Panasonic Announces 64GB Solid-State P2 Memory Card, Doubling Current Recording Capacity

Permits Over an Hour of DVCPRO HD or AVC-Intra 100 on a Single P2 Card

Panasonic has announced a 64GB P2 solid-state memory card for its popular line of P2 HD and P2 solid-state broadcast camcorders and decks. With the arrival of the 64GB card in Australiain Q4 2008, Panasonic will again have doubled the storage capacity of its P2 card from the current 32GB capacity, providing HD recording time dramatically greater than any tape or disc-based system.

The 64GB P2 card, model AJ-P2C064AG, is scheduled for Australian release in Q4 2008, with pricing to be announced closer to the release date. The new 64GB P2 card will be offered in addition to the current 32GB and 16GB P2 card.

64GB P2 Card

A 64GB P2 card is capable of storing over four hours of DVCPRO footage (64 GBX 4 minutes per GB), or more than two hour of DVCPRO50, AVC-Intra 50 (64 GB X 2 minutes per GB) or 64 minutes of AVC-Intra 100 or DVCPROHD.  With five64GB P2 cards installed, an AJ-HPX3000 P2 HD camcorder can record for 320 minutesin AVC-Intra 100 or DVCPRO HD and 640 minutesin AVC-Intra 50 or DVCPRO 50.

"When first introduced in 2004, our strategy with P2 was to double the capacity of the P2 cards every year. With the delivery of the 64GB cards later this year we are on track to deliver on that promise," said Mathew Alexander, Product Manager, Broadcast, Panasonic Australia. "The long recording time available with the 64GB card means that there is virtually no need to switch out media on-set while working on long-form projects."

P2 cards are designed for professional users to offer fast, easy IT-based operations and ultra high reliability. Theyarereusable so that P2 acquisition requires no media consumption, resulting in tremendous savings in media costs.

A P2 card iscomprised ofitsown processor, firmware, a RAID controller, and gigabytes of the highest-quality nonvolatilesolid-state memory chips.  Theymanage data intelligently includinga write-verification step for every byte of memory that is written to the card for fault-free operation.TheP2 card can be connectedinstantly with laptopPCs and major non-linear editing systems.Packaged in a rugged, die-cast frame, the P2 card is resistant to impact, vibration, shock, dust and environmental extremes including temperature changes.

The 64GB P2 card will work immediately with all P2 HD camcorders purchased from May 2007 forward. P2 and P2 HD products purchased prior to that date will need a free, downloadable software upgrade available on the Panasonic website. Customers wanting to connect the card to an ExpressCardslot ofa laptop can utilise a low cost PC card-to-ExpressCardadapter.