Options for transferring P2 cards to brand new Macbook Pro?

[Jose Ole]

So I am very new to using P2 cards and understanding the workflow and from what I gather from reading through various posts is that transferring P2 data to a Macbook Pro is not that simple as with other computers/systems. I plan on buying a Macbook Pro in the coming week so can someone please take the time to outline what the options are for getting data from a P2 card onto a Macbook Pro? I am shooting with a Panasonic HVX200 and would ideally like to be able to continue shooting on another card while dumping another. It would make this process so much simpler to have advice from experienced users, so thank you in advance for taking the time to help me out. I know a lot of people have the same questions, so it would help to have an outlined option thread for others to check out...

[wgzn]

man, this has been covered INTO THE GROUND here! but im not going to be unfriendly to you on your first post here and tell you to do a forum search. so - here goes a brief explanation:

1. macbook pros do not have a PCMCIA slot (the physical format of a P2 card) they have an expresscard slot.

2. there is a $120 device called a "duel adapter" that plugs into the expresscard slot and gives you a PCMCIA slot - YAY!

3. some people. myself included have used a macbook pro with a duel adapter with zero probelms - others have had problems. nobodys sure whats behind these issues. if its shoddy build on the part of the duel people or something different in build models in different macbook pro models. either way, some love the duel adapter - some hate it.

3.b. if you buy a currently shipped model of MBPro, it will most likely come with the new, snow leopard operating system. which is NOT compatible with the duel adapter. so you will also have to find a copy of leopard. erase the existing hard drive and reinstall...

4. some people, again myself included. keep an older mac powerbook G4 with the onboard PCMCIA slot around specifically for P2 offload. those work great. and at about $400 used. a pretty good solution! but keep in mind that old non-intel machine wont run the newest versions of after effects or FCP. but if youre just using it for P2 offload - who cares right?

5. you could buy a cheap windows laptop with a PCMCIA slot from some big-box store and do the same thing for about the same price. but then you have to format your drive FAT32 and deal with all the horseshi* that is windows.

6. panasonic makes various P2 offload products that work GREAT but they start at $1000ish and go quickly up.

if you need more information. this is where we say "do a forum search" and you will uncover a TROVE of other info.

[Jose Ole]

That greatly clarifies things in ways that were not so obvious after doing extensive forum searches... exactly what I was looking for in terms of my options simplified! Thanks you for taking the time and hopefully others with the same questions can easily reference this topic.

[Barry_Green]

Of course, you also have to factor in that Jose's asking about a "brand new" Macbook Pro, so clarification needs to be made: the Duel Adapter can *only* work with the new 17" MBP. The smaller models do not have the necessary ExpressCard slot.

If you're talking about a new MBP that's not 17", then your options are more restricted and more expensive (PCD20, used P2 Store, etc).

[wgzn]

that is a very good point barry. one that i neglected. as far as new, off the shelf MBPros, yes. the 17 is the only one with an expresscard slot. so if you need to buy NOW and dont have time to shop. the 17 is the only option. there was a VERY good older 15" MBPro on the forum marketplace a few weeks back with a crazy good price from a reputable forum member.

so if you have time to look around you can find various good deals here, ebay, craiglslist (be careful there), pawnshops etc...

if you need to buy NOW and want a good deal apple has several 17" options on their "refurbish" site that are arguably BETTER than new for about $1999. im about to buy one of those myself.

[wgzn]

AND i also neglected (now added) to point out that apples newest operating system "snow leopard" is NOT compatible with the duel adapter. so if you buy a brand new (even refurb) MBPro you will ALSO have to find an old copy of non-snow leopard as well. if u plan to use the duel adapter

but that can be had easily in a number of places...

[Barry_Green]

C. Buy a Panasonic P2 Drive PDC-35 - $2.5k 2x P2 cards at a time via USB 2.0
Not correct here; the PCD is a five-slot device that connects via PCI Express. You'd have to have an ExpressCard slot-equipped MBP and the appropriate Magma adapter card to use a PCD-35 on a laptop.

Perhaps you meant the PCD20, which is a five-slot reader that would allow connecting via USB 2.0 and/or Firewire 800.



Alternatives are - Get enough P2 cards, Get a Firestore, Use your Macbooks Pro's firewire (that has not been deleted yet) to run OnLocation, ScopeBox Pro, HD Monitor Pro to have longer continuous record times right from the camera.
The other alternative is to forget using the MBP as a card reader, as the new MBP's are really not well suited for the job. Get an expresscard-enabled Netbook with adapter for about $350, and use that to offload to external drives that you could then plug into your Mac for editing.

Or, consider an HPG20 P2 workflow device and use it as an offload station to external hard disks. Or get a P2 Store, probably used off ebay for $500, that connects via USB.

Sometime in the next few months Panasonic is supposed to introduce a "single slot reader" that may resolve the MBP issue as well.

[Barry_Green]

Well, yes, that may be, but it still doesn't make it a suitable choice for P2 offloading; Apple's removal of the slot has complicated matters and raised costs enormously for those who insist on using an MBP for this job.

[wgzn]

I think we need to refrain from using words like "insist" and "unsuitable" in this discussion. A MacBook pro 17 with duel adapter was suitable as hell for me for several months in the field. The only thing it woulndt hold up to was... Theft.

Introducing a windows machine into a mac based workflow is just another largely one-trick device into the mix. If an existing mac user gets a MacBook pro at least they will have a full featured production machine...

[pwalker]

This has been mentioned in other posts many times but it's worth mentioning again for Jose. You can always purchase a used Powerbook G4 for a few hundred bucks. I just found one on Craig's List locally. It's in good shape, I got a good deal and it will now become my primary off-load computer in the field. I was concerned about carrying my MBP around all the time - especially since it is a computer I use to handle many other aspects of my business and personal stuff. So now the concerns of damage or theft in the field are greatly diminished. If the Powerbook gets damaged or stolen, that hurts much less and causes no disruption to my daily business.

I certainly could have purchased a Windows laptop I seriously considered it. And I really would have liked a smaller machine to carry around. But I have very little experience with Windows and didn't really feel like going through a learning curve - minimal though it may have been. (I'm not opposed to Windows at all, just lazy.) So, this solution was a path of least resistance. The Powerbook will work for the time being until we find out what Panasonic has in store for us with their proposed single slot, P2 off-loading solution.

Oh and I love the fact that I don't have to carry the Duel adapter around. I never had any problems with it. But at times positioning the whole set up on a car seat or some other compromised situation was a bit difficult. Now the P2 card just goes straight into the PC card slot. Boom! And this Powerbook is still actually a very good machine. It seems to run everything just fine, feels solid and snappy. I'm happy.

[timbook2]

my duel adapter died on me some weeks ago ! warranty was expired....so i had to buy another one but found a german reseller with excellent prices!
I do travel a lot and the duel is not robust enough! the solderings on both sides seem to snap loose over extended travel. apples decision to drop more and more interfaces is a major PITA! I am staying with my old models and extended my apple care. as much as i like p2 i wish there were more options for backing up without having to shed another months rent!

[Jose Ole]

Thank you to all for taking the time to explain my options here. I greatly appreciate your guidance... you rock! It looks like getting a second Powerbook G4 seems to be the best option in the mean time, until this single slot P2 card reader comes around. Thanks again :)

[weberda]

Everyone keeps mentioning that you can connect directly via USB to the camera to transfer files to a hard drive. But can't you also do it through Firewire 400? I was reading the manual yesterday and I swear that you can go this route for a much faster transfer than USB.

Has anyone done this?

Daniel Weber

[David Saraceno]

It's on page 78 of the manual.

The drive must be powered.

[Barry_Green]

Everyone keeps mentioning that you can connect directly via USB to the camera to transfer files to a hard drive. But can't you also do it through Firewire 400?
Depends on the camera. HPX170/HVX200/HPX500, firewire-only. HPX300, and presumably all cameras from here on out, USB-only.

[hotchkiss]

Could anyone provide additional information on the rumors, hearsay etc regarding a single slot card reader from Panasonic? I'd be much obliged .

My second Duel adapter has just died, and Duel won't be supporting Snow Leopard anyway- I'm done with that device. I called Sonnett the other day to inquire about the Qio's release date, and the representative said that now they are looking at mid to late January.... some five months after it was supposed to be released. :-(.

As much as the price tag of Panasonic's multi-slot card readers pains me, I've had enough of the compromises of the current Mac/ Panasonic P2 download dance. After downloading footage from my 170 today via firwire.... $2,000.00 for the PCD35 seems less painful than repeating this painful experience ever again. Arrgghhh.... &%#@# etc.

Rant over.

[wgzn]

all this waiting and hoping will give you an ulcer. just get a used G4 powerbook and be done with it

; )

[hotchkiss]

all this waiting and hoping will give you an ulcer. just get a used G4 powerbook and be done with it

; )

That's certainly a consideration, but the notion of another one trick pony in the stable is not very appealing. The Panasonic PCD35 gives me a device that I can also hook up to my G5 Quad (PCI-X)back at the ranch.

How do Powerbook download speeds compare to other options, such as the Duel device paired with a recent Macbook Pro?

No ulcers here- at least not yet ;-O, just frustration the Mac/P2 download dilemma is still as much of a PITA as it is -some three years into P2 usage.

[Barry_Green]

Could anyone provide additional information on the rumors, hearsay etc regarding a single slot card reader from Panasonic?
There are no rumors or hearsay. There was a statement posted on their website that said they were developing a single slot reader for introduction sometime in Spring 2010. That's the last we've heard, no further rumors or anything.

[hotchkiss]

Thanks Barry!

[pwalker]

How do Powerbook download speeds compare to other options, such as the Duel device paired with a recent Macbook Pro?

I recently bought a Powerbook G4 to take into the field, instead of using my MBP and Duel adaptor. Works great. The x-fer time between the two systems was nearly the same if I copied the files thru firewire to my Rugged drive. If I remember correctly a 2 minute x-fer on the MBP took 2:10 on the G4. So, not that big of a deal but if you off-load a 32GB card, it will take a few minutes longer. (If I used the internal drive on the G4 it was a good bit slower since it is a 4200 rpm drive. But I typically use the FW/Rugged x-fer.)

Also, I love the fact that the P2 card fits directly into the card bus. Never cared for the wanky Duel adapter, even though I've not had any problems with it. Hope that helps.

[hotchkiss]

I recently bought a Powerbook G4 to take into the field, instead of using my MBP and Duel adaptor. Works great. The x-fer time between the two systems was nearly the same if I copied the files thru firewire to my Rugged drive. If I remember correctly a 2 minute x-fer on the MBP took 2:10 on the G4. So, not that big of a deal but if you off-load a 32GB card, it will take a few minutes longer. (If I used the internal drive on the G4 it was a good bit slower since it is a 4200 rpm drive. But I typically use the FW/Rugged x-fer.)

Also, I love the fact that the P2 card fits directly into the card bus. Never cared for the wanky Duel adapter, even though I've not had any problems with it. Hope that helps.

Thanks, that's good to hear.In retrospect I wish I would have gone the Powerbook/PcMIA slot route two years ago, rather than with the Duel adapter/Macbook Pro combination. It would have been cheaper and simpler.

As it stands now, I'm 99% sure that I'm going to order the PCD35 after the holidays. I can continue to use the MBP in the field and use the device on my aging, but still able G5 Quad in the office. When the time comes to replace the Quad, I can use the PCD35 with it's replacement- unless of course, Apple does one of it's arbitrary connection/port change-apoolza's that it's done of late.... :-( . (Firewire 800 & Express 34 slot). Apple's random specification changes are really my biggest concern with purchasing the PCD35 at this point. Well... of course that and the near 2k price tag.

[Alvise Tedesco]

P2 reader from Sonnet

https://secure1.sonnettech.com/product_info.php?cPath=100_122&products_id=319&osCsid=e707954f732aebda0f5304f84f73f664

[hotchkiss]

P2 reader from Sonnet

https://secure1.sonnettech.com/product_info.php?cPath=100_122&products_id=319&osCsid=e707954f732aebda0f5304f84f73f664

I've been waiting for this device for some months now. I called Sonnet within the last two weeks to determine when it would actually be released. The person I talked to said that they have had problems finding a manufacturer who could build it to their specs and standards. That maybe the case, but as the release date continues to be pushed back from month to month, I need to get something now.

I ordered the PCD35 last week. I can't wait to get it :-) . No more work-arounds, no more Duel adapter- yippee!

[ywamvideo]

Not correct here; the PCD is a five-slot device that connects via PCI Express. You'd have to have an ExpressCard slot-equipped MBP and the appropriate Magma adapter card to use a PCD-35 on a laptop.

Perhaps you meant the PCD20, which is a five-slot reader that would allow connecting via USB 2.0 and/or Firewire 800.


The other alternative is to forget using the MBP as a card reader, as the new MBP's are really not well suited for the job. Get an expresscard-enabled Netbook with adapter for about $350, and use that to offload to external drives that you could then plug into your Mac for editing.

Or, consider an HPG20 P2 workflow device and use it as an offload station to external hard disks. Or get a P2 Store, probably used off ebay for $500, that connects via USB.

Sometime in the next few months Panasonic is supposed to introduce a "single slot reader" that may resolve the MBP issue as well.
Barry, You mentioned the Netbook and an adapter as a solution for downloading from a P2 card. What adapter is necessary to use with the Netbook? Are you referring the Duel adapter?
I have a MacBook Pro and need to find a economic solution to downloading from a P2. I am using Snow Leopard and may need to return to Leopard. But my husband has a Netbook and it would be awesome if it is my solution.

[Barry_Green]

I would never refer to the Duel Adapter in a positive way; I just don't like that product. I was talking about the Addonics or Rosewill adapter; they're much less expensive (I got my Rosewill for $25 from newegg, with free shipping!) and I think they're a better design, without any clunky cable, etc. And they don't need drivers.

But, they will not work on any Apple computer. There's some fundamental hardware conflict; they won't work even if you run the Apple in BootCamp/Windows mode!

The ONLY solutions for an MBP running Snow Leopard are to use one of the Panasonic slot readers (PCD20 or PCD2), or to use maybe a Sonnet QIO, or to use the camera itself as a slot reader, or to get a P2 device like a P2 Store, P2 Gear, or P2 Portable and use it as an offload device.

For the netbook, get a Windows one with an ExpressCard slot and the Addonics adapter or Rosewill (I think they're the same thing sold under different brand names).

If you want to use the MBP, just get the PCD2.