P2 Store vs Laptop

Endless_Static_Sea

Endless_Static_Sea

Active member
I'm not sure if this has been discussed before, but woudln't it make sense to just buy an Apple G4 laptop for around $1,500 and buy an external hard drive, rather than spend $1,800 for a P2 Store? It seems like you'd get more for your money that way, obviously not for editing, but for dumping footy, paperwork/word processing, etc.
 
i would like to know the same thing. I guess you couldn't really use that if you
were shooting with a steadicam.
 
i use my old g4 laptop for exactly that - no problems at all! not as handy as a p2 store, but i think the price of the p2 store for what you get is totally extortionate!
 
I'm buying HVX for the school I'm teaching at and here is what we have been comparing.
A laptop with a WUXGA screen is @ 3000
HD Rack 795
Kata Case 120
2 External HDs 200

Total 4125

vs

P2 Store 1600
17" Monitor 3000

Total 4600

So as close in price as the two came out we are buying 4 setups of each. The laptop will accomodate the cine shooter while the P2 store will accomodate the Doc and run and gun shooter.

Hope that helps
 
Endless_Static_Sea said:
I'm not sure if this has been discussed before, but woudln't it make sense to just buy an Apple G4 laptop for around $1,500 and buy an external hard drive, rather than spend $1,800 for a P2 Store? It seems like you'd get more for your money that way, obviously not for editing, but for dumping footy, paperwork/word processing, etc.
Click to expand...
It'd make a lot more sense to buy a $400 PC laptop then. If all you're trying to do is replace the P2 Store on the cheap, go cheap and get a Labor Day or Thanksgiving Day weekend sale laptop at OfficeMax or CompUSA or whatever. As long as it's got a PCMCIA slot you're golden; get P2 Genie and you're set.
 
Gopher_Greene said:
I'm buying HVX for the school I'm teaching at and here is what we have been comparing.
A laptop with a WUXGA screen is @ 3000
HD Rack 795
Kata Case 120
2 External HDs 200

Total 4125

vs

P2 Store 1600
17" Monitor 3000

Total 4600

So as close in price as the two came out we are buying 4 setups of each. The laptop will accomodate the cine shooter while the P2 store will accomodate the Doc and run and gun shooter.

Hope that helps
Click to expand...

I'm wondering what kind of external HD's you are planning on using at $100 each? I'm sure there are many options (and arguements for each) but the two G-Raids I use have never let me down . . . Firewire 800.
 
He could get a dual eSATA enclosure (Thecus 2050, I think) that can be raid 0 or 1. and if the lappy had expresscard as well, get an eSATA card. Put 2 7200 rpm SATA II hdd's in the enclosure and be golden right?

Jason
 
Well Jason in his planning he's got 2 external hard drives, $200. I am not trying to sharpshoot anyone, and I don't have the need to respond to every post in this forum -- I was just interested in hearing his answer (because I stand to learn from it).

You just bought a couple of SATA drives so perhaps you will answer your own question . . . does your solution meet his budget?

Best.
 
Barry_Green said:
It'd make a lot more sense to buy a $400 PC laptop then. If all you're trying to do is replace the P2 Store on the cheap, go cheap and get a Labor Day or Thanksgiving Day weekend sale laptop at OfficeMax or CompUSA or whatever. As long as it's got a PCMCIA slot you're golden; get P2 Genie and you're set.
Click to expand...

Obviously I'd use the computer for other things besides P2 dumping (internet, school, etc.) and I can't stand PC's and their viruses and the OS layout, and their software. I suggested a G4 because I would like to be able to actually use it off set, and Mac is my preference. But you are right about the price.

I'm mainly wondering if it would transfer faster on the P2 store. But then again, you would have to do a double transfer; one from the P2 to the P2 Store, and one from the P2 Store to the Computer/HD. So I guess straight to the computer would be faster.

I think this whole thing is just giving myself an excuse to go out and buy a laptop :grin:
and I would buy the Mac Book Pro, but I can't find an adapter that is out yet for PCMCIA to Express
 
NathanPresley said:
i would like to know the same thing. I guess you couldn't really use that if you
were shooting with a steadicam.
Click to expand...
what does that mean? its not a firestore, last time I checked you can use P2 cards with a steadicam rig.
 
Ramjet1979 said:
He could get a dual eSATA enclosure (Thecus 2050, I think) that can be raid 0 or 1. and if the lappy had expresscard as well, get an eSATA card. Put 2 7200 rpm SATA II hdd's in the enclosure and be golden right?

Jason
Click to expand...

Can you think of any other raid-1 external drives or enclosures? I'd love something like a G-Raid on a mirror.
 
the only problem is that the new macbook pros DONT HAVE PCMIA SLOTS. bummer. So instead of my MacBook Pro, I use a PowerMac laptop that i pulled from a scrap heap... SuperDrive broken, screen blasted, but it makes a heck of a firestore replacement! I attach a Firelite Drive, insert P2 card and do my transfers. flawless...painless.
Some other posts mention using a PC instead of Mac for this scenario. Ive done that too...works fine. However, its nice to have FCP onsite just to playback and tech-check your footage before clearing your p2 cards... its a nice peace of mind thing to actualy see your footage playback succesfully from the Firelite drive BEFORE you ERASE ur P2... but there are software packs (I think they cost serious dough) that act as viewers that can replace FCP in the above scenario.
In any case, I think the P2Store is the worst scenario...its a unifunctional device for a ridiculous price.
 
The question to be ask here is how mobile is it to have a laptop connected to your
camera. Is that would your suggesting ? that your connect it striaght to your laptop ?
what about steadicam shots ??

Anybody ?
 
this thread isn't talking about connecting an hvx to a laptop, only using it to offload the p2 cards.

i've been looking at "ultra-portable", under 4lb laptops for offloading, so they would be easy to carry around. here's a few on new egg: ultra portable laptops
 
dregenthal said:
I'm wondering what kind of external HD's you are planning on using at $100 each? I'm sure there are many options (and arguements for each) but the two G-Raids I use have never let me down . . . Firewire 800.
Click to expand...

Tell you the truth that was just a ball park number I threw in for the budget folks. I haven't had time to research hard drives yet. I'm pretty sure we're going with Sager laptops though. If you have any suggestions I'm all ears.

Thanks,
Gopher
 
I just wanted to make sure that the P2 Store didn't have some special ability that a laptop coudn't accomplish. And yeah, I was talking about taking a full P2 card, swapping it with an empty one, and while shooting on the empty card, dumping the full card into a laptop. Nothing is attached to the camera.

Nobody knows of any PCMCIA to Express adapters that are actually purchasable. On a side note,t seems like everything right now is "almost" out (PCMCIA-Express, Cineporter, Red Rock Micro Mattebox) I'm dying here...
 
OK, here is the deal. I am not saying the P2 Store is better, but it defiently does somethings MUCH better than a laptop. When I had a P2 Store, I was able to put it in my pocket and walk around while shooting. The design is MUCH more rugged than a laptop. I wouldn't be scared to drop a P2 Store from waist high level onto the concrete. The P2 Store, even though it isn't advertised as such, is somewhat splash-proof. I have had it sprayed numerous times and it made it through it with flying colors (OK, don't try this at home, but I feel very confident that it is much more splash-proof than a laptop). The P2 Store usues the same batteries as the HVX, so you dont have to go out and get all new stuff, or worry about external power. Plus, the P2 Store battery life seems better than most laptops. So there you go, it is a smaller, more rugged design thats built for exatly what you want to do...download P2 Cards. The device is great. It is much better than a laptop at what it does. The only thing in question here is the value, because it is pricey.

I'm not saying it's better than a laptop, but those are some arguments in favor of the P2 Store.
 
nice points. With that said, I would still go with the laptop because I would feel bad buying the P2 Store to only use on set, and putting it back in the box until the next shoot. The laptop seems like a 2 for 1 kinda deal, being able to use it for multiple things but the ruggedness and batteries are a definite plus. Thanks for sharing.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top