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 Frequently Asked Questions
| Please note that the PCMCIA Association has been dissolved and all Standards and activities, including the ExpressCard Compliance Program, will be managed going forward by the USB Implementer's Forum. |
For an FAQ on ExpressCard technology, please visit: ExpressCard FAQ at www.expresscard.org. Please note that the PC Card Standard is closed to further development and PCMCIA strongly encourages future product designs to utilize the ExpressCard interface.
  What is the difference between the terms "PC Card" and "PCMCIA"?
Are PC Card and ExpressCard compatible?
What is the throughput of the PC Card interface?
How does that compare to ExpressCard throughput?
Where can I buy PC Card products?
What power is available to a PC Card slot?
Where can I find drivers for my PC Card?
Where can I get a replacement cable for my PC Card?
How do PC Card and ExpressCard compare with other small form factor cards?
What are the pin definitions for 16-bit and CardBus PC Cards?
What are the different card types? (Type I, II and III)
What do the release numbers mean? (2.0, 2.1, 7.0, 8.0)
What are CardBus and Zoomed Video?
How can I tell if I have a CardBus card?
How can I tell if I have a CardBus slot?
Why won't some cards fit into the slot on an older computer?
Where do I get the standards for PC Card?
Are there any other books about PC Card design?
Where do I learn more about PCMCIA and PC Card?
Where can I learn more about Miniature Card?
What is the difference between "PC Card" and "PCMCIA"?
The term "PC Card" referes to the credit card-size peripherals that add memory, mass storage, and I/O capabilities to computers in a rugged, compact form factor.
The term "PCMCIA" (Personal Computer Memory Card International Association) refers to the non-profit trade association and standards body that promotes PC Card and ExpressCard technology by defining technical standards and educating the market.
In the past, cards were known as "PCMCIA Cards", but the industry now refers to products based on the technology as "PC Cards," "PC Card Hosts" and "PC Card Software," and refers only to the association as PCMCIA.
Are PC Card and ExpressCard compatible?
No. Electrically, the PC Card interface utilizes a connection to ISA-style (16-bit interface) or PCI (CardBus interface) parallel busses. ExpressCard modules utilize either the PCI Express or Universal Serial Bus (USB) serial interfaces. Mechanically, the PC Card interface uses a 68-contact pin and socket connector, while the ExpressCard interface utilizes a 26-contact beam on blade connector. The ExpressCard Standard was developed to bring the high speed, flexibility and lower cost of the PCI Express and USB interfaces to an add-in module which does not require a device to attach externally to the host system, and making either the modules or the hosts backward compatible with PC Card is not feasible.
What is the throughput of the PC Card interface?
Theoretical maximums are as follows:
CardBus (32 bit burst mode)
* Byte mode: 33 Mbytes/sec
* Word mode: 66 Mbytes/sec
* DWord mode: 132 Mbytes/sec
16-bit Memory Transfers (100 ns Minimum cycle)
* Byte mode: 10 Mbytes/sec
* Word mode: 20 Mbytes/sec
16-bit I/O Transfers (255 ns Minimum cycle)
* Byte mode: 3.92 Mbytes/sec
* Word mode: 7.84 Mbytes/sec
Please note that actual throughput may be substantially less than the theoretical maximums of the interface.
How does that compare to ExpressCard throughput?
That depends on the interface used by the ExpressCard module:
PCI Express: 2.5 Gbit/sec/direction
USB 2.0: 480 Mbit/sec
Where can I buy PC Card products?
See the links page for links to some PC Card resellers.
What power is available to a PC Card slot?
The PC Card connector pins are rated to a maximum of 0.5 A per pin, which means the maximum possible current available over the two Vcc pins is 1000 mA. However, the Host System Specification chapter of the PC Card Standard set a recommended minimum current per slot, which is the most any PC Card card designer should expect to be provided by a host slot. PC Cards requiring more current than the host minimum recommended support values may not be powered properly in all systems.
| Voltage | Current Type | 3.3 V Value | 5.0 V Value |
| Vcc | Peak | 1000 mA | 660 mA |
| Vcc | Average | 750 mA | 500 mA |
| Vcc | Static | 500 mA | 330 mA |
| Voltage | Current Type | For all voltages* |
| Vpp | Peak | 50 mA | 50 mA |
| Vpp | Average | 50 mA | 50 mA |
| Vpp | Static | 50 mA | 50 mA |
* Typical values for Vpp are Vcc or 12.0 V
Where can I find drivers for my PC Card?
See the links page for links to PC Card drivers.
Where can I get a replacement cable for my PC Card?
See the links page for links to replacement cable suppliers.
How do PC Card and ExpressCard compare with other small form factor cards?
(All dimensions in millimeters)
|
PC Card* |
ExpressCard* |
Miniature Card* |
SmartMedia Card |
MulitMedia Card (SD Card) |
CF |
| Length |
85.6 |
75.0 |
33.0 |
45.0 |
32.0 |
36.0 |
| Width |
54.0 |
34.0 or 54.0 |
38.0 |
37.0 |
24.0 |
43.0 |
| Height |
3.3/5.0/10.5 |
5.0 |
3.5 |
0.76 |
1.4 |
3.3/5.0 |
| Connector |
Pin/Socket |
Beam on Blade |
Elastomeric |
Surface |
Surface |
Pin/Socket |
| Contacts |
68 |
26 |
60 |
22 |
7 (9) |
50 |
| Interfaces |
Memory, I/O, CardBus |
PCI Express or USB 2.0 |
Memory (DRAM, Flash, ROM) |
Memory (Flash, ROM) |
Memory (Flash, ROM) |
Memory, I/O |
* Standard published by PCMCIA
What are the pin definitions for the 16-bit and CardBus PC Card interfaces?
| Pin |
16-Bit Memory |
16-Bit I/O+Mem |
32-Bit CardBus |
Pin |
16-Bit Memory |
16-Bit I/O+Mem |
32-Bit CardBus |
| 1 |
GND |
GND |
GND |
35 |
GND |
GND |
GND |
| 2 |
D3 |
D3 |
CAD0 |
36 |
CD1# |
CD1# |
CCD1# |
| 3 |
D4 |
D4 |
CAD1 |
37 |
D11 |
D11 |
CAD2 |
| 4 |
D5 |
D5 |
CAD3 |
38 |
D12 |
D12 |
CAD4 |
| 5 |
D6 |
D6 |
CAD5 |
39 |
D13 |
D13 |
CAD6 |
| 6 |
D7 |
D7 |
CAD7 |
40 |
D14 |
D14 |
RSRVD |
| 7 |
CE1# |
CE1# |
CCBE0# |
41 |
D15 |
D15 |
CAD8 |
| 8 |
A10 |
A10 |
CAD9 |
42 |
CE2# |
CE2# |
CAD10 |
| 9 |
OE# |
OE# |
CAD11 |
43 |
VS1# |
VS1# |
CVS1 |
| 10 |
A11 |
A11 |
CAD12 |
44 |
RSRVD |
IORD# |
CAD13 |
| 11 |
A9 |
A9 |
CAD14 |
45 |
RSRVD |
IOWR# |
CAD15 |
| 12 |
A8 |
A8 |
CCBE1# |
46 |
A17 |
A17 |
CAD16 |
| 13 |
A13 |
A13 |
CPAR |
47 |
A18 |
A18 |
RSRVD |
| 14 |
A14 |
A14 |
CPERR# |
48 |
A19 |
A19 |
CBLOCK# |
| 15 |
WE# |
WE# |
CGNT# |
49 |
A20 |
A20 |
CSTOP# |
| 16 |
READY |
IREQ# |
CINT# |
50 |
A21 |
A21 |
CDEVSEL# |
| 17 |
Vcc |
Vcc |
Vcc |
51 |
Vcc |
Vcc |
Vcc |
| 18 |
Vpp1 |
Vpp1 |
Vpp1 |
52 |
Vpp2 |
Vpp2 |
Vpp2 |
| 19 |
A16 |
A16 |
CClk |
53 |
A22 |
A22 |
CTRDY |
| 20 |
A15 |
A15 |
CIRDY# |
54 |
A23 |
A23 |
CFRAME# |
| 21 |
A12 |
A12 |
CCBE2# |
55 |
A24 |
A24 |
CAD17 |
| 22 |
A7 |
A7 |
CAD18 |
56 |
A25 |
A25 |
CAD19 |
| 23 |
A6 |
A6 |
CAD20 |
57 |
VS2# |
VS2# |
CVS2 |
| 24 |
A5 |
A5 |
CAD21 |
58 |
RESET |
RESET |
CRST# |
| 25 |
A4 |
A4 |
CAD22 |
59 |
WAIT# |
WAIT# |
CSERR# |
| 26 |
A3 |
A3 |
CAD23 |
60 |
RSRVD |
INPACK# |
CREQ# |
| 27 |
A2 |
A2 |
CAD24 |
61 |
REG# |
REG# |
CCBE3# |
| 28 |
A1 |
A1 |
CAD25 |
62 |
BVD2 |
SPKR# |
CAUDIO |
| 29 |
A0 |
A0 |
CAD26 |
63 |
BVD1 |
STSCHG# |
CSTSCHG |
| 30 |
D0 |
D0 |
CAD27 |
64 |
D8 |
D8 |
CAD28 |
| 31 |
D1 |
D1 |
CAD29 |
65 |
D9 |
D9 |
CAD30 |
| 32 |
D2 |
D2 |
RSVD |
66 |
D10 |
D10 |
CAD31 |
| 33 |
WP |
IOIS16# |
CCLKRUN# |
67 |
CD2# |
CD2# |
CCD2# |
| 34 |
GND |
GND |
GND |
68 |
GND |
GND |
GND |
What are the different card types (Type I, II and III)?
The PC Card Standard provides physical specifications for three types of PC Cards, with additional provisions for extended cards. All three card types measure the same length and width and use the same 68-pin connector.
Because they differ only in thickness and not electrical/software interface, a thinner card can be used in a thicker slot, but a thicker card can not be used in a thinner slot. Only the mechanical size of the larger card prevents it from fitting into the smaller slot.
+==========+=========+=========+====================================+
| | Length | Width | Thickness | Typical Usage*
+==========+=========+=========+===========+========================+
| Type I | 85.6 mm | 54.0 mm | 3.3 mm | Memory (SRAM,Flash,etc)
+----------+---------+---------+-----------+------------------------+
| Type II | " | " | 5.0 mm | I/O (Modem,LAN,etc)
+----------+---------+---------+-----------+------------------------+
| Type III | " | " | 10.5 mm | Rotating Mass Storage
+----------+---------+---------+-----------+------------------------+
* While any card can theoretically be used for any device, due to their size differences, the card types each fit the needs of different applications.
For more about the content of the PC Card Standard, see "A Detailed Overview of the PC Card Standard".
What do the release numbers mean? (2.0, 2.1, etc.)
The release number refers to the version of the PC Card Standard that a particular card or system was designed to. Basically, release 1.0 supported memory only, 2.X releases supported both memory and I/O applications, and 5.x on onward supports the 32-bit CardBus interface. For the most part, release numbers are no longer used at the product level, as consumers were misinterpreting their importance when determining compatibility and interoperability.
For information about the history of PC Card Standard releases and what was included in each, see the PC Card Primer.
What are CardBus and Zoomed Video?
CardBus is the 32-Bit version of PC Card technology. Enabled in the February 1995 release of the PC Card Standard (and generally available in systems built in 1997 or later), CardBus allows speeds of up to 133 Mbps at 33MHz. CardBus cards are not backward-compatible to 16-bit hosts, however, 16-bit cards are backward compatible with CardBus hosts.
Zoomed Video is a connection between a PC Card and host system that allows the card to write video data directly to the VGA controller. The data is transferred with no buffering requirements because it is transferred over the ZV bus and not the system bus.
Much more information on CardBus and Zoomed Video can be found in the PC Card Primer.
How can I tell if I have a CardBus card?
When viewing the PC Card right side up, the area above the 68-pin connector on a CardBus card will have a gold grounding shield strip across it, typically with 8 small metal bumps (see photo below). This strip is necessary to prevent signal noise from interfering with CardBus' high speed (33 Mhz) bus. These CardBus cards can only be used with CardBus slots -- they are keyed to prevent insertion into 16-bit slots so that the card and the slot won't be damaged by differing voltage requirements. 16-bit cards work in either type of slot, but CardBus cards only work in CardBus slots.
How can I tell if I have a CardBus slot?
The CardBus specification was released in 1995. Typically, any device manufactured before the second half of 1997 will almost certainly not have a CardBus capable slot.
On Windows Based Laptop PCs:
Access the 'Device Manager' by the means appropriate to the version of Windows installed. Typically right clicking on the computer icon 'My Computer', selecting the 'Hardware' tab, and clicking the 'Device Manager' button will present the device manager dialog. Scroll to locate an entry entitled 'PCMCIA socket' or 'PCMCIA adapter.' Expand the entry and read the device string that is displayed (two slot machines have two entries). If the string contains the term 'CardBus Controller', then it has a CardBus bridge and you can utilize CardBus PC Cards. Otherwise, the slot is a 16-bit slot and cannot use CardBus Cards. Many manufacturers make CardBus controllers, which would appear in the 'Device Manager.' Here are some PCMCIA adapter listings that are examples of CardBus controllers: Toshiba ToPIC97 CardBus Controller; Texas Instruments PCI-1420 CardBus Controller; Ricoh RL5C466 CardBus Controller; O2Micro OZ6832/6833 CardBus Controller.
Why won't some cards fit into the slot on an older computer?
The PC Card Standard includes definitions for the operation of PC Cards at two different voltages: 3.3 V and 5.0 V. A "key" was defined on the edge of the PC Card connector to prevent 3.3 V cards from inserting into slots that only operate at 5.0 V in order to prevent damage to the card. Some cards are able to operate at either voltage, and some slots are able to accept cards that operate at either voltage. If you have a card that will not fit into a slot, that means that the slot is providing 5.0 V and the card will only operate at 3.3 V. Do not attempt to remove the connector key, because if you do so and insert the card, the card will very likely be damaged beyond repair. The CardBus interface was defined as a 3.3 V-only interface, so they will not operate on a 5.0 V-only system.
Where do I get the standards for PC Card technology?
The PC Card Standard is available from PCMCIA. Call 408-433-2273 or visit our bookstore to place an order.
Are there any other resources available for developers?
Be sure to visit the PC Card Primer for an overview of the PC Card Standard and details on the CardBus interface and more.
Also, see our Developer Q+A which has answers to specific PC Card design questions asked by real-world PC Card developers.
In addition to the PC Card Standard, PCMCIA has available a number of books related to the design and development of PC Card products and software.
Where do I learn more about PC Cards and PCMCIA?
PCMCIA's Home Page is at http://www.pcmcia.org.
The PC Card-related Usenet Newsgroup alt.periphs.pcmcia.
Contact PCMCIA directly at:
2635 N. First St., Ste. 218
San Jose, CA 95134
Tel: 408-433-2273
Fax: 408-433-9558
E-Mail: office@pcmcia.org
Where do I learn more about Miniature Card?
Please read our Miniature Card Information Page:
Miniature Card Information Page
You can order the Minature Card Standard from our bookstore.
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PCMCIA Information
