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Sony Reader PRS500 limited support for 4GB SD-cards and memorysticks

peter 3 July 2007 Gadgets 204 views 2 Comments  Print This Post

limited support for 4GB SD-cards and memorysticks

According to the specs given by Sony, the Sony Reader PRS500 is supposed to only support SD-cards up to 2GB. Suggesting that 4GB cards won’t work.
As for memorysticks, according to their compatibility charts, the reader is supposed to be able to handle 4GB or higher memory sticks.

Since I have the needed solid memory media available and the reader itself, I’ve put them on a test. I’m using the reader with the newest firmware version at the moment of writing (1.0.02.01300).

For memorysticks, i’m using a 2GB and a 4GB Memory Stick PRO from Sony itself.
For SD-cards, i’ll be using a 2GB 133x Corsair SD-card and a 4GB 150x Transcend SD-card (non-HSDC)

The tests:
1) Transferring ebooks directly on the SD-cards and memory sticks through a card reader so that they’re filled up completely and then read them out on the reader.
2) Filling up the cards and sticks directly through the Sony Reader (using the connect reader-software)
3) Filling up the SD-cards with the Sony Connect Reader-software through a card reader.

The results:
SD-cards
1,2,3) The 2GB SD-card filled up correctly and can be handled by the reader just fine.
1) The 4GB SD-card can be filled up, but when inserting the card in the Sony Reader, the Sony Reader will “process the card” and finally freezes.
2) The 4GB SD-card can be filled up until 2GB, after that there will be an error message. But when it’s really filled up to 2GB, the Reader will crash when trying to read the books. When it’s filled slightly less than 2GB, the data will be usable.
3) The 4GB SD-card can be filled up, but when inserting the card in the Sony Reader, the Sony Reader will “process the card” and finally freezes. When filled up to 2GB, the books are preformatted though, meaning the Reader don’t have to spend precious CPU-power to process the books.

SD-cards conclusion, you’re bound to the 2GB limit, so better spend your money wisely and buy the relative cheaper 2GB cards. If you have a 4GB card already (who doesn’t nowadays), fill it up to 1.8GB only and it will work.
Try to use a card reader in combination with the Connect Software to transfer books. It’s much faster than throwing the books in the reader, and it gets preformatted too.

Memory sticks
1,2,3) The 2GB Memory stick filled up correctly and can be handled by the reader just fine.
1) The 4GB Memory stick can be filled up, but when inserting the Memory stick in the Sony Reader, the Sony Reader will “process the stick” and finally freezes.
2) The 4GB Memory stick can be filled up until 2GB, after that there will be an error message. But when it’s really filled up to 2GB, the Reader will crash when trying to read the books. When it’s filled slightly less than 2GB, the data will be usable.
3) The 4GB Memory stick can not be “seen” by the connect software, therefor you can’t use the preformat the books…

Memory Sticks conclusion. They’re slower than SD-cards. Despite Sony’s claim, the reader doesn’t support 4GB sticks. And the Connect Software can’t detect memory sticks. Save your money, buy SD-cards.

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