SanDisk and Sony develop ''Memory Stick Pro-HG'' format

SanDisk and Sony announced the development of the "Memory Stick PRO-HG" format expanded from the "Memory Stick PRO" format.

The continuing increase in the capacity of IC recording media has broadened its usage as a practical way to store high-resolution digital photos, music and video content (from the Internet or TV programs) on portable devices that are designed to handle digital entertainment content. The demand for real-time recording and transfer of multiple gigabytes of data using IC recording media is expected to increase rapidly, due to the growing popularity of high resolution video and digital still image applications.

Since "Memory Stick PRO-HG" is an extended format of the "Memory Stick PRO" format, "Memory Stick PRO-HG" compliant host devices support the conventional "Memory Stick PRO" media as well as "Memory Stick PRO-HG" media. In addition, the "Memory Stick PRO-HG" media can be used conventional "Memory Stick PRO" compliant host devices as well as "Memory Stick PRO-HG" compliant host devices.

Since the September 1998 market introduction of Memory Stick, cumulative shipments of media have achieved 200 million units as of September 2006(3). The Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo media will be made available in 2007.

Major Specifications of Memory Stick PRO-HG:

Dimensions	Duo size (31 x 20 x 1.6) mm
Connector Pin	14-pin
Capacity	32GB(a) (format maximum)(4)
Max. Data Transfer Rate	480 Mbps (theoretical)
Min. Write Speed	120 Mbps(1) (As of 8-bit parallel transfer)
40 Mbps(1) (As of 4-bit parallel transfer)
Operating Voltage	2.7 to 3.6 V
Interface	8-bit / 4-bit parallel I/F and Serial I/F
Max. Clock frequency	60MHz(5)