The new specifications were established to meet the growing demand for HD (High Definition) video and high-resolution image recording used in many SD enabled devices. The 4 GB SDHC Memory Card is scheduled for global release in the summer of 2006.
Since its introduction in the year 2000, the SD Memory Card has been accepted by a wide range of digital devices, backed by its four main advantages - compact size, high data storage capacity, fast data transfer speed and advanced copyright protection features. The demand for higher-capacity SD Memory Cards still continues to grow due to the widespread use of high-resolution digital cameras and semiconductor audio and video players. Reacting to remarkable growth in the market for such devices, the SD Card Association released SD Specifications Version 2.00 for the capacity beyond 2 GB.
With the new specifications, it became possible to develop SDHC Memory Card with capacities up to 32 GB. In addition, the new Specifications Version 2.00 specified to guarantee the minimum sustained data transfer speeds by establishing card performance classes (Class 2: 2 MB/s; Class 4: 4 MB/s; Class 6: 6 MB/s) for recording the streaming MPEG data.
The previous versions of the specification did not provide such common standards for sustained data transfer speeds to be shared by all manufacturers. The new approach allows users to select card performance based on the needs of particular applications such as HD video and other MPEG applications with high data storage capacities. The new specifications continue to offer highly reliable copyright protection function, one of the SD Memory Card's most distinguishing features making it an ideal solution for digital content distribution.
Panasonic is planning to increase the storage capacities of its SDHC Memory Card as host devices complying with the new specification come to the market.
Source: Panasonic
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