Author: Andrew Schembri Date: March 12, 2008 Manufacturer: Apiotek Provider: Apiotek

Testing » Page 1: Apiotek PC Card to Express Card Adaptor - EC-PCM2B

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With new laptops making the change from PC card to express card slots, more and more accessories are being produced in express card format. For those of us with older laptops wanting to add additional functionality to our laptops, this is a major problem. Enter Apiotek with their PC Card to Express Card Adaptor (EC-PCM2B).

What’s Included


Apiotek only includes the actual adaptor. Nothing else is really required since this is a truly plug and play device. No drivers are required. Anything that might have been included in a manual, such as product features and specifications, is all laid out on the back of the packaging.


Features and Specifications

Apiotek’s website lists the following features for the 24 in 1 adaptor:

• Supports ExpressCard 34 USB2.0 Channel
• Push- Push card slot design
• Supports USB2.0 speed up to 480Mbps.
• Hop- Plug
• Hot Swap
• No driver required

The first bullet point is important to note here. There are two different modes in which express card can operate: USB 2.0 and PCI-E. This Apiotek adaptor only supports the slower (but still very fast) USB 2.0 interface. This means anything that operates faster than USB 2.0 speeds, such as eSATA controllers, will not work with this card. However, most express cards (other than eSATA controllers) currently operate in USB 2.0 mode, so there isn’t a problem as long as this adaptor isn’t being used for eSATA devices.

Installation

Installation was simple and straightforward. Simply plug in the Apiotek adaptor. Windows automatically installs the correct drivers. After inserting a card which communicates via USB 2.0, you may need to install drivers for the express card. Once that is done, the express card device can be accessed by the computer as if it were plugged in directly to an express card slot.


The card is extremely light weight. It just slightly sticks out of the PC card slot when installed, but not enough for it to be a hindrance. This can actually protect a card which is inserted into the Apiotek adaptor.

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Testing » Page 1: Apiotek PC Card to Express Card Adaptor - EC-PCM2B Page 2: Testing