Q1. Which memory card formats are supported by Picture Porter 35?

You can use the following memory cards with Picture Porter 35 directly without an adapter: Compact Flash (Type I), SD card, SDHC card, Multi-Media Card, mini SD, RS-MMC, Memory Stick, MS PRO, MS Duo, MS PRO Duo, and xD-Picture card.


Q2. How many photos, music, and video files can I store on Picture Porter 35?

250GB (actual storage space 232GB): ~ 96,000 pictures, 58,000 songs, or ~ 1,000 hours of video
500GB (actual storage space 463GB): ~ 192,000 pictures, 116,000 songs, or ~ 2,000 hours of videos

* Photo capacity based on 5-mega-pixel photos (approximately 2.4 MB each);
Music capacity based on 4 minute songs at 128 kbps MP3 encoding;
Video capacity based on 2 hour movies at 500 kbps encoding.


Q3. What image, music, and video formats can be played back on Picture Porter 35?

Image formats: JPEG, TIFF, BMP, GIF, RAW
Music formats: MP3, WMA, AAC
Video formats: MPEG1, MPEG4 Simple Profile, MJPEG


Q4. Which camera RAW formats are supported by Picture Porter 35?

Click here for a list of RAW image formats supported


Q5. My camera is not listed on your supported RAW format list. Does that mean it is not supported by Picture Porter 35?

For the RAW images, the absence of a particular camera model does not necessarily mean that it is not supported by Picture Porter 35. Since the specifications for RAW images differ from manufacturer to manufacturer and even from camera to camera for the same manufacturer, Digital Foci has to constantly update the RAW image support to keep current with new digital camera models.

If you do not see your camera model listed, you can send the RAW + JPEG file from your camera to Digital Foci at support@digitalfoci.com. After verification, you will receive confirmation whether your camera model is already supported or when it will be supported.

We continually improving and updating our products so the range of supported formats will continue to expand. We will offer new versions of the firmware that you can download from our website to upgrade your unit.

Q6. What are the photo viewing options on Picture Porter 35?

• Rotate, zoom, and pan the photos (a zoom window will appear and show you the zoomed area relatively to the entire photo)
• View EXIF information and histogram of photo
• View picture slideshow (can play music in the background)
• View photo thumbnails
• View IPTC comments of the photo
In addition, portrait shots are automatically rotated from EXIF photo orientation data

Q7. Will the zoom, rotate, and view histogram functions work with RAW image files?

Yes, you can zoom, pan, rotate, and view slideshows of your RAW image content. You can also view the EXIF information and histogram of the image.

Note: The image displayed is the imbedded JPEG image in the RAW file. It is technically possible to design the Picture Porter 35 to decode the RAW images, but each raw image will take a significant amount of time to decode. In test cases it's taken up to 90 seconds for 6 MP RAW images. So, for the current firmware version, we decided not to decode RAW images and instead show the JPEG so that users "in the field" can quickly access the image to check and confirm basic information.

Q8. What are the file management features on Picture Porter 35?
Picture Porter 35 gives photographers file management features that eliminate the need altogether for a computer while on the road. You can make selections, copy, rename, delete files, sort files by name or date, and create new folders. These features allow you to sort through and organize newly acquired photos while riding back in the car or plane or at any convenient opportunity. You can also create Playlist - your unique photo slideshows - that can be viewed on Picture Porter 35.


Q9. What is the copy speed from a memory card to Picture Porter 35?

Please note that the actual transfer time depends on various factors including the type of memory card that you are using, the size of the files, and the number of files that you are copying, type and speed of the memory card and number of files.

As a benchmark, it took less than 90 seconds to copy a full 1GB SanDisk Extreme III CF card to Picture Porter 35.


Q10. What kinds of copy options do I have when I back up memory card contents into Picture Porter 35?

You may choose to copy the entire contents of the memory card to Picture Porter 35 - All files and folders will be copied with the same directory structure in their entirety. The files names of the copied files will be exactly the same as they were on the card.

You can also do an incremental copy. This feature allows you to save new photos to an existing folder in the Backup Directory. T

You can also select specific folders or files to copy from the card to the Picture Porter 35 hard drive.


Q11. How does Picture Porter 35 keep track of the different backups from memory cards?

Each time you use the Backup to Hard Drive functions on Picture Porter 35, a new folder will be created on the Picture Porter hard drive to store your copied files. Every new default folder is automatically assigned a folder name showing the date, card type, and copy sequence

Each folder name is made up of 3 pieces of information.
• The first few characters will be date: YY-MM-DD.
• The next few characters will be letters indicating the type of memory card used.
• Those letters are followed by sequential numbers starting from ‘00’ (followed by ‘01’, ‘02’, …) that show the order in which the folders were created.

You may also rename or create a new folder name for each copy task.


Q12. Will Picture Porter 35 change the file copied from the memory cards in any way?

No, Picture Porter 35 will not alter the file in any way when backing up from memory cards. Your files are copied in their original format and kept in their original file names.


Q13. How does PhotoMemo recording work?

This unique new features of PhotoMemo recording lets you record a comment or memo to specific photos via Picture Porter 35's built-in mic. You can then playback the PhotoMemo with the photo at a later time.


Q14. Can Picture Porter Elite run on AC power instead of battery?

Yes Picture Porter 35 runs on either battery or AC power adapter.  It is recommended that you use the AC power whenever possible so that you can make sure that your battery is fully charged when you need it.


Q15. How long is the battery life of Picture Porter 35 on a full charge?

Up to 4 hours of continuous video playback; Up to 3 hours of memory card copy.


Q16. Is the battery replaceable?

Yes, you can easily change the rechargeable Polymer Li-Ion battery by opening up the battery compartment at the bottom left of Picture Porter 35.


Q17. Is it O.K. to leave the battery in the device when not in use for more than a day?  Will this affect the battery life? 

Leaving the battery in the Picture Porter 35 when you are not using the device for a few days or a week will not have a noticeable effect on the battery life. If you will not use Picture Porter 35 for a month or more, then you may want to remove the battery. But, in this case, you will probably want to give it a full charge before resuming use after 1 month of storage.


Q18. Is it O.K. to recharge at any level of remaining charge i.e. must it be depleted before recharge?
With the current Lithium-Ion battery technology (the same that Picture Porter 35 uses), the result called "memory-effect" is not a problem. In early rechargeable batteries (the Nickel-Metal-Cadmium), when you charge the battery at the 1/2 way point, you 'reset' the total capacity of the battery to the point where you started to recharge it.

With Picture Porter 35, it is safe to recharge it at anytime and you should avoid depleting the battery completely before recharging. Please also note that it is beneficial to avoid storing a lithium-ion battery at full charge. A Li-ion battery stored at 40% charge will last many times longer than one stored at 100% charge. Storing the battery in a cool place when not in use will also prolong its battery life.


Q19. Is the AC power adapter compatible in European countries?

The standard AC power adapter that comes with your Picture Porter 35 can support power ranging from 100 to 240 volts. This will allow you to use the AC power adapter worldwide.

Since the plug type on the standard AC power adapter is the North American standard, you may need a different plug adapter when traveling outside of North America.


Q20. Can Picture Porter 35 run on power from the USB port?

Yes, when Picture Porter 35 is connected to the computer USB port and turned on, it will rely on the power from the USB port when possible. If it does not receive sufficient power from the USB port, it will use battery power. To ensure that Picture Porter 35 has a sufficient and stable power supply, use both USB connections on the dual-head USB cable that came with your Picture Porter 35 or use the AC power adapter.


Q21. Can the Picture Porter 35 battery be charged from the USB port?

Picture Porter 35 is able to use the power from the USB port to charge the battery when it is connected and not turned on. You will see the red LED light to indicate that the battery is charging.


Q22. My computer only has USB 1.1 ports available. Can Picture Porter 35 still be connected?

Yes, Picture Porter 35 is backward compatible with USB 1.1. Just note that the copy speed will be slower with a USB 1.1 port.


Q23. Can I transfer photos and videos from the camera directly to Picture Porter 35 through the USB port?

When transferring photos and videos from the camera to Picture Porter 35, the recommended method is to remove the memory card from the camera and insert it into the memory card slots on Picture Porter 35. This will ensure the fastest available copy speed for your transfer.

If you have a need to directly connect the camera to Picture Porter 35 by USB, you can do this by using the included USB-OTG cable. In this connection, the Picture Porter 35 is the USB Host Device that can access the digital camera. It is important to note that some digital cameras use a micro-USB plug or proprietary connector instead of a standard mini-B USB jack. In this case, you'll need to make sure that your camera comes with the necessary cable for proper connection.

If Picture Porter 35 does not automatically recognize and connect with the camera, changing the USB Mode setting to USB Host in the Setup menu may solve the problem. However, it is possible that the USB driver on the camera is not compatible with Picture Porter 35. In this case, the USB connection will not work.

See Q24 below for more instructions on how to transfer files from the camcorder to Picture Porter 35 if the USB connection is successful.


Q24. I use a Flip Video. Can I use the Picture Porter 35 to copy the videos from my Flip Video to the Picture Porter 35 hard drive?

Yes, your Flip Video device* uses a standard USB mass storage device connection to USB Host Devices. When you connect your Flip Video to your computer, your computer is the USB Host Device. In the same way, you can connect your Flip Video to Picture Porter 35 by using the included USB-OTG cable. In this connection, the Picture Porter 35 is the USB Host Device that can access the Flip Video.

* Only the Flip Video Ultra HD has been thoroughly tested, but assuming that all Flip Video devices use the same USB drivers and protocols, other models should also be compatible.

After connecting your Flip Video to the Picture Porter 35, the Picture Porter 35 will show the USB Icon in the top row of the Home Screen. From here, you can:

(1) Select MENU from the USB Icon and choose 'Backup USB to HD1'. This will copy everything on the Flip Video to the Backup folder of the Picture Porter 35 hard drive.

(2) Select Enter from the USB Icon to view** and navigate the contents of the Flip Video.
** Note that the Flip Video HD recordings in the HD format, cannot be viewed on the Picture Porter 35. But, the HD video files can be copied and stored on the Picture Porter 35 for transfer and viewing on your computer or another Flip Video device.

(3) Select Enter from the USB Icon to navigate and copy select files from the Flip Video to the Picture Porter 35.


Q25. My camcorder records to an internal hard disk, can I transfer my videos directly to Picture Porter 35 through the USB port?

You may be able to directly connect your camcorder to Picture Porter 35 by USB connection with the included USB-OTG cable if the USB connection on your camcorder uses the standard USB Mass Storage Class drivers. In this connection, the Picture Porter 35 is the USB Host Device that can access the camcorder. It is important to note that some camcorders use a micro-USB plug or proprietary connector instead of a standard mini-B USB jack. In this case, you'll need to make sure that your camcorder comes with the necessary cable for proper connection. You also need to make sure that both Picture Porter 35 and the camcorder are connected to their power sources.

If Picture Porter 35 does not automatically recognize and connect with the camcorder, changing the USB Mode setting to USB Host in the Setup menu may solve the problem. However, it is possible that the USB driver on the camcorder is not compatible with Picture Porter 35. In this case, the USB connection will not work.

See Q24 above for more instructions on how to transfer files from the camcorder to Picture Porter 35 if the USB connection is successful.


Q26. Do I need to install device driver before I can connect Picture Porter 35 to my computer?

There is no software driver installation required for Windows XP, Windows ME, Windows 2000 (SP3 or later) and Mac OS 10.01 or later. Simply connect Picture Porter 35 to your computer using the USB cable included in the package. Once connected, Picture Porter35 will show up as a removable hard drive. You can use it just like you use the hard drive on your computer.


Q27. Is Picture Porter 35 firmware upgradeable? How can I update the firmware?

Yes Picture Porter 35 is firmware upgradeable. You can download the latest firmware and instructions from our website at: www.digitalfoci.com/support.html


Q28. What are the differences between Picture Porter 35, Picture Porter Elite and Photo Safe II?

In short, Photo Safe II is a photo storage device (no picture viewing) and a low-cost alternative to Picture Porter 35. Picture Porter 35 replaces the older model Picture Porter Elite and has a lot more file management features.

See comparison chart at: http://www.digitalfoci.com/comparison_ppr_ppe_psf.html


Q29. My computer does not recognize Picture Porter 35.

• Make sure that both of the Main USB connectors are properly connected to your computer and the Mini USB connector is properly connected to Picture Porter 35.
• Plug in the AC power adapter to Picture Porter 35. Picture Porter 35 might not be getting enough power from your USB port.
• Make sure your computer USB port is working properly.
• If the above does not help, reset Picture Porter 35 and try again.
• If the above does not help, restart your computer and try again.


Q30. My Picture Porter 35 froze and would not respond.

Reset Picture Porter 35 by pressing the Reset Button, located in the pinhole at the bottom-right side on the back of Picture Porter 35, with a paper clip or similar pointy object.

Picture Porter 35 may freeze if it is not properly disabled before disconnected from your computer. Make sure that you always disable the device first.


Q31. Some of my JPEG picture files are not showing up on Picture Porter 35.

Make sure that the JPEG file extension is ‘.jpg’. Picture Porter 35 uses the file extension to identify the file type and can not recognize JPEG files with a different extension such as ‘.jpeg.’ Modify the file extension to ‘.jpg’ and try again.

Make sure that the JPEG file is in Baseline JPEG format. Picture Porter 35 does not support other formats such as Progressive or Arithmetical JPEG formats.


Q32. I cannot play a video that is in a format supported by Picture Porter 35.

Since there are so many different video standards and settings, even within the same format, it is possible to have incompatibilities. Picture Porter 35 plays Simple Profile MPEG-4 videos, and not hi-definition videos.

To resolve this, use video conversion software and convert your video file to one of the formats supported by Picture Porter 35. The video setting we recommend is:
Output container: AVI
Output Video Codec: MPEG-4 / Output Audio Codec: mp3
Video settings: Video Scale Size 320:240 / Aspect Ratio – 4:3 / Frame per sec: 30 / Bitrate: 1440
Audio settings: Sampling frequency – Select 44100 / Bitrate – 128


Q33. I see no images or only distorted images on my TV after connecting Picture Porter 35.

Make sure your TV is set to proper video input mode that will display signal from the input source Picture Porter 35 is using. Check the documentation that came with your TV for more information about the different video input mode settings.

Make sure all the cables are connected correctly. Refer to User's Guide's Section on Viewing Photos and Slideshows on TV or Projector for detailed instruction.

Go to SETUP and access System Settings. Go to Display tab, and change the video out setting to NTSC or PAL, depending on the type of TV you are using. If you are unsure about which setting is correct for your TV, try different settings until you find one that displays clearly. NTSC is the TV standard used in North America. The PAL standard is commonly used in Europe.


Q34. My photos are displayed with black bars on the screen.

The aspect ratio on Picture Porter 35 is 4:3. If you have photos in a 3:2, 16:9, or other aspect ratio, the photo will be displayed in a letterbox with black bars on top and bottom of the screen in the default view mode. There will be no rescaling or distortion of your photos.

If you want to eliminate the black bars on the top and bottom of the screen, you can select View Mode: Fill Screen. Under the Fill Screen Mode, the image will be ‘stretched’ to fill the screen. Please note that if you choose to do this, there will be distortion of your photos.


Q35. I connected an external hard drive to my Picture Porter 35 with the USB-OTG cable, but the external hard drive doesn't show up on my Picture Porter 35. How can I get this to work?

To make sure that your Picture Porter 35 is able to recognize the external hard drive and make the proper connection please make sure that everything is set up correctly.

Please make sure to check the following:
1) Your Picture Porter 35 is connected to the AC power adapter.
2) The small end of the USB-OTG cable is connected to your Picture Porter 35. The large end is connected to the standard USB cable that in turn connects to your external hard drive.
3) The external hard drive is connected to its own power source, if required for the external hard drive.
4) The external hard drive must be formatted with the FAT32 file system.

Turn on your Picture Porter 35 and wait for the HD1 to be recognized with icon loaded onto the HOME screen. Connect the USB cable to the external hard drive after the HD1 icon appears. Wait for the USB icon to appear after the connection is made. While waiting for your Picture Porter 35 to recognize and connect with the external hard drive, you will be able to feel the external hard drive vibrate as it spins up. It may take several seconds for the external hard drive to be recognized and for the USB icon to appear.

If the USB icon does not appear after a sufficient amount of time (over 1 minute), changing the 'USB Mode' setting to 'Host Device' in the SETUP menu may solve the device identification problem. The 'USB Mode' setting as default is designed to auto-sense and connect to external USB devices. In some cases, the external USB device may present driver conflicts that prevents your Picture Porter 35 from automatically recognizing it. Manually changing the 'USB Mode' setting to 'Host Device' may solve this driver conflict.

To do this, turn off your Picture Porter 35. Disconnect the USB cable connection to the external hard drive. Turn your Picture Porter 35 back on. Go into the SETUP menu, SYSTEM SETTINGS, Device (last) tab, and change the 'USB Mode' setting to 'Host Device'. Exit from SETUP, and reconnect the external hard drive USB connection. Again, it may take several seconds for the external hard drive to be recognized and for the USB icon to appear.