HPX250 P2 card access from mac

[Jim Glickert]

Hi Bill. Coincidentally, I just purchased an HPX250 and, after a little struggle and education after my first attempt to transfer the files to my Mac yesterday, I succeeded. (It’s a bit intimidating at first, but don’t let it frustrate you.) I’m using a late 2010 iMac running Snow Leopard and FCP 7. Your configuration may require some slight variation from the instructions below.

Your first step is to install the P2 Driver software that came on the compact disc. (Basically, the driver allows FCP to communicate with the HPX250.) The driver software on the CD may have since been updated by Panasonic. You can go to their website to get the latest update to it, as well as other related drivers and software: https://eww.pass.panasonic.co.jp/pro-av/support/desk/e/download.htm?num=1#encoder

You’ll need to restart your Mac after installing the driver.

On your HPX250, you’ll need to go into the menu system to make sure the USB setting is set to USB Device instead of USB Host. (From memory, I believe the difference is that you use USB Device to connect to a computer, and USB Host to connect directly to a hard drive.) You can find how to do it in your owners manual, but in short, you hit the Menu button, select System Setup, scroll down to PC Mode Select, select it (by pressing the same button you’ve been using to scroll) and change the setting from USB Host to USB Device. You can then exit by hitting the Menu button.

Connect your HPX250 to your Mac using a USB cable. I was surprised they didn’t supply one in the box. I have several around the studio, so I just used one of them.

Turn on your HPX250. Change from Camera mode to PB/Thumbnail mode by pushing down on the switch. Then, you need to push down on the switch again AND HOLD IT DOWN FOR TWO SECONDS OR MORE until the PC mode lights up. Once you see that light, you’re connected, and the camera will appear on your desktop.

All of the above comes from my memory. I hope I haven’t left out anything. My apologies in advance if I have.

Once you’ve succeeded in making the connection, and before you do any serious editing, be absolutely certain to view Shane Ross’ tutorial: https://library.creativecow.net/ross_shane/tapeless-workflow_fcp-7/1

Good luck!

[Bill Parsons]

Jim, thanks a million. I especially like the explanation of the 2 usb modes.
I had found some of this — and was hooked up with usb based on the ref manual — and then I got blown away by the manual where it says the usb driver on the cd-rom is for windoze.

I looked at my first DV this morning and it’s not brilliant but has g-r-e-a-t definition.

Again, many thanks. I’m going to watch the video link shortly.

I’m off to sync up my Firestore disk now.

Best regards and much much gratitude.

Bill

[Jim Glickert]

Glad to have been of some help, Bill. I often get frustrated when trying to do something for the very first time on a computer, and if I can help others avoid that same frustration by simply sharing what worked for me, I’m happy to do so. Good luck with your new HPX250!

[Robbie Coblentz]

I would also look at buying ShotPut Pro from Imagine Systems to do your P2 to HD transfers. Great product for do a file verify and making a clone of the card to a second hard drive automatically.

[Andrew Johnstone]

Absolutely invaluable post. I have been struggling with this for a couple of hours and had not fully understood that by holding down that on/of mode button on the camera was essential to get into “PC mode” as opposed to just viewing the files on the cameras screen in thumbnail view…

I am not sure if I have missed something, but have see no Panasonic documentation about how to achieve this. Pretty rubbish if you ask me!

[Bill Parsons]

I have been remiss in not thanking those who responded to my questions.
I am working successfully with my Panasonic 250 and the Firestore FS-100 thanks to the postings by the responders.

Many, many thanks to all.

I am successfully downloading from the P2 cards to my MacBookPro and working with FCP. I have also downloaded from the Firestore device and checked out the files in FCP. This is just my backup original, so I merely need to be sure it works.

As I mentioned in the earlier post, after executing Organize P2 on the Firestore, there are other files on the disk than the directory and lastshot file that FCP wants. I haven’t looked at them; there’s just some other stuff that I didn’t download and who’s absence didn’t affect the ability of FCP to work with the directory and lastshot file.

Again, many thanks.

I Like The Camera. It’s a treat going from a 100B using standard DV to such nice, high-quality High-Definition images.

I haven’t gone beyond a single layer DVD, yet, but will be looking at alternatives. My clients don’t need this yet, but I’ll check it out.

Again, Many Thanks, and best to all, Bill Parsons

[Bill Parsons]

Robbie, thanks for the suggestion. I turned this up in my searches and it looks interesting.

The $99 price is ok, and I’ll be testing it out soon.

Best, Bill

[Bill Parsons]

I have purchased Shot Put Pro, as suggested and it is speedy and comprehensive — if not intuitive. The User Manual is the poster child for spare documentation.

I am using a MacBookPro 15″ from May, 2010 with the, then, new i7 chip. There is this about the machine:

“The Core i5 and i7 processors have a few interesting performance features, including Hyper-Threading, which uses virtual cores to double the amount of processing cores presented to the operating system. The processors have dual cores, but OS X treats them as having four cores. Another i5/i7 technology, Turbo Boost, allows the processor to speed up for a short period of time when necessary, or shut down unused cores and give the resources to the cores in use. Turbo Boost can increase the clock speed of the 2.4GHz Core i5 processor up to 2.93GHz, for example.”

What I would like to know is where to set the concurrent processing counter in SPP. Do I set it for 2 processors or 4?

Many thanks for the invaluable responses in this thread.

Best regards, Bill

[Mark White]

Thank you, thank you, thank you. It worked like a charm. I can’t believe Panasonic didn’t put more helpful information in the manual or on the website.

You are a hero!