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P2 and required peripherals
I am considering using P2. Exactly what is the minimum hardware and software required to use this media? A list would help. I know this post asks for some basic information, but I am having trouble finding it or the information available seems overly technical or at least not simple.
For example, the card rate sheet from my local rental company has prices for “Panasonic HVX200 HD 24p P2 camera.” Then “Panasonic P2 Cards 16 GB and 32 GB” and then, and here is what’s driving my question, “Panasonic P2 Store, 60 GB , 2 Slot HD” and “Dual Adapter P2 Card to SXS card”, etc. All this added equipment adds expense and complexity and uncertainty. Making the true actual rental cost of a P2 camera and needed peripherals difficult to ascertain and, most importantly, the true cost of buying a P2 camera difficult to budget.
What is actual hardware and software (including cables or data transfer equipment) required to get the audio/video data from the P2 card to a PC to actually do the editing and rendering? Anything special required to get it to a Mac? I once looked at the Panasonic HVX200 website regarding P2 workflow, but I did not understand a lot of the technical information provided.
Any definitive guidance regarding required (not nice to haves) hardware and editing software necessary for P2 media would be helpful. P2 is a wonderful idea and product and I would love to use it, but just need to be able to get a handle on the expected and unexpected cost.
Tried to find this information on earlier threads, but most started several years earlier.
Thanks for taking time to read this and any advice or help is appreciated.
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4 Replies
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I suggest you reread the workflow. At a bare minimum, you can use your camera to offload your P2 cards to a PC/Mac. You do this via USB or Firewire. As far as P2 crds, you have a choice of 16, 32 or 64 GB cards. A 64 GB E series card is under $1000.
FCP for software.
Once again reread the workflow. If the information is to technical for you, I don’t think the P2 or HDV format is for you. Cameras are not point and shoot anymore.
Steve Eisen
Eisen Video Productions
Board of Directors
Chicago Final Cut Pro Users Group -
[Steve Eisen] “FCP for software.”
Or Edius, Premiere, Avid, I believe Media100 supports P2. Pretty much any NLE except Vegas.
P2 is basically a file transfer. The Duel adapter, P2 store, and the rest aren’t required. But they may make life easier (offloading cards in the field, faster transfers, etc…).
Michael
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I’ll be working late. -
Thanks Michael – Your comments are very helpful – especially on the NLE issues. I know the file transfer part is pretty basic, but it would be nice to know approximately how long does it take to transfer 16 GB P2 card to the computer using only what “comes in the box”? I know people with lots of P2 gear may not know this, but I am trying to get a handle on the cost vs. time associated with P2 on a single project.
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Phil, the safe assumption is a gigabyte/minute for transfer. There are tools out there that can make this quicker but planning for the worst case is usually a good move…
You do have to keep in mind that unless you’re going to have a lot of cards, or are only shooting as much memory as you own, then to transfer the footage using the camera is going to leave you without a camera to shoot with. Having a standalone transfer unit (Duel Adapter, the P2 transfer units made by Panasonic, even the old P2 Store will work) is preferable.
Finally, while you can just drag and drop or use P2CMS for free I’d recommend Shotput from Imagine Products to automate the transfer. It’s a steal at $90, allows you to transfer to three different hard drives at once and verifies as it moves the data.
Chris Cardno
Visual Edge Productions
Bethesda, MD
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