Smart Card Reader/Writer, which one to get?

[xp190]

Hey Guys

I'm not sure if anyone has any expriance with this, but a friend of mine gave me $50 and asked me to get him a smart card writer. Now I don't know a whole lot about these, but there apparently are a few different types of smart cards, especially now with the digital cameras and PDA backup cards and so on. He is interested in the one used for digital tv set top boxes, I can't imagine why but since I live close to the area where they apparently sell them, I offered to check it out.

I just wanted to know if anyone has any details on these so that I don't get ripped off at the store, is there something they should or should not have?

I found a few on the net, but I'm not sure for what type of cards they are, there is also some USB ones that are real cheap on Amazon, but something does not seem right with them, it just seems too easy to me, so is it really that easy or is it my lack of knowledge with these things?

xp

[MTI]

When I had an Olympus digital camera, I needed a smartcard reader to use instead of relying on the camera to do the data transfers. I found a VST Tri-Media reader (floppy, Compact Flash and Smartcard) with USB that was pefect since my Sony desktop didn't have a floppy drive (but does have Memory Stick slot and a CF slot) and I have subsequently gone with compact flash memory for my Nikon digital. I can also use this with my iMac, so it's pretty versatile.