Sonnet - Qio: Pro Universal SxS, P2, CF, SDHC, and SDXC media reader for Mac & PCs

Multiple Slots, Quick Input and Output

Sonnet’s Qio is a multi-tasking marvel; this is the industry’s first device that supports all major HD video memory card formats in one compact, high-performance device. Qio reads from and writes to just about any memory card— SxS, P2, CompactFlash®, SDHC™ and SDXC™—and SATA storage systems with an eSATA interface, all at high speed. Replacing multiple standalone card readers, Qio’s dual P2, SxS, and CF slots enable you to ingest files more efficiently, and the included SD card adapter handles SDHC and SDXC media. Qio reads files from any combination of cards with aggregate bandwidth up to 200 MB/sec., much faster than FireWire® or USB 2.0 adapters are capable.

Mac and Windows Compatible

Mac users in the film and broadcast industries have come to depend on Qio for its broad media support and ease of use. Now Windows PC users can profit from the capabilities and advantages of this Sonnet professional media reader! Qio offers cross-platform compatibility, further extending its usefulness on location and in the studio. If you already own a Qio, you make it Windows-compatible with an upcoming firmware update.

Professional Universal Media Reader/Writer Plus Four eSATA Ports

Qio supports the connection of two Fusion™ F2 portable storage systems or up to 16 SATA drives in hardware RAID controller-equipped enclosures for quick drive-to-drive and memory card-to-drive file transfers.

Tempo SATA E4P Host Controller Inside

Qio contains the heart and circuitry of the acclaimed Sonnet Tempo™ SATA E4P SATA controller card. Four eSATA connectors on the back of Qio enable you to connect two Sonnet Fusion F2 portable 2-drive RAID SATA storage systems to easily copy files between them. Qio’s support of integrated hardware RAID controllers also enables you to connect four drive enclosures like Sonnet’s Fusion D400QR5 to access up to 16 drives!

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

Key Features

Replaces Multiple Card Readers—Comprehensive memory card compatibility with support for Sony® SxS; Panasonic® P2; CompactFlash; SDHC and SDXC cards (with included adapter)

Fast—Uses PCI Express® bus interface to deliver superior performance; aggregate bandwidth of 200 MB/sec.

Mac and Windows Compatible—Qio works with in your workflow, regardless the platform you've chosen

Built-in SATA Connections—Integrated, fast SATA host controller based on Tempo SATA E4P with four eSATA ports supports and powers two Fusion F2 SATA storage systems, or supports SATA drive enclosures with up to 16 drives total

Small and Rugged—Strong aluminum case measures just 5.9" x 6.2" x 1.22"

Security—Slot for Kensington and similar security locks to secure the device and deter theft

Package includes Qio, PCIe or ExpressCard/34 interface adapter, interface cable, SD card adapter, universal power supply, carrying case, and user's guide

Media Cards

Qio supports a full range of media cards such as (from left to right) Sony SxS, Panasonic P2, CompactFlash, and SDHC cards.

Travel and Desktop Companion

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 Sonnet’s Fusion F2 storage system, the case measures just 3cm (1.2") 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 plus two attached F2s. For battery-powered operation, an optional XLR 4-pin adapter cable can route battery power to the Qio plus attached Fusion F2’s. This pro media reader even incorporates a slot for Kensington® and similar security locks to secure the device and deter theft.

Part No.
QIO-E34	Qio with Sonnet PCIe Bus Extender ExpressCard/34 adapter for notebook computers
QIO-PCIE	Qio with Sonnet Bus Extender PCIe adapter for desktop computers
Hardware
Warranty	2-year
External Connectors (Qio Enclosure)	Two CompactFlash (CF) Two CardBus (P2) Two ExpressCard/34 (SxS) Four eSATA External PCIe x1 - 18 Three power
External Connectors (Adapter Card)	External PCIe x1 - 18
Data Transfer Speed	Up to 200 MB/s aggregate
Bus Interface	PCI Express x1
Supported Media, CompactFlash Slots	Type I CompactFlash
Supported Media, CardBus Slots	P2, P2 E-series
Supported Media, ExpressCard/34 Slots	SxS; SxS Pro; SDXC using included adapter
Drives Supported	Up to 16⁽¹⁾
Drives Type Supported	Serial ATA
Firmware	Flash-ROM upgradeable to latest firmware version
Hot Plug Qio	Supported in MacBook Pro⁽²⁾ with Mac OS X 10.6.8+
Dimensions WxDxH:	5.9 x 6.2 x 1.2 in. (14.9 x 15.7 x 3 cm)
RoHS Compliant	Yes
Power	12V@3A input 2 X 12V@ 0.5A output
Absolute Maximum Input Voltage	14V (Rev A, B, C) 20V (Rev D and later)
Package Contents (QIO-E34)	Qio universal professional media reader/writer Sonnet PCIe Bus Extender ExpressCard/34 adapter SD card adapter Universal 12V power supply with 10-foot cable 1-meter external PCIe x1 interface cable Carrying case User’s Guide
Package Contents (QIO-PCIE)	Qio universal professional media reader/writer Sonnet Bus Extender PCIe adapter SD card adapter Universal 12V power supply with 10-foot cable 1-meter external PCIe x1 interface cable Carrying case User’s Guide

Mac Compatibility

Mac OS X Version 10.6.8+

Mac OS X Lion compatible

MacBook Pro⁽²⁾ with ExpressCard/34 slot (Part No. QIO-E34)

Mac Pro (Part No. QIO-PCIE)

Windows Compatibility

Windows 7

Windows Vista®

Windows Server 2008 R2

Windows Server 2008

PC Compatibility
Known Compatible Desktop Computers

Dell Dimension 9100

Dell T5500⁽⁴⁾

HP Z400⁽⁵⁾

HP Z600⁽⁵⁾

HP Z800⁽⁵⁾

HP WJ992ET

HP XW4200

HP XW8400⁽⁶⁾

Known Compatible Notebook Computers

HP DV6⁽⁷⁾

Known Compatible Motherboards

Asus P6T7 Motherboard

Asus Sabertooth X58

Gigabyte GA-P55-UD3L Motherboard

Known Incompatible Computers and Motherboards

Dell XPS400

HP E180T

SuperMicro X8DTH-6F

Technical Notes

Support for up to 16 drives requires the use of drive enclosures employing either an FIS-based port multiplier or a hardware RAID storage (like Sonnet's Fusion D400QR5).
Qio must be hot plugged into MacBook Pro with Thunderbolt interface. Qio will not be recognized if MacBook Pro with Thunderbolt interface is booted or restarted with Qio attached.

Qio SATA ports are compatible with most external SATA storage. However, external hard drives with USB 2.0/eSATA dual interface based on the Oxford Semiconductor OXU931DS storage controller chip may not be compatible with Mac OS X when connected via SATA. Known issues are kernel panics occurring when the drive is connected, or the drive not being recognized by the operating system.

Summary of external SATA storage

• Storage with eSATA alone	Compatible
• Storage with triple interfaces	Compatible
• Storage with quad interfaces	Compatible
• Storage with eSATA plus Firewire 400 and/or 800	Compatible
• Storage with port multiplier support (multiple drives)	Compatible
• Storage with RAID 0, 1, or 5 (multiple drives)	Compatible
• Storage with eSATA plus USB (based on JMicron 20366)	Compatible
These compatible drives include, but are not limited to: - OWC Mercury On-the-Go USB 2.0/eSATA 2.5" portable
• Storage with eSATA plus USB (based on Oxford OXU931DS)	Not compatible
These incompatible drives include, but are not limited to: - Western Digital My Book™ Premium ES Edition™ - Seagate Technology FreeAgent™ Pro

Use slot 2.
Use slot 3.
Error message may appear on restarts, but does not affect operation.
Requires BIOS version 12 or later.

Qio Read Performance

P2 Card (Mac)	25 MB/sec
P2 Card (Windows)	50 MB/sec
CF Card	85 MB/sec
2X CF Card	170 MB/sec
SxS Card	90 MB/sec
2X SxS Card	180 MB/sec

Qio Accessories		Part No.	Description
	Sonnet PCIe Bus Extender ExpressCard/34 Adapter	PCIE-E34	Spare ExpressCard/34 interface adapter card for Qio
	Sonnet Bus Extender PCIe Adapter	PCIE-E	Spare PCIe interface card for Qio

Reviews
	Sonnet Qio Review. Very, Very, Fast Offloads. "I had heard about the QIO some time ago, so I approached Sonnet to see if I could borrow a unit to review. I was given the loan of a Sonnet QIO at NAB. I have been playing with it since then and you know what, it’s a great device. So what exactly is it? Well it is an extension box that allows you to connect a range of peripherals and flash memory cards to your computer via the PCI bus. The reason I wanted to borrow one was because the QIO is one of the few devices (the only device?) that allows you to connect SxS, Compact Flash and P2 cards to a computer using the high speed PCI bus with hot-swappable functionality… This is one fast device. If you have lots of media to off-load and backup it’s going to save you a lot of time. If you are a production company that works with large volumes of solid state media it will pay for itself very quickly in saved man-hours. If your working in the field with a MacBook Pro the ability to connect both the media and eSATA devices at the same time makes the QIO a very interesting proposition. It is well constructed, simple to install and use, what more could you ask for." Read more...
	In Review: Sonnet Technologies Qio "The Sonnet Technologies Qio answers one of the most significant questions posed by editors dealing with solid-state media: how do I copy the contents of the cards to my computer? And the Qio answers the question without any uncertainty… Who needs the Qio? Any editor who deals with a variety of solid-state media. Nothing is worse than having a client drop off a P2 card and you have no way to read it. “Er, can I plug your camera into my computer so I can copy the contents of the card?” Or, “I know I have that little USB CF card reader somewhere around here…” And it’s not just for editors needing multiple formats. A solid piece of equipment to me is far preferable to an inexpensive card reader which might be slow and much more subject to failure when you need it most. The Qio is most useful to anyone who needs to extend the bus capability of their computer to additional storage and other compatible card-based devices. The Qio represents the only product of its kind on the market and I am pleased to recommend it with great enthusiasm." Read more...
	Fast Enough? Data-Driven Broadcast Infrastructure "…The single most impressive ingest product that I saw was the Sonnet Technologies Qio, pronounced Cue-Eye-Oh. Using a single PCIe slot, it gives you two P2 readers, two Sony SxS readers, and two CF Card readers. My first reaction was, "It takes up another card slot?!? What if you need a slot for a SATA card?" The Sonnet Qio also incorporates the well known E4P eSATA card - built right into the Qio! So in addition to everything else, you get four eSATA ports, all of which support port multiplication for your eSATA drives. Amazing!" Read more...
	Review: Sonnet Qio "As a solid-state card reader, the Qio accepts every kind of card your cameraman may hand you: P2 cards from Panasonic cameras, CompactFlash cards from digital SLRs or Red cameras, SxS cards from Sony, JVC cameras or Arri cameras, and SDHC cards (via an adapter) from everything else. This versatility is a big deal. As many folks move from tape to solid-state, they can buy one convenient reader that handles it all. Not only does the Qio work with all of these card formats, but it accepts two of each card at a time — two P2 cards, two SxS cards, and so on. It’s like the Noah’s Arc of card readers, and that’s helpful if you’re shooting a lot of cards during the day, and want to copy two at a time. With two cards mounted, you don’t have to hover around your computer as it copies, waiting to slip in the next card. It’s a nice convenience, and no other card reader gives you dual-slotted options for so many media formats. …[its] a great option for production houses, editors and DITs who have to make their way in this world of endless media formats." Read more...

Awards & Case Studies


See what reviewers and customers have to say about other Sonnet products in our News section under Product Reviews and Case Studies.
Bandwagon Media Inc. Case Study Making at premiere splash at the 2010 Dallas International Film Festival (DIFF), Sonnet's Qio™ took front and center stage as it provided high-speed transfers and flawless performance for the Ingest of festival footage from seven HD cameras… Read more...