Cheap P2 dumping Laptop ($400)

[RE1000]

Just got this 14" Acer Laptop for P2 dumping/internet surfing at Microcenter. The sale is going on until Sunday.

http://microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0257720

$450 but you get a $50 mail in rebate.

Product Specifications Operating System
Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic
Processor
Intel® Celeron® M Processor 520
Processor Speed
1.60GHz
Level 2 Cache
1MB Level 2 Cache
Data Bus Speed
533MHz Frontside Bus
RAM Installed / Max RAM Supported
512MB PC-4200 DDR2 RAM (Expandable to 2GB)
Memory Configuration
(1) 512MB SO-DIMM Memory Module
Memory Slots Available
(1) Available 200-pin SO-DIMM Slot
Hard Drive
80GB 4,200RPM Ultra ATA Hard Drive
Multimedia Drive
Combo 8x DVD-ROM; 24x24x24 CD-RW
Display Type
14.1" Widescreen XGA CrystalBrite Display
Video Card
Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 950 Video Chipset
Video Card Memory
Up to 224MB of Shared Memory
Internal Max Resolution
1280 x 800
Sound Card
High Definition Audio Chipset
Modem/Communications Device
56K V.92 Fax/Modem
Network Features
10/100 Fast Ethernet Network
Wireless Network Features
IEEE-802.11b/g 54Mbps Wireless Network
Ports and Connectors
(1) VGA 15-pin Port; (1) Video Out S-Video Port; (3) USB 2.0 "A" Ports; (1) RJ-11 Modem Port; (1) RJ-45 Network Port; (1) Microphone Port; (1) Audio Line Out with S/PDIF Support; (1) Audio Line In Port
Memory Card Reader
5-in-1 Media Card Reader
Supported Flash Media
Secure Digital, MultiMedia Card, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro, xD-Picture Card
Expansion Slots
(1) Cardbus PCMCIA Type II Slot
Built-In Devices
Stereo Speakers
Input Devices
Keyboard, Touchpad
Notebook Security
Kensington MicroSaver Lock Slot
Power Supply
65 Watt AC Adapter
Battery Included
6 Cell Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Battery
Average Run Time
Up to 2 Hours, 30 Minutes
Included Software
Acer Empowering Technology (Acer eNet, ePower, ePresentation, eDataSecurity, eLock, eRecovery, eSettings, ePerformance Management), Acer GridVista, Acer Arcade, Acer Launch Manager, Norton AntiVirus, NTI CD-Maker, Microsoft Office 2007 Home & Student Edition* (60 Day Trial)
Dimensions (WxDxH)
13.4" x 9.88" x 1.37"
Weight
5.28 lbs
Manufacturer Warranty
1 Year Limited Warranty

 

[Demistate]

I wonder how Adobe On-location would handle this. Looks like the screen is bright enough for outdoor shooting.

1280 x 800 = full 720P monitoring as well.

 

[David Saraceno]

I wonder how Adobe On-location would handle this. Looks like the screen is bright enough for outdoor shooting.

1280 x 800 = full 720P monitoring as well.

"Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 950 Video Chipset"

That might be an issue.

 

[cici]

I'm looking too for a cheap (and therefore probably slow ) notebook JUST FOR DUMPING P2 contents in the field and I wonder:
For BluRay disc storage via P2-ignoring-notebook, is there any minimal software requirement? - As far as I know, the notebook won't need any P2-software am I wrong? - I'd just use P2-viewer, but even THAT is not required...

My desktop PC would then at home with Edius Broadcast suck the content of the BluRay discs to the timeline. As much as I read in this forum and in Barry's book, this workflow should work.... but I'm not 100% sure....

I studied workflow threads here about dumping, and this tells me that no software is required. I just ask because I'm gonna use BD-device which should be the same - but not for sure.

 

[Barry_Green]

For copying onto a hard disk, you don't need P2 Viewer or anything like that. Just Windows Explorer, and the P2 driver software.

For blu-ray archiving you'll need some manner of blu-ray writing software.

However, you don't want to import files off of a blu-ray disc straight to your timeline; blu-ray is horribly slow and wouldn't be able to handle even one stream of high-def in realtime. If storing on blu-ray discs, you'd want to copy off the blu-ray discs and onto your hard disk before editing or importing the files to a timeline.

 

[cici]

If storing on blu-ray discs, you'd want to copy off the blu-ray discs and onto your hard disk before editing or importing the files to a timeline.

Thanks for the advice, Barry! Sounds reasonable.... I just wanted to be sure, before buying useless hardware, as some did here who thought in the beginning, they could just film onto an external harddisc and then they had to learn, that they'd need a P2 card or Firestore/Cineporter anyway.....

So, as far as I see, there's no problem for ANY cheap and slow notebook, an external drive (HDD or BluRay) and of course WinXP with update (see recent thread).

For documentary in nature, beeing for weeks in the field, without having to edit footage and without having a desktop near me for a long time, this seems to me a cheap option.

I see the advantage of BluRay storing by having 1) the P2 cards dumped AND 2) also having stored the footage for the next decade(s). External HDD can of course also be used for archieving, but if I need to bring a specific footage of about 20 minutes to a studio in 5 years, I prefer a handy disc of 25GB/50GB to a HDD with 250GB... Perhaps I'd use HDD for secure the BD-storage: 10 BDs = 1 HDD.

Btw: here in Switzerland, a Sony BD with 25GB costs now about 10 dollars. Not much, as I think....

 

[arrestthisman]

Funny, I just bought an acer aspire, for the same purpose.

I spent 720$ net, final number.

AMD turion x2 1.6ghz. (dual core)

15.4" screen.

1gig of ram. 383 gigs of video ram on an ATI chipset.

120gb HD

Dual layer DVD burner.

It also has some very bizarre, but incredibly useful features in the Acer software package, like gridvista.

At any rate, I think this is a hell of a lot smarter than a P2 store. I can buy 10 batteries and make this thing run for days without AC power for less than the 1700$ of the p2 store. I'm not going to, since that's just ridiculous, but I'm just saying.

Unfortunately NOW is the time to buy a laptop for the HVX because PCMCIA is on its way out, and with all of the problems of the dueladapter with the mac, I'm not even going to try and waste my 120$ on that.

Buy.com is selling the model I got, it's the acer 5100-5033. It is extremely light for its size. I'm very happy, and I think it's a steal. Also, with the dual-core proc it is extremely fast, especially when multi-tasking which is a habit of mine, and many others. Specs aside, as with cameras, it's realworld performance that counts, and this thing is VERY responsive. I've been warned that ACERs are not the best build quality, but I had two HP laptops, which served me well, but they had little things here and there break like clockwork, and the power system on one failed entirely. I had an acer a long time ago P3 days... And it laster 4 years and then the screen hinge went. 4 years isn't bad for a budget laptop. So... that's my piece.

Tomorrow I'm going to get out the ol' HVX and try a real world test shoot with it. See how it goes.

I hope that a few laptop manufacturers still keep cardbus around. I'd hate for this thing to break in two years and have to deal with an adapter solution. Although, Barry, do you think in two years they'll have the bugs out of it ?

I think panasonic would be wise to make a budget toughbook line with cardbus for the next ten years for all of their P2 customers. I think they'd get more bites than p2 store. (I'm sorry I just loathe the price for a 60gb HD with a PC card slot. It's insane. That said, for some it's great! but for most, I think a laptop makes more sense.)