P2 (storage media)
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DVCPRO P2 (P2 is short form for "Professional Plug-In") is a professional digital video storage media format introduced by Panasonic in 2004, and especially tailored to ENG applications. It features tapeless (non-linear) recording of DVCPRO, DVCPRO50, DVCPRO-HD, or AVC-Intra streams on a solid state flash memory card. The P2 Card is essentially a RAID of SD memory cards with an LSI controller tightly packaged in a die-cast PC card (formerly PCMCIA) enclosure, so data transfer rate increases as memory capacity increases. The system includes cameras, decks as drop-in replacement for VCRs, and a special 5.25" computer drive for random access integration with NLE systems. The cards can also be used directly where a PC card slot is available, as in most notebook computers, as a normal disk drive, although a custom software driver must first be loaded.
As of early 2008, P2 cards are available in capacities of 4, 8, 16, and 32GB, with a 64GB card due to be released in late 2008.[1] At introduction, P2 cards offered low recording capacity compared to competing, videotape-based formats (a miniDV tape holds roughly 13GB of data, and an S-size HDCAM tape holds 50GB). To solve this, camcorders and decks using P2 media employ multiple card slots, with the ability to span the recording over all slots. Cards are recorded in sequence, and when a card is full, it can be swapped out while another card is recording. This limits recording time only by power supply and the available amount of cards. If a card is partially full, the deck will record only until it is full. Unlike tape, old video cannot be recorded over accidentally. Old footage must be manually deleted.
The first pieces of equipment released by Panasonic which use the P2 format included the AJ-SPX800 (a 2/3" broadcast camcorder for ENG and EFP applictions), the studio recorder AJ-SPD850, the AJ-PCD10 offload device (basically, a five-slot PC card reader with USB interface designed to fit a 5-1/4" IT systems bay), and the memory cards themselves - AJ-P2C004 (4GB) and AJ-P2C002 (2GB). Panasonic is currently shipping a wide range of camcorders that support the P2 format, including the semi-professional AG-HVX200 HD handheld camcorder, and the high-end, shoulder-mount AG-HPX500, AJ-HPX2000, and AJ-HPX3000 camcorders. Panasonic has also announced the P2-based AG-HPX170 handheld HD camcorder.
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[edit] Specifications
- File format: MXF
- Maximum datarate: 640 Mbit/s([1])
- Available sizes: 8GB, 16GB, 32GB
- Form factor: PC card (PCMCIA) type II
- Price $700 (8 GB), $900 (16 GB), $1,650 (32GB)
[edit] See also
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Panasonic's DVCPRO P2 product overview
- P2 Overview at dvxuser.com
- P2 Workflow Training.
- Panasonic Announces Upgrades To P2 Solid-State Memory Drive. February 26, 2006.
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