Kingston FCR-HS2191 19-in-1 USB 1.0 Flash Memory Card Reader

The Kingston FCR-HS219/1 19-in-1 USB 1.0 Flash Memory Card Reader does not appear to be anything special on the surface. It is a multi-format card reader in a field of clones and knockoffs. When I originally purchased this reader it was at the behest of my wife. I was in need of a card reader (after loaning my current reader to her Mother) and I had only 3 requirements:

  1. It must be a decent size
  2. It must have support for SD cards as well as CF Type I and II cards
  3. It must cost more than $5 USD

First, this was a time when smaller was not better. I do not travel overly much, but if it was among some of the lilliputian varieties it would inevitably end up lost at the bottom of any bag I deposited it in . Second, while I happen to have accumulated many micro to full size SD card adapters, I had not yet encountered a CF to SD card. So I needed a reader that could accept both. Finally, price was a concern. Both because I did not want to overspend, and because the cheap readers tend to be, well, cheap in all measures.

I had no idea at the time that this meager reader would become my all time favorite for it's functionality and robustness.

The Good:

  • It is small, but not too small.
  • Cards ease in and out as well as securely engage and withdraw
  • It has a hidden technology superpower (more on this below)
  • It is easily disassembled, and reassembles without damage or fuss
  • It has an attached USB cable

The Bad:

  • It has an attached USB cable
  • Its design is serviceable, but not elegant
  • While sturdy, it's plastic encasement is not the the most hardy covering to choose

The Reasons:

Disassembly requires a bit of a trick, but can be done without tools. By pressing down firmly on the red Kingston logo and giving a good push forward the outer case is removed. After unclipping four small catches the circuit board is exposed.

Alert readers will notice that I have listed "... an attached USB cable" in both the good and the bad. The good of this is the fact that you will not loose the USB cable for this reader. The bad is: if something malfunctions with the cable, you have no other options. Also, the cable is only a few inches long, so rear USB ports on a desktop are not really an option. However, Kingston does include a USB extension, just in-case you have no other means to attach this to your system. In the long run I have not encountered any insurmountable issues with the attached USB cable for this reader.

I cannot in clear conscience award any fabricated points in the mode of design for this reader. Its is functional, but suffers from a touch of over-engineering. There is no real benefit in the slide mechanism. And I cannot fathom what the creators of this product were thinking, but I fear they were striving towards differentiation in a flooded market. I feel their flavor of design would be better placed elsewhere.

Hidden within this unassuming USB Card Reader is a chip made by Atech Flash Technology (AFT). I am not surprised if you have not heard of them before reading this. They are a reputable company whom you might know better than you think. Have you ever used one of the photo printing kiosk in a drugstore or a local big-box store? If you have, then there is a good chance you have encountered one of their readers. I believe that it is because of this fact that their technology works so well. I have had card that would not be read by other readers, cards that would be read, but not well, and cards that would intermittently work in other readers. They were not a challenge for this card reader.

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