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P2 offload issues using new MacbookPro and Duel
If anyone has a workaround for this or some further information then I’d love to hear about it, but this is more of a notice than a request. Also, if this has come up before my apologies in advance for rehashing stuff.
We bought a new MacbookPro (2.53GHz, 4GB SDRAM) and started loading on the various software items we need for both here in the office and on shoots. Loaded on was Photoshop, P2CMS, the necessary P2 drivers, SxS drivers and ShotputPro. The computer appears to be working fine but yesterday refused to start up. After some hard shut downs we finally got the machine to start after 5 minutes 30 seconds and sounds not unlike an aircraft taking off. We re-set the PRAM and the power system on the laptop but eventually (after some advice from AppleCare) committed to a full erase and re-install of the OS and applications.
The computer started fine after that an so I loaded ShotputPro back on, plugged in the Duel Adapter and started to offload a 32GB P2 card. After a minute or so the computer froze and displayed a warning that it needed to be shut down or re-started. After some research today I now realize that it was a kernel panic.
I sent out some emails looking for some answers and I got a very swift response from Dan at Imagine Products that nailed the issues I was having exactly. Apparently:
* There is “a serious codec conflict between the Duel drivers (shipped with OSX 10.5) and the P2 codecs.”
* “The kernel panic comes on when your computer has more than 2 GB of RAM, OSX 10.5, the Duel adaptor, and large P2 cards (16+ GB).”
* The problem “can be avoided by booting in safe mode or using a different reader such as Panasonic’s 5-card reader or P2 Gear, or direct connect from the camera.”
* Duel seems “to be waiting on Apple or Panasonic to do something. Apple OS team is “well aware of the problem” but no promises on correcting it.”So. Back to the older Macbook for the moment.
There is, I’m sure, going to be a certain “you get what you pay for” response to this post and, yes, in an ideal world I’d like to have the PCD20 or PCD35 or a P2 Gear — actually, in an ideal world, I’d like a Panasonic backed single card reader that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. Like I said at the beginning this post was more to bring some attention to an issue than search for a solution (although that would certainly be cool if there is one) as I’d rather save someone else the hair-pulling nightmare that I had yesterday.
I would like to also say, again, that Dan at Imagine could not have been more responsive or helpful. Nice to know that they have good people working there that put out a good product. He did tell me that they are looking at “tak[ing] another pass at seeing if we can limit the RAM usage of ShotPut to 2 GB. Maybe that will prevent this
problem”.Best to all,
Chris Cardno
Visual Edge Productions
Bethesda, MD -
17 Replies
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If RAM us really the issue, then why not pull 2 Gigs?
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I only have 2 GB in my MBP but have used the Duel a bunch, even had a multicam shoot with 5 systems going (MBP with Duel in each) with no problems. I will say that I have had an adapter go bad but it was exchanged for a new one under warranty.
I thought there was no driver for the Duel under OS 10.5, or are you saying that there is but it is already installed with 10.5 itself?
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Michael, the Duel site says that you don’t need to download drivers with OS 10.5+, so I think they are bundled in. Dan at Imagine said the newest OS manages memory so I guess when the system throws all 4GB at the process it causes the conflict between the drivers and the P2 codec.
Jeremy, the machine came out of the box with the 4GB RAM, it wasn’t an add-on — my tech knowledge falls down the minute I start looking at circuit boards and things with exposed wires so I’m not comfortable starting to yank things out. However, the point of the post was more to put it out there that a new MacbookPro with 4GB of RAM is apparently going to have issues with the Duel Adapter and P2 offload. Like I said, I’d rather someone didn’t run into this the day before a shoot or spend a day waiting for a brand new $2,500 machine to boot up correctly and then have it fail during an offload.
As a side note, does anyone else find it kind of amazing that we use all these phrases nowadays and actually know what they basically mean? Three years ago I’d have read the posts in this thread and thought people were talking another language… 🙂
Chris Cardno
Visual Edge Productions
Bethesda, MD -
[Chris Cardno] “Jeremy, the machine came out of the box with the 4GB RAM, it wasn’t an add-on — my tech knowledge falls down the minute I start looking at circuit boards and things with exposed wires so I’m not comfortable starting to yank things out.”
Go to the Apple menu and then choose “about this mac”. Click “more info”. Click on “memory” on the left hand side. What does it say in the main window? It should say something like bank0 and bank1.
[Chris Cardno] “However, the point of the post was more to put it out there that a new MacbookPro with 4GB of RAM is apparently going to have issues with the Duel Adapter and P2 offload.”
And that’s a good point. I am just trying to make your shiny Macbook Pro a useful tool instead of a web-surfing doorstop.
Also, save up for the ideal world PCD20. 🙂
Jeremy
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The “Duel” is one of the most appropriately named pieces of kit out there…
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I too have a MacBook Pro (2.2; 4GB RAM; OS 10.5.6) with DuelAdapter. For about a year I’ve offloaded P2 cards by drag and drop, without any problems.
But recent warnings that Apple and Panasonic don’t support Finder level copying of cards made me move to ShotPut, and once I did I experienced the same problem as Chris: of a kernel panic. The only difference is that I have only 8GB cards.
To be honest I don’t remember whether I installed a DuelAdapter driver, and I don’t know how to check to see if I did.
Luckily I have a couple of weeks before we next shoot, but I feel stuck. What’s the best way to offload P2 cards with a MacBook Pro?
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Gerret, Dan at Imagine Products (the folks that make Shotput) said they were seeing the problem with cards that were over 16GB in size. I don’t know if that INCLUDES 16GB cards, though. If you were having the problem with 8GB cards then this may be a more reaching problem than previously thought.
I’ll be posting later today with some more info, after I speak with Dan, and I’ll let you know what we discuss.
Best,
Chris Cardno
Visual Edge Productions
Bethesda, MD -
Do all of you have P2CMS installed as well that are having probelms with the Duel?
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No, after performing a complete OS erase and reinstall I only loaded on ShotputPro. The computer would boot up correctly but suffered a kernel panic during offload using the Duel and Shotput.
Chris Cardno
Visual Edge Productions
Bethesda, MD -
[Chris Cardno] “No, after performing a complete OS erase and reinstall I only loaded on ShotputPro. “
You didn’t load FCP?
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