Which laptops work best?

S

shelleyvideo

Member
I'm searching for a laptop (New or used) to use in the field while working with news producers. I need to be able to transfer to external HDD and also be able to view P2 footage for logging purposes using P2 Viewer while out & about. Fastest transfer to HDD is the priority. Just wonder what you P2 veterans are using. What Brands & models. Also, I'd love to avoid the expresscard to Cardbus adapter route if possible even if it means using an older used laptop.

Thanks,
Steve Shelley
Shelley Video Production
New Orleans, LA
 
Here's my field-based workflow and equipment:

1) Apple MacBook Pro 15" - 2.53 GHz, 4GB RAM standard, 250GB HDD, FireWire 800 interface.

2) OWC Mercury Elite - AL Pro Mini HDD - 500GB - from Other World Computing (http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Other World Computing/MEQM7500GB16/). It uses a Seagate 7200RPM drive with 16MB Cache and features eSATA, FireWire 800 and USB2 connections. It's $195 (plus $10 off until 5/25/10) which is more than some USB2 drives you'll find at Costco, etc. but the specs are worth it for speed (FW800 and eSATA).

So, I copy footage off the HPX300 with the USB2 (bus powered) interface and then dump it to the MacBook Pro with much faster FW 800 speeds. Having Final Cut on my laptop, I can also edit off this drive no problem - not possible with USB2 only drives. This system works well.

One caveat - I'm running Mac's OS X Snow Leopard (10.6). At this point - unless someone corrects me - it's my understanding (from Panasonic's "oh-so-user-friendly-website" that the P2 Viewer software is NOT compatible with any Mac OS over 10.5. To which I say - COME ON, PANASONIC! Snow Leopard has been out for about 6 months now, why do you have no P2 Viewer support???

Anyway, that's my workflow. Hope it makes sense...
 
Hi,

i bought a used but renewed older IBM Thinkpad. Just for dumping. It has a PCMCIA-Slot so i dont need an Adapter. And it has a firewire-port for fast and stable transfer. Normally i have two drives connected. First i copy to the FW-Drive (Lacie 1TB, 1xUSB2.0, 2xFW, 1x eSATA), then to an also connected USB2-drive. I use Teracopy as copying-Program. Its freeware and a great tool.
I can watch SD Footage without Problems with P2-Viewer, HD only in the Window with half Resolution.
The Notebook costs around 200.
It works fine and im happy with that configuration. And its cheap...:-)
 
I have two current ways of working with the HPX301 P2 media:

1: I have two 160gb USB2 bus powered 2.5" drive and I do a copy and verify from the camera to the hard drive. I then use a mackbook pro 17" and import the media to a 500gb firewire 800 drive as pro res via log and transfer in FCP. The USB drives stay as a back-up and the firewire 800 drive is the media drive for the client. If I am doing the edit to I import the media direct to my mac pro with a 3tb raid array.

2: I have a second hand powerbook G4 and use the PCMIA slot to copy the P2 cards to a firewire 400 drive if the client needs to take it away at the end of the days shooting.
 
In the field I use a 15" MBP, a Duel Adapter, and a CalDigit 2tb drive at Raid 1 for redundancy. Back in the studio, transfer footage to CalDigit 2tb at Raid 0, use CMS to name clips and Raylight instant playback with no log and transfer. Works great.
 
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I have the same problem with you. However, i like the expresscard to cardbus adapter route if possible even if it means using an older used laptop. I bought a used, but the new and old IBM Thinkpad's. As long as dumping. It has a PCMCIA slot, so I do not need adapters. It has a FireWire, fast, stable transmission of the port. Under normal circumstances I have two drives connected. First, I copied to the firewall driver, and then also a USB2 drive. I use Teracopy, copy, plans. It is free software, and a great tool.
 
I am using Kaypro II, 2.5 MHz Zilog Z80 microprocessor, 64 KB of RAM, dual, single-sided, 191 kB 5¼ inch floppy disk drives, and an 80 column green monochrome 9" CRT. It works well for me.
 
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