SanDisk launches HD Video flash card line

As the barrage of flash storage announcements continues, SanDisk is taking its turn and unleashing the High-Definition Video lineup. Apparently, these SDHC and Memory Stick PRO Duo cards don't do anything different than the more traditional alternatives, but owners of these will get the priceless benefit of having recording times stamped right on the device. Additionally, each one comes with a "handy jewel case and labels for storage," which should totally keep you organized when workin' out that new flash-based camcorder. The new Video HD family will consist of 4GB ($79.99) / 8GB ($139.99) SDHC models and 4GB ($79.99) / 8GB ($149.99) MS PRO Duo iterations -- all four should be on store shelves in March.

[Anton @ Jan 7th 2008 9:01PM]

Ok.

[dimitri_tsaf @ Jan 7th 2008 9:02PM]

how exciting

[Brodie @ Jan 7th 2008 9:07PM]

That's marketing genius right there... how many of these will sell simply because it has recording time and the word "Video" stamped on it? Lots... that's how many. Although, it doesn't seem to be that much more expensive than "regular" SDHC media...

[steve @ Jan 8th 2008 2:35PM]

8 GB can be easily had for

[steve @ Jan 8th 2008 2:37PM]

wth @ the commenting system. I was saying that 8GB can be had for less than $50 and that this was triple market price for no performance gain.

the system cut off half my msg!

[Flashpoint @ Jan 7th 2008 9:20PM]

Looks like my PSP will be getting all the Sopranos episodes.

ALL OF EM.

[Game_playa @ Jan 7th 2008 10:32PM]

Why buy this the 16gb thats double this is available for only 50 dollars more AND its branded by sony.....still I'd pick up the SD cards

[Flashpoint @ Jan 7th 2008 9:23PM]

When you go to a dumbass Best Buy employee, having all the info on the casing really helps.

You can read all of it while you stand there waiting for the employee to get the case keys from the absentee managers...since BBY doesn't trust its own employees with case keys, cash drawers, cellphones, etc.

[Reader @ Jan 7th 2008 9:39PM]

My eyes went wide thinking it said 120gb. Well, this article was almost exciting.

[Al @ Jan 7th 2008 9:44PM]

What the? That Sandisk SD card is Class 4 and costs $140. I just bought a 8GB Class 6 card from A-Data that cost me $40.

[Al @ Jan 7th 2008 9:45PM]

What the? That Sandisk SD card is Class 4 and costs $140. I just bought a 8GB Class 6 card from A-Data that cost me $40.

[Zeus @ Jan 7th 2008 10:00PM]

8GB for 120min of HD Video? Do they have some kind of definition of HD? DVD's for about 120min is 5GB or so and it's definitely not HD unless some marketing guy is -really- reaching and saying just being progressive scan is HD (480p). Recompressed 1080p movie in a torrent format is 10GB+ and that's recompressed. Raw video from a SD camcorder is 3-4GB per hour for my camcorder... no idea what it'd be for a 1080p camcorder but in any case 120min out of 8GB for HD video takes 'optimistic' to a new level.

[Al @ Jan 7th 2008 11:01PM]

Would 120 minutes of 720P be around 8 hrs?

[Drew @ Jan 8th 2008 1:01PM]

720p HDV takes approximately 19.7 megabits per second for video alone. That would mean less than an hour on an 8GB card.

[bl0nde @ Jan 8th 2008 4:35AM]

Using codecs like H264 (which compresses the raw footage), size of 2 hours of footage is around a few GB depending on what bitrates it encodes at. For comparison, check the HD movie downloads on xbox live, which from what I hear are a few GB each.

[klew @ Jan 7th 2008 11:15PM]

It's no different from selling blank CD's labeled "music CD-R" for the slightly uneducated. Those in the know (all of us apparently) should know to avoid these and do the right thing by telling friends, family, and strangers in the store how to save a little cash.

[Christopher Hevey @ Jan 8th 2008 2:17AM]

Actually with the "music only" CDrs' there were plenty of those "special" home audio devices that only would play those, if you put in a regular one it would give an error.

As for this, not a frigging chance though as far as the fact that we can now actually record really good video on FLASH MEMORY CAMCORDERS is damn amazing.

2 years ago they were a joke, stuff you would (maybe) give your kids, now though I am getting very tempted since I have never had a camcorder before, and these are not half bad prices for those

[Maada @ Jan 25th 2008 11:29AM]

Sandisk is offering these for the same price as the Ultra II (9MBps read. 10MBps write). However at the website there is no performance (Read/write rates) given. My fear is that they may not even be fast enough to store HD 1080p as you record. The Ultra III (20MBps read/write). It may come back to bite them if they are trying to ofeer a product not really up to par. Sandisk should have repackaged the Ultra III.