Lacie+ibook+4gP2+7mins=happy studio workflow

[shivrajs]

I had a music video shoot for HMV and my powerbook crashed(!) and i had no idea how i would transfer files without a PCMCIA slot on the ibook.No P2 store! only a lacie 250 gig drive and an ibook.
so we shot on the P2 card 720pn 24fps and did a 'mag change' every 8mins of roll time...hooked up the camera to the laptop with a firewire and downloaded the footage faster than realtime, while the crew set up/rehearsed for the next shot.
I was worried about it taking forever, editin problems, blah blah but it worked out just perfect.No issues with importing the footage into FCP, no glitches at all.
while this method might not be as flexible as swapping P2 cards and grabbing the footage from your PCMCIA slot, it was certainly a lot more user friendly than one would expect!
Every working day makes me fall in love with the HeavyX!:love4:

 

[Cynic821]

I have major problems with the firewire device connect using my Macbook Pro, but i think it might be a driver issue since it was meant for the Powerbook running a PPC chip, not the Intel Architecture. When i can get it to mount, which takes an hour, it crashes in the middle of the P2 transfer in FCP, i get the grey screen telling me to restart.

LUCKILY, i found this tip somewhere, forget where.

Switching the P2 card to WRITE PROTECT MODE on the P2 card itself physically, allows you to mount using the USB DEVICE CONNECT in the MAC OS X. It mounts instantly and transfers a little bit faster than the firewire 400 in FCP 5.1.1

I total lifesaver, complete and utter nightmare in 1394 mode. But now in USB DEVICE MODE on the MBP its a dream come true.

 

[Brentmeister]

Shivrajs,
So...are you using the HVX like any other dv cam would be use as a deck in an FCP setup??? ie...u stop shooting, hook the cam/P2 card to the laptop, open FCP Bin and import P2 files?... then swipe P2 drive clean for next "mag"?
Im getting my P2 cards Monday for a Tuesday shoot, so Im curious for your details.

 

[Justin Reade]

The PCMCIA slot on my G4 is a blessing. If you're in the right sequence setting in FCP, you don't have to render your footage, so there's no processor speed deficiencies and the G4 is just dandy... sounds like you're not having any problem via firewire, shivrajs, which is cool...

--Justin.