How to download P2 footage from the 300 to a USB hard drive

davideo.net

davideo.net

Well-known member
I had loads of trouble getting a USB hard drive to work directly to the HPX300, so here is a step by step description. The manual says any USB 2.0 hard drive will work, as long as it's not 2TB or larger.

[FONT=&quot]1. Push the menu button, go to “2. System Setup” (press the wheel in to accept)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]2. PC Mode Select: USB HOST[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]3. Go down to the second page with the wheel and make sure PC MODE = ON[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]4. Plug in USB 2.0 hard drive (this will get formatted so make sure nothing important is on it)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]5. Display changes to USB HOST – CONNECT[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]6. Now go to the menu under the rear door and press “thumbnail”[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]7. In the lower right the “USB HOST” will be yellow, and in upper right you will see “HDD” and a red dot – this means the hard drive is not formatted yet.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]8. Press the “Menu” button at the lower right and click down to select “HDD” with the “set” button[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]9. Click “set” button at “Explore”
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[FONT=&quot]
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[FONT=&quot]10. You will see the hard drive display info, including brand and size. HDD Partition will say “Other”
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[FONT=&quot]11. Here’s the part I screwed up several times = PRESS THE MENU BUTTON AT LOWER RIGHT
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[FONT=&quot]12. Then Operation, then Format (HDD)
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[FONT=&quot]13. Display will read “DELETE ALL DATA!” – click set button to “YES”[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]14. “SURE?” click YES
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[FONT=&quot]15. Hard drive will format and you’ll be ready to transfer data! [/FONT]
 
Remember DONT try to use the HDD for anything other than strcight to cam camera connections once 'P2 formated'. I thought I could use the HDD straight to the laptop and offload a bigger card on one shoot, but it is deemed to have the SAME size partitions as the P2 card in the cam when you format it (I think) so irt was an embarassing waste of time when it failed on-site. Such a lack of instructions...

D
 
Thanks, Ben - another good heads up! I did indeed make the same mistake just now - tried to read the "P2" hard drive with my computer, and it crashed it. (Vista 64)
 
Of course the drive works with computers, it'll work with Macs and Windows both.

If a P2 hard drive crashed your computer, you've got some serious problems there with your drive or OS or something, because that's absolutely atypical.
 
This method works flawlessly in all macs I've worked with. It has to be a drive issue with the computer that is being used if it doesn't work.

Nice tutorial davideo!
 
Never had issues with P2 HDD to XP. However I have just rebuilt PC to Vista 64. I have also just finished a P2 shoot so hope it goes in tomorrow am...! I really dont enivisage problems as the whole rebuild was based on moving a lot of media about on EXT HDDs (with no NTFS issues).
 
So any advice on a brand/model of portable, bus-powered hard drive that works well with the HPX300? Also - from those who have done so - once you copy your footage onto the drive from the camera, does the drive then mount on a Mac allowing you to copy over the footage?
 
The drive will mount individual partitions representing each card that was offloaded to that drive. You could then direct FCP or whatever NLE to the partition as though it was a P2 Card. Not sure which drives are optimal with the HPX-300.
 
I just tried my Seagate FreeAgent GO 500 GB drive today and it worked fine (Windows XP.) I think it took about 15 minutes to copy a 16 GB P2 card.
 
I used 5200rpm Formac and Buffalo drives with no problem. Formac had firewire and I edited straight off it. Buffalo was USB only so no good for editing. BD
 
So these drives you guys are mentioning are bus-powered (from the camera), right? No other power supply needed? How does one tell if a certain drive will work or not? Thanks for the info!
 
Bus powered the ones I mention. If you have external power get a 7200rpm one. Hit and miss which works, but I imagine most would. Stick to those mentioned here by others as being good maybe. BD
 
Cees Mutsaers said:
Does anyone have any experience with the G-drive mini (500 GB, 7200 rpm, FW400/800/USB2) from G-technology?
Click to expand...

I have the previous generation, just FW400/USB2, and it works great. 7,200RPM, bus-powered by the camera, offloads a 32GB E-Series P2 card in around 30 minutes.
 
How about a 250GB Lacie rugged drive? Will that work off the HPX300 USB bus? If not, getting a seagate free agent is no big deal. Makes it better so I don't have to bring a laptop on set.
 
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