Smart Media (SM)

The SmartMedia card contains only an address logic in addition to the memory chip. It is exclusively a pure storage medium. The controller is not included on the card. This has to offer the respective drive and has to be designed for the card. E.g. in a 128-MB card, the first 64MByte can only be addressed if the controller of the mobile device is only designed for 64-Mbyte card.
Older memory cards with 16 - or 32-Mbit memory are operated with 5V. These are identified at the top left beveled corner. New and current media need only 3.3 V and are beveled at top right. On the upper side of the card is the 22-pin contact plate. Below is a round field. If a leading metal foil is fixed there, the medium is write protected. This is very inconvenient therefore almost no user know this. Despite the 22-pin contacts, the data transmission is serial.

Meanwhile, the production of all SmartMedia cards was stopped.

Technical data of the SmartMedia card:

Dimensions (WxHxD): 37mm x 45mm x 0.76 mm
Connecting pins: 22
Realized Capacities: 2MB to 128MB
Speed: about 0.8 MB / sec
Operating voltage: 3.3 or 5 volts



XD-Picture Card (xD)

The xD-Picture card is a special memory card for digital cameras from Fuji Photo Film and Olympus Optical. In 2002, the xD-Picture card should replace the SmartMedia memory card in the digital cameras of their inventors. Olympus and Fuji had mainly SmartMedia in use. So far, only these two manufacturers offer the xD-Picture Card. Both companies are unwilling to grant licenses to other manufacturers.
Fuji and Olympus gave the XD card format with Toshiba and Samsung in order.
The xD-Picture Card get along with a little logic controller. Thus the case contains as much as possible memory.
The data are transferred serial, either in individual units or in a block to the other. Three pins of the card inform on the status of the card.
XD-Picture Cards are produced in three different techniques.
1. The classic technique (no-name types, 16MB-512MB)
2. The space-saving, but slightly slower multi-level technology (Type M, 256MB-2GB)

3.The so-called high-speed technique which allows high capacities without the speed loss of the multi-level technology (Type H, 512MB-2GB).
Only older digital cameras and card readers may have problems with H-and M-type.

General technical data of the xD-Picture cards:

Size (WxHxD): 20mm x 25mm x 1.7 mm
Connecting pins: 18
Realized capacities: 16MB to 2GB (8GB planned)

Speeds:                
read: up about 5MB / s
write: 1.3 to about 3MB / s

Operating voltage: 3, or 3.3 volts
Operating temperature range: 0 ° C to 55 ° C.
Resting/Storage temperature range: -20 ° C to 65 ° C.
Writing/Delete cycles: about 100,000