Eumax 9-in-1 Removable Card Reader

**Doctor Feelgood**

The Eumax Card Reader is a USB 2.0 compliant, portable plastic device capable of reading/writing to 9 different card mediums. Included with the reader is an aluminum docking station that fits in a 3.5â€ bay and includes two additional USB 2.0 ports.... The true beauty of this device is the ability to push the silver button on the front and remove the card reader from the docking station. - The Review

Maniac42 · Posted: Tue, 03 Aug 2004 18:52:50 Post Subject:

I received this Eumax Card Reader from www.ioCombo.com today, intending to use it with my desktop system and laptop computer, both of which run Windows 98SE with USB 1.1 ports. It came in a box identifying it as "Flash Genie" model URH722, made in China, with no manufacturer's name, address, or web site. The drivers on the enclosed CD-ROM don't work. They cause Windows 98SE to crash instantly during installation. Allowing Windows to detect the hardware and search for the driver produces the same result. No support is available from ioCombo.com. No support is available from the purported vendor, Eumax, at http://www.eumaxinc.com, either. Their web site has no contact information, no updated driver downloads for this device. A switchboard.com search for Eumax in the San Jose, California area turned up an address at 44870 Osgood Road, coincidentally the same one given on the ioCombo packing list. The phone number, (510) 445-1800, is answered by an automated attendant, identifying it as ioCombo! (Hey, what gives? It looks like "Eumax" is just a front for ioCombo.) If you intend to use this with a Windows 98SE system, don't waste your time or money. I just obtained an RMA number and it's going straight back to ioCombo.com! Nice idea, but poor execution.

flycaster · Rated PG Joined: 12 Aug 2004 Posts: 4

Eumax and IOCombo are one in the same. I believe that the 9 in 1 is made by Silverstone (Taiwan). I want to get one also, but I'll be putting it into a new Dell 4600 with XP. As the motherboard does not have a USB header, I'll have to hook up with the pass through cable to an external readr USB port.

I just wrote to the reviewer asking him about his observation that
hooking into the exteral port causes the USB hub to devote 500mA to the reader. My concern is how this power consumption may effect other peripherals that are also USB connected.

How did you hook yours up? Was it supposed to work with your OS? Any other comments you think I should hear, appreciated.

Thanks,

Adam

**Doctor Feelgood** · Posted: Thu, 12 Aug 2004 18:16:49 Post Subject:

Spire · Posted: Thu, 12 Aug 2004 19:33:00 Post Subject:

Shot you a PM before I saw the thread Flycaster!!!

Lets continue any other discussions in this thread, that way the rest of ev eryone can tell me when I'm really wrong!!!

flycaster · Rated PG Joined: 12 Aug 2004 Posts: 4

And, before I saw your post, I shot you another question via PM. But I'll repeat it for the rest of the folks. From your replies, it appears that if I only hook up to one of the external USB ports of my computer, although I won't be able to use the reader's 2 USB's ports, there won't be any undo power drain on the computer's USB system. So, I guess I'll just order the reader, eh?

Spire · Posted: Fri, 13 Aug 2004 19:30:02 Post Subject:

The reader part is on the pass through cable, the two usb ports are on a motherboard header connector.

Yes, go order it...

AS for the power usage of USB ports, Here's a screen shot...

The window on the right shows the properties of the highlighted USB root hub shown on the left. Click on the Power tab in the properties box. This shows the "Mass storage Device" or the card reader, is allocated 500mA of power. Not necessarily that it is USING 500 mA, just that it is requesting a max of 500 mA.

I think thats how this works, If I'm wrong someone here say so!!!

flycaster · Rated PG Joined: 12 Aug 2004 Posts: 4

OK, now I see why I couldnt get info on root hub power. I'm using Windows 98 and Properties only gives me info that the hub is working properly, but nothing about power consumption. I assume that you are using XP.
Adam

Spire · Posted: Sat, 14 Aug 2004 11:52:59 Post Subject:

Yes, Xp Pro.

When you get the Dell, with XP, your USB will be much more integrated and also will be USB 2.0.

This reader will work greqat for you. If you find yourself with more than 8 USB devices, just keep buying Powered USB hubs!!!

USB is cool that way.

flycaster · Rated PG Joined: 12 Aug 2004 Posts: 4

Thanks for the advise. I'm about to order the reader. It will make a very big difference in terms of speed when I transfer pictures from the camera to the hard drive.
Adam