Memorysolution in Asia
New subsidiary in Hong Kong
Memorysolution Asia The newly founded subsidiary will pursue the goal to develop the Southeast Asian and Australian markets, as well as the booming markets of China and India. The main focus is on product sourcing/procurement, quality management and sub-contracting.
Memory Stick
The Memory Stick is a development of Sony and SanDisk in 1998 and is competiting with the MultiMedia Card (MMC). The classic Memory Stick is available up to a maximum of 128 Mbytes. When using the Memory Stick Select, which has more than 256 Mbytes, it must be changed between two 128 Mbyte memory blocks per switch back and forth. The classic Memory Stick comes in the color blue, and the Memory Stick with MagicGate in white. MagicGate is a system for DRM (Digital Rights Management/copy protection). The higher price of the MagicGate is justified by the additional integrated logic and the GEMA charges in Germany. The Memory Stick with MagicGate is registered as sound storage medium. It has a secure signature and an asymmetric encryption method for music.
The Memory Stick contains, in addition to the flash memory a controller, a serial interface logic, some control registers, and a 512-byte buffer (Page Buffer). The controller transmits the data serial to 3 of the 10 contacts. To one pin, the data is transferred, another pin dictates the stroke of 20 MHz, and another one provides information on the state of the serial bus. On the remaining pins, the Memory Stick is provided with power and the presence of the card is signalised.
The max. writing speed amounts to 14.4 Mbit/s (1.8 MB/s), the max. reading speed is 19.6 Mbit/s (2.5 MB/s).
Like other memory cards, the Memory Stick Interface offers a mode which can equip mobile devices with extensions and interfaces.
Memory Stick Duo (MSD)
As the Memory Stick is relatively large, in 2002 the successor with a length of about two thirds of the Memory Stick was put on the market. However the maximum storage capacity was 128Mbyte.
Memory Stick Pro (MSP)
To repeal the 128 Mbyte limit, SanDisk and Sony developed the Memory Stick Pro. According to the specification, this variant can reach up to 32 GB.
The Memory Stick Pro has exactly the same dimensions as the classic Memory Stick and therefore fits well in the same slot. But the Memory Stick Pro is not compatible with this. The other way, the classic Memory Stick is readable and writable in Pro slots.
The Memory Stick Pro transmits to 4 lines, each with a 40-MHz bus. Therewith, a theoretical transfer of up to 160 Mbit/s (20 MB/s) is possible, but in practice unachievable.
Memory Stick Pro Duo (MSPD)
The Memory Stick Pro Duo is technically similar to the normal memory Stick Pro, but has the size of the regular Memory Stick Duo. It fits in the Memory Stick Pro slot by adaptor.
Memory Stick Micro (M2)
The dimensions of the Memory Stick Micro are just 15 x 12.5 x 1.2 mm and are similar to the size of the microSD card which has 11 x 15 x 1 mm. Currently are available memory sizes up to 8Gbyte. Also This variant is said to reach 32 GB according to the specification. It has a 11 pin connector and can be operated with 1.8-volt and 3.3 volt.
With the respective M2 adaptor, the M2 fits in the Memory Stick Pro and in Memory Stick Pro Duo compatible products.
General technical data from the Memory Stick series:
Size (WxHxD) mm: cassic MS / Pro / Magic Gate / Select
MS Duo / Pro Duo 31 x 20 x 1.6
MS Micro (M2) 15 x 12.5 x 1.2
Connecting pins: 10/11
Realized Capacities: 4MB to 8GB (up to 32GB designed / planned)
Speeds:
read: up to about 18MB / s
write: from 1.8 to approximately 14MB / s
Operating voltage: 1.8 to 3.3 volts
Operating temperature range: 0 ° C to 50 ° C.
Resting/Storage temperature range: -15 ° C to 65 ° C.
Writing/Delete cycles: no indication
