the file system that's usually used on these things will go.

 

Just get whatever you can get easiest. Finding a new 0.5 GB SD-card in a (real live, not online) shop could be gettings harder every day. Most of the SD's I see in shops are 2 Gb and 4 GB (but you need another file system for the latter, which Raster's version will never support, since the Atmell chip inside can't support it). You might be able to find smaller cards online and either new or used. But by the time you add postage to it....

 

greetings

 

Mathy

 

I think (not tried) that using a 4GB card will be possible to use, but only the first 2GB will be accessable. Perhaps it should be part in partitions to make sure the data will not be written on the non-accessable part of the card?

 

Or perhaps a 4GB card can be formatted as a 2GB card?

 

And using a 4GB card, and always defragment before you put something on it, might do the trick as well?

 

I know (I tried that) that my 4GB USB stick is formatted as a 2GB stick on Sio2USB. And since these devices use the same ATMEL microcontroller, that will be the limit. Perhaps a 4GB SD card can be formatted as a 2GB too?

 

Greetz

M.

[HiassofT]

I think (not tried) that using a 4GB card will be possible to use, but only the first 2GB will be accessable.

That depends. The SD standard defines sizes up to 2GB. Cards with 4GB and more usually use the SDHC standard. There were a few 4GB SD (not SDHC!) cards, but since this size is not officially defined in the SD standard many devices might not be compatible with it.

 

Then: SDHC cards don't work in devices that only support SD. I tried this once with my USB cardreader, it wouldn't even recognize the SDHC card.

 

I haven't tested it with the SIO2SD, but I doubt it supports the SDHC protocol.

 

Anyways: I'd just recommend buying a 2GB SD card. Here in Austria a 2GB Kingston SD card costs approx. 4EUR, a 1GB card is almost the same price (3.50-4 EUR). Smaller cards are almost impossible to get, and if they are available they cost a lot more than 2GB cards (10 EUR and more).

 

Even if you don't need the space for normal usage, you can use the remaining space for a backup of all your Atari stuff.

 

so long,

 

Hias

[jc78_2005]

I think (not tried) that using a 4GB card will be possible to use, but only the first 2GB will be accessable.

That depends. The SD standard defines sizes up to 2GB. Cards with 4GB and more usually use the SDHC standard. There were a few 4GB SD (not SDHC!) cards, but since this size is not officially defined in the SD standard many devices might not be compatible with it.

 

Then: SDHC cards don't work in devices that only support SD. I tried this once with my USB cardreader, it wouldn't even recognize the SDHC card.

 

I haven't tested it with the SIO2SD, but I doubt it supports the SDHC protocol.

 

Anyways: I'd just recommend buying a 2GB SD card. Here in Austria a 2GB Kingston SD card costs approx. 4EUR, a 1GB card is almost the same price (3.50-4 EUR). Smaller cards are almost impossible to get, and if they are available they cost a lot more than 2GB cards (10 EUR and more).

 

Even if you don't need the space for normal usage, you can use the remaining space for a backup of all your Atari stuff.

 

so long,

 

Hias

thanx guys for all the advice i will snag up a few from ebay they are cheap on there.and try out my options,yeah i may use the extra space later for something i suppose , thanx again guys!