vB Easy Archive - larger memory stick in p900 than 128mb?

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larger memory stick in p900 than 128mb?
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Posted by: shanfield

Is it possible, under any circumstances, to use a larger memory stick in my p900 than 128mb?

Posted by: flipflash77

No. MemoryStick's maximum capacity is 128. It's a limitation of the media controller and design. NO way around it. Expect a MemoryStick Pro slot in future devices.

There are numerous threads on the subject, and technically why it will never work. Look around, search, etc.

Posted by: haritia

I think he means memory stick duo. the answer still seems to be no. it appears the p900 won't recognize a MSDuo that is larger than 128mb but all that i have heard was anecdotal and nothing official.

Posted by: shanfield

Right right, I wasn't clear enough. I have a MS duo 128mb now. I want to get one of the larger ones and use it in my p900. Ok? Ok.

Posted by: flipflash77

Quote:

Originally posted by haritia
I think he means memory stick duo. the answer still seems to be no. it appears the p900 won't recognize a MSDuo that is larger than 128mb but all that i have heard was anecdotal and nothing official.

Duo is the same card technologically as teh standard MemoryStick, just in a smaller form factor. There is no difference other than size. Hence a Duo in a MemoryStick adapter will sitll work in a standard MemoryStick slot. The specifications are identical. MemoryStick Pro and Duo Pro are the same thing as well, only Duo Pro is smaller. No difference otherwise.

It's not that the P900 alone can't recognize beyond 128 MB, they can't MAKE a MemoryStick (non-Pro) bigger than 128 MB. Not in it's current controller design. The only way to do so was to redesign the controller, and thus MemoryStick Pro was born, incompatible with all standard MemoryStick-based devices. And since the P900 uses a standard MemoryStick Duo slot, it's limited to 128 Mb. No if's, and's, or but's. This is "OFFICIAL" if you look over the technological history of MemoryStick (and MemoryStick Pro, Duo variants included) in the digital camera world.

Your only hope is if Sandisk/Sony/Lexar/someone can micronize memory chips small enough to build a 256 MB MemoryStick Duo Select. Since you're both somewhat unfamiliar with the MemoryStick's history, the Select is the stop-gap measure to allow owners older, standard MemoryStick-based devices (cameras primarily) to get and use cards larger than 128MB. The trick is, it's not one contiguous block of 256 MB; instead, the Select card is two banks on 128 MB on the same physical card (your device is still limited to only 128 MB at a time), and you can choose which bank of 128 MB you want to use by flipping a physical switch on the card's exterior.

Posted by: haritia

http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INT...uctSKU=MSXM512A

I'm not sure how that works but all that I can infer is that it's a 512MB MSDuo card. It says nothing about flipping or anything.

If I were to buy that from the website based on the description, I'd assume that I'd be able to put one big file of 200MB on it without any problem.

The P900 however will not work correctly (or not consistently well) with anything above 128MB.

I know I am vague but I don't know for sure. I just wanted to give you a push in the direction of your question.

Posted by: flipflash77

Quote:

Originally posted by haritia
I think the MSDuo can go up to 512MB (or is it 256MB) but it can go above 128MB definitely. The P900 however will not work correctly (or not consistently well) with anything above 128MB.

You're thinking of MS Duo Pro. Very different.

MemoryStick = max 128
MS Duo = max 128
MemoryStick Pro = max 2 GB (maybe more)
MS Duo Pro = max 512 MB current
MemoryStick Select = max 256 MB (in 2x 128 MB banks)
MemoryStick MagicGate = max 128

Leave it up to Sony to screw up their own proprietary memory format.

EDIT: removed MS MagicGate Pro and MagicGate Duo Pro. Forgot that Duo and Pro cards added MagicGate features across the line; no more seperate labelling. I think Pro can actually achieve 4 GB max capacity in theory, but the Duo Pro is currently topping out at 512 MB.

Posted by: haritia

TouchE. I didn't notice that.

To continue: 1. what is MagicGate? 2. MS Pro Duo: will it work in the P900?

Posted by: flipflash77

Quote:

Originally posted by haritia
TouchE. I didn't notice that.

To continue: 1. what is MagicGate? 2. MS Pro Duo: will it work in the P900?

MagicGate is Sony's on-chip DRM copy-protection scheme. Pricey and proprietary, hence no one adopted it except for Sony.

MS Pro Duo won't work in the P900. It's a standard MemoryStick Duo slot, not Pro. P1000 should be Pro Duo.

Posted by: shanfield

No, from what I understand from this thread is that only the regular memory stick format, including Duo will work. That excludes Pro.

I gather that the answer is that we're waiting for a third party maker to come up with a non-pro (i.e. regular memory stick compatible) duo that gets past 128mb. I'll keep my eyes open.

Posted by: flipflash77

Quote:

Originally posted by shanfield
I gather that the answer is that we're waiting for a third party maker to come up with a non-pro (i.e. regular memory stick compatible) duo that gets past 128mb. I'll keep my eyes open.

Yes, that is what is required, but you'll be waiting forever. The 128 MB limitation is a limitation of the design specification of the ENTIRE MemoryStick format (non-Pro). No one will actually make a normal MemoryStick (regular or Duo) greater than 128 MB because one simply will not function in any existing MemoryStick device. The slot (by design flaw) can not read beyond 128MB (just like good'ol SmartMedia). If Lexar/Sandisk were to make one, no device could read it as it, in and of itself, would be non-standard - and thus proprietary - beyond the capabilities of the hardware you want it to work in.

I've said it several times, in this thread and in others, but that is the entire reason Sony had to create the Pro format off-shoot. Sony admittedly made a mistake in their original MemoryStick design specification, and the only solution was to make >128MB cards (i.e. Pro) incompatible with the previous standard.

Anyway, this is flogging a dead horse. It won't work, it likely never will. Buy a P1000 (when it comes out) if you really need more than 128 MB, or continue to carry multiple cards.

Posted by: haritia

Quote:

Originally posted by flipflash77
MagicGate is Sony's on-chip DRM copy-protection scheme. Pricey and proprietary, hence no one adopted it except for Sony.

MS Pro Duo won't work in the P900. It's a standard MemoryStick Duo slot, not Pro. P1000 should be Pro Duo.

To add more confusion, will a MSDuo (not Pro) with MagicGate work with the P900. Does it matter?

Posted by: GT-[R]

i dont think it matters

cuz my 128mb mem stick duo says magic gate on it, and it works w my p800...

im not sure but magic gate is just the name of sony's techology for memory expansion things like my ps2 memory card and mem sticks

Posted by: sdsviet

it doesnt matter whether its magic gate or not cuz magic gate is for copyright files like mp3s so on mp3 players wont read if it is bootlegged but in teh pxxx's case it doesnt recognizes it anyways.