16gig P2 for $1600 ?

That's great news. I'm still surprised as to how there hasn't been word of this (especially on this forum) before. Kinda funny that the news break came from an insert in roy's hoodman package. :) Pretty tight lid for a product projecting for summer release, at least according to the above link.

Can any company get in on P2 without Panasonic authorization? P2 is developed by and exclusive to Panny, right? Granted it consists of SD tech, but I didn't think i'd see 3rd party developers in the mix...
 
Panasonic has licensed their tech before, like DVCPRO tape (Fuji and Maxell became suppliers of DVCPRO tape). So as long as the cards perform to Panasonic's specifications, there really wouldn't be a reason not to authorize them, and with the recent dearth of P2 cards worldwide it's probably an ideal time for another manufacturer to start offering them.

It is really weird that this potentially-groundbreaking announcement would come from Roy Batty's catalog, or a cryptic line in the Hoodman website, or that the company that finally starts doing it is Hoodman! I would have expected SanDisk or Lexar or Kingston or Crucial or ... well, I never would have thought Hoodman would be the first. But if they are, it's fantastic news. We just got a massive price drop a week ago, and now with another manufacturer coming on board there's even more competition (if indeed this is true, and it sure looks like it probably is).
 
That's what I want to know, though. Would they have to meet Panasonic's specifications? Or, can just anybody make a compatible "p2" card, and sell it, regardless of reliability.

And, if Panny would have to 'authorize' them, could they also bar them from doing so?

Later,
Jason
 
Simple answer: if it bears the P2 Logo, then it's met Panasonic's certification and they have the right to call it a P2 card. Just like Fuji makes DVCPRO tape and it bears the DVCPRO logo.

Panasonic doesn't have to have any involvement, of course -- someone could totally reverse-engineer the entire process. If they do so, I'd be wondering like you are, whether they "got it right". But if it says "P2" on it, and especially if it bears the trademarked P2 logo, then that should mean that it's an official licensed product that meets all the performance specifications.

Panasonic's said on numerous occasions that they'll license the technology to anyone who wants to make the cards, they just have to meet Panasonic's performance specifications and reliability specs.
 
I don't think I would risk it myself. Because Hoodman only does low tech products I would assume they are contracting out to an electronics specialist to actually assemble the cards. Too big an unknown for me. I would feel better of it was an offbrand TV company or definately a memory chip company.

Bob
 
I Guess I have to chime back in. In answer to Barry's remarks, and before that I have to congratulate you on your HVX Bootcamp DVD. A friend of mine went to your workshop in March, and allowed me to borrow his copy. It's amazing.
Anyway the catalogue does indeed have a picture of their 16GB P2 card. I will
try and find the time tomorrow to scan and post the image. Anyway till then.
Best regards.
 
Been thinking about this -- there's no chance that this is just a hood for a P2 card, is it? Does the picture show a Panasonic card, or does it show a Hoodman card? We'd all have some egg on our face and a hearty laugh if it turned out that they were just making some sort of velcro P2 card holder or something! :)
 
Barry_Green said:
Been thinking about this -- there's no chance that this is just a hood for a P2 card, is it? Does the picture show a Panasonic card, or does it show a Hoodman card? We'd all have some egg on our face and a hearty laugh if it turned out that they were just making some sort of velcro P2 card holder or something! :)
Click to expand...
:) Would be a shame if that were the case though on the Hoodman NAB page they specify 16GB. So unless the 16GB has some different form factor (it doesn't) than there would be no reason to state the size if it was just a carring case.

Here's hoping for some good competition at a reasonable price.
 
Well the rep I spoke to in January (I know I should have said something here) was pretty sure about it.
 
Bob Gruen said:
I don't think I would risk it myself. Because Hoodman only does low tech products I would assume they are contracting out to an electronics specialist to actually assemble the cards. Too big an unknown for me. I would feel better of it was an offbrand TV company or definately a memory chip company.

Bob
Click to expand...

Good companies make bad products occasionally. I don't see any correlation between size and quality.
 
Here's the direct quotation:

"Brief Company Description:
Hoodman Corporation makes small accessory products that make the videographer's job easier. LCD hoods, Viewfinder Hoods, WristShot camcorder support sytems ... new this summer will be the 16GB H-2 higher tech P2 card solution for all Panasonic P2 card applications."

The reference to the 16GB H-2 p2 card solution is a little vague, but it doesn't sound like a hood.
 
After a brief look at their site, it's clear that they sell Hoodman branded SD and Compact Flash memory cards, so they're not just in the "hood" business. They also mention that the P2 product will be 16 GB, which wouldn't be relevant if it's just a PCMCIA accesory of some kind.

Looks like they're going to be making P2 cards to me, and as Barry says, they can't call them that unless they're Panasonic approved. If so, it's great news.
 
I say bring on the competition. This will help solidify P2 media as viable media options across the board.
 
:) OK!, so here we go, I scanned only the pertinent pages for you to see. Enjoy
 

Attachments

  • scan0001.jpg
    scan0001.jpg
    128.2 KB · Views: 0
  • scan0002.jpg
    scan0002.jpg
    95.6 KB · Views: 0
  • scan0003.jpg
    scan0003.jpg
    166.4 KB · Views: 0
hmm. So, someone call the number in the picture :) Ask 'em if they are doing it completely independently, if Panny is verifying any kind of quality control on the product, etc, etc, etc.

Jason
 
Heres the deal on RAW-H2:

June 16th target launch date for the 16 gig, well before the end of the year for 32 gig.
Will NOT be licensed by Panasonic. My contact at Hoodman (VP of Marketing) approached Panny last year, and Panny declined (according to him) to work with Hoodman USA, and license any 3rd party P2 Media.
So, they have been reversed engineered. I'm planning on Beta testing the product sometime before launch.

It is real though. That is a fact. Whether it will be a viable option, that remains to be seen.
I'm optimistic.
 
Last edited:
Well I would definitely like to hear panasonics side of this story. Are they stopping 3rd party for monopoly or quality control. I doubt I'll get a real answer though.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top