SanDisk and Sony teamed up on Monday to begin developing the SxS (S-by-S) memory card specification, with high-speed transfer technology compliant to the ExpressCard industry standard.

The SxS memory cards offer high-speed data transfer of large video files. They are also considered to be the first native PCI Express solid-state storage media1. While PCI Express has a maximum data transfer speed of 2.5 gigabits per second, twice as fast as PC Card-based storage media.

In addition to the SxS memory cards compact size, SanDisk and Sony have said that they optimized the technology protocol for controlling communication between hardware and SxS memory cards to enable high-speed transfer of large files, such as high-definition video, to PCs for non-linear video-editing. The target transfer speed of SxS memory cards is 800 megabits per second2.

The memory card specification uses ExpressCard/34 modules (width: 34mm, height: 5mm, length: 75mm), half the size of PC Cards. This enables the design of professional camcorders that are smaller and lighter, while still offering high storage capacities.

The SxS memory card specification uses flash memory and complies with the ExpressCard industry standard, and the card connects directly to computer systems through the high-speed PCI-Express bus.
ExpressCard has been rapidly adopted by PC manufacturers to replace the legacy PC Card form factor, giving the SxS memory cards broad support in post-production hardware, according to the two companies.

“SxS memory cards will leverage the technology strength of SanDisk and Sony, who have a long and successful history of co-developing and promoting flash memory products. With this high-performance and high-reliability memory card, both companies are targeting workflow improvements for professional camcorders and non-linear video editing systems” both companies jointly said.

Sony will adopt this high-speed SxS memory card specification in its “XDCAM EX” series professional camcorders. SxS memory cards from SanDisk and Sony are expected to be available later in 2007.