Help with installing P2 driver for hpx174

[Nic]

I have searched the forum for answers but cannot find, so please forgive me if this has been answered before.

I am completely new to P2 and my newly acquired HPX174 (170) and am not a professional, just a hobbyist.

I am running Win XP home on a 3ghz dual core with 4 gb ram and every attempt to install the P2 drivers, the P2 viewer and the P2 management results in errors. I have downloaded the latest vers. (newer than on the disk that came with the cam) but still the same errors.

Strange thing is the driver installation completes after displaying the error and I have been able to copy from the cam to the pc internal drive but 2 10sec clips took almost 2 hrs to copy using firewire.

The cam did not include a usb cable and I am waiting to hear from Panasonic to hear if they can supply the cable as the dealer who supplied the cam does not have one.

I cannot understand how Panasonic can sell a semi professional camera and not include something as simple and yet essential as the usb cable.

In south Africa where I am a cable like that is just not available.

Could the problem be Win XP home? Should I Purchase XP Pro?

I copied the full contents dir to the PC, but just realised now that I did not include the text file. Could that have anything to do with it?

My attempts to import into Premiere Pro CS3 ver 3.2 only reluted in Premiere hanging up the PC.

I would really appreciate help with this or advice on where to look.

BTW the info on this forum is incredible. I would never have been able to make the decision to buy the 170 with out it.

 

[Barry_Green]

The USB port on the HPX170 is the same mini-USB that's used by bazillions of consumer devices like digital cameras, cell phones, all sorts of stuff. You should be able to get that anywhere, any Wal-mart or photography store or computer store should have it.

The firewire is not supposed to be used for transferring card contents on Windows. Firewire transfer is only guaranteed for Mac computers, not Windows computers. It shouldn't take 2 hours, but then again it's not guaranteed at all so if it even worked at all that's a surprise. Use USB with Windows.

 

[Nic]

Boy, is my face red ! I cant believe that I saw that socket as unique and different from anything I had ever seen. And the dealer who has years of experience thought the same.

Found half a dozen cables lying around that work. USB works like a dream. And I wasted a whole day trying to get the fire wire to work properly.

Thanks Barry. Now I must order your Book and DVD and start learning