Dazzle 6-in-1 MultiMedia Reader (DM-8400)

by Dazzle Multimedia

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 3 x 0.8 x 2.8 inches ; 8 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B000063WPP
• Item model number: DM-8400
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes
• Date first available at Amazon.com: April 16, 2002

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

The Dazzle Multimedia DM-8400 is a universal digital media reader compatible with nearly all memory formats. As digital technology continues to expand, more and more devices utilize digital media. Digital cameras, MP3 players, mobile phones, and PDAs all use CompactFlash, IBM Microdrive, SmartMedia, MultiMediaCard, Secure Digital, or Memory Stick memory media. With the Dazzle six-in-one reader, you can read them all.

The compact, dual-slot design allows CompactFlash cards or IBM Microdrives to work concurrently with SmartMedia, MultiMediaCard, Secure Digital, or Memory Stick media. As a standalone reader, the DM-8400 offers an alternative to the cumbersome process of connecting digital devices directly to a PC or Mac, which uses up precious battery life.

Included Dazzle OnDVD software lets you organize your digital pictures into a slide show, burn them to a CD, and view them on a PC DVD player. The reader makes it easy to transfer data between your PC and your digital camera, MP3 player, PDA, or other portable device. Data collected on digital media cards can be instantly transferred to a computer without even having the device present.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Use Memory Cards like Floppy Disks, September 2, 2002

By 

MartyHansen (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dazzle 6-in-1 MultiMedia Reader (DM-8400) (Personal Computers)

This Dazzle 6-in-1 memory card reader is wonderful. With it, I can read and write to any memory card format (Compact Flash, Memory Stick, Smart Media, IBM Microdrives, MultiMedia cards, and SD Cards) as though it were a floppy disk. The unit's small size makes it very portable. And its plug-and-play capability makes it extremely easy to store and swap data amongst all of my PC's.

Here are six ways I use the Dazzle 6-in-1:

1) Downloading digital image files -- With the Dazzle 6-in-1, I can use my normal downloading program to transfer digital image files directly from my camera's memory card to my PC. Since my Dazzle is always either connected to my deskptop PC, or always with me for my laptop, this is much more convenient than hooking up my digital camera to my computer (and trying to find the cord) to download.

2) Acccessing a single photo -- Using my photo editing program (Photoshop Elements), I can also access any individual file on the memory card. (The only way I can access a single photo through my digital camera, for example, is to download the entire contents, which is a pain if all I want is the last photo taken.)

3) Transferring files (of all types) among computers -- To transfer large files (photos, spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations) among my PC's, I normally resorted to using CD's, or e-mailing the file to myself (such as from work to home, or vice versa). Unfortunately, not all of my computers have a CD drive (but they all have a USB). And working from a memory card is definitely easier than trying to download (or upload) a file using a 56k home e-mail modem.

4) Downloading software updates -- For software updates downloaded from the internet, I would normally save them on my hard drive or on a CD. With the Dazzle, I can now store the files on a memory card instead. This saves the memory capacity of my hard drive; and (as I mentioned earlier) not all of my PC's have CD drives. Using a Dazzle and a memory card (and loading through the USB) allows me to more convenient update all of my computers.

5) Transfering music files -- My MP3 player also uses a memory card. Using the Dazzle to download songs (from my PC) to the memory card -- is actually faster and more convenient -- than downloading into the MP3 player directly.

6) Carrying my work home, not my PC -- Since transferring large files was such a pain, I normally ended up lugging my laptop computer home with me if I needed to complete a project after hours. With my Dazzle, I can now take the data with me (on a memory card), and leave my work PC -- at the office where it belongs! (Cool!)

The Dazzle comes with a software disk. But I found that the Dazzle was plug-and-play with my Windows XP computers (so no software installation was required.)

The plethora of memory cards available can make data storage seem confusing and intimidating. But with the Dazzle 6-in-1, they are now all as easy to use -- as "floppies." I highly recommend it!

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the nicest products out there!!!, April 15, 2002

By 

Pushpasheel Tawade (San Jose, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dazzle 6-in-1 MultiMedia Reader (DM-8400) (Personal Computers)

I just purchased a new digital camera and was looking for a CF reader when I stumped on Dazzle DM-8400 6 in 1 reader. I have a laptop with Win XP Pro and a desktop with Win 2000 Pro. This reader works like a charm on both platforms. Additionaly it uses the USB port and does not require an extra power source and is easy to carry as well.
I also used the provided software to burn a CD that I can play on my DVD player. Now I can share my pictures with my friends on a big screen with good quality pictures. All in all this is the only product I have seen out there that supports so many multimedia formats under one hood.
I would definitely recommend it to anyone who wants a good product with a reasonable price and so many features.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Works fine - and then not, August 6, 2002

By 

K. Blakely (Williamsburg, VA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Dazzle 6-in-1 MultiMedia Reader (DM-8400) (Personal Computers)

Have had a Dazzle 6-in-1 for about 6 months. Originally hooked up to a Win98SE box with no problems, and lately to a WinXP Home box, again with no problems. Reads and writes Sony memory sticks just fine - haven't tried with other formats. Just got a Lexar memory stick tho, and it WON'T WORK! I installed the flash upgrade, and no help. The really bad part is that dazzle's support is utterly nonexistent.

If I had it to do over again, I'd buy something else...