Sonnet Technologies

Sony's popular XDCAM EX™ professional HD camcorders use high-performance SxS memory cards, which share the same interface and shape as ExpressCard/34 adapter cards. This shared form factor and connector make ingesting footage from your SxS media a simple task in ExpressCard slot-equipped notebook computers—insert the card and go. If your computer doesn't have an ExpressCard slot, you could just plug in the camera or a specialized USB 2.0 SxS reader, grab a cup of coffee and relax while all those gigabytes of data are transferred at around 30 MB/s. But what if you need faster transfers? Or want to ingest files from more than one card at a time? Sonnet's Qio E3 is the answer to all of these questions.

This Sonnet pro media reader distills the feature set of the award-winning original Qio universal media reader but designed specifically for use with SxS media cards. Providing a cost-effective, high-speed multi-slot alternative to stand-alone card readers for videographers and studios alike, Qio E3's three SxS slots enable you to ingest files faster and more efficiently, with aggregate ingest speed up to 300 MB/sec., much faster than USB 2.0 adapters are capable.

Sonnet's latest professional media reader offers cross-platform compatibility, extending its usefulness on location and in the studio. Whether you're using a MacBook® Pro, HP Z800 or Mac Pro, Qio E3 fits seamlessly into your workflow.

Qio E3 incorporates two eSATA connectors on the back of Qio E3 enable you to connect two Sonnet Fusion™ F2QR portable 2-drive hardware RAID SATA storage systems, or other SATA storage to easily ingest files in the field.

Qio E3 is available with either a PCIe 2.0 adapter card for desktops or an ExpressCard/34 adapter for notebooks. With the purchase of an additional PCIe 2.0 interface card or ExpressCard/34 interface card, you can move your Qio E3 from suite to suite, and then to location and back again without breaking a sweat. No matter where you use it, Qio E3 will quickly become an essential tool in your workflow.

This Sonnet pro media reader is small—about the size of three stacked CD cases—and takes up so little space, you can use it just about anywhere. Sharing the same 15cm (5.9") by 16cm (6.2") footprint as the Fusion F2QR storage system, the case measures just 2.5cm (1") tall. It's rugged, too—the robust aluminum case withstands heavy use. For desktop use, a universal 12V output AC power supply with wall plugs for US, Japan, Europe, UK and Australia use is included; it's capable of powering the Qio E3 plus an attached F2QR. For battery-powered operation, an optional XLR 4-pin adapter cable can route battery power to the Qio E3 plus one attached Fusion F2QR. This pro media reader even incorporates a Kensington® slot for to secure the device and deter theft.