CompactFlash Card

CompactFlash Card Description

The CompactFlash [CF] specification defines both the Electrical and Physical specifications for a 50 pin interface residing in one of 2 form factors. The electrical specification is identical to PCMCIA standard, using 50 of the 68 signals. The two form factors differ only in thickness [CF and CF+ cards]; Type I: dimensions 3.3mm x 36.4mm x 42.8mm (Thickness x Length x Width). Type II: dimensions 5.0mm x 36.4mm x 42.8mm (Thickness x Length x Width). Version 2.1 allows the length to increase 50mm to 135mm. The thickness may be increased after 39.5mm from the connector. A CF Type I card will operate in a CF Type I or CF Type II slot.

CompactFlash card use flash devices to store data with out the requirement of a battery [nonvolatile]. CompactFlash cards are used as a removable storage device using ATA compatibility [ATA-4]. CompactFlash cards designed to version 2 of the specification operate up to 16MBps. Revision 3 of the CompactFlash standard add Ultra DMA33 and Ultra DMA66 speeds providing up to 66MBps of data. CompactFlash cards can operate with either 3.3 volts or 5.0 volt systems. Adaptors are available to convert CompactFlash cards to PCMCIA Form Factor; CompactFlash [CF] is electrically identical to PCMCIA, and operate using either 8 or 16 bit data width. CompactFlash readers are also called Digital Media Reader. The newest version is called CF+.

Removable Flash Memory Form factors and Card Dimensions

CF Card is also called CF Memory Card, and Compact Flash Card

{CompactFlash Index}

CompactFlash Standard Organizations

CF+ and CompactFlash Specification Revision 2.0 ~ 2003 [16MB/sec data transfer rate]
CF+ and CompactFlash Specification Revision 3.0 ~ 2004 [66MBps data transfer rate]
CF+ and CompactFlash Specification Revision 4.0 ~ 2006 [133MBps data transfer rate]
CF+ and CompactFlash Specification Revision 5.0 ~ 2010 [133MBps data transfer rate]
CF+ and CompactFlash Specification Revision 6.0 ~ 2010 [167MBps data transfer rate]

CompactFlash Association

Note how the speed increases with each new version of the specification.

{CompactFlash Index}

CompactFlash Bus Interface ICs

The Electrical layer of CompactFlash and CF+ cards operate using either 5.0V [75mA] or 3.3V [100mA] using standard CMOS levels.
CF+ cards are either TTL or CMOS compatible.

Samsung {1Gbit to 32Gb SLC Flash components}

IC Manufacturers {Other functions}
Note; the number of IC suppliers fluctuates as related CF products come and go.

{CompactFlash Index}

CompactFlash Connector Manufacturers

The Physical Interface of CompactFlash or CF+ card uses a standard 50-pin connector [2 rows of 25 pins]. The 50-pin connector is on 50-mil centers [1.27mm].
Pin lengths for both CF and CF+ standards are defined so that power is applied first and removed last during card insertions.

Connector Vendors;
AVX {CompactFlash Connector Type II}

FCI {CompactFlash Connector Manufacturer}

Molex Inc. {CF connectors for CF Cards, Type I CF to PC Card adapters}

{CompactFlash Card Index}

CompactFlash, Pinout

CompactFlash uses a 50-Pin connector. Active low signal use a '-' prefix.
The CompactFlash card operates in one of three modes. The function of some of the pins change with each mode.
The three modes are PC Card ATA using I/O mode, PC Card ATA using Memory mode, and True IDE mode compatible with most IDE drives.
Refer to these pages for a pin out of CompactFlash in one of three modes of operation.

Pin-out and Signal Assignments:
PC Card Memory Module Pinout
PC Card I/O Mode Pinout
True IDE Mode Pinout

{CompactFlash Card Index}

CompactFlash Card Manufacturers

CompactFlash Cards are small flash memory cards used to store data. CompactFlash defines the format or card size.
Flash memory is a type of memory. The memory size of the CF card continues to increase.

ATP Electronics {4GB CompactFlash card}

Kingston Technology {2GB/4GB/8GB CompactFlash cards, Adapter}

SanDisk {1GB/4GB/ CompactFlash cards, Adapter}

{CompactFlash Card Index}

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