Laptops with PCMCIA slots

I don't know of *any* Windows laptops that include FW800. You can get FW800 or eSATA ExpressCard adapters, so if you got a laptop with both PCMCIA and ExpressCard slots, you could make it basically happen.
 
Then I suppose I should re-evaluate what I'm asking for...a basic list of the lastest and greatest of laptops(circa March 2009) with PCMCIA slots.

It appears to me that we're coming to end of the life cycle for PCMCIA slot laptops, so I think it's important to be aware of what the best of the best is(just as some aim for certain Mac laptops with PCMCIA). The closest I've found is:
IBM Lenovo W500
 
pcmcia laptops and desktops: pc & mac

pcmcia laptops and desktops: pc & mac

Avid.com has a tested and approved list... of PC & Mac Desktops & Laptops.

They give the config tested and have a note area telling of what is and is not supported, ie; DreamColor screen (for HP) for instance, and certain models won't show Full Screen Playback.

I bought an approved HP Workstation Laptop... 8730w... quad core extreme... BluRay burner, DreamColor screen... but the AVID tested model only had dual core. I am on my second replacement... meaning my third laptop. There is a flickering of black bands on the screen and no one knows what it might be. I videoed it and emailed it to a tech... but he never replied as promised and didnt respond to follow up emails. This is a $5,900 laptop.

Also half the techs in Bangalore India, claimed I couldnt possibly have a BluRay in a laptop. I asked them to look at my config... which they didnt do... and I offered to 'RIGHT NOW' ..email a pic of the logo on the bay door. They ignored my plea and after my third try, they finally stopped insisting.

This dream machine is my nightmare. To HP's credit...they are offering full refund... and a tech suggested it might be because the bugs arent yet ironed out. He emailed me two days later, saying he talked with the top techs and they suggest it is just a streak of bad luck. I do know these things can happen... but I am at my wit's end.

Regarding quad core: From what I read on Creative Cow... if a sofeware isnt written for HyperThreading... the computer cannot utilize the quad core. So... perhaps I will try again... getting dual core. I know a few top geeks that swear by HP... the guys just out of film school are die hard mac people, of course... and Mac is a great machine as well. Avid btw, can be now installed
on PC or Mac... 32 or 64 bit.... from the same disks.

The DreamColor Hi Def screen is a joint effort by HP and DreamWorks Animation. It is an LCD that they say is 100% color accurate. (like CRT is) So their animater's particular shade of Shrek Green, is the same on any of their animator's screens anywhere in the world. It has built in calibration software, which must be used with a $350 'spider' that tests and calibrates the screen. Its not different from your CRT... except that its hi def.
 
Are there any issues going from P2 to PC laptop to a Macbook Pro? For various reasons I do not want to take my Macbook Pro into the field and a cheap pcmcia laptop seems like a good solution for dumping.

What would be the 'cleanest' way to get the files from the PC to the Mac avoiding any MXF / quicktime problems.
 
There are no issues. It's just like transferring any other data. As long as you keep the file structure intact and keep the LastClip.txt file, you're fine.

But the safest and cleanest way of doing it would be with P2 Viewer.

Now, the only "issue" might be the file format of the drive you transferred the cards to. But if it's FAT32, both Windows and Mac OS can read and write with no problems.
 
Just a (late!) update... I finally slapped my $200 Thinkpad T42 into my $19 ThinkPad Dock II, and indeed the combination provides 4 CardBus slots, which I can have online on my Mac Pro (via Gig-Ethernet) all at once. Pretty cheap and slick!
 
That's pretty awesome. Where did you find the T42 for only $200? eBay? The only thing I wish it had was 1 expresscard so I could get an esata adapter to hook up two external drives. Anyone know of a cheap laptop like the T42 that has at least one expresscard and one pcmcia slot with maybe a similar optional dock that could provide additional slots?
 
I think some later versions of the ThinkPad have ExpressCard slots and are compatible withthe ThinkPad Dock II - not 100% sure, but that's what memory seems to indicte.

Yeah, the T42 was $200 on eBay about a year ago; the dock also. Some sold for $1 around that time...
 
You're right - the T43 has 1 pc card and 1 expresscard and is compatible with the Dock II. I have to check out the costs on eBay, but this could be the perfect fit for me. Thanks for the lead!
 
Barry_Green said:
Thought it might be useful to keep a list of new, currently-available laptops that use the PCMCIA slot. Lots of people seem to be under the idea that you can't buy a new laptop with a P2-compatible PCMCIA slot, and (having done so twice in the last year) obviously you can, so here's a list.

If you are aware of a laptop manufacturer's lineup with a PCMCIA slot that isn't on this list, let us know.

All these laptop lines offer PCMCIA/CardBus slots, and many of them also offer ExpressCard slots (for example, the Sony SZ or Lenovo ThinkPad R61 each offer both PCMCIA and ExpressCard slots).

These are all brand-new laptops that you can buy today, that all include a P2-compatible PCMCIA Type II slot:

1. Lenovo ThinkPads (T61, R61, X61, and X61 Tablet series)

2. Sony SZ VAIOs

3. Sony AR VAIOs

4. Panasonic ToughBooks

5. Dell Latitudes (except XT)

6. Dell Precision mobile workstations (except M6300)

7. Gateway C-141X and C-141XL series

8. Hewlett-Packard (HP) 530 series

9. HP/Compaq 6515B, 6715B, 6510B, 6910p, 8510, 8710p series

10. Acer Ferrari 5000 series

11. Acer 6292 series

12. Acer TravelMate 4720, 5520, 5720 series

13. Acer Extensa 4220, 4620, 5620 series

14. Acer Aspire 5050

15. Fujitsu LifeBooks, many various models

16. Fujitsu Tablet ST5112, T4220, T2010, P1620

17. Toshiba Portege M700 series, R500 series

18. Toshiba Tecra A9 series, M9 series

19. Toshiba Qosmio G45

20. Averatec 1100

21. Winbook GL35, GL20P

22. Micron MPC 7410M, 7110M, 7125C, 7220M, 7235C, 7320M. Looks like the whole lineup offers it.

23. Micron MPC TransPort T1300e, T2500, T3200. Looks like all TransPort models offer it.
Click to expand...
I was wondering if there were any adaptors that will allow you to plug in your P2 card to a USB or FIREWIRE 400/800 port? I don't have any pcmcia slot or a smart card slot on any of my computers.

Thanks
 
CraigO said:
I was wondering if there were any adaptors that will allow you to plug in your P2 card to a USB or FIREWIRE 400/800 port? I don't have any pcmcia slot or a smart card slot on any of my computers (both are MAC's).

I don't want to spend 1000's of dollars on some transfer device. Would a PCMCIA to USB adaptor like the one below work?

http://sewelldirect.com/U142-USB-to...earch=search&gclid=CMX-_eeO75kCFRIcawodcCnqRA



Thanks
Click to expand...


This whole thread is pretty much a response to your question... Panasonic makes P2 card -> USB or Firewire that cost upwards of $1200. The CHEAPEST transfer device is a PC Laptop with Cardbus that you can connect to a Mac or PC via Gigabit Ethernet. My solution (used ThinkPad T42 + Thinkpad dock II) got me a 4-slot P2 reader for less than $250.


Noah - let me know how the T43 works out if you get one!
 
I just got off a chat with an HP rep who told me there are no new HP laptops available with PCMCIA slots. Also spoke with a Lenovo rep who told me none of their new computers have these slots. The first post here should be edited.
 
Thanks Barry, once again you know more about someone else's products than their own sales reps do. Nonetheless, the first post here could use some refreshing.

And after looking at the R400 and R500 they fall a bit shy with their integrated graphics. Anyone know of a laptop on sale today that has a PCMCIA slot and can do a reasonable job running Avid MC? Or are people using a PCIexpress to PCMCIA adapter these days? I haven't had to buy a new laptop for a while and haven't kept up to date on this side of things. Hate to see my old HP dv8000 die, but it is happening.

Aloha,
Craig
 
cmus said:
Thanks Barry, once again you know more about someone else's products than their own sales reps do. Nonetheless, the first post here could use some refreshing.

Anyone know of a laptop on sale today that has a PCMCIA slot and can do a reasonable job running Avid MC?
Aloha,
Craig
Click to expand...

Craig, I bought a cheap Fujitsu lifebook, duo core, 2 gig ram, pcmcia slot, 250 gig hd for $499 on a closeout and put Avid MC on it for the hell of it not thnking it would run it and t does with no problems. Coudn't believe it! I'll lay on the couch and edit stuff on MC all the time. I also have Edius 4.51 on it that I like better for fast in the field editing. Put the P2 card in it and you can cut footage within 30 seconds.

The newer lifebooks have fater processors with bigger hard drives, I just saw some sweet ones on eBay for $599-$799. Older ones like I have A6120 series can be bought now used for $250.

I have had no problems with Avid Media Composer 2.8 on it running vista 32 however majic bullet plugins to not display correctly but the Avid effects and Borris FX are ok.
 
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