32GB Card To Be Available By End of the Year

Panasonic announced the delivery of its new AJ-P2C016RG 16GB P2 card that doubles the storage capacity and recording time of its previous P2 solid-state memory card. Available at a suggested list price of $900, the reusable 16GB P2 card now offers P2 camcorders recording capacity comparable to, and often exceeding, tape and disc-based systems.
P2 solid-state based acquisition can eliminate consumable media costs and the additional time required for content ingest. Unlike other disc and tape based production systems, the recording capacity of P2 based products can be continually upgraded without the need to replace the original system. Like digital photography, highly reliable solid-state P2 systems are rapidly becoming the standard tool for professional content producers throughout the world.

With a five-slot AJ-HPX2000 P2 HD camcorder, professionals can record up to 200 minutes at native 720/24pN in DVCPRO HD, 80 minutes in 1080i/720p in DVCPRO HD, and 160 minutes in DVCPRO 50 using five 16 GB P2 cards. With the newly-available, four-slot AG-HPX500 interchangeable lens P2 HD camcorder, users can record up to 160 minutes at native 720/24pN in DVCPRO HD, 128 minutes at 720P/30pN in DVCPRO HD, 64 minutes in 720p/60 in DVCPRO HD,128 minutes in DVCPRO 50 and 256 minutes in DVCPRO on four 16GB P2 cards. Users of the compact AG-HVX200 P2 HD handheld, which has two P2 card slots, can also enjoy extended recording with 32 minutes in DVCPRO HD, 64 minutes in DVCPRO 50 and 128 minutes in DVCPRO.

The new AJ-P2C016RG is a PCMCIA compatible plug-in card based on ultra-reliable, solid-state memory, integrating four high-performance SD cards like those now used in digital still cameras, and packaged in a rugged, die-cast frame that weighs only 0.099 lbs (45 grams). This convenient card has four times the capacity and four times the transfer speed of a single SD card. The P2 card is reusable, connects instantly with laptops and major non-linear editing systems, and eliminates the time-consuming task of digitizing. The re-usable P2 card is resistant to impact, vibration, shock, dust and environmental extremes including temperature changes. These PCMCIA-based cards are directly compatible with P2 decks, drives and the vast majority of laptop PCs, and can be easily connected to laptops using ExpressCard technology with simple, highly affordable third-party adapters.

The enhanced capacity 16GB P2 Card is compatible with all AG-HPX500 recorders and with
AG-HVX200 camcorders with a serial number beginning with E7xxx0001. The 16GB P2 Card is also compatible with AJ-PCD20 drive beginning with the serial number E7xxx0001. Other P2 HD and P2 camcorders and products can be upgraded via a free, downloadable firmware upgrade. Visit Panasonic Broadcast’s web site www.panasonic.com/broadcast for more details.

Panasonic also announced that its 32GB P2 card would be available by year-end at a price of $1,800, effectively quadrupling the storage capacity of its previous P2 card.

www.panasonic.com/broadcast