If you are a consumer experiencing technical issues with your SD product, please contact the manufacturer directly for support. Because the SD Association is a standards organization and does not manufacture or sell SD products, we cannot provide product support.
- What are SD speed classes?
- What are the uses for Speed Class?
- What is UHS?
- What is SD Express?
- What is CPRM?
- Is CPRM applied to all data types stored on the SD memory card?
- Do all SD cards support CPRM functions?
- What type of content protection technology is expected to be offered in addition to CPRM on SD memory cards?
- How can I identify CPRM and non-CPRM cards?
- How can I choose a CPRM card?
- Can you store data in different formats, such as audio, video, still images and documents, on one SD memory card?
- What do you need to transfer data from a memory card to a computer?
- Which SD standards will be available in terms of capacity in the future?
- What is the lifespan of an SD memory card?
- What is the difference between SD memory card and miniSD memory cards/microSD memory cards?
- Will the miniSD memory card and microSD memory cards replace the current SD memory card?
- My SD memory card is not working on my device, what should I do?
- Is there any way to get back deleted photos?
- Where can I get the best SD memory card for my device and which brand do you recommend?
- What is the right SD memory card for me?
- Are SD memory cards waterproof?
- What is the warranty on my SD memory card?
SDXC standard – (over 32 GB up to 2 TB)
- What is SDXC?
- Are SDXC memory cards compatible with existing SD devices?
- How does the SDXC standard change or improve devices?
- How will SDXC memory cards change or improve the user experience?
What are SD speed classes?
- There are four types of speed classes: "Speed Class", "UHS Speed Class", "Video Speed Class". and "SD Express Video Speed Class".
A characteristic of flash memory is that the actual transfer speed varies. Variable speeds make it difficult to reliably record streaming content such as video, as it requires a constant write speed.
All types of speed classes guarantee minimum sequential card access performance, including multi-stream access (in SD Express speed classes) under defined conditions specified in the standard. It is most important for video recording and other applications. It also applies to any write or read application that requires a guaranteed minimum performance for constant sequential accessBack to questions
What are the common uses for Speed Class?
- Classes 2: H.264 video recording, MPEG-4, MPEG-2 video recording
Class 4: MEPG-2 (HDTV) video recording
Class 6 / V6: SD for HD video recording
Class 10/U1/V10: HD for Full HD video recording
U3/V30: Video recording in Full HD up to 4K
V60: 4K UHD for 8K video recording
V90: 8K UHD video recording
E150: 4K UHD Multiple Stream Video of Intra* Video-opname
E300: 4K/8K UHD Multiple Stream Video of Intra* Video-opname
E450: 8K UHD Multiple Stream Video of Intra* Video-opname
E600: 8K UHD Multiple Stream Video of Intra* Video-opnameBack to questions
What is UHS?
- UHS (Ultra High Speed) defines bus interface speeds up to 624 megabytes per second. second with UHS-I (104MB/s), UHS-II (324MB/s) and UHS-III (624MB/s) rating for better device performance.
It is available on both SDHC and SDXC memory cards and devices.Back to questions
What is SD Express?
- SD Express memory cards act as removable Solid State Drives (SSD), up to 3940 MB/s with PCIe technology with NVMe protocol, retaining the UHS-I interface and delivering speeds essential for high-resolution content applications, such as super slow motion video, RAW continuous burst mode and 8K video recording and playback, 360 degree videos and mobile computing devices, gaming systems, multi-channel IoT devices, countless automotive storage needs, to name a few.
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What is CPRM?
- CPRM – Content Protection for Recordable Media – provides the copyright protection method for SD-Audio, SD Binding and SD-SD etc.
This content protection standard was developed by 4C Entity LLC and adopted for the SD security standard.Back to questions
Is CPRM applied to all data types stored on the SD memory card?
- No, copy protection is not mandatory for all data types and can be selectively enabled at the discretion of the content owner. CPRM technology, a copy protection mechanism, is built into all SD standard-based memory cards and can be used to protect copyrighted content, such as most commercially distributed music and movie files. To use CPRM in SD memory cards, CPRM-compatible products such as SD audio players, SD mobile video phones or suitable devices such as a computer with CPRM-compatible SD slot or CPRM-compatible USB read/write are also required.
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Do all SD cards support CPRM functions?
- No. As of 2018, SD memory cards can be produced without CPRM functions based on the SD 6.10 specification version. This change reflects current market demand with fewer content management restrictions. Japan still imposes more requirements on the use of CPRM.
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What type of content protection technology is expected to be offered in addition to CPRM on SD memory cards?
- There are no plans to offer new or different content protection features on SD memory cards. Application providers can implement proprietary content protection solutions by using the card as a platform for storing protected content.
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How can I identify CPRM and non-CPRM cards?
- The following symbol was recently defined to distinguish SD cards without CPRM from cards with CPRM. The use of this symbol on the SD card packaging and web/catalog is mandatory in the Japanese market only. As for markets outside Japan,the use of this symbol is optional.
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How can I choose a CPRM card?
- Since the 2GB or less SD card supports CPRM, you can use it with confidence. For SD cards larger than 2 GB, please contact the card dealer.
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Can you store data in different formats, such as audio, video, still images and documents, on one SD memory card?
- Yes, you can save data in any format as long as the card has sufficient memory capacity. However, to play or transfer data, you must use a device compatible with the relevant data format, such as SD-Audio, SD-Video and SD Document.
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What do you need to transfer data from a memory card to a computer?
- Most computers are built with multiple ports for various data connection standards, including SD standards. If your computer has an SD slot, you can transfer data by simply inserting the SD memory card. If your computer does not have an SD slot or is built to an earlier SD standard than your memory card, you can use a USB reader/writer or computer card adapter to transfer data from your memory card to your computer. Any type of data, such as audio, music, and still images, also requires computer editing software.
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Which SD standards will be available in terms of capacity in the future?
- Currently, three different SD memory card standards define a range of capacities from 8 MB to 2 Terabytes. Each memory card manufacturer, not the SD Association, decides when to release larger capacity cards.
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What is the lifespan of an SD memory card?
- This depends on how your product is manufactured. SD standards-based memory cards, like most semiconductor cards, store information in flash memory. Today's technology, together with normal use, means the card typically lasts ten years or more, allowing consumers to upgrade their devices for years to come and reducing the amount of consumer electronic waste.
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What is the difference between SD memory card and miniSD memory cards/microSD memory cards?
- Only the form factor, size and number of pins and "with or without" the write protection switch of a miniSD memory card/microSD memory card differ from that of a standard SD memory card. Both the logic and electronics of the miniSD memory card/microSD memory card and the SD memory card are identical.
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Will the miniSD memory card/microSD memory card replace the current SD memory card?
- No. The miniSD/microSD standards are designed to meet mobile phone manufacturers' requirements for the smallest possible memory card size.
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My SD memory card is not working on my device, what should I do?
- The SD Association is an organization that develops SD standards. The SD Association does not produce SD memory cards, but its members do. Contact the memory card manufacturer. However, there are basic steps you can take:
- Make sure you insert your SD memory card according to the instructions in your device's user manual
- Make a note of any error messages that appear on your devices and then refer to the user manual
- Contact the SD memory card manufacturer for assistance
- If an RMA procedure is required, please contact the retailer where you purchased the SD memory card
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Is there any way to get back deleted photos?
- Refer to the memory card manufacturer's instructions on how to retrieve deleted images. SD Foreningen does not provide any photo retrieval tools.
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Where can I get the best SD memory card for my device and which brand do you recommend?
- SD standard-based memory cards are widely available from leading consumer retailers around the world. You should follow your device's user manual for the best capacity and speed rating suitable for the device. The SD Association sets standards for SD memory cards, but does not recommend SD memory card manufacturers.
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What is the right SD memory card for me?
- Follow the device owner's manual for the best size (capacity) and speed rating to suit the device.
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Are SD memory cards waterproof?
- The specific features of a memory card based on the SD standard depend on the manufacturer of the SD memory card. Some card manufacturers use unique manufacturing technology to make the cards waterproof as an added feature, while others do not. Contact the specific SD memory card manufacturer for card capabilities.
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What is the warranty on my SD memory card?
- Please contact the specific SD memory card manufacturer for product warranty.
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SDXC standard
What is the SDXC standard?
- The SDXC standard is the latest SD standard. It supports memory capacity of more than 32 GB up to 2 TB. Devices (cameras, camcorders, computers, etc.) that are compatible with the SD Physical Layer and File System 3.00 version specifications can support SDXC memory cards as well as SDHC memory cards and SD memory cards.
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Is the SDXC standard compatible with existing SD devices?
- Existing SD devices and SDHC devices are not compatible with new SDXC memory cards, but existing SD memory cards and SDHC memory cards will continue to be offered by card manufacturers for the foreseeable future. Existing SD memory cards and SDHC memory cards work in SDXC devices.
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How does the SDXC standard change or improve devices?
- The SDXC standard changes and improves how much the device can do. The higher bus speeds will enable improvements such as professional-level recording in compact consumer camcorders and exponentially increasing the number of frames recorded per second with SDXC cameras. An SDXC slot allows downloaded content from car navigation systems to create a media center. More music and photos can be stored on a card, giving more freedom and longer playing time. Consumers have had the opportunity for years to upgrade their devices and reduce their electronic waste.
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How will the SDXC standard change or improve the user experience?
- The SDXC standard enables the development of higher performance devices such as 3D video cameras that store more multimedia content for a better user experience. Faster transfer speeds and up to 2TB of storage enable fast high-definition video recording and downloading on any SDXC device. It also enables improved continuous photo shooting – 60 frames per second – in professional cameras equipped with SDXC as standard. Mobile phone users can download more music, HD videos and graphics games faster via side-loading with SDXC memory cards.
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Non-CPRM symbol, message and their placement rules (from Logo Directive V6.1)
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