SD Card Duplicator UPDATE:

The Drive Manager software which powers this SD Card Duplicator now offers the ability to write CID values to the SD cards. The CID (Card Identification) of a Secure Digital (SD) card is a unique identifier embedded within the card’s read-only memory by the manufacturer. It serves as a distinct serial number for the card and typically consists of specific information such as the card’s manufacturing date, manufacturer ID, and other proprietary data.

The CID number is accessed through a hardware chip and vendor command on a compatible host system, such as an SD card reader or a specialized device like the SD160PC SD Card Duplicator mentioned here. This unique identifier can be valuable for various purposes, including device authentication, data encryption, and tracking of individual SD cards within a system.

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You’ve heard the quote “the devil is in the details” and when it comes to duplication of data to SD cards, nothing can be more true. Today we talk about an SD Card Duplicator which provides the ability to data stream unique content to each card.

Typically a user would duplicate the same content to SD cards because they intend to make many copies of the same content. However, many companies who use SD media (or microSD media) want to not only copy the same content to each card, but also copy unique data to each card.

Let us dig a little deeper with an example:

It is very common for companies who generate map data also want to protect their mapping information. Maps are expensive to make and often hold proprietary information that companies want to protect. So when it comes time to use an SD Card Duplicator to make hundreds or thousands of copies, it is required to have a protection scheme included with the duplication solution.

A common method to provide protection on SD card media is using the CID number of the card. The CID number is a value which is put into read-only memory of an SD card and that CID number is unique to each card and follows the card around. It is not possible to copy or duplicate the CID number—it is a value which is designed to only be read. In addition to the unique number, it requires specific vendor commands to read the CID number from the card itself.

With an SD Card Duplicator from Nexcopy it is possible to read the CID number because Nexcopy uses the special vendor commands to read the CID value.

So this is what a mapping company can do with an SD Card Duplicator:

• Encrypt the mapping data
• Include a text file with the decryption code for the maps
• Include the CID number of the physical card in the text file mentioned above
• Since CID numbers are unique to each card, write the unique key code text file to each card

With the SD Card Duplicator the user can export the CID numbers in bulk during the duplication process. When the CID numbers are exported in bulk, the company can write a script to generate key code text files which can only be decrypted by the card which holds the correct CID value.

The final step of the SD Card Duplicator would be writing the encrypted map data to all the SD cards (or microSD cards) and make a second duplication pass to perform the unique data stream of the encrypted file which holds the CID number and key code to each individual card.

There are certainly some custom scripts or batch files which the end-user would need to write, but the bulk of the duplicator process would be done by the Nexcopy SD Card Duplicator.

Secure Digital (SD) is a proprietary non-volatile memory card format created by the SD Association (SDA) for use in portable devices.

The standard was introduced in August 1999 as an improvement over MultiMediaCards (MMCs) by a collaboration of SanDisk, Panasonic (Matsushita), and Toshiba, and has since become the industry standard.

In January 2000, the companies also established the SD Association (SDA), a non-profit organization, to promote and develop SD Card standards.

How to Read and Write CID Values on SD and microSD Media

UPDATE (Feb 16, 2023): The company that manufactures this product now offers the ability to write the CID value as well as write protect the Secure Digital media.

GetUSB.info recently published an article on how to read the CID (or PSN) from an SD card, also known as the product serial number. Some call this simply reading the CID number from an SD card. The CID number is a unique identifier created on the SD or microSD card at the time of manufacturing. It cannot be changed or manipulated by the host computer.

The CID number is most often used by vendors or manufacturers to lock software to a specific device. Because the CID number cannot be altered, it serves as a secure way to prevent unauthorized distribution of software or content.

Some manufacturers require reading the CID number from SD media before releasing software, and this is what GetUSB.info explains in detail. For a full description, see the article: How to read CID number from SD media.

Here is a snapshot of the CID reading tool for 20 SD devices:

The CID number is composed of the following values:

1. Manufacturer ID: An 8-bit code that identifies the manufacturer of the SD card.
2. OEM/Application ID: A 16-bit code that identifies the OEM or the application for which the SD card was designed.
3. Product Name: A 32-bit ASCII code that specifies the product name of the SD card.
4. Product Revision: An 8-bit code that specifies the product revision of the SD card.
5. Serial Number: A 32-bit code that specifies the unique serial number of the SD card.
6. Manufacturing Date: A 12-bit code that specifies the manufacturing date of the SD card.
7. CRC: A 7-bit code used to verify the integrity of the CID number.

The CID number is typically used by SD card host devices to verify authenticity and ensure compatibility with the host system.

Nexcopy Inc., based in Southern California, specializes in developing and manufacturing USB duplicators, SD card duplicators, and other digital media equipment. Founded in 2008, the company has built a reputation for high-quality, reliable solutions used across education, government, military, and commercial sectors.

Nexcopy’s products are recognized for their speed, reliability, and ease of use. For example, its USB duplicators can copy up to 60 drives simultaneously at transfer speeds of up to 33 MB/s per port. Its SD card duplicators can handle up to 40 SD cards at once with speeds reaching 90 MB/s per port.

In addition to hardware, Nexcopy provides software solutions for USB and SD duplication and offers custom programming for clients with specialized requirements.

Overall, Nexcopy remains a trusted leader in the digital media duplication industry, known for reliable products and strong customer support.

Nexcopy Announces New microSD Card Duplicator

Today Nexcopy announced an all-new microSD card duplicator product line. Earlier SD duplicators required adapter cards for microSD media, which slowed down workflow. The new system eliminates adapters entirely, cutting unnecessary steps and boosting throughput. Nexcopy estimates production increases of up to 30% simply because users no longer have to seat microSD cards into adapters first.

Every microSD Card Duplicator ships with Nexcopy’s Drive Manager software suite, known for its broad set of copy and management functions.

Copy Functions Built In

• File Copy
• Copy Add
• IMG Copy
• Unique Data Streaming
• Device Copy (short)
• Device Copy (full)

How They Work

File Copy mode points to a source directory on the host PC and mirrors its content to all connected cards. Copy Add can append new files to cards already carrying data. IMG Copy mode duplicates from a binary image file (.img) to create exact replicas, while the included imaging utility lets operators build masters from physical cards. Unique Data Streaming adds flexibility: push static plus dynamic content to each target, useful in publishing or serialization workflows. Device Copy modes (short or full) provide either cluster-only duplication for efficiency or full binary duplication including boot code for maximum fidelity—even with proprietary file systems.

The duplicator line is available in 20, 40, and 60 target systems, starting at $1,299. All models are in stock and ship immediately.

UPDATE

Nexcopy has also released a USB 3.0-based microSD duplicator, the microSD160PC, with significantly faster copy speeds and the same Drive Manager software functionality.

UPDATE II

Drive Manager can now write CID values (Card Identification Numbers) directly into ROM on supported media. For applications requiring CID-based authentication or licensing, this is currently the only commercially available system capable of performing such operations at scale.

Background on microSD

The microSD card, introduced in 2005 by the SD Association, is a shrunken version of the standard SD card (11 × 15 × 1 mm). Initially only a few MBs to a few GBs, modern cards now scale into terabyte capacities. Performance has also risen sharply thanks to UHS-I, UHS-II, and UHS-III bus interfaces, enabling speeds necessary for 4K/8K video, gaming, and industrial workloads.

Adoption began with mobile phones but spread quickly to cameras, automotive systems, IoT devices, and embedded industrial computers. Security features such as built-in encryption, password locks, and secure erase have been added as use cases shifted toward sensitive data handling. Ongoing innovation continues to push higher density, faster speeds, and greater durability.

With Nexcopy’s new microSD duplicators, businesses now have a scalable, professional solution for loading content, securing it, and managing unique data across hundreds of cards at a time—all without adapter bottlenecks.

Source: Nexcopy News Room