Hacking Kingston microSD Japan vs. Taiwan

[rukiri]

Hmm, what are you guys saying exactly? That you have a japanese and a taiwan card and that the taiwan card performs worse and formats at a lower capacity?

what if you don't have a JP card?

I think I'd rather buy another card that I know for sure is MIJ, and use my TW card for video / manga

 

[darksavior]

so you LIE about having both cards. say a friend has one or something. you've read enough to know we're not lying about the size comparisons. i can also say i have both taiwan and japan and the filesize differences do exist.

 

[pristinemog]

I may have gotten one of the first ever faulty MIJ Kingston cards XD. Unless of course someone else has reported their Japan Kingston as mangled.

 

[001100]

Made call today, Cross shipping. They noted that I want a Japanese microsd.
*cross fingers* I hope I get it.

well since then.. I got e-mail 2 days later about the JP kingston microsd were on backorder. It would
take 3-5 days and once they got it, they would send it to me via overnight shipping (no charge).
As of today, it has been 7 days, so I called to check my status and was told that they do have some JP microsd,
they will be sending mine today.

If anyone else has a pending RMA and your still waiting, try calling them today before they run out.

 

[johnnywalker]

I have already bought Japanese microSD 512 MB ($8,5). It has about 487 MB.

 

[PhoneGuy]

I filled out the online RMA form late on 3/7. I specified incompatibility and noted I wanted the Japan version. I selected 2nd day and cross ship for the replacement options. The Japanese version was delivered on 3/14. Kingston states:

"return shipping costs are the responsibility of the customer and must be sent using a tracking system and insured to Kingston Technology Company, Inc. **(Please see below for the new prepaid option). Product must be properly packaged to prevent damage in transit. Please use any shipping company that can demonstrate proof of delivery (Preferred methods: Federal Express, UPS or Airborne). If you choose to use USPS, we strongly recommend you obtain a receipt with tracking and insurance. Please note that Kingston is not responsible for packages lost or damaged while in transit. Kingston will not accept responsibility for any lost shipments unless proof of delivery to Kingston can be demonstrated. The return instructions recommend Fedex or UPS and not USPS. Add tracking and insurance if you do use USPS."

$5 - $6 returned shipping seemed excessive for the $13 kingston will charge if they do not receive the old card. I gambled and put the card (in it's case with some plastic from the package) in a envelope added 2 stamps and sent it regular mail.

Some performance tests

The Taiwan card using HD Tach and the R4 reader rated 2.6ms random access and 4.3 avg read.

The Japan card using HD Tach and the R4 reader rated 1.6ms random access and 4.4 avg read.

A US Modular card using HD Tach and the R4 reader rated 1.6ms random access and 4.4 avg read.

The US Modular card says SD-C01G Japan just like the Kingston Japan card.


Walking out of the house in Animal Crossing. From inside door to the screen filled on outside.

Taiwan = 7s
Japan = 5s
US Modular = 5s
G6 Lite = 3s

 

[Fulcaire]

do you have to ship your Taiwan card to them?
if they allow you to replace it with a japan card
or do they just send you a japan card

 

[001100]

Well if you choose the option of Cross shipping over the phone, they will as for a credit card. They will then but a hold of $13.00 USD. If you send them your Taiwan card to them with in 10 days, then they do not charge you anything. If you wanted to keep
your Taiwan, then after the 10 days you will be billed (1 time)on your credit card for $13.00.

 

[Fulcaire]

Hm.. their company is in my city but if the Japan microSD is only to play PoR then I rather just keep my Taiwan card because I got a 512MB SanDisk that I can play PoR on. it works fine on 512 sandisk.

 

[archagon]

Why do you people order Kingston cards from random online stores and then get OMG surprised when they turn out to be made in Taiwan? Oh, and THEN get pissed off at KINGSTON when you can't RMA them? Face it: most people don't give two shits about where a card is made. It really only matters to people like us, and we're hardly Kingston's primary customer base.

In other words: buy Toshiba or DEAL with it!

 

[lenselijer]

or ask your store to order the correct part number. my store here only sells japan kingston cards because alot people came back with the taiwan made cards, they were not working in their telephones.

 

[Armadillo]

Quick question before I go buy one. My brother found somewhere locally who sells the kingston micro sd , so can look at card before buying.

He said the ones they have say on the packaging.

ASSY in japan.


Don't think he really looked at anything else in detail , so are these the japan ones? or does it actually have to say "made in japan".

Thanks

.

 

[001100]

Quick question before I go buy one. My brother found somewhere locally who sells the kingston micro sd , so can look at card before buying.

He said the ones they have say on the packaging.

ASSY in japan.


Don't think he really looked at anything else in detail , so are these the japan ones? or does it actually have to say "made in japan".

Thanks

.

That should be it. If you want to be sure. If you look at the microsd it will also have the following model number in the microsd itself. It should read. SD-C01G JAPAN

 

[jbullfrog]

I got 2 Japanese cards today after doing the online RMA.

I also chucked my 2 Taiwanese cards in bubble wrap and put it in a white paper envelope with a 39cent stamp.

 

[Zazie]

So yeah, since this seems to be the thread about speeds and such on the Kingston cards, I've a random question.

First of all, I ordered 3 Kingston MicroSD SDC/1GB cards last Friday from Newegg. Received them Tuesday and lucky me, all ASSY IN JAPAN with Japan on the cards themselves.

Right now I'm accessing them from my computer through it's built in SD card reader using the supplied MicroSD to SD adapter.
The issue, is that my read/write times are a bit slower than reported(with every one of the 3 cards having an average read of .8 MB/s and a random access of 7.1ms).
Is this due to the medium I'm reading the card through, or the card itself?
All of them have 982mb/s, and they're all formated to FAT32(my system is only giving me 2 choices to format them to, FAT32 or FAT).

I specifically got these cards for an incoming r4DS and was wondering if I should just wait to check the speeds from it's included MicroDS to USB adapter.

Thanks for any help, etc.

-edit-

eh, apparently the .8MB/s is about normal according to a report on the wiki for this particular model.

Anyway, good/bad win/lose for said purchased product?
I just want to know if it will work flawlessly on the r4DS whenever it arrives...

 

[darksavior]

it's the best card atm for the r4. don't forget there isn't an advantage in using fat32. just format to fat16 64k clusters.

 

[fli_guy84]

What are the difference formatting in default clusters and 64k clusters?

 

[iamwhoiam]

I've said this time and time again....

ALL THIS FUSS OVER ONE LOUSY GAME

 

[cvbzbz]

I've also online RMA my Taiwan card in mid Feb and finally got a Japanese replacement. here are my findings:

JAPANESE:
Random Access: 1.1ms
Avg. Read: 9.5mb

Cap= 982mb


TAIWAN
Random Access: 2.1ms
Avg. Read: 7.8mb

Cap=952mb

With the Taiwan, POR hangs while playing Charlotte and accessing menu.
With the Japan, POR has no problems. loading time for games improved and DS browser is much more responsive while loading pages.

jbullfrog & PhoneGuy since u guys use good old (& cheap) USPS to send it back. Did Kingston credit you back yet?

 

[PhoneGuy]

jbullfrog & PhoneGuy since u guys use good old (& cheap) USPS to send it back. Did Kingston credit you back yet?

I believe the online RMA instructions said they will not actually charge your credit card unless they do not receive the return ten days after you receive the replacement. I think it said check cards get charged then credited. I have not been charged but it's less than 10 days.