Using Dvtape vs P2 media cards

D

db20

Active member
Hello:

I was woundering if someone could tell me what are the advantages of using the P2 media vs Dvtape on the HVX200. I understand that the P2 media makes loading and editing more simple. My real area of concern is if you choose to use MiniDV tape while using the HVX can you still shoot in 24p high definition (would there be any cons in doing this)? Also, is quality different when capturing on P2 media cards. From what i heard p2 media cards are very expensive and do not hold that much infromation. If anyone could respond i would thank you.
 
The HVX can not record any HD material to DV tape. Only to P2. It can only record DV to tape.

However it can record DV to P2 card and your workflow would be tapeless but still standard def DV material.

Do a search on this and you will find a lot of information.
 
The only thing you can shoot to tape is standard-def, DV. Not DVCPro50, or DVCProHD. So, no, you cannot shoot 24p high def to tape. The DVCPro50 and HD codecs have too much information to be handled by a DV tape.

The P2 cards are how we got a camera that could shoot these high-end codecs for under $10k. If Panasonic had to put a tape drive in that could handle the needed bandwidth, the camera would have cost $25k or $30k, not $6k. P2 is so much more than a mere convenience --- it's what gets us the codecs, variable frame rates, and 4:2:2 color space.

As for how much the P2 cards hold, it varies depending on how you're shooting. I would suggest you read the FAQ on the HVX for a better understanding. http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?t=40101
 
Hi,

MiniDV tape can only be used for Standard Definition DV format. DVCPRO50 and DVCPROHD formats must use P2 or firewire. Due to that, the quality is going to be different.

As you identified, the big advantage to the P2 media is that it makes loading and editing more simple as it is already in a 'computer readable format' and does not have to be 'captured', like MiniDV tape does, in order to create an editable video file on the computer.
 
Thank you for your reply's. Do all cheap (5000-7000$) HD video camera's use the p2 media card or something like that? I imagine my situation is like many others; i saved up for awhile and am looking to buy a HD video camera but the p2 cards are really stretching my budget. When looking to buy p2 cards i usually find them in the price range of 1000-2000$ and it would only last for 20 plus minutes in 24PHd mode. Like most people im hoping the price and duration the p2 card last for comes down in a hurry. :crybaby:
 
Record to a laptop if you can't afford P2 cards and if you don't have one of those already, then you may want to look at the HDV cameras or buy the HVX200 and wait until you have sufficient funds for P2 cards and just shoot in SD mode on Mini-DV tape, think 16:9 native DVX until you can get P2 for the advanced SD and HD modes.
 
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I have not thought about using a labtop other than a p2 card. That seems like a much cheaper alternative considering you can just buy a labtop with a huge hard drive/external hardrive and from there bring it back to your main editing computer. So would a better investment other than using the p2 card would be buying a laptop (1500$) with 200 plus GB's and a external hardrive? I imagine the laptop will have to be very powerful and have long battery life. I highly doubt it but has anyone found a way to just load your footage from the camera right into a external hardrive rather then using a p2 card?
 
It sounds to me that you need to go back and look at the different Codecs and the advantages and dissadvantages of each one. HDV and DVCproHD are different. In fact HDV has many different formats depending on the manufacturer.
 
db20,
What are you looking to do with the camera, and what, in particular are you looking to do with it in HD? I would not have bought an HVX if I had been looking to do alot of Hi-Def event videography, where you need 60 minutes of recording, and the convenience of just putting in another tape to get another 60 minutes (not until the Firestore is available). Obvioulsy, P2 is not gonna work in that scenario.

But... for indie filmmaking, I don't thing there's a better camera out there in this price range. Do the research, figure out the feature set you're looking for, and dive in.
 
db20 said:
I highly doubt it but has anyone found a way to just load your footage from the camera right into a external hardrive rather then using a p2 card?
Click to expand...

The Firestore and Cineporter (available now? or soon) do exactly that. But, it's not as simple as just dumping straight to a hard drive. They have to be little mini-computers that tell the hard drive how to record the various codecs, frame rates, etc... So, they're no where near as cheap as simply plugging in a hard drive (around $2k, I believe). And, I don't believe either of them are capable of recording all the variable frame rates that you can record to a P2 card. Someone, please correct me if I'm wrong about that.
 
Thank you for all your reply's.

I have alot more research to do regarding with the Hvx. I have been shooting little projects ranging from 20 minutes to 2 hours (i am also take happy) for several years and fell in love with using the Panasonic DVX100. Why i was looking at the Hvx was to see if i could get a upgrade over the DVX to try to achieve a higher quality project visually.
 
db20 said:
I have not thought about using a labtop other than a p2 card. That seems like a much cheaper alternative considering you can just buy a labtop with a huge hard drive/external hardrive and from there bring it back to your main editing computer. So would a better investment other than using the p2 card would be buying a laptop (1500$) with 200 plus GB's and a external hardrive? I imagine the laptop will have to be very powerful and have long battery life. I highly doubt it but has anyone found a way to just load your footage from the camera right into a external hardrive rather then using a p2 card?
Click to expand...

A firestore...
 
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