powerbook/P2 workflow question...

[hoofandmouf]

ok this week I'm going to be shooting a short film with my HVX and 4 8gig cards, there will also be an older model powerbook G4 on set with the P2 card slot, BUT, the powerbook doesnt have FCP 5.1.2 installed on it....

so my question is, how should I offload these cards once they are full?

the workflow I've gotten used (and pretty much the only one I use) is just to import the P2 content via FCP..... I'm sure there are alternate ways, yes?

thanks dudes!

[Nathan Drillot]

what version of FCP will you be using?

Why not upgrade?

[hoofandmouf]

well its the directors laptop and she doesnt have any version of FCP installed on it....

I was told that if you just pop the P2 card into the PCMCIA slot on the powerbook (and if you have the drivers installed) that you can copy the P2 card contents over to the harddrive? is that right? or will we need to purchase some software like P2 log?

thanks.

[n8ture]

You can copy the contents over to your PowerBook's hard drive. I like using P2 Genie to do it though. Simple little program that's cheap and works great.

[hoofandmouf]

thanx kevin.

So I guess my question is.... Is there a way to just copy the P2 content over to the harddrive by just inserting the card into the PCMCIA slot (as long as the drivers are installed)? ..... or....... do you have to go through a thrid party app like P2 log, P2 genie, FCP?

[LightSourceMedia]

Hi,

my 2 cents worth.. I have a 15"PB with the full studio on it that I take to shoots with me..however, i have always used apples own disk utility to make dmg images of the p\P2 cards for both backing up and using later to import through FCP.

My Workflow:

P2 card into laptop pcmcia port (driver must be installed)
then open disk utility
click on the mounted P2 card volume and click new image
save as - to a appropiate place (usually to internal then copy to external lacie)
image format MUST BE - READ ONLY - or this wont work..
encryption -NONE
Then Save..

I have used this on over 250 P2 image captures with not a single problem or corruption yet...

then you can burn the image to DL DVD or back up to HD...I ALWAYS keep 2 Copies..i use and the other i back up...2 seperate HD's


To import once back at your FCP workstation...

connect hd with P2 images
mount images you want to use
then use FCP Import Panasonic P2 from the drop down and you off and running :)


Hope this helps at least a little.... Good luck

~ Daniel Brewer
Cinematographer/Director - HVX200
www.lightsourcemedia.com

[Shane Ross]

Here is my workflow tutorial for this process. But yes, the P2 Genie would make this move much faster.

http://forums.creativecow.net/cgi-bin/page_wrapper.cgi?forumid=8&page=http://www.creativecow.net/articles/ross_shane/p2_workflow/index.html

And...DO NOT upgrade to FCP 5.1.2 for P2 import. There have been many people who are having issues getting it to import clips, inluding myself. It keeps saying they are corrupt when they are not. I am using FCP 5.1.1 to import the clips...which uses
the same workflow mentioned in the tutorial.

http://lfhd.blogspot.com/2007/01/p2-import-with-512-is-busted.html

[hoofandmouf]

thanks dudes, thats what I needed.

I now know more than ONE workflow!

[maverickstunts]

I use P2 log because I can look at the footage and really decide if I need it or at least rename the files and export to xml. I NEVER copy any of the files to the laptop itself. Unless you have a megaharddrive it's a moot point anyway. i ALWAYs export the files to two hard drives one after the other. No matter what you need to dedicate yourself to the transfer and not shooting the footage too.