P2 or PCMCIA reader for usb

C

chadarthur

New member
At my school we have about 12 HVX's and 2 HPX's and currently use the AJ-PCS060. Now that we have 64gb cards we have no need for the harddrive function of this unit we only use it to transfer the cards to the computer. I know that P2 cards are really PCMCIA , is there a solution that is less expensive than the AJ-PCS060 that is just P2 to USB?? Ive been looking and have really only found P2 to expresscard
 
Well, it exists. It's called the HPG-10, and it doesn't have the hard drive, adds many things you won't need and costs $3,600.

Dear Panasonic, please get your act together.
 
chadarthur said:
At my school we have about 12 HVX's and 2 HPX's and currently use the AJ-PCS060. Now that we have 64gb cards we have no need for the harddrive function of this unit we only use it to transfer the cards to the computer.
Click to expand...

Why type of computer(s)?

Desktop / Laptop?
PC / Mac?


- Mikko
 
Hey Chad,
The AJ-PCD10 might be a great option for you since you don't need internal storage in the device.
And it has 5 card slots, which might be helpful if you have that many P2 cameras.

There's a used AJ-PCD10 on eBay right now, ending this evening.

Cheers!
Michael
 
That "act" would be offering a Firewire/USB P2 Card reader for Mac or PC at under $1,000 instead of only offering high end solutions that many users will never need.

That's the act.

And, we all know of Barry's Windows PC solution (which is a great solution), but that doesn't negate the fact that Panasonic should have offered an inexpensive USB/Firewire P2 Card reader years ago.
 
cmb_1455 said:
That "act" would be offering a Firewire/USB P2 Card reader for Mac or PC at under $1,000 instead of only offering high end solutions that many users will never need.

That's the act.

And, we all know of Barry's Windows PC solution (which is a great solution), but that doesn't negate the fact that Panasonic should have offered an inexpensive USB/Firewire P2 Card reader years ago.
Click to expand...

Try this act. it may fit yours and others requirements.. it's coming very soon.. (PCMCIA to USB , transfer too slow, not going to happen, you'd be the first to complain).
http://www.sonnettech.com/product/qio.html

Cheers
Tom K
olinevideo.com.au
 
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Exactly! Thank you, cmb_1455.

While there are still plenty of laptops out there with PCMCIA slots, they are being phased out.
The Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) now encourages computer manufacturers to use their newer format: ExpressCard.

So if Panasonic wants to continue selling us these pricey memory cards (which do GREAT things and are pricey for a REASON) in a PCMCIA form factor, they better start supporting them with basic hardware that meet the needs of their consumers.

Expecting a company like DuelSystems to pick up the slack (as in, developing more reliable versions of their Expresscard adapter and reworking the firmware for SnowLeopard) looks unlikely at the moment.

Seriously, Panasonic. We need an affordable, simple P2 card reader (USB, Firewire, ExpressCard, whatever) and a P2 Store with a big hard drive. Please.

:)
Michael
 
Hey David,
Thanks for posting again. Now I understand your POV. Just remember, things change. I seem to remember rants about the high cost of P2 cards and Barry working to smother the flames of discontent by explaining why they were expensive to produce. Then Panasonic's engineers found a way to make them cheaper and now a 16g card can be had for $400.
Things change.

I know it gets tiresome hearing people clamor for something that is nowhere in sight (yet). But for me that just demonstrates how much it is needed.

I have no idea whether Panasonic can make these devices turn a profit. A new Panasonic device that improves on the DuelAdapter and turns profit? Who knows.
But the P2 Store has already been designed, tested and manufactured. I would hope a simple increase in HDD capacity would be relatively cheap for Panasonic and result in continued revenue from a product they've already invested in.

Regardless, I think they'll see an increasing level of frustration as PCMCIA phases out, and new FIELD devices may be needed to support the rest of the P2 product line. Plenty of companies take a loss on some items to bolster demand for their actual profit engines.

Instead, Panasonic has chosen to develop the HPG line. I can't remember anyone begging for the extra features in these devices with the same intensity at which we've begged for a simple, affordable card reader.

_Michael
 
I purchased a Dell Latitude D620 on eBay. The specs on it are pretty good for a computer of its age (NVIDIA Quadro Mobile graphics, 2 gigs of RAM, Intel wireless) and it came with an 80gig hard drive, which I swapped out for a $75 500 gig drive. It doesn't come with FireWire ports, so I purchased a $15 adapter. The whole setup cost me about $500 (purchased a new 9 cell battery too). It's made working with P2 simply a dream (well that and the fact that I also went for a 64GB E-Series card). I've used that as a field production laptop and it has worked great in a variety of circumstances. It's even been used to dump Red One footage!

So that's your solution right there.
 
...hey David, I went back and re-read your posts on the (rumored? confirmed?) new card reader from Panasonic, and totally agree with your thoughts on that.
The hope that I am really trying to articulate here is for an updated P2 Store...
 
lap top

lap top

I'm using a 1.6 gb cpu with 1 gig ram usb to external drive. takes 20 min for 16gb footage. Now that I'm using P2 cms it takes around 1.5 hours to transfer. really frustrating. I would use a fw port on the pcmcia but I only have one and it needs to read the actual p2 card. i also got the 64gb e series.

I don't know that buying a new laptop would make much of a difference considering all you guys have nearly the same setup as me. How many of you are using p2 cms or shotput or just dragging the footage over to a drive?

I
 
cmb_1455 said:
Tom 4,

I like your act. I like it a laht!
Click to expand...

Is that a typo (laht) cmb or a language I don't understand.
we should know in next few weeks if the promised Qio is all it's purported to be, I've got mine on pre-order and my fingers and toes are crossed, If it's great it will set a new standard, if it's a lemon, i'll send mine back...
But, knowing Sonnet they will supply what the advertise, all my other Sonnet gear "cards/enclosures" have been great products and are still giving great service.
:happy:
cheers
Tom K
olinevideo.com.au
 
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"I don't know that buying a new laptop would make much of a difference considering all you guys have nearly the same setup as me. How many of you are using p2 cms or shotput or just dragging the footage over to a drive?"

I don't think the idea is to buy new...rather a used, well taken care of laptop, either Mac or PC with the original PCMCIA slot, not ExpressCard. I purchased a Mac G4 laptop 1.5g/1.5gRAM and a 120g HDD....did the same as a previous poster and popped in a $90 500g internal drive...all for just over $500 (I paid 425 for the laptop) and it's excellent. My scratch/catch-all video drive is from OWC, one of the 7200rpm 320gig with FW400/800. Even the old G4 laptops have the FW800 protocol, so a 16gig transfer, card directly into PCMCIA slot and the external drive via FW800...dumps in just over 7minutes/7:30. Pretty quick. I haven't tried the new E cards yet, I hear they're even quicker.

The Sonnet unit looks perfect. A thousand bucks is still a bit high, IMO. I think Panasonic may not profit directly from a reader...but, possibly indirectly from increased P2 card based product. Obviously the media is being used now thorughout the gamut, not just relegated to the Varicam (High budget operators)....especially now with influx of used HVX 200 originals on the market at $2500 or so. I like my workaround and it's got other benefits too....with FCP on board (on the Mac), I have the possibility to reveiw/correct/field edits/sharing/etc. BUT....a simple box like the Sonnet (or any other 3rd party brand) via FW or USB would be very nice.

J
 
Hi docrock

Yes I as many other P2 users use the old windows lappy for field use, But, there will come a day when the old Mac's and PCMCIA slotted windows lappies will no longer be around, and if they are, will become more problematic, that's happening now.
lets face it, most products these days only are designed and built to last not much more than their warranty periods, I personally have a shed full of techno junk that is but a few years old.
The Sonnet Qio I hope will take all solid state video guys P2, Expresscard etc, into a new phase of our workflow with current technology and increased transfer speeds to our media drives.
Transfer speed is a big big issue when your using P2 or SxS to make your living or in the news environment, if your not relying on it for your daily bread, use whatever secondhand gear you can muster that fits your budgets.
It's Amazing that no Company except Sonnet has followed thru producing a card reader like the Qio, a product that has been hotly debated by all solid state video users worldwide for such a long time.
I consider the cost worth it, as the purchase will only be made once, and if you try and build your own solution you will rapidly realise how difficult it is, I've "been there done that."

Cheers
Tom K
olinevideo.com.au
 
Oh dear!

I've just posted a similar request in another thread before seeing this thread.

Now I'm really worried that I could have bought a pup in the guise of an HPX!

By pure chance my laptop has the PCMCIA slot and I've really needed it. I offload footage from one card to an external harddrive while recording on the second etc. without that I wouldn't have even been able to record the jobs I have.

If my laptop dies any time soom I'm screwed!

I don't think $1500 or even $1000 or even $500 is acceptable for a card reader.

These things should be $50 and plug in the usb port.

Help!
 
OK - the thread worried me a bit when I first read it, but in another thread I have found referrence to a $59 device from Addonics - a converter that would make the P2 accessible in the Expresscard slot of a new laptop.

I have read that apple have stopped using that slot but "I'm PC" - so panic over.

Could I suggest a product for Pan or some enterprising outfit??

A P2 card that allowed you to INSERT into the end of it a standard SD card.

A 32Gb SD card is £70 or so - a 32Gb P2 card about £1000.

A special P2 card that would accept SD cards would be a fantastic invention.

I read on this board somewhere that that's all that is inside the P2 cards anyway as far as memory goes (obviously controllers etc too). Even if the SD card wasn't fast enough for direct recording it could be a rapid "off load" device.

Where's my soldering iron?
 
You might canvas the boards a little to understand that what are suggesting has been suggested since the original HVX200 came out.

No company has been able to manufacturer the device as you suggest, and the p2 card isn't just a bunch of memory chips.

best
 
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