It is my conclusion that as of today (November 29th) there is no working P2 workflow for computers running leopard and the latest versions Final cut and QuickTime. HD log (which I don't own yet) might be the only software that acknowledges that there were issues with their workflow and now they claim those issues have been resolved. I am going to have to buy it and see if I get something to work.
Everything else that I tried didn't work:
* P2CMS deffinately doesn't work due to verification errors, and today at B&H in the middle of a P2 workflow demonstration Panasonic finally had to admit that there were issues with P2CMS when they couldn't get it to work. They got the Verification errors and could not show their software.
* Direct download from P2 card or from a folder (p2 archived) onto fcp WORKS SOMETIMES BUT NOT ALWAYS. Really, be aware that some clips can't be imported. Error dispalyed is " ! " but no explanation. It seems to be random. I could replicate this many times with different cards and computers. Even at B&H the guy from Panasonic encountered the same error when doing his demonstration. He tried to dismiss it, but I know well that it just happens all the time (not a good thing).
The way I went around this issue was using Raylight for exporting real quicktime files of the quicktime aliases of the .mxf files (complicated).
* Although Raylight saved me once, the problem with it (Raylight) is that even after the upgrade to 2.0.6, my final cut pro, when launching, goes spinning for hours searching for mxf files that I moved or erased from the raylight folder. I don't know what the issue is but can't work with FCP any more. Raylight however still makes aliases that I can preview in finder or bridge, or iview, or premiere.
Premiere is so far the best option that I have tried. Unlike fcp, premire shows me the p2 metadata in the properties, however premiere is crashing when trying to play some clips (also randomly not always the same).
I hope the developers of all these software come up with fixes.
Also I wish Apple paid a little more attention to its thousands of professional customers in the film and tv industry before turning their world upside up. They should consult with Panasonic before drastic and damaging changes are made to their software. Ahh, and one more wish; Please Apple, make Final cut Pro and quicktime capable of reading .mxf files on their own and add fields that match Panasonic's metadata to quick time and to the browser of FCP.
Everything else that I tried didn't work:
* P2CMS deffinately doesn't work due to verification errors, and today at B&H in the middle of a P2 workflow demonstration Panasonic finally had to admit that there were issues with P2CMS when they couldn't get it to work. They got the Verification errors and could not show their software.
* Direct download from P2 card or from a folder (p2 archived) onto fcp WORKS SOMETIMES BUT NOT ALWAYS. Really, be aware that some clips can't be imported. Error dispalyed is " ! " but no explanation. It seems to be random. I could replicate this many times with different cards and computers. Even at B&H the guy from Panasonic encountered the same error when doing his demonstration. He tried to dismiss it, but I know well that it just happens all the time (not a good thing).
The way I went around this issue was using Raylight for exporting real quicktime files of the quicktime aliases of the .mxf files (complicated).
* Although Raylight saved me once, the problem with it (Raylight) is that even after the upgrade to 2.0.6, my final cut pro, when launching, goes spinning for hours searching for mxf files that I moved or erased from the raylight folder. I don't know what the issue is but can't work with FCP any more. Raylight however still makes aliases that I can preview in finder or bridge, or iview, or premiere.
Premiere is so far the best option that I have tried. Unlike fcp, premire shows me the p2 metadata in the properties, however premiere is crashing when trying to play some clips (also randomly not always the same).
I hope the developers of all these software come up with fixes.
Also I wish Apple paid a little more attention to its thousands of professional customers in the film and tv industry before turning their world upside up. They should consult with Panasonic before drastic and damaging changes are made to their software. Ahh, and one more wish; Please Apple, make Final cut Pro and quicktime capable of reading .mxf files on their own and add fields that match Panasonic's metadata to quick time and to the browser of FCP.
