Sony Memory Sticks: What's the difference?

Sony now has several formats of the Memory Stick. Does anybody know the
differences, and what is compatible w/ what? I own lots of Sony equipment,
and I'm noticing that there are some incompatabilities.

I own a Sony Digital MiniDV Cam that uses standard "Memory Stick"

I own a Sony Vaio computer, w/ built in reader for the "Memory Stick"

I just purchased a Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-V1 Digital Camera. The dealer told
me I needed to run "Memory Stick Pro" with this. So I did. The camera
showed up with an included NON-Pro Memory Stick...so he obviously lied to
me.

What I'm now noticing, is that the Memory Stick Pro....does not appear to
work in my $1500 Digital HandyCam, nor in the built-in reader within my Sony
Vaio.

Anybody run into these issues? Do I really need "Pro" media?

Thanks!

greg.jensen wrote:
Sony now has several formats of the Memory Stick. Does anybody know the
differences, and what is compatible w/ what? I own lots of Sony equipment,
and I'm noticing that there are some incompatabilities.

I own a Sony Digital MiniDV Cam that uses standard "Memory Stick"

I own a Sony Vaio computer, w/ built in reader for the "Memory Stick"

I just purchased a Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-V1 Digital Camera. The dealer told
me I needed to run "Memory Stick Pro" with this. So I did. The camera
showed up with an included NON-Pro Memory Stick...so he obviously lied to
me.

What I'm now noticing, is that the Memory Stick Pro....does not appear to
work in my $1500 Digital HandyCam, nor in the built-in reader within my Sony
Vaio.

Anybody run into these issues? Do I really need "Pro" media?

Thanks!

AFAIK, Memory Stick Pro has mainly two advantages over Memory Stick
'regular': it is available in larger capacities (MS tops at 128 Mb, IIRC),
and it is faster.

The one disadvantage is that it is incompatible with older non-MSPro
equipment (though any camera that can read MSPro will read MS just fine).

So, you don't really 'need' the MSPro for your DSC-V1, but you may prefer it
for the capacity and speed.


Flux

You can read all about the differences between Memory Stick and Memory
Stick PRO card on http://www.memorystick.com/. The basics are that
anything which can use a Memory Stick PRO card can read a Memory Stick
card, the reverse is not guaranteed. Devices like your laptop likely
have firmware updates which can deliver Memory Stick PRO capability for
you, but likely not the DV camera.

Godfrey


In article G84db.436825$cF.139740@rwcrnsc53, greg.jensen
wrote:

Sony now has several formats of the Memory Stick. Does anybody know the
differences, and what is compatible w/ what? I own lots of Sony equipment,
and I'm noticing that there are some incompatabilities.

I own a Sony Digital MiniDV Cam that uses standard "Memory Stick"

I own a Sony Vaio computer, w/ built in reader for the "Memory Stick"

I just purchased a Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-V1 Digital Camera. The dealer told
me I needed to run "Memory Stick Pro" with this. So I did. The camera
showed up with an included NON-Pro Memory Stick...so he obviously lied to
me.

What I'm now noticing, is that the Memory Stick Pro....does not appear to
work in my $1500 Digital HandyCam, nor in the built-in reader within my Sony
Vaio.

Anybody run into these issues? Do I really need "Pro" media?

Thanks!

"greg.jensen" wrote in message
news:G84db.436825$cF.139740@rwcrnsc53...
Sony now has several formats of the Memory Stick. Does anybody know the
differences, and what is compatible w/ what? I own lots of Sony
equipment,
and I'm noticing that there are some incompatabilities.

I own a Sony Digital MiniDV Cam that uses standard "Memory Stick"

I own a Sony Vaio computer, w/ built in reader for the "Memory Stick"

I just purchased a Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-V1 Digital Camera. The dealer told
me I needed to run "Memory Stick Pro" with this. So I did. The camera
showed up with an included NON-Pro Memory Stick...so he obviously lied to
me.

What I'm now noticing, is that the Memory Stick Pro....does not appear to
work in my $1500 Digital HandyCam, nor in the built-in reader within my
Sony
Vaio.

Anybody run into these issues? Do I really need "Pro" media?

Thanks!

Here's where you start to download the update for your Vaio computer.
http://ciscdb.sel.sony.com/cgi-bin/select-p-n.pl
You'll need a standard Memory Stick, not a MS-Pro, to make the update work.
Follow the directions closely......printing them out is not a bad idea.

Thanks everybody...for the excellent tips! Greatly appreciate it all!

-GJ

"Paul Cordes" wrote in message
et...

"greg.jensen" wrote in message
news:G84db.436825$cF.139740@rwcrnsc53...
Sony now has several formats of the Memory Stick. Does anybody know the
differences, and what is compatible w/ what? I own lots of Sony
equipment,
and I'm noticing that there are some incompatabilities.

I own a Sony Digital MiniDV Cam that uses standard "Memory Stick"

I own a Sony Vaio computer, w/ built in reader for the "Memory Stick"

I just purchased a Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-V1 Digital Camera. The dealer
told
me I needed to run "Memory Stick Pro" with this. So I did. The camera
showed up with an included NON-Pro Memory Stick...so he obviously lied
to
me.

What I'm now noticing, is that the Memory Stick Pro....does not appear
to
work in my $1500 Digital HandyCam, nor in the built-in reader within my
Sony
Vaio.

Anybody run into these issues? Do I really need "Pro" media?

Thanks!

Here's where you start to download the update for your Vaio computer.
http://ciscdb.sel.sony.com/cgi-bin/select-p-n.pl
You'll need a standard Memory Stick, not a MS-Pro, to make the update
work.
Follow the directions closely......printing them out is not a bad idea.

In article G84db.436825$cF.139740@rwcrnsc53,
says...
Sony now has several formats of the Memory Stick. Does anybody know the
differences, and what is compatible w/ what? I own lots of Sony equipment,
and I'm noticing that there are some incompatabilities.

I own a Sony Digital MiniDV Cam that uses standard "Memory Stick"

I own a Sony Vaio computer, w/ built in reader for the "Memory Stick"

I just purchased a Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-V1 Digital Camera. The dealer told
me I needed to run "Memory Stick Pro" with this. So I did. The camera
showed up with an included NON-Pro Memory Stick...so he obviously lied to
me.

What I'm now noticing, is that the Memory Stick Pro....does not appear to
work in my $1500 Digital HandyCam, nor in the built-in reader within my Sony
Vaio.

Anybody run into these issues? Do I really need "Pro" media?

Pro can be made in sizes 128 MB, the biggest size in standard is 128 MB
(there is a 256 MB model which is actually 2 banks of 128 with a switch).

Pro is also faster than standard. Newer equipment can use both formats,
older gear can only read standard.

There is also magicgate which is standard MS - this functionality is
built into Pro.