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It might help to look at this way:
P2 media was from the outset designed for professional use, not prosumer/consumer. Unfortunately because it's a solid-state type of media it's all too often associated with CF and SD-type cards (and probably because it is HQ-SD at it's heart). But in point of fact it's not consumer-grade media nor consumer-purpose driven, it's for pro use.
To that end it's illogical to assume that the interface for it would be in the same cost-structure as consumer media. Nobody expects a DVCPRO-HD deck to be at the same price-point as a consumer DV/HDV deck, the same applies to P2.
Consider the cost of the least expensive DVCPRO-HD deck, then compare the P2 reader. The P2 reader is still DVCPRO-HD-capable, right? But at a fraction of the cost.
It's the old addage: if you want to play, you gotta pay. And when you consider that P2 gives you the exact same capabilities as the tape-based system (and more) at several price-points lower... I mean really. Stop the whining. Get the gear, make your money and be happy you did it for far less cash outlay than you ever could have 5 years ago.
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