Memory Stick Pro Memory Guide

Sony and SanDisk developed the Memory Stick PRO in a joint effort, as a solution to the prior issues with cards not having enough storage capacity. It comes in sizes up to 4 GB. Capacities over 4 GB are only available in the Duo and PRO Duo format. Memory Stick Pro is available in high speed to allow for faster transfers, all PRO devices over 1 GB support high speed mode. High speed Memory Stick PROs are compatible with devices that do not support high-speed mode. PRO sticks are designed to support transfer speeds of 160Mbps, with a minimum write speed of 15Mbps.

Most devices that support the original memory sticks also support the PRO stick, because both formats have identical form factors. Some devices were not compatible, and were able to be updated for use with the Memory Stick Pro with a Firmware upgrade. PCs can read a Memory Stick PRO through the use of a PC slot, a compatible card adapter, or a USB reader/writer. The card can be placed directly in to any slot compatible with a PRO or PRO-HG card, and most slots designed for original memory sticks. Placing the card in to a non-compatible slot my result in an error message.

The Memory Stick Pro features MagicGate. MagicGate is a content protection technology, suitable for allowing users to store and utilise such protected content as music, videos, games, and electronic books. MagicGate technology was introduced by Sony in 1999 as part of the Secure Digital Music Initiative. It works by encrypting content on the device itself, MagicGate chips in both the Memory Stick and the reader enforce control over how the files are copied. Some devices will only accept Memory Sticks with MagicGate, so be sure to check this before making a purchase.