Re: Software for Kodak DC 210 Does Not Work With Windows XP?

phil-news-nospam@xxxxxxxx wrote:
On Tue, 03 Mar 2009 16:56:02 GMT JEFF TURNER <gtohio9073@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

| I have an old Kodak DC 210 digital camera that I like very much. I recently | upgraded (kicking and screaming) from Win. 98 to Win. XP Pro., and the | software for the camera no longer works.
| | Can you advise me on the best approach to take, so I can continue to use | this DC 210 camera. Like, I have thought about getting a memory card | reader, and removing the memory card from the camera when I want to process | the images, but maybe there is a better way.

1.

I don't know the DC 210 but some googling, which did NOT come up with a full
set of specs, does suggest the possibility it is connected to the computer
via a USB cable. You'll have to confirm that for me. This camera is so old
I cannot find it listed at my favorite spots for full specs.

Older Windows did not support USB directly. It was necessary to add software
to support the USB ports. This software would have at least included a driver.
It often includes other things to let you browse pictures, edit them, etc.
But this software will definitely NOT succeed at installing on XP if it is
trying to install a USB driver. That is because XP already has USB drivers
in it.

If this camera connects via USB *AND* uses the USB standard for presenting its
memory to the computer in the form of a small disk storage (just like a USB
key/stick does ... and just like every camera I have used does), then you do
not need ANY software on XP to at least get the pictures from the camera via
the USB cable. You would then need to use other software to work with those
pictures. But XP has more such software included than previous versions of
Windows. Vista has even more if you want to go that route.

So if it is true that this is a USB connection, just try it without adding any
software and see if a new drive pops up when the camera is connected.

2.

I personally find it preferrable to transfer pictures from camera to computer
by using the memory card. It involves fewer cables. It doesn't run down the
camera battery (or require yet another cable to power the camera). And it is
faster, even for my SDHC cards. FYI, CF has the ability to be faster than
other kinds of memory cards because of its 8-bit data path, but that does not
mean every device that works with CF achieves such speeds.

Investing in a small USB to memory card adapter is, IMHO, a good investment.
If you are comfortable working on the inside of a computer, AND if yours has
an internal USB connection, and the space to mount a front panel slot, then
an internal memory card adapter might be an option. Both of my main desktop
computers have them (but then, I build my own computers). All new computers
I see in Best Buy and Walmart have them already integrated. Many laptops
seem to have at least one memory card slot (usually just SD) these days.

Beware the adapters that have limited SD. If you get a new camera in the
future, it likely will have an SDHC or SDXC card port. Many of the USB
adapters still around are limited to the old SD (no HC or XC) protocol, and
as such cannot support cards greater in size than 4GB (and the effective
limit is really 2GB because most 4GB cards have been made to work with the
SDHC protocol due to a few software drivers limit SD to 2GB due to programmer
errors). If you choose to buy a USB to memory card adapter, don't pay more
than about $12 for it unless you see that it really has SDHC.

Unfortunately winxp doesn't just recognize any device when connected via usb. The device has to be aware. Canon cameras do NOT assign a drive number when connected and are not listed under My Computer. You do get an entry in windows explorer and can access the images on the card but you do not see the folder structure on the device.
Same is true of certain mp3 players, depends on whether device uses MTP or MSC protocol.
My older canon A40 is not recognized by winxp, it probably came with some sort of driver but I no longer have it and just use the card reader.
Dave Cohen
.

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