16GB cards, DualAdapters, P2Stores and firmware

electricpig

electricpig

Well-known member
I lost a hiring gig on Monday due to there being no Century Optics .6 converters in the UK (now ordered one from Zacuto along with some z-mount goodies).

The good news is that they hired an HPX500 plus wide lens instead, and that they're hiring me to sort the data.

Will a DualAdapter work with 16GB P2 cards, can anyone confirm?
Also, how do I update the firmware on my P2Store if I only have a Mac in order to read the 16GB (do I need to?)
Alternately I could take an HVX along to act as a card reader, updating the firmware via an SD card reader.

I'm looking for backup options here, as I don't want to be sitting there on set with egg on my face.

thanks

mike.c
 
I can't confirm about the 16gb with dual adapters as I use a Powerbook and my company is using PCs with PCMCIA.

What I can tell you is that you must update the p2store in order to read 16gb cards. You must use a PC, and some of the links can be complicated to find within panasonic.
First you need the p2 store manager from the panny website, then the p2 store firmware upgrade.
https://eww.pavc.panasonic.co.jp/pro-av/support/desk/e/download.htm#p2pcdriver

and

https://eww.pavc.panasonic.co.jp/pro-av/support/cs/csregistp2m/ep2main/soft/upg_e.htm

look all the way down for the AJ-PC060G thats the firmware you need.

Remeber to put your p2 store in software update mode, take out the little plug on the front left side of the unit and slide the switch to its forward most position.

Good luck!
 
Thanks for the reply.

The 'you must use a PC' is what I suspected, and what screws me over. I don't know any PC HVX'ers, so I'll go 'a knocking on my neighbours doors to find a PC user who'll allow me to install these voodoo drivers on his machine. 'don't worry, there's no viruses'
 
I transfer 16 GB cards with a duel adapter to a MacBook Pro without issue.

You didn't indicate what platform you are using.
 
VenezuelanD, I've found someone with a laptop running Vista. Will the P2 store stuff all run from this or will I need an XP machine. What a minefield...
 
If anyone is interested, as per David S's advice the 16GB cards worked flawlessly with the dual adapter at about 2 times speed, so about 8 mins for a 16GB card. I also updated the firmware on my HVX which I took along as a backup-card reading system, and this was also able to read and format the 16GB cards, aswell as playback all the footage shot with the HPX500.

(Unfortunately I was unable to upgrade my P2Store firmware after several hours of hand-wringing on a Vista system. It reported a succesfull driver load in the control panel at the bottom, but on reboot there was no sign anywhere of the P2 store Manager, or any drivers (I checked in the control panels as the PDF recommended)
Very strange, very frustrating, very confusing).

What a camera that is! I ended up as camera assistant aswell, and the whole thing is uncannily familiar to the HVX to use. This in itself is impressive, but add in all the shooting modes with PAL/NTSC/24P, 4 channel XLR audio, interchangeable lenses, very low noise and high sensitivity plus 4 16GB cards, and that is one hell of a lot of camera for £10,000
 
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Mac Users, P2 Store upgrade

Mac Users, P2 Store upgrade

Mac users don't dispair. The P2 Store update works with a PowerPC based Mac and OS X (10.4.10) It won't work on an Intel based MacBook Pro as it stated on the Panasonic site. I tried it just for grins and what do you know, they weren't lying. The P2 Store isnt recognized by P2 Store Manager.

However, it does work on a PowerPC based Mac. My desktop is a QuadCore G5 and it works just fine. Follow the instructions in the PDF "pcs060g_e.pdf" that is included with the P2 Store update file and DON"T FORGET to move the tiny switch on the side of the P2 Store into Update Mode. It is on the other side of the P2 Store from the USB connector. Open the P2 Store Manager and go to the Upgrade tab and load the "VSI4516.vdt" file to the P2 Store and wait for the process to complete.

I did a test dump of my gleaming new 16G cards and it works great.

By the way, you need to update the drivers on any machine that you plan to use to offload footage to from the P2 Store, that includes Intel based Macs.

Best,
Kevin
 
thanks kevinM. I was tied in knots by all the tongue twisting on the Panasonic support site, and didn't even pick up that anything to the P2 store could be done with the Mac.
There's a certain Irony in there somewhere that only PowerPC's are suppoted.

I'll try tonight...
 
electricpig said:
thanks kevinM. I was tied in knots by all the tongue twisting on the Panasonic support site, and didn't even pick up that anything to the P2 store could be done with the Mac.
There's a certain Irony in there somewhere that only PowerPC's are suppoted.

I'll try tonight...
Click to expand...

That site is something else isn't it?

It is sort of ironic that PCs are supported but not the newer Macs with Intel (more PC-Like) chips. I think Panasonic works in a time warp. They enter at the same point in time as everyone else but they come out a year or so behind.

Yes, the P2 Store has to be updated to use the 16G P2 Cards. The file that is specific to the P2 Store is available here:

https://eww.pavc.panasonic.co.jp/pro-av/support/cs/csregistp2m/ep2main/soft/upg_e.htm

The last one in the list.

Then use P2 Store Manager to do the update. There is a PDF included with the download that tells you what to do.

Good luck
Kevin
 
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kevinM said:
Mac users don't dispair. The P2 Store update works with a PowerPC based Mac and OS X (10.4.10) It won't work on an Intel based MacBook Pro as it stated on the Panasonic site. I tried it just for grins and what do you know, they weren't lying. The P2 Store isnt recognized by P2 Store Manager.

However, it does work on a PowerPC based Mac. My desktop is a QuadCore G5 and it works just fine. Follow the instructions in the PDF "pcs060g_e.pdf" that is included with the P2 Store update file and DON"T FORGET to move the tiny switch on the side of the P2 Store into Update Mode. It is on the other side of the P2 Store from the USB connector. Open the P2 Store Manager and go to the Upgrade tab and load the "VSI4516.vdt" file to the P2 Store and wait for the process to complete.

I did a test dump of my gleaming new 16G cards and it works great.

By the way, you need to update the drivers on any machine that you plan to use to offload footage to from the P2 Store, that includes Intel based Macs.

Best,
Kevin
Click to expand...


Right. I've seen surgery that's less complicated than this!

So if I have a MacBook Pro, I cannot update my P2 Store with it. This I understand.

BUT if I use a PC to upgrade my P2 Store/camera etc, will I still be able to dump stuff on my MacBook Pro using Final Cut through the P2 Store. To wit - WILL A MACBOOK PRO BE ABLE TO READ AND WORK WITH AN UPGRADED P2 STORE?

I guess I'm confused about where the P2 Driver fits in. The Software Update Information page says "No need driver for Mac" in relation to 16Gb stuff on an HVX200, but there's stuff in this thread that suggests that the new P2 software is Intel-chip phobic.

Don't wanna get caught on set and find that I've got oodles of 16Gb recording time but nowhere to put it once it's done...

That support desk site is truly astonishing. It's hard enough to decipher some of the grammer on there, let alone the instructions (much of which conflicts).
 
Yes, one can indeed update the P2Store firmware to accept the 16GB cards on a G5 (a complete bust trying it on my Intel Mac). But, in addition to downloading the "P2Store Manager" software from this site:

https://eww.pavc.panasonic.co.jp/pro-av/support/desk/e/download.htm#p2store

one also needs to download the driver software from this site:

https://eww.pavc.panasonic.co.jp/pro-av/support/cs/csregistp2m/ep2main/soft/upg_e.htm

It's there at the bottom of the page. You may also have to restart your Mac with the P2Store connected and on for the P2Store Manager to connect to the P2Store itself. But, Just as Kevin says, follow the two pages of printed instructions in addition to his instructions and it will work . . . despite Panasonic's web grinches best efforts to thwart your initiative.
David
 
yes i up graded my p2 store and my dual adapter for the 16gb and it will also both will take the 32 without further upgrade. works great for me. just wish my p2 store was 200 gb now.
 
I thought I would have reached everybody who uses this forum by now, but I guess not.
I put together a Panasonic P2 Drivers Firmware and Resources page just because the Panasonic site sucks so hard. I keep it updated with all the latest drivers (plus old versions), firmware, manuals, etc., for the camera and some of its more popular accessories (including the Duel Adapter). If you like it, bookmark it, add it to your signature, or tell a friend.
 
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