P2 Viewer for PC Questions

T

telebay

Well-known member
I just got my HVX and just installed the P2 Viewer software on my computer. I have a few questions:

1) The P2 Viewer software apparently only enables you to view the clips -- but not save them to your hard drive... is that correct? If so, seems odd.

2) If that is the case, do any of the changes you make to the clip name get updated on the P2 card itself?

3) If I want to transfer data from my P2 to my laptop's hard drvie, what is the best way to do this? For instance, on my laptop the card slot is Drive F. I open that and see the following:
* Folder: CONTENTS and a Text Do: LASTCLIP
* If I open CONTENTS I see: AUDIO, CLIP, ICON, PROXY, VIDEO and VOICE
(at this point I only have one clip on my P2 card as a test)

Do I simply drag the CONTENTS folder and Text File to my hard-drive's folder and drop into a new folder there?

If I have more than one clip on my P2 Card, would I see more than one LASTCLIP files?

I guess the second time I save data from my P2 Card to my hard drive I need to name the Contents folder something like CONENT2 -- so it doesn't overwrite the first one?

I should be getting my external usb powered hard drive next week for my laptop -- are there any worries (besides disk space) regarding saving this data to my laptop's internal hard drive? I thought I read somewhere that any hard drive would have to be reformatted for this purpose, but that doesn't sound right.

Also, I will be transferring my footage from my external hard drive to my Mac's external hard drive.

Just some good step-by-step advice would be great! I really do appreciate any help you guys might be able to give me!
 
I know this is a bit frustrating because there doesn't seem to be a Help file within the PC viewer. But, there are several workflow documents from a couple of the contributors on here that would be a good resource for you.

Specifically:

1. Correct. The viewer only edits clip information on the "P2 Volume" (as it's called), and not separately exported. This has to do with the way the information is stored. You need all the components of Video, Audio, text, etc. to import any clips into a MXF aware application.
2. Text editing in the viewer can be saved back to the P2 volume, provided it has write access. In other words, you cannot change P2 Cards via FireWire while they're still in the camera. Nor can you change a P2 card that has the lock set. The Clip Name is how the media is linked together, so you can only change the User Clip Name.

It is possible to preload clip names via the SD card metadata option before you shoot.

3. You must copy all that's on the card, including the 'lastclip.txt'. This is an important file to some editors (like FCP). Do not change the name of the CONTENTS folder. Instead, make a new folder as the name of the P2 Volume, and copy everything that's on the card to that folder.

4. Remember USB devices will have a slower transfer rate than FireWire devices. Because you may have clip files exceeding the normal fat32 2GB limit, you'll want to format the drive differently. Sorry, I don't have the information on this but you're right, it's mentioned elsewhere on this forum.

Hope this helps.
 
Thanks Dan... that was helpful. I also found this posted elsewhere:

Make a new folder.

Copy your P2 Card content into the folder (CONTENTS folder and LAST CLIP txt file).

In your P2 Viewer go to the top Menu and Select Tool>Setting Virtual P2 Cards.

Click the first little icon (the one that looks greyed out for some stupid reason)

Now navigate to the folder that you put the P2 Content in.

Now back in the P2 Viewer where it says "All P2 Cards" with the blue box behind it...right-click that and change the setting to "All Virtual P2 Cards"

Now your clips should pop up and you can begin viewing.
 
A request if P2 viewer is ever going to be improved upon (maybe Panny is listening).

The main reason why I try not to use the viewer anymore is that the file browser used to point towards a virtual p2 card directory has no favorites, or any kind of memory of where you went previously.
Having to navigate over and over again to the same area when adding virtual p2 cards is precisely the kind if needless aggravation that makes me just say: that's not good enough.
That, and because performance on my laptop isn't close to sufficient. If Edius can playback HD in real time, why can't the Panny application?

Although the p2 viewer has some good functionality, it has the look and feel of something thrown together by a team not in the habit of developing software for usability. Perhaps they relied on in-house engineers alone... Its free software, so I guess I'm not entitled to complain, but things like the no-memory directory browser are just impossible not to cringe from....

M.
 
I can't get my P2 viewer for pc to function. I am running XP service pack 2 media center edition AMD athlon 64 x2 dual core proceesor 3800+ 994 mhz 2 gig ram, should be strong enough to run, no?
Firstly, when I open application it takes minutes (!) before it comes up fully, almost like it hangs, but it finally does boot up. But when I identify any clips to play it hangs again for a really long time. I have not been able to sucessfully play any clips on it at all.

I have tried uninstalling and reinstalling, same problem. What's up? I have a new tower lots of ram still won't function what am i missing?
 
Do you have any removeable drives like a media reader or something like that which may not have any media in it?
 
I have several external drives, but media reader? You mean a card reader? Would that cause it to hang?
 
Yeah, that's what I meant. My theory is that P2 Viewer is scanning for P2 volumes on startup, and that it is taking a long tme for a card reader with no media inserted to return a "not ready" or similar status, causing the delay.
 
well, there are built in card readers, could be problem, but seems a bit screwy. I can't easily "turn them off" as they are built into the tower.
p2 viewer doesn't want to work even with a p2 store hooked up. I feel something else is up.
 
Try disabling the card reader in Device Manager, you don't have to physically remove it from the system.

If it turns out to be the problem, you could create a separate hardware profile, one that includes the card reader and the drivers required to support it, and one without.
 
well, whaddayaknow, I disable all the damn card readers and viola! the damn thing loads properly! Thank you! I abit stuttery in HD but at least the thing boots up properly. Thanks again.
 
telebay said:
. . . If I want to transfer data from my P2 to my laptop's hard drvie, what is the best way to do this? . . .
Click to expand...

P2 Genie is a great software package that will help you to easily, efficiently and accurately manage your P2 Cards and P2 data on your laptop. Totally worth the measley $33. :)

http://www.p2genie.com/
 
telebay said:
Thanks Dan... that was helpful. I also found this posted elsewhere:

Make a new folder.

Copy your P2 Card content into the folder (CONTENTS folder and LAST CLIP txt file).

In your P2 Viewer go to the top Menu and Select Tool>Setting Virtual P2 Cards.

Click the first little icon (the one that looks greyed out for some stupid reason)

Now navigate to the folder that you put the P2 Content in.

Now back in the P2 Viewer where it says "All P2 Cards" with the blue box behind it...right-click that and change the setting to "All Virtual P2 Cards"

Now your clips should pop up and you can begin viewing.
Click to expand...
Hi there. I am currently trying without succes to emulate the workflow above for opening a virtual P2 card from an external hardrive using P2 viewer. So far without success. Which is driving me crazy.

I followed the quoted workflow. But no virtual cards pop up in P2 viewer (even though i can see they are on the external hardrive).

What am I doing wrong ?

I can select 'All virtual P2 cards' (which is empty)
And I can select the folder that I selected as a 'virtual P2 card'. (also nothing)
I know Its close to working. but so far, no dice !
 
Actually I have sorted that particular problem now. When I went to my external drive I selected the wrong folder. Turns out the project name from P2 genie was the one to select to make a vertual P2 card. Great I got that sorted. Now I am trying to get P2 viewer to play the 1080/50i footage smoothly. (It looks great but I am getting only stills from every second or 2)
 
THoff said:
Yeah, that's what I meant. My theory is that P2 Viewer is scanning for P2 volumes on startup, and that it is taking a long tme for a card reader with no media inserted to return a "not ready" or similar status, causing the delay.
Click to expand...

Sorry to troll this thread, but had the same problem, and turning off my SD/MMC etc card readers let P2 viewer start up propery. Thanks THoff.

My P2 Viewer reads as version 3.0.1.4. Anyone know if this is fixed yet or if there is a later version?
 
That is the latest version, unless the download page is lying. I wish Panasonic would fix this bug, it's obviously affecting alot of people.
 
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