CompactFlash,CF 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+.

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, 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
IDE Mode Pinout

 

CompactFlash, Pin Out

CompactFlash uses a 50-Pin connector [2 rows of 25 pins]. The 50-pin connector is on 50-mil centers [1.27mm]. Pins 1 to 25 are located on the row near the key. Pins 26 to 50 are located in the row above that.

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. This page lists the PC Card Memory Module pinout.

CF PC Card Memory Mode Pinout

Pin Number	Signal Function	Pin Type	In, Out Type
1	GND	-	Ground
2	D03	I/O	I1Z, 0Z3
3	D04	I/O	I1Z, 0Z3
4	D04	I/O	I1Z, 0Z3
5	D06	I/O	I1Z, 0Z3
6	D07	I/O	I1Z, 0Z3
7	-CE1	I	I3U
8	A10	I	I1Z
9	-OE	I	I3U
10	A09	I	I1Z
11	A08	I	I1Z
12	A07	I	I1Z
13	Vcc	-	Power
14	A06	I	I1Z
15	A05	I	I1Z
16	A04	I	I1Z
17	A03	I	I1Z
18	A02	I	I1Z
19	A01	I	I1Z
20	A00	I	I1Z
21	D00	I/O	I1Z, OZ3
22	D01	I/O	I1Z, OZ3
23	D02	I/O	I1Z, OZ3
24	WP	O	OT3
25	-CD2	O	Ground
26	-CD1	O	Ground
27	D11	I/O	I1Z, OZ3
28	D12	I/O	I1Z, OZ3
29	D13	I/O	I1Z, OZ3
30	D14	I/O	I1Z, OZ3
31	D15	I/O	I1Z, OZ3
32	-CE2	I	I3U
33	-VS1	O	Ground
34	-IORD	I	I3U
35	-IOWR	I	I3U
36	-WE	I	I3U
37	Ready	O	OT1
38	Vcc	-	Power
39	-CSEL	I	I2Z
40	-VS2	O	Open
41	RESET	I	I2Z
42	-WAIT	O	OT1
43	-INPACK	O	OT1
44	-REG	I	I3U
45	BVD2	O	OT1
46	BVD1	O	OT1
47	DO8	I/O	I1Z, OZ3
48	DO9	I/O	I1Z, OZ3
49	D10	I/O	I1Z, OZ3
50	GND	-	Ground

As this page only lists the pinout for one mode of a CompactFlash card, it serves only to assist in debug effects.