eBay

Panasonic AJ-P2AD1G microP2 Adapter

This adapter extends the benefits of the microP2 cards to existing P2 card users by adapting the SD form factor of the microP2 card into the PCMCIA form factor of the P2 card*.

Furthering the versatility of the microP2 card adapter, its design allows Class 10 or high-quality SD cards to be used in emergency situations to record content (at bit rates only up to 50Mbps) on P2 products.

* The microP2 card and microP2 card adapter will not support all P2 products. To use the microP2 card adapter, a firmware upgrade of current P2 hardware may be required.

Full specification

Interface	CardBus (PC card standards)
Supply Voltage	DC 3.3 V ±0.3 V
Operating Temperature	-20 °C to 60 °C (-4°F to 140°F)
Operating Humidity	5% to 90 % (no condensation)
Storage Temperature	-40 °C to 80 °C (-40°F to 176°F)
Storage Humidity	5% to 90 % (no condensation)
Weight [kg]	Approx. 32 g (approx. 1.13 oz)
Dimensions	W 85.6 mm x H 54 mm x D 5 mm (3.37 inches x 2.13 inches x 0.2 inches)

Guide to Panasonic microP2

Copy 1 hour of AVC-Intra 100Mb/s footage in 5 minutes... with microP2

The P2 Heritage

Panasonic introduced P2 technology in 2004. It quickly became the recording format of choice among broadcasters and news corporations worldwide. RAID protected and packaged in a die-cast PC card enclosure, it was the first to deliver a fast and secure IT workflow. Using the Panasonic USB3.0 reader (AJ-PCD30), P2 data can be transferred at 1.2 Gb/s.

Introducing microP2

With the advent of higher resolution video and codecs such as AVC Ultra 200, broadcasters need even swifter transfer rates. At NAB 2012, Panasonic announced microP2, a new professional recording format that offers:

Very high speed recording and data transfers (2Gb/s)
Dramatically lower cost media
Significantly smaller form factor
Tough build quality (200% stronger than SD spec)
Reliable RAID protected operation, plus static electricity protection
Advanced error correction with smart ware levelling
QR identification codes for card tracking
Professional grade memory verified for broadcast use
Designed for professional use: working temperature -25c - 85c
Lifetime counter with end of life notifications
New Content Protection System (CPS) password-protects the data

microP2 Data Transfer

microP2 shares the standard form format as the SD card so can be inserted into virtually every laptop, and workstation. SD readers connected by USB 2.0 can also be used but will transfer at a maximum of 0.3Gb/s.

But for the ultimate speed... Priced around 80% lower than the equivalent P2 card drive, the dual slot microP2 drive (AJ-MPD1) provides high speed transfer from card to a PC or Mac. With USB 3.0, it can sustain transfer speed of up-to 2.0Gb/s, with no AC adapter required.

Adapting microP2 for use in Panasonic P2 equipment

Many Panasonic P2 products can use microP2 cards with the use of the microP2 card adapter (AJ-P2AD1). This device has the same PCMCIA form factor as P2 and can accept a single microP2 card, enabling P2 camera owners to use the new media.

Data stored on microP2 cards via the adapter can be transferred using SD card readers or the Panasonic microP2 card reader. P2 card readers can accept the adapter, running at speeds from 0.3Gb/s (AJ-PCD2) to 1 Gb/s (AJ-PCD30).

Using generic SD cards?

High speed (Class 10 or faster) SDHC and SDXC cards can be used in the place of dedicated microP2 media. However, they are not designed for professional or broadcast use: microP2 is based on UHS-II technology which is considerably faster than the 0.16Gb/s high-speed mode of UHS-I which runs at 0.8Gb/s. Therefore, standard SD cards should be used as an emergency measureonly. Beware: if SDHC or SDXC cards are used, your recording is not guaranteed and recording speeds are limited to a maximum 50Mb/s, supporting DV, DVCPRO, DVCPRO50 and AVC-Intra50 formats.