P2 cards, Powerbook G4, Hard drive work flow, need some assistance

December 14, 2007

I have a Powerbook G4 with a PCI slot (they don't make PCI slots on MacBook Pro now correct?) One of the reasons I've held onto this laptop was in order to use the PCI slot as the interface for accessing the P2 cards in order to flow footage to a hard drive.

Has anyone done this, effectively cutting out the expensive Panasonic card reader, and then, how have you actually read the cards?

Your help is much appreciated!

Rod

Satsuki Murashige · December 14, 2007

(they don't make PCI slots on MacBook Pro now correct?)

Correct. The Intel MacBook Pros have ExpressCard 34 slots instead, although you can buy PC card to ExpressCard adapters for around $100, last time I checked.

Has anyone done this, effectively cutting out the expensive Panasonic card reader, and then, how have you actually read the cards?

It's very simple, actually. The P2 card slides into the PC card slot on your PowerBook, and after a few moments the P2 card will show up on your desktop just like an external hard drive. Simply open the card by double-clicking and copy and paste all the files into a new folder onto your external firewire drive. Just make sure you copy both the MXF and TXT files because FCP will not be able to open the footage later without the TXT files (or at least, it becomes much more difficult - someone more knowledgeable about this stuff like Phil Rhodes can explain this better, I'm sure). You can open and verify the P2 footage you've copied over in either FCP or P2 Viewer if you have them loaded on the PowerBook. Then eject the card by dragging it into the trash and format it in the camera. That's really it, very simple.

Pete Von Tews · December 14, 2007

The older PCMCIA Powerbooks are great to use with P2. Like Satsuki stated above, its very straightforward.

I prefer importing the P2 via Final Cut Pro, that way the clips can be viewed, named, deleted etc.

Works great for me.

Phil Rhodes · December 14, 2007

> after a few moments the P2 card will show up on your desktop just like an external hard drive.

Worth mentioning that this requires a specific software driver (for some reason). I have no idea if this driver is installed by default on Macs or if it comes with FCP or the FCP P2 extensions, or whatever - but it has to be there. You can't just whack it in any laptop.

Phil

Kirsty Stark · December 14, 2007

> after a few moments the P2 card will show up on your desktop just like an external hard drive.

Worth mentioning that this requires a specific software driver (for some reason). I have no idea if this driver is installed by default on Macs or if it comes with FCP or the FCP P2 extensions, or whatever - but it has to be there. You can't just whack it in any laptop.

Phil

Not sure if this is exactly what you're talking about, but P2 drivers and content management software are available for download here:

https://eww.pavc.panasonic.co.jp/pro-av/sup...istp2m/ep2main/

December 14, 2007

This is all great to know, thank you all. I guess like someone says you can always use the camera but as we're trying to media manage on the fly during a live concert shoot this will be the easiest on the spot (tonight as in there is no time to come up with another solution or another camera).

Going to be knee deep in the footage in a few hours!

Rod

dullataj · December 19, 2007

Hi....Now I've Panasonic HVX 202EX (PAL) and 2 of P2 Cards (16 Gb) and work with Mac Book PRO.

P2 Card....It's come in Type of PCMCIA Card (4 of SD Card inside)....you can use direct in PCMCIA Slot in your G4 direct. Computer will see it in one HDD. But It can not to work with Mac Book PRO direct except you have Adaptor Cable from PCMCIA to Express Card. You can find this bridge adaptor at http://www.duel-systems.com/products/adapters.aspx. Then you can use the P2 Card with your MACBOOK PRO.

After your hardwares were completed. You must to install the sofwares in your computer too.

1. P2 Drive

2. P2 Viewer

for both of Pograms you can find free download at http://catalog2.panasonic.com/webapp/wcs/s...mp;displayTab=R

Editing Program....Now I'm use Final Cut PRO 6 but in my knowledge Final Cut should be later more than ver 5.2, Advid Express...becasue if your programs older more than.....it can not support HD File.

If you would like to share it details of Panasonics HDV 200 or 202EN and also with Canon H1....please send mail to me at dullataj@hotmail.com

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