To meet the demands of professional users of P2 card technology, Maxell Corp. of America introduces the “E” series of P2 cards for use with P2 cameras and professional solid-state P2 memory recording systems. The “E” Series P2 card offers an improved price/performance ratio and faster transfer speeds that allow for a rapid file-based workflow in camera recording, nonlinear editing and data transmission applications.

The Maxell “E” Series P2 cards have a transfer speed of 1.2Gb/s and high reliability, even under extreme environmental conditions. The new P2 cards are available in three storage capacities--16GB, 32GB and 64GB--and feature AVC-Intra 100 technology, resulting in 16, 32 and 64 minutes of high-def recording capability, respectively.

“By upgrading the Flash memory and controller in the ‘E’ Series, we are able to achieve 1.2Gb/s in the transfer speed, while lowering the cost to our customers,” says Patricia Byrne, senior marketing manager for Maxell. “Although earlier versions of Maxell’s P2 cards have been very successful, we wanted to provide current and potential customers with enhanced performance and a better value.”

The new Maxell P2 card performs well even in harsh environments with variable conditions, as its compact design is resistant to vibration, impact, extreme temperatures and humidity. When recorded once daily at full capacity, the “E” Series is reusable for up to five years, and its life is doubled when daily usage is 50 percent of capacity.

Another key feature of the P2 “E” Series card is that it automatically notifies the user when the card is approaching the end of its life cycle. The notice can be shown either in the viewfinder/LCD display of a P2 camera or on the P2 card reader, which can be displayed and tracked on a computer via P2 formatting software. The software can be downloaded from the Panasonic P2 Support Desk Web site.

The Maxell “E” Series P2 card is fully compatible with P2 cameras and recorders. Audio/video data can be recorded as MXF files, and large data can be saved into multiple cards seamlessly with the special card identification system. The P2 card, which meets Type-II PC card standards, can be easily connected to PC card slots for copying and editing, and can be used by either Mac or PC with a free driver download.

Price and Availability
The Maxell “E” Series P2 Card is slated for release in November for an MSRP of $430 (16GB), $630 (32GB) and $999 (64GB).