PCMCIA reader for P2 Card

C

coralseatv

Member
Hi,

I've just got my new HPX500. I'm shooting HD and all exited. I can download footage into my PC computer via the USB output on the side of the camera. But I want to get a reader for the P2 (PCMCIA) card so I can just pull out the P2 card and download it directly into the computer without the camera. But it seems that PCMCIA is now a obsolete format!

Does anyone know where I can get a PCMCIA reader that takes the P2 card and then goes to a USB plug so I can plug it directly into my laptop or PC. Also I just got a new laptop computer but it accepts only the newer smaller PCMexpress (I think) cards!

I have checked ebay and cannot find a reader at all. I am in Australia.

Any tips much appreciated.

Thanks

George
 
Hi,

Thanks for that and I bought this PCMCIA adaptor, had it shipped from the US to me here in Australia ($62 shipping!) and it does not work. My new laptop does not see it or recognise it. I have downloaded the latest drivers etc. Then I see on there website that it only works with Dell laptops? So I am returning it.

This still leaves me with the problems of how to capture PCMCIA P2 cards onto my laptop without using my HPXs USB 2 output.

I love Panasonic for giving me a camera/foramt option other than Sony. But it seems like the P2 PCMCIA format is a dinasaur.

How are others dumping their files into the computers?

Thanks

George
 
What I don't understand is, how there can only be ONE company (duel systems) in the whole world, that make such an adapter.

I mean, there must be millions of pcmcia cards out there. P2 cards, UMTS cards, dongles for programs and so on. How is that possible? There obviously must be a big market. And duel systems must make a sh*tload of money. That thing is not so cheap and people all over the world try to get it, even with enormous shipping costs.

How are others dumping their files into the computers?
Click to expand...

Well, many users have still got a notebook with a pcmcia slot (including myself till today). You can also still buy new notebooks with pcmcia slots, like the Lenovos. Or you have a PC where you can buy a pcmcia slot for nearly the price of an egg. And there is the duel adapter which seems to work for alot of people.
 
If you haven't sent the Duel Systems adapter back yet... I have one and use it on a MacBook Pro. It reads the P2 cards fine. I use it on the MacBook Pro under OS 10.5.2 (no drivers needed) as well as under Windows XP. A couple of things to check.

Make sure that you have the latest driver P2 driver from Panasonic loaded. The adapter may work fine but won't recognize the P2 card without the driver installed. Make sure you checked "P2 card CardBus driver" during installation and not just the USB driver. They are two different things. You can view and ingest P2 material with P2 Content Management software from Panasonic.

Also, there is an A/B switch on the bottom of the adapter. Make sure that the switch is in the B position for a Windows XP. Once the Duel-Adapter driver is loaded, a D icon will appear in your System Tray. If you click on it you should be able to see the status of the adapter. If the P2 driver is loaded and a P2 card in the slot, you should be able to see the card and view the content.
 
I just wish someone would bring out a PCMCIA adapter for FW or USB. Now theres little chance of that due to the fact that PCMCIA is on the way out.

Heres how I really feel - Panasonic is promoting P2, they asked us to buy into it and many many have, they are following up on the product with newer cameras/bigger cards. Why cant they make a simple single card reader usable across any system.

A 32/64gb card holds a lot of data. A 64 could quite possibly hold footage from a entire days shoot. All I need is a cheap single card reader back at my Mac Pro / clients Mac Pro or PC. Please....
 
Cheap readers do exist, there's $75 to $125 slot readers for Windows desktops and IINM somebody's made one for Mac desktops now too. Not firewire or USB though. Those are expensive. They exist, but they're expensive (PCD20).
 
Barry_Green said:
IINM somebody's made one for Mac desktops now too. Not firewire or USB though. Those are expensive. They exist, but they're expensive (PCD20).
Click to expand...

Ive been searching and searching in hope of finding something - do you have a link?
 
I was talking with a Wiebetech sales person a couple of weeks ago about a small 2 drive RAID enclosure that had Firewire 800 and eSata interfaces so I could take my MacBook Pro with it into the field and off load P2 data to it and then be able to bring the enclosure back and hook it up to my main edit computer. (RTX200H-QR)

He mentioned Wiebetech is working on a small RAID enclosure able to accept up to 1 terabyte drives with a PCMCIA reader in it that would allow off loading P2 cards to the RAID drives in the enclosure without the need for an OS. No computer hookup needed.

The enclosure would also have Firewire and eSata interfaces to hook to a computer for editing purposes.

Could be out by late summer or early fall.
 
Noel,

I think Panasonic wants us to buy P2 readers etc. But they're shooting themselves in the foot! What they really need to do is sell the cameras for market share.




Ed Waters
 
"one can ingest up to 5 cards at the same time."

PCD20 can dnld 5 cards but only one at a time. Still a wonderful thing.
 
Last I knew, that Addonics adapter is not cross-platform. I don't think it works on Macs (even in BootCamp under Windows).
 
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