SD Association News

From the Secure Digital Association:

SDA introduces fastest high-quality video speed class at CP+2016

SAN RAMON and PACIFICO YOKOHAMA, Japan - CP+ BOOTH G-O6 - Feb.25, 2016 - The SD Association (SDA), a global ecosystem of companies setting industry-leading memory card standards, today launched its fastest speed class, Video Speed Class, which also delivers real-time multi-file recording for many applications and supports the highest video resolutions and qualities available today. With Video Speed Class, 4K, 8K, 3D and 360 degree video recordings are now assured and accessible to consumers and professionals alike.

Consumers will easily capture memories at their devices’ best quality by following device manufacturer recommendations and matching the Video Speed Class mark on their device to an SD memory card with the same Video Speed Class mark. The new marks will appear on SDHC and SDXC UHS-I and UHS-II memory cards.

The new Video Speed Class maintains the tradition of ensuring guaranteed minimum performance levels as the familiar Speed Class and UHS Speed Class systems do today. Minimum speeds will range from 6MB to 90 MB per second.

The fastest options, V60 and V90, support 8K resolution, while V6, V10 and V30 capture high-definition and 4K resolution. All speed classes guarantee minimum video recording speeds to ensure smooth video playback, so actual recording performance may be even faster.

“With Video Speed Class, SD device and memory card manufacturers can offer the highest-quality video recording to consumers and professionals that keep pace with the awesome video resolutions not only offered today, but anticipated tomorrow,” said Brian Kumagai, president of the SDA. “New products leveraging the capabilities of Video Speed Class will be based on the high storage capacities offered by SDHC and SDXC memory cards.” Video Speed Class, part of the latest SD 5.0 specification, gives SD manufacturers flexibility in using the latest flash memory technology to support a range of current and expected video applications. SDA anticipates and encourages market transition to the newly introduced Video Speed Class as the choice for future applications. The SDA expects video recording device and card manufacturers will offer the first products supporting Video Speed Class soon.

Video Speed Class marks will be located on supporting devices and memory cards, product manuals or packages so consumers will know what type of card should match their device, assuring their video is recorded at their devices’ highest quality with the best playback.

Visit the SD Association at CP+2016 in Booth G-O6 Thursday, Feb. 25, through Sunday, Feb. 28, to discuss the Video Speed Class for the next SD memory cards and video recording devices. SDA members will also demonstrate applications currently in the market, including UHS-I and UHS-II memory cards and devices, wireless SD memory card data transfers, TransferJet technology and more.

B&H carries SD memory cards.

On Jan 9, 2012, the SD Association announced the addition of wireless to the SD card standards. To say that this announcement has not been well-received by SD Association member Eye-Fi is a strong understatement.

Eye-Fi CEO Yuval Koren has posted a statement on the Eye-Fi blog.

From SD Association:

SD ASSOCIATION ADDS STANDARDIZED WIRELESS COMMUNICATION TO WORLD-LEADING SD MEMORY CARD STANDARDS

New Wireless LAN feature extends SD memory card convenience so consumers can transfer pictures and videos wirelessly from their cameras

LAS VEGAS – CES Booth South Hall 4 #36231 -- Jan. 9, 2012 – A new SD memory card standard can transform millions of everyday consumer electronics into wireless LAN devices with portable storage and communications. The Wireless LAN SD standard announced today is the SD Association’s first wireless SD memory card standard combining storage and wireless capabilities. Consumers will be able to transfer pictures, videos and other content wirelessly from most existing digital cameras and digital video cameras to web-based cloud services and between SD devices over home networks.

The Wireless LAN SD standard combines the world-leading memory card storage standard with the ubiquitous wireless standard IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n, part of the Association’s strategy to expand SD services and features by incorporating other global standards. This standard is applicable to full size SD/SDHC/SDXC and microSD/SDHC/SDXC memory cards. It taps into a billions-strong SD standards market for which manufacturers can develop products and consumers can reliably use Wireless LAN applications.

“As cloud servers and wireless technologies continue to penetrate the consumer experience, wireless accessibility will become increasingly more important,” said Michael Yang, senior principal analyst, memory and storage, IHS iSuppli. “The addition of wireless capability to the existing SD memory card standard, will enable SD memory cards to remain relevant to shifting market demand, and add value to consumers and manufacturers of new cameras, tablets, and mobile phones.”

With wireless communication capabilities in their familiar SD memory cards, consumers around the world will be able to:
 

• Upload family, vacation or sports photos and video wirelessly from a camera or video camera to a computer or server for sharing or backup.
• Wirelessly download pictures from servers with cameras and video cameras using Wireless LAN SD memory cards. Consumers can share pictures and videos without email or physical card transfers, including peer-to-peer picture and video transfers from cameras to smart phones and tablets wirelessly without an access point.
• Use Wireless LAN SD memory cards as wireless control points for other devices, such as TVs, in a home network.

The Wireless LAN SD memory card standard defines two interface types:
 

• The Web interface supports server upload and peer-to-peer functions;
• The home network interface supports server upload and home network communication functions.
• A Wireless LAN SD memory card can provide both of the wireless communication types, designated by both symbols.

“Wireless LAN SD offers you a standardized approach to transfer pictures, video, documents and other content easily with most existing cameras and video cameras,” said Norm Frentz, chairman of the SD Association. “The Wireless LAN SD memory card standard demonstrates how SD Association innovation continues to respond to market demand and improve consumers’ digital lives.”

For more than a decade, SD standards have increased the value, usefulness and longevity of consumer electronics by allowing consumers to easily upgrade storage instead of replacing devices and creating more electronic waste.

SD Association

The SD Association is a global ecosystem of more than 1,000 technology companies charged with setting interoperable SD standards. The association encourages the development of consumer electronic, wireless communication, digital imaging and networking products that utilize market-leading SD technology. The SD standard is the number one choice for consumers and has earned more than 80 percent of the memory card market with its reliable interoperability and its easy-to-use format. Today, mobile phones, Blu-ray players, HDTVs, audio players, automotive multimedia systems, handheld PCs, digital cameras and digital video cameras feature SD interoperability. For more information about SDA or to join, please visit the association’s web site, www.sdcard.org.