Can you please post more information about how you set up the PCMCIA card system.

I have a PCMCIA adapter, but I am not sure if I should buy an SD card or Flash memory card. I thought that manual recommended flash memory.

What are you using exactly? Can you provide links to on-line stores where I could buy the same?

What file format are you using? Does it matter? mp3, aac, wma?

After trial & error the unit that worked for me was the SanDisk Compact Flash adapter (purchased at Circuit City - you could go to circuitcity.com) and a 2 gb Compact Flash card from fry's (PQI brand) (frys.com).

I tried CompUSA's 5 in 1 adapter with an SD card - this worked only intermittently (and mostly didn't work). Kept getting "Card Media Error" message; then suddenly it would just work - no rhyme or reason.

Bottom line - the SD card did NOT work; the Compact Flash card works like a champ (have 850 songs on it - max the HCH II system recognizes is 999).

My experience is identical to Kpalmal's. The 6-in-one reader with the SD cards rarely worked. I had six different SD cards, and only two would EVER work (and poorly, at that). They caused lockups in the maps, too.

Just bought a Compact Flash (CF) reader and 1 GB card week before last. Spent most of last week enjoying it... without any flaws (once I figured out how to get to alternate folders!). Works great. Get the CF card and reader!

Can you possibly help me out by providing links to examples of what you have?

I have a SanDisk PCMCIA adapter and I have tried using 512MB SanDisk Flash card, but it did not work.

The adapter is made to read Flash cards and fits in the slot, but I get an error message.

I really want this to work.

Please help

With regards to the compact flash player. How big is the card? Did you need to buy an adapter to get it in the Honda?

The Compact Flash card is a flash memory card. It was the oldest generation of the cards which were often used in cameras and Pocket PC devices. These were mostly replaced with smaller size cards like SD, MMC and Memory Stick. The Compact Flash cards have continued to exist because they have large memory (I think up to 4 GB now) and are often used in high-end digital cameras.

The card reader is a PCMCIA adapter. These adapters are really for laptop computers... allowing folks to download photos, music, etc. to and from their memory cards.

The Honda NAVI system has the exact same PCMCIA slot as a laptop computer. You can buy the PCMCIA card reader and insert your media card to play music.

There are basically two types of PCMCIA card readers... the "six-in-one" type which have a slot that accepts many different types (SD, SM, MMC, Memory Stick, etc.). Those readers won't take the larger Compact Flash cards, though. The second type of reader is just for Compact Flash.

I started with the 6-in-one type and tried all of my SD cards. I only had limited success with two cards... and they were both smaller memory size, so it was pretty useless. I know the card reader works fine, as it functions perfectly in a laptop. I also had success using a different type of memory card called SM (Smart Media). Those wafer-thin cards were used years ago in cameras... and I had a few sitting around. Problem was that the highest SM memory card I had was 64 MB! Totally useless.

I just bought one of the PCMCIA card readers of the Compact Flash-only type. I also bought a Compact Flash card (1 GB). I think the reader was San-Disk. The card itself was some no-name cheapo brand. Both work flawlessly now. Bought them both at Best Buy for about $50. I think the reader was about $15 and the card about $35.

Hello all,

I just purchased my HCH II Nav yesterday, and I really like it so far...

I did purchase a pcmcia adapter at fry's electronics for $9.99 for the compact flash card. It works flawlessly with an old 256 meg card I had laying around. Fry's often has 2 gig CF cards for $17.99, however they were out of them today. I will pick one up when they are in stock...

UPDATE:

I ordered a 4 gig compact flash card from Amazon.com for $31.99 and it worked great. So, for $9.99 for the CF PCMCIA adapter and $31.99 for the 4 gig card, I am good to go to the limit of 999 songs.

Off subject: I took delivery on Monday and drove from PHX to LAX and back in 24 hrs and the car was nice, averaging 46.4 MPG going mostly 75-80 MPH.

Has anyone put a 4 or 8GB SD or compact flash card in the PCMCIA slot? I thought I read somewhere in the manual that it may not read flash cards larger than 2GB.

Uhhh....read the post above yours. All is well with a 4gig card. The real limit is the 999 song limit, which is, generally, about 4 gigs.