CompactFlash Association News Report News & Deals

From the CompactFlash Association:
 
The CompactFlash Association Invites Participation on CFast 2.0
 
CFast 2.0 Format Leverages SATA-3 to Deliver up to 600MB/sec Sequential Transfers
 
Cupertino, California – April 16, 2012 – The CompactFlash Association (CFA) is pleased to announce the development of the CFast 2.0 specification, sponsored by SanDisk. The CFast 2.0 specification will be developed in the CFast workgroup and will leverage the CFast 1.1 specification which was released September 2008. Additional participation in this specification development will be welcomed.
 
CFast1.1 (SATA-2) cards and connectors are already available in the marketplace. CFast 2.0 will leverage the same connector interface as CFast 1.1 and the SATA-3 interface for higher performance. Host manufacturers will be able to leverage their experience and investment in the ATA storage protocol and media manufacturers will be able to leverage high volume solid state disk (SSD) controller technology to serve the high performance requirements of this market. The new format will have VPG (Video Performance Guarantee) capability with profiles capable of supporting digital intermediate formats such as ProResTM, DPXTM, and DNxHD TM.
 
The key features of the CFast 2.0 format will include:

• Professional form-factor
• Dimensions : 42.8mm x 36.4mm x 3.6mm
• Durable & Robust
• High Performance Interface
• SATA-3: 6Gbps (up to 600MB/sec)
• Video Performance Guarantee
• Support for VPG New Profiles
• Superior Power Management
• 5mW standby power

“The CFast 2.0 format will enable hardware and imaging applications to leverage their ATA storage protocol investments. The Video Performance Guarantee Features of CFast 2.0 will widen its appeal to the requirements of higher end video applications,” said Mr. Shigeto Kanda of Canon, chairman of the board, CFA.
 
If you would like to participate in developing the CFast 2.0 specfication, please contact the CFA office to inquire about membership and/or joining the CFast Workgroup or the CFA website http://www.compactflash.org. CFA is targeting for the CFast2.0 specification to be available in the second half of 2012.
 
The CFA (logo), CF (logo), CF+ and CFast are trademarks of the CFA and are licensed royalty free to its members. The CFA is a licensee of the CompactFlash® and XQD trademarks and in turn will license it royalty free to its members.
 
Contacts:
 
Mike Asao
CompactFlash Association
P.O. Box 130
Cupertino, CA 95015-0130
+1-650-843-1220
mikeasao@compactflash.org

From the CompactFlash Association:
 
The CompactFlash Association Announces the Recently Adopted XQD^TM Specification as a New Memory Card Format
 
XQD Introduces Industry Leading Performance
 

 
CUPERTINO, Calif.--(EON: Enhanced Online News)--The CompactFlash Association (CFA) is pleased to announce the release of the XQD specification as a new high performance memory card. This XQD specification is based on the PCI Express® specification, which provides a solid base for future performance scaling.
 
“The XQD format will enable further evolution of hardware and imaging applications, and widen the memory card options available to CompactFlash users such as professional photographers”.
 
The CFA has adopted a new card specification with exciting performance and storage capabilities.
 
The key features of the XQD format include:
 
Optimized form-factor
• Dimensions : 38.5 x 29.8 x 3.8mm
• Durable & Robust
 
Scalable High Performance Interface
• PCI Express: 2.5Gbps today and 5Gbps Future
 
Actual Write Speeds
• Target 125MB/sec and Higher
 
To distinguish the new memory card format, an XQD compatibility mark has been created.
 
“The XQD format will enable further evolution of hardware and imaging applications, and widen the memory card options available to CompactFlash users such as professional photographers,” said Mr. Shigeto Kanda of Canon, chairman of the board, CFA.
 
XQD cards will be shown at the CompactFlash Association booth at CP+ 2012, February 9-12 in Yokohama, Japan.
 
Licensing for CFA members will start in early 2012. Please contact the CompactFlash office for more information.

Press release: SanDisk, Sony and Nikon Propose Next-Generation Standards for CompactFlash

"CF 6.0 Introduces Performance and Feature Enhancements"
 
Cupertino, California – November 18, 2010 – The CompactFlash Association (CFA) announces the CF 6.0 specification, a new CFA logo, and a refreshed website coinciding with the CFA celebrating fifteen years of performance leadership in flash memory card markets.
 
The CF 6.0 specification adds performance and functionality to the current CF 5.0 specification based on the PATA (Parallel ATA) interface while maintaining backward compatibility. In conjunction with this new specification, CFA has completed a refresh to both the CFA logo and website allowing for improved navigation, future product and market application information along with enhanced member benefits. The CF 6.0 specification includes a new Sanitize Command, Trim Usage Guidelines and an Operating Temperature Range function along with adding Ultra DMA Mode 7 which supports 167 MB/second speed. The new CF 6.0 specification is available for immediate download from the new enhanced CFA website.