Review on VST FTX20 Tech 20GB Flashtrax Image Storage: Advanced and Efficient Solution for Image Storage by Nate Jenkins

As I own Flashtrax 20g and Epson P1000 I will try to compare these two devices as they are sold around the same price. Designed primarily for downloading photos from digital camera cards when the cards are full, freeing up space to add additional photos to the card. Both devices do an excellent job of this job. So what are the main differences between the modules? 1. Epson LCD size is 3.8 inch while Flashtrax LCD size is 3.5 inch. The size difference is small, but the quality of the images is very different. The Epson picture is excellent, while the Flashtrax picture is mediocre at best. Flashtrax's backlight is dim even on the highest settings (which is not recommended as it drains the battery faster). Resolution and detail on Epson blows Flashtrax to dust.2. Both devices are fairly easy to use. Flashtrax has the edge here. To upload photos to Flashtrax, all you have to do is insert the card and press the button next to the card slot. Everything else happens automatically. In the case of Epson, all you have to do is insert the card, then navigate to the desired firmware section and the download will begin. Not too heavy but not as fast as Flashtrax.3. Both devices can display a slide show either on the device's LCD or on a connected TV. Each unit has its own "feature". Flashtrax comes with a wireless remote control that you can use to sit in your chair and control the show. On the other hand, Epson has an interesting feature of its own. You can run a manual or automatic normal slide show OR you can run a slide show with photos appearing and disappearing. The way the fader works is that each photo starts out as a slightly enlarged image that scrolls across the screen. This image is then superimposed into a "freeze frame" of the entire photo. The same "routine" is then continued with the next image, and so on. This will make the slideshow less boring. But like I said, no remote control. Flashtrax includes an MP3 player, and a very good one at that. Obviously, a speaker as small as the built-in one isn't going to produce a decent sound. But add a pair of good compact headphones (I use a Sennheiser 200) and you're good to go. Yes, the device is too bulky for jogging, but it's great for sitting on a plane or in a motel room! The sound is as good as my IPOD!5. Flashtrax will close to protect the screen. Great feature; it is then stored in the pouch provided (I hate that pouch and keep mine in the felt pouch that came with my bottle of Seagram's Crown Royal). The Epson comes in a soft Velcro case which seems to protect the device quite well and like most PDAs the screen is not protected by a hard cover. Both devices have a very good build quality. In short, that's my take on the two devices. If you can afford it, buy both. I use Flashtrax to upload my photos and then transfer them to my computer. yes, by the way, the transfer speed on Flashtrax is USB 2.0 while Epson uses USB 1.1. a little slower. I use JPGSizer, a shareware program that I fully recommend. It's cheap and very functional. Just do a google search and find it). Thought. Epson now has an updated P2000 viewer. Unfortunately, it costs $500, which is almost twice the price of Flashtrax. BTW, my Epson P1000 has a 10g capacity and I have a Flashtrax of 20g. But unless you're a pro (or don't have a life and can shoot all day) 10g is equivalent to 20,000 photos at the size I keep them. This room will outlive me!