Best current P2 offload netbook solutions

Steve Smull

Steve Smull

Active member
Seems time to refresh the discussion about what the best current solutions are for P2 offload using a Windows netbook.

The specific Lenovo S10e model that's been popularized here seems to have been supplanted by Lenovo models not sporting an Express Card slot. I see plenty of other potentially viable candidates out there, but being a Mac guy I'm not intimately familiar with the Widows machines.

I know there are a lot of Mac users on this forum who have interest in a reliable P2 Windows offload tool, but with misgivings about grabbing some cheezy-cheap PC thing off the shelf at Costco to which they plan to entrust their P2 data.

Any updates on similar, perhaps better solutions than the well documented but getting long in the tooth Lenovo S10e? Or should we be snapping these up before they are all gone because they have been proven performers for the specific task of P2 offloading? At the price, I'm not opposed to using proven older technology to get the job done rather than beta testing a potentially faster but unproven different model; i.e. taking a risk on something loaded with Windows 7 as opposed to reliable proven XP that works with existing drivers...
 
Good question.

I do know the Lenovo is still available at places like eCost and the HP 2140 Mini Note has an EC/54 adapter.
 
unless you plan to use it for something other than P2 transfer, i cant see the machines age or format having much consequence one way or the other.

does it have a pcmcia slot? YES? ok. done. thats all i need to know
 
Being a computer, it would inevitably be used for other functionality as well. Being a tech head, I can't help wondering if there's a better and newer Express Card slot equipped super compact netbook that surpasses the S10e which has been around for quite a while now.

Express card slots seem to be becoming less common in netbooks than they were, and my concern is that they will disappear altogether from that class of machine soon.

If the Express Card is deemed by manufacturers to be too expensive or troublesome to add to those little machines then we will be left with lugging portly machines as the only option.

Since Apple killed the Express Card slot in the 15" Macbook Pro's the appeal of an Express Card equipped netbook has of course risen for Mac users. We're looking at the option of an older 15" or 17" that can still run MacOS X 10.5, or trying to get 10.5 to run on a new 17" which comes loaded with 10.6. The 17"MacBook Pro is the only currently shipping one that still comes with an Express Card slot, and that's a big machine for a field unit.

Meanwhile, we're Waiting Waiting Waiting for the vaporware promised but unspecified Panasonic single slot solution to the problem that Duel stopped supporting the MacOS at 10.5. Would be great if panasonic gave a head's-up at least as far as what the connectivity will be, but they have gone dark other than saying some time ago that a single slot solution is coming in the spring.

So the question is, for the near term P2 offload solution for the typical DVXuser P2 budget that does not include a $2000 5 slot reader, should we be grabbing the somewhat old Lenovo S10e or is there something better now, since that model is already partially obsolete in computer lifespan.
 
What do you think about this system, it's a little bit more expensive than the lenovo option but...still in a very conservative budget:

First the laptop:

-HP DV4 1540US (579$)

It got an express card port + 3 USB and a wonderful eSATA port(shared with the third USB) and a 320GB HDD 7200rpm.

Second The HDD:

-Two Seagate Momentus 2.5'' 500GB 7200rpm (105$each)

-with two Ultra Aliminium Enclosure with eSATA port ( 40$each)

and PCMCIA to express card adaptor (40$).


that's it, for 909$, you got yourself a pretty good offload/playback system...
 
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Offloading stats...

Offloading stats...

My first on field offloading expérience(2 years ago) was a disaster. I was on a 2 weeks work trip, 8 to 10 hours a days, 6 days per week and after my day of work: OFFLOADING TIME.

At this time, my computer was already old and not fast at all with my two 1 TB HDD(USB 5400rpm) It took forever to offload a 16GB, I mean, almost 45min per card so for 4 cards, i was in hell.

But now, it's a different ball game, computer and HDD are faster and new connection like eSATA make our life, well, more easy.

I took a full 16GB P2 card R series(actually, it's 14.5GB total) for the tests.

So there it is:

-From express card to the internal HDD(500GB, 5400RPM) :

Offloading time: 5 min, Max Speed: 50,1 Mo/s.


-To back up the internal HDD to the external HDD(eSATA) :

Offloading time 3:52 min, Max Speed 68,2 Mo/s.


-From espress card to an external HDD(eSATA, 500GB, 7200RPM) :

Offloading time: 4:38 min, Max Speed; 54.5 Mo/s.


-From Express Card to external HDD(eSATA) and, in the same time, to an external HDD(USB) :

Offloading time:

-eSATA finished first in 6:36min, max speed 38.5 Mo/s,
-USB: 13:36 min, Max Speed 18 Mo/s.


-From Express Card to internal HDD and external HDD(eSATA) :

Offloading time: 4:46 min, Max Speed: both 52 Mo/s.



Voila...Happy offloading...:happy:
 
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I still use a PowerBook G4 for offloading, playback and light editing. They are very capable.

If I don't want to bring a laptop with me into the field, I carry a battery-powered FireWire hard drive that connects directly to the camera. I can't shoot while offloading my P2 cards. It's especially useful when the crew and project already require breaks in the action.

-Andrew
 
Steve Smull said:
Express card slots seem to be becoming less common in netbooks than they were, and my concern is that they will disappear altogether from that class of machine soon.
Since Apple killed the Express Card slot in the 15" Macbook Pro's the appeal of an Express Card equipped netbook has of course risen for Mac users.
Meanwhile, we're Waiting Waiting Waiting for the vaporware promised but unspecified Panasonic single slot solution to the problem that Duel stopped supporting the MacOS at 10.5. .
Click to expand...

With That in mind maybe a budget USB off load solution for the smaller indi producers will be even more needed as the technology progression advances and connections fall by the wayside.
Fun times ahead.
Cheers
Tom K
olinevideo.com.au
 
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