Viking's mission is to create products that enhance the speed, power and performance of IT systems, thereby increasing their value to the user. Viking's current offering includes over 2000 different memory, modem and flash memory products that present the fastest, most cost-effective means of expanding the capabilities of a computer or digital device.Viking SSFDC/AFP Floppy Disk Adapter makes your floppy disk drive a SmartMedia reader! It transfer files from your SmartMedia card to your computer just like you would from a floppy disk.
1 don't wasre your money
buy the original of Olympus. This doen't work with my windows xp computer, the fact is that you don't have an XP software with the product. you must go to the web and download it.The only thing you have with this horrible products are 3 diskettes , with no XP software and no instaling instructions....a minimun advice in the bag , refers to the web page for the instaling instructions, the last bad thing is!in the web there are no instructions, for this productÁÁÁÁI'm going to return to amazon.BRRRRRRRR
2 BOOM! You're in business
No problems, no complaints. I wouldn't think of not buying it when I bought my digital camera that uses Smart Media. What's cool is that I can also use it for transferring large files of any kind (not only images) from one computer to another via the floppy drive. 128 megs large. For all I know there could be a 256 Mb Smart Card now. It's nothing to install the driver then BOOM your in business. It doesn't have the fastest transfer rate of all devices, but it is definately faster than a parallel port.
3 good for what it is...
and what this is, is a way to read smart media on a computer using Windows NT where a usb smart media reader can't be used.
the Flashpath works well, although it's slow given the limitation of the floppy drive read speed, and it's pretty stable. it self powers off if you don't use it for i think 10 mins to help conserve it's battery (to reactivate, you just need to eject the flashpath disk and re-insert it). if you can use the usb readers, it'd be much quicker transferring files but if usb isn't an option, the Flashpath is a good alternate.
4 Great Product, Great Service
I purchased the Viking Flash Path floppy disc adapter to use on my USB-portless computer I purchased back in 1995. It would have cost over $200 to upgrade my computer to accept the USB port. Instead, the ... Flash Path adapter is doing the job! It is very easy to install the driver. ... Also, if you have problems/questions, this web-site has a link for technical support. I had to do this, as initially, I could not get jpeg images to transfer and read through my computer. Although it took about 10 days for a response, the Viking people stuck with me (I got three e-mails from them in 24 hours) until I came up with a solution. All of those out there who want to hang onto that old clunker computer, be patient, because this baby works. Also, be aware that some images will not transfer properly to some of the old software applications, such as Quick Time for Windows Picture Reader and Photo Works Plus Version 1.02. This does not reflect a problem with the Flash Path adapter. I eventually got everything to run perfectly with Microsoft Picture It! Express 2.0, a free bit of software that came with my old HP 690. The bottom line is this: when I purchased my digital camera and learned USB ports were key, it was either upgrading my old computer (software and hardware would have run over $250), buying a new computer (around $500 to $750) or the ... Viking adapter. I can say that after about ten days waiting for solutions from Viking's technical support, this was the best and most economical route to take. If patience is a virtue, then my wallet is about $200 to $700 more virtuous right now.
5 Convenient. Saves USB hassle.
This makes transferring digital pictures from cameras that use smart media cards to the computer simple and easy.
The smart media card is inserted into the adapter, and the adapter then goes in the floppy drive and is read by the computer as any other 3.5 disk. The software installation is easy. It comes with software for most operating systems, but as of mid december the software for installation on windows xp had to be downloaded from their web site. The time to transfer files from the floppy to the hard drive is slower than USB, but the process doesn't need your attention so you can select the files you want to transfer and walk away while the process goes on.
The cost, of course, is added to the cost of the digital camera which usually comes with the USB cable included, so you do pay for the convenience of being able to download the pictures into any computer that has a floppy drive but may not have a free USB port, or of just avoiding the hassle of connecting and disconnecting the USB cable and of running down the camera batteries to transfer the files.
As noted by others, it does not come with a manual, but that is also downloadable from the website.
If you care to spend the money and can put up with a slower file transfer time, this is a great product for those who don't have USB capability, or to avoid any hassles or inconvenience that comes with the USB connection.
6 Too Slow
If you have a USB port and can connect your camera that way, DO NOT buy this adapter. It is terribly slow! I can download my pictures at least 5 times faster with the USB hook-up. The time I save is worth running my camera batteries down a little. I'm returning the product today.
7 Great Product - Instructions are Available
The product works as advertised. It is easy to use and drivers for the product and an installation and users guide are available at:
http://www.vikingcomponents.com/support/odrivers/flashpath.cfm
8 Not worth the trouble
The product did not work for me. I tried to use it on a MAC and it would only download part of the 1st file, then it would stop. I tried it on a PC and it did not work at all.
There was no hardcopy documentation. The online documentation was VERY minimal. I cannot recommend this product.
9 Viking Flashpath SmartCard 3.5 Floppy Adaptor saves the day
The Viking SmartMedia 3.5 Floppy Adapter saves the day for those unlucky people trying to connect their older PC's to the new digital cameras. These newer cameras almost all universally connect to PC's by means of a USB port. Windows 95 did not properly support USB, even with its second version. Upgrading to Windows 98 is not necessarily a reliable fix. I found that the BIOS of my computer had the USB driver conflicting with DMA memory allocation, so USB would still not run.
That is where this handy little accessory fits in. It allows Windows 95 to read the device with SmartMedia card inserted, as another drive with all files accessible for transfer. This works fine after a simple installation of the proper driver that comes on a 3.5 in floppy disc. The transfer of files is faster than through a serial port, but much slower than through a USB port, but it works and is reliable.
My only quibble echoes the preceding comments. There is almost no documentation with this device. That makes it a poor buy for someone not familiar with computers and disc operations. If you are handy, and have an older computer, this one will fill the bill. Or you could help the economy, and buy a new computer!
10 Great approach to digicam happiness.
I am a pretty serious collector & user of digital cams. Seeing their rapid development from curiosity to commonplace has been like watching a flower open with time-lapse photography! One by one, the objections have been countered. In this case, the objection was the difficulty of taking images from the camera and getting them into the PC. With this adapter, it couldn't be more simple: you take your pics, remove the memory card from the camera and slip it into this adapter, then place the adapter into the 3.5 inch floppy drive of your PC. The photos are then ready to be viewed, edited, printed, stored or emailed right from your A: drive. No cables, no batteries, no stress.
11 WORKS GREAT!!
I know that people fell disapointed because it doesn't have instructions, but I think that you don't need them. It is so easy to install that you don't have to read a manual for this. Also, it works fantastic. I know, it's a little be slow, but I think that the good thing is that you don't have to turn the camera on to download the pictues (just use the Floppy Adapter), and you will save battery!! I recomend it!!
12 Promising product fails to deliver
I expected this to be a simple product that would just "work." Instead, it has become one of my worst experiences. First of all, it will not install properly on my computer (which runs Windows 98). All I get is error messages. Second, the product comes without a manual, so there is nothing to check out. Third, although the plastic bag in which it came did list a web site that supposedly provides manuals, there is no manual listed for the Media 3.5 Floppy Adapter. I don't have days to figure out how to make this product work; I am returning it.
13 Viking FlashPath 3.5 Floppy Adapter - works great!
Everything works as expected. However, I did not get a "get started booklet" or "help file" with this product. I received the Floppy Adapter plus a pkg of 3 disketts which appeared to contain the drivers for this product. No written info. No instructions on how to load the drivers or how big they were...etc. I was able to figure it out, but suggest your delivery include some kind of instructions. Good product. Works as advertised.
14 NOVICE
I am a novice to digital photography. However I found this product to be very good. The drivers that came with the product were difficult to use. The OLYMPUS web site provided the correct drivers that I could use.
15 Easy to Use & Very Convenient
After a simple software installation, the floppy adapter is so easy to use and does the job (of transferring digital camera photos to my hard drive) efficiently. I have USB, but for me, this is easier than plugging into the back of my computer.
One thing -- at least with my camera (a Fuji Finepix 1400) -- is to make sure that I do not delete files (photos) this way, but with the Smart Media card back in the camera. I don't remember why, but that's what I've been told.
16 Flash Path
I have used it and it works great. It is a little slow, but it is nice to have when using an NT machine
17 A major disappointment
I was very surprised to find that there are no installation instructions available with this adapter. Also, the web address on the packaging for downloading the instructions is incorrect. I tried muddling through to figure out how to use this product, and I think I may be doing it right, but each time I use it, it crashes my computer. Technical support from Viking was of no use. I also found that downloading the images using the adapter was no faster than using a regular serial port connection. Overall, a major disappointment. ...
18 Great product but beware! There is a hitch!!
This product is super for those who do not have or utilize USB. It is very easy to use, HOWEVER, this product will not work with an Imation Super Disk drive 1.44/120. I am writing this so you won't make the same mistake. Otherwise it is a super product.
19 Great card if you own older model computer with no USB ports
This card has worked flawlessly. It's software is easy to download comes with 3.5 floppy's for Pc or Mac computers. Just insert the smartmedia card into the Flash Path floppy adapter and insert it into the Floppy drive and start downloading it's that simple.
20 Purpose of card and specs
What the heck is this thing and what will it do to make my life better?
21 Good card but consider alternatives
If considering this card you might want to also look at the Viking IntelliFlash USB Flash Memory Reader. For 20 dollars more you can get this mini-drive that also reads other types of memory cards. Be sure your computer has USB connections however. If no USB connections, definitly pick up this floppy adapter, it's worked error free for us.
22 what is a smart media 3.5 floppy adapter
This uses smart media up to 128 megs. the unit is made by smartdisk. It transfers data very fast. All you need is a computer with a floppy drive and the drivers from smartdisk.com. you can get drivers for windows, mac or linux. if you have a digital camera, you need this.
23 What is this?
Can anyone give me a more detailed explanation of what this product is? It will take smart media cards from digital camera, right?
