A-Series P2 Cards at DVinfo.net
DV Info Net

Go Back   DV Info Net > Panasonic P2HD / AVCCAM / AVCHD / DV Camera Systems > Panasonic P2HD / DVCPRO HD Camcorders

Panasonic P2HD / DVCPRO HD Camcorders
All AG-HPX and AJ-PX Series camcorders and P2 / P2HD hardware.

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old February 7th, 2009, 03:12 PM   #1
Sponsor: Abel CineTech
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: New York, NY
Posts: 361
A-Series P2 Cards

Maxell announced that they were making P2 Cards last November. I have yet to see these cards, but they promise to deliver just as well as a standard P2 Card. Fujifilm made a similar announcement recently and apparently the cards are available now in some parts of the world. (FUJIFILM Global | Products | Professional AV Media | P2)

I did notice that the Maxell cards are listed as being “A-Series” - as opposed to the R-Series, H-Series, and S-Series cards from Panasonic. A little history: The H & R series where designed to work with HD video (640mbps) and S for SD video (320mbs). The 16 & 32 Gig Cards were the first of the R-Series Cards and required a firmware upgrade in many P2 Devices. The FujiFilm cards are also labeled as R-Series. Finally the 64 gig cards came out with no Series listing at all, but with an increased speed of 800mbs.

This brings into question what exactly the A-Series will be. The Maxell (press release) makes no mention of transfer speed, but the fact that they are a different series then previous cards seems to point to a different system all together. On January 21st Panasonic updated there P2 Format Station software to include support for the A-Series cards, this also suggests a significant change in the card structure. I’m excited to see the features of the new series, and hope that the A stands for more Affordable. Hopefully we will learn more in the near future.
__________________
Andy Shipsides -Camera Technology Specialist
AbelCineTech, New York - Visit our Blog - http://blog.abelcine.com
Andy Shipsides is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 7th, 2009, 04:21 PM   #2
Regular Crew
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Canada
Posts: 149
Quote:
Originally Posted by Andy Shipsides View Post
I’m excited to see the features of the new series, and hope that the A stands for more Affordable. Hopefully we will learn more in the near future.
Well I just have to say "A"men to that ;)
Brian Ladue is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 8th, 2009, 04:44 AM   #3
Regular Crew
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Australia Vic
Posts: 160
Hi Andy,
interesting info, My P2 32gig Fuji is a R series, and my 32gig panas are R series, and my old 8gig panas have no series designated at all. they all perform the same for me.

All I know for sure is, they are "Very Expensive".

Cheers
Tom K
olinevideo.com.au
__________________
Tom K
www.olinevideo.com.au
Tom Klein is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 8th, 2009, 07:16 PM   #4
Go Go Godzilla
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Scottsdale, AZ USA
Posts: 2,788
Images: 15
The original 2, 4, and 8GB P2 cards had no identifier in the product name and used the older, original SD-type memory modules. The type "R" refers to the newer cards - 16GB and higher which use SDHC-type modules for greater capacity/throughput. Maxell may simply be using their "A" designator to create a branding differential between Panny and Fuji product.
Robert Lane is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 8th, 2009, 10:08 PM   #5
Sponsor: Abel CineTech
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: New York, NY
Posts: 361
Quote:
Originally Posted by Robert Lane View Post
The original 2, 4, and 8GB P2 cards had no identifier in the product name and used the older, original SD-type memory modules. The type "R" refers to the newer cards - 16GB and higher which use SDHC-type modules for greater capacity/throughput. Maxell may simply be using their "A" designator to create a branding differential between Panny and Fuji product.
If you look at the product number of each card the second to last letter lists the series. Hense the AJ-P2C032RG and the AJ-P2C008HG. Many cards didn't actually have the series printed on the front.

The A-Series could be just a simple distinction between the manufactures, but as you pointed out there was a significant change from the H to R series. So why change the series at all if they aren't changing the structure of the card?
__________________
Andy Shipsides -Camera Technology Specialist
AbelCineTech, New York - Visit our Blog - http://blog.abelcine.com
Andy Shipsides is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 9th, 2009, 10:44 AM   #6
Go Go Godzilla
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Scottsdale, AZ USA
Posts: 2,788
Images: 15
As it was explained to those of us who were Panny consultants in '06 the "R" designator was as much for marketing as it was technological differential. The structure of the card didn't change but it's capabilities did with respect to data size and I/O speed. There was also a change in in-camera communication parameters which required firmware updates to talk to the newer cards, however all P2 devices produced after the release of the Type-R card came with the updated firmware. See the enclosed slide from a Keynote I created for the P2HD roadshow in '06:
Attached Thumbnails
A-Series P2 Cards-p2hd-keynote.034.jpg  
Robert Lane is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 13th, 2009, 05:58 PM   #7
Panasonic Broadcast
 
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Secaucus, NJ 07094
Posts: 271
Hi,

The "A" series denotes an uptick in the record and transfer speeds, it is now 800Mbs up from 640Mbs.

The "R" series while using an SDHC memory, also did wait to have the memory incorporated into an SD container to be used like the 8GBs and lower. The memory "sites" are incorporated into a larger memory/LSI/RAID so if you were to open one, it looks like one big chip in there.

Hope this helps,

Jan
__________________
Jan Crittenden Livingston
Panasonic Solutions Company, Product Manager for 3D and Handheld Cameras
Jan Crittenden Livingston is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 19th, 2009, 01:04 PM   #8
Barry Wan Kenobi
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 3,863
The "A" series is significantly faster. It sounds like a small increase, but in reality I've seen a 64GB "A" card offload at a rate of six gigabytes per minute. The fastest I've gotten a regular "R" series card to offload is around 3.4GB per minute.
Barry Green is offline   Reply With Quote
Old May 25th, 2010, 07:26 AM   #9
Regular Crew
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: London Ontario
Posts: 94
Checking the B&H Photo site for the HPX170, I notice they have "E" series cards listed for the camera. Another new designation? I would love to check out the Maxell equivalent.

These different series sound like they are equally about doubt and confusion, and performance.
__________________
Regards,
Thane Silliker, London, Ontario
Thane Silliker is offline   Reply With Quote
Old May 25th, 2010, 07:50 PM   #10
Trustee
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: New York, NY
Posts: 1,267
E Series is the newer version of P2 which eventually wears out depending on how many times the card is formatted. The A series was more expensive but lasted much longer. Download speeds were different.
Daniel Epstein is offline   Reply With Quote
Old May 26th, 2010, 08:41 AM   #11
Regular Crew
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: London Ontario
Posts: 94
Speaking as a forthcoming user of such cards, this would seem to be a setback. On the other hand, I am not likely to reach the re-write limit of the E series cards.
__________________
Regards,
Thane Silliker, London, Ontario
Thane Silliker is offline   Reply With Quote
Old May 26th, 2010, 05:48 PM   #12
Regular Crew
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Australia Vic
Posts: 160
Quote:
Originally Posted by Daniel Epstein View Post
E Series is the newer version of P2 which eventually wears out depending on how many times the card is formatted. The A series was more expensive but lasted much longer. Download speeds were different.
"Lasted much longer",
has anyone ever worn out, thru writes and re writes a P2 card of any sort yet, I doubt it, I only wish E series cards were out back in the early P2 days, I paid a kings ranson for my cards.
Lots of people forget that you will only buy them "once", the lastest E-series are terrific $ value in my opinion.
if you ever reached the "Limit" with an E-series they would have paid forthemselves many times over, much the same as re use of old video tape stock in the bad old days.

Cheers
__________________
Tom K
www.olinevideo.com.au
Tom Klein is offline   Reply With Quote
Old June 9th, 2010, 05:40 PM   #13
Regular Crew
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: London Ontario
Posts: 94
Incidentally, I just got an email from Maxell Canada concerning the price of their version of the 64GB P2 cards.

I'm glad I was sitting down. Their price is $1269.52!!! He followed that up with the comment that that is in line with Panasonic's pricing. I have seen it listed on Canadian websites for $1200.

Wowzers, if they are going to the trouble of developing these cards, why give them a fighting chance in the marketplace?
__________________
Regards,
Thane Silliker, London, Ontario
Thane Silliker is offline   Reply With Quote
Old June 10th, 2010, 06:10 AM   #14
Trustee
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: New York, NY
Posts: 1,267
Tom,
While I agree the E series are a great value compared to the older cards costs I could see a news operation running through the cycles fast enough to wear them out in a couple of years. I still think Panasonic hasn't made the "cost" a no brainer for the system compared to some of the other memory choices out there. I do like the reliability of the cards but still have to manage media more than I would like.
Daniel Epstein is offline   Reply With Quote
Old June 11th, 2010, 12:11 AM   #15
Regular Crew
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Australia Vic
Posts: 160
Hello Daniel,

If you didn't cover the cost of some P2 cards in just a few months, then your well under charging your clients, get some clients that are prepared to pay a decent rate, or get another job.

Most network news gathering gear is "well worn out / bashed about" after two years anyway.

This industry costs plenty to acquire the material so pass your costs on.
yes, SD cards are cheap, or go back to tape if your clients are cost driving your work.

Cheers
__________________
Tom K
www.olinevideo.com.au
Tom Klein is offline   Reply
Reply

DV Info Net refers all where-to-buy and where-to-rent questions exclusively to these trusted full line dealers and rental houses...

B&H Photo Video
(866) 521-7381
New York, NY USA

Scan Computers Int. Ltd.
+44 0871-472-4747
Bolton, Lancashire UK


DV Info Net also encourages you to support local businesses and buy from an authorized dealer in your neighborhood.
  You are here: DV Info Net > Panasonic P2HD / AVCCAM / AVCHD / DV Camera Systems > Panasonic P2HD / DVCPRO HD Camcorders

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

 



All times are GMT -6. The time now is 09:58 AM.


DV Info Net -- Real Names, Real People, Real Info!
1998-2024 The Digital Video Information Network