External memory questions

SanDisk MP3 players Sansa® Fuze™
1

Two questions about external memory for my Fuze:

  1. What’s the difference, if any, between microSD and microSDHC cards? Is one any better than the other for MP3 files?

  2. For MP3 files, does it matter what “class” the card is? If so, what class do I need?

Thanks.

JEP

2

HC stands for high capacity. Officially every card from 4GB and more are SDHC cards. The Fuze can use both, the smaller microSD with up to 2GB and the SDHC cards with up to 32GB. The class of the card tells you the minimum read speed of the card. So a class 2 with 2MB/s is enough for playing music. But filling the complete card with music will take really long. To fill an 8GB card would take at least 70 minutes.

3

@jeppollcat75 wrote:

Two questions about external memory for my Fuze:

 

  1. What’s the difference, if any, between microSD and microSDHC cards? Is one any better than the other for MP3 files?

 

HC in SDHC stands for High Capacity is all. Anything above 2GB is the SDHC format.

 

  1. For MP3 files, does it matter what “class” the card is? If so, what class do I need?

 

No. The Class rating or speed of a card measures and/or rates the “writing to” the card only, not the “reading from” it. You have to remember these cards are used (and primarily designed for) other devices besides mp3 players. Like cameras for instance. A higher class, or faster card would be desirable for taking multiple succession actions still shots or video.

 

The only benefit you would see in using a higher class card in an mp3 player is in transferring files to it. And then only if you’re transferring a lot of files at one time, like filling the card all at once. And then only if you use a separate high speed card reader. You won’t notice any difference at all if you load the card while it is in your player, as it would be subject to the limitations of the internal built-in reader.

 

Well, you might notice 1 difference. Your wallet or back account will be a little leaner. :stuck_out_tongue:

 

4

micro SD  uses sizes up to 4GB and micro SDHC uses sized 4GB to 32GB

the speed/ class doesn’t matter since the card reader built into the mp3 player is the slowest reader ever created.

My 2GB micro sd card reads at 11MB/s

while from the device that speed will drop to around 5MB/s

any class should work fine

5

Thanks, everyone, for answering my questions. Much appreciated.

JEP