Erasing P2 on Powerbook? Auto Erase on Cam?

[Veej]

I am doing some continuous shooting and need to hot swap 2 4GB P2 cards to a powerbook.

Is there a way to erase the card on the laptop after I offload the clips so that when I place the card back into the camera it is empty and available for shooting?

Or, is there a way, in camera, that even if there are clips on the card, newer clips will automatically re-write them? Unfortunately, I will not be able to stop recording the entire time and I believe I need to be in Standby to format a P2 card, right?

Thanks for any info

[bgundu]

yes and yes.

[Veej]

What is the process?

[PunkMetalDrummer17]

Quoted from the Panasonic Brochure





P2: The Next-Generation Media

Immediate Startup and Better Data Protection






When you press the Record Button in standby mode, the
AG-HVX200 instantly finds a blank area of the P2 card and begins
recording. It can begin recording immediately even when you're using
it to preview video. In normal use, there's no chance of accidentally
overwriting a recording. Recordings will not be erased unless you
intentionally delete a file or initialize the card.







Hot-Swap Recording and

Other Functions that Add Versatility




•Hot-swap recording:





Thanks to
the AG-HVX200's two card
slots, you can hot-swap P2
cards and have continuous
non-stop recording. With
multiple cards you can record
for hours without interruption.
Or, using an AJ-PCS060G, the
"P2 Store," external hard drive,
you can download recorded files from a P2 card and then initialize it
(erasing the files), so it's ready for re-use.








•Loop recording:




Using two P2 cards and setting the AG-HVX200 for
consecutive overwriting, you can repeatedly re-record during a
particular recurring time slot, always maintaining a recording of the
most recent period. Unlike video tape, P2 cards need no rewinding.
They minimize wasted time and allow seamless, continuous
recording. This makes them especially useful for unattended
monitoring.

Now I don't know if you could loop and hot-swap but If you can that sounds like the best bet. Atleast to how I understand that..... It's a little confusing on the words there.
You should use 3 P2 cards though cause you don't know how long the one would take to get on to the Laptop (even a 2GB one would be good enough, cause I heard it takes the same amount of time as the GB count (in HD) and if your recording HD, then the card in the camera would be full when the one is just getting done being put on to the laptop.)

[bgundu]

What is the process?

Dump the contents of the card to the trash and press option key as you empty trash.

[Veej]

Thank you. Holding down "Option" while deleting the trash is what did it!

I am ready to go shoot now!

[chrislockerman]

Is holding the option key really the only thing you need to do when emptying the trash? I keep doing that and it still doesn't erase the card. I don't know, maybe I'm just a moron. Can someone give me a step by step (and yes, I know these are baby steps...)