CompactFlash Association Homepage

Home9/2/2008

CFA Information4/28/2007

CompactFlash
Information11/2/2004

Joining the CFA8/21/2000

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Product Guide9/2/2008

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CF Spec. Rev 4.1
US$100.008/2/2008

CFast Spec. Rev 1.0
US$100.009/2/2008

Members Only8/4/2008

Email to CFA

CompactFlash Association

CFast Specification Revision 1.0 for a CompactFlash Card with a SATA Interface

The CFast Specification for a CompactFlash card with a SATA (Serial ATA) interface is now available to download for US$100.00. CFA members may download the specification free in the "Members Only" area.

CF+ & CompactFlash Specification Revision 4.1
The CF+ and CompactFlash Specification Revision 4.1 is now available to download for US$100.00. CFA members may download the specification free in the "Members Only" area. Revision 4.1 adds the Power Enhanced CF Storage Card. The 133MB/sec CompactFlash interface data transfer rate, and forward and backward compatibility with old and new host systems is maintained. DMA interface mode is included and reduces the processor power required to manage the CompactFlash data transfers. True IDE Ultra DMA 133 interface mode increases the CompactFlash interface maximum data transfer rate to 133MB/sec. This UDMA interface mode is well defined and tested by the usage on IDE hard disk drives. Faster PC-Card ATA UDMA memory modes are also included and can provide maximum interface data transfer rates up to 133MB/sec. With the UDMA feature, forward and backward compatibility is maintained with systems and CF cards even operating with the interface data transfer rate of 16MB/sec.

Digital Camera Media Safe In Both Carry-On And Checked Baggage
Recent tests found no evidence of X-ray scanner damage to digital camera media cards or to the images they hold. The tests of scanner models currently in use in the U.S. transportation industry were jointly conducted by the International Imaging Industry Association (I3A), the leading global association for the imaging industry; SanDisk Corporation, a manufacturer of digital media cards; and the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA). See 12/15/04 press release and International Imaging Industry Association (I3A) website.

Recovering Deleted Files from CompactFlash Cards
In general, when using CompactFlash cards, deleted files can be recovered. Also, files on cards that have been re-formatted or the card's file system has been corrupted may be recovered. There are a number of applications to recover files.
After the deletion of files, writing new files or re-formatting the CompactFlash cards may cause some of the old files to be unrecoverable.
What this means to CompactFlash card users:
1) Photo files as well as other types of files that have been deleted accidentally may be recovered from CompactFlash cards.
2) Confidential information contained in deleted files or on formatted CompactFlash cards may be recovered from CompactFlash cards that are given or sold to other persons.

CompactFlash® Compliance Tester

A certified compliance tester must be used for all CompactFlash data storage card compliance testing to assure compatibility with the CF Specification. The CFA accepts compliance test results using a compliance tester from any company that will certify that their tester meets the "CompactFlash Association Certification of Compliance Testers" requirements. Currently, certified CompactFlash compliance testers are available from Testmetrix. More information is available in the "Members Only" area. Please note that the CFA only requires that a certified tester be used for compliance testing only. The CFA does not certify any particular tester for production testing of CompactFlash cards. Any test platform may be used at each company's discretion for general purpose production and engineering testing of CF cards.

CFA Email Reflectors

The CFA has established email reflectors for all committees and work groups. You will find further information on these reflectors and how to subscribe to them in the "Members Only" area.

The CFA is a non-profit, mutual-benefit corporation that maintains and promotes the CompactFlash® and CF+™ specification as a worldwide, small form factor, removable card standard.
The original CompactFlash storage card is an ultra-small, removable data storage system. The CF+ specification adds additional card functionality including magnetic disk drive data storage and I/O cards such as ethernet, serial, fax/modem, digital phone card, USB, barcode scanner, Bluetooth, 802.11b wireless LAN, wireless digital cell phone cards, etc.
CF+ slots that accept CompactFlash, magnetic disk drives or I/O cards can be found in over 360 digital cameras, over 165 handheld PCs, Pocket PCs & Tablet PCs and over 845 other electronic platforms.

CompactFlash Association
PO Box 51537
Palo Alto, CA 94303
Tel: 650-843-1220 Fax: 650-493-1871

Our web site was last updated
September 2, 2008