Workflow FCP5 and P2 cards

[Dan Mastroluca]

Thanks Jesse, what version of OSX are you running? I had to return the P2 camera to Panasonic on Monday 🙁 , so I couldn’t try it again. I wish I had known about the write protect tab issue. It makes sense to protect the camera cards when mounted on the desktop, but you think they would show up anyway. I guess the fact that we are running OS 10.3.9 doesn’t help. I will be upgrading to FCP5 with 10.3.9 this week. I also will be demo-ing the P2 card reader and some cards with media already on the cards. Thanks all for the information.

KCLV City of Las Vegas

[Jesse Rosen]

Yes, that will work. Just make sure that you have some methodology for copying the footage to your computer. Either put each card’s files into its own directory (just copy over the “CONTENTS” folder), or use something like rsync (check out RsyncX for a version with an OS-X GUI).

—
Jesse Rosen
Director of Technical Development
Abel Cine Tech, Inc.

[Jesse Rosen]

I used Tiger for the actual tests, but I did test that the cards mount on a machine running 10.3.9 as well. Of course you need FCP5 to import the footage.

—
Jesse Rosen
Director of Technical Development
Abel Cine Tech, Inc.

[Rainer Wirth]

I’m just testing. Putting the cards on protect, the cards show up on the Mac as discs. Even on my G4 500 Mhz still running 9.2 the cards show as a disc. In FCP4.5 you can’t import the MFX files. Do you have to inport each files, or does final cut the link with soud ?

Rainer

[Jesse Rosen]

You need FCP5 to import the footage. It comes in with all 4 channels of sound attached. You can batch import a whole card at a time, or if you use the rsync method of copying the footage to a drive, a whole day’s worth of footage at a time.

—
Jesse Rosen
Director of Technical Development
Abel Cine Tech, Inc.

[Rainer Wirth]

The G5 with Os 9.2 recognizes just the first card in the slot.

Rainer

[Rainer Wirth]

Hi Jesse,

great talking to you.

Rainer

[Rainer Wirth]

Now, here’s the workflow, and it works!

You need Tiger and FCP5 (for the MXF files). You shoot on P2 cards. Then you have to flip the protection button on the cards on protect (otherwise the cards won’t show up as a hard disc on the computer). You have to set the camera via System settings (press the menue button on the camera for a few seconds, till the menue shows on the monitor attached to the camera) into USB on. Now connect the camera to the computer. The 5 cards mount as hard discs. Each disc contains a folder called content. These folders are copied on let’s say a powerbook (more than 500 Mghz with OSx) For safety you copy the content on an external HD via Firewire. Check, whether all the folders with content are properly copied. Run FCP5 on the laptop and view one shot.
Disconnect the camera, switch off USB function (otherwise the camera won’t record) Put the protect button on each P2 card on write, delete the content of the cards, and start shooting again.

Rainer

[Stan Timek]

Rainer,

From what you said regarding OS 9.2 and the P2 cards would you think that I could use an old Pismo running 9.2 to transfer the cards to an external HD in the field? It would be very cool to extend the life/usefullness of my Pismo this way! 2000 tech with 2005 HDTV tech!

Stan

[Rainer Wirth]

I’m sorry, this is not possible. You can transfer the cards, but FCP5 requires a P2 Drive to “unpack” the MXF files. So the workflow is:
-shooting on P2
-Putting the Camera in USB Modus
-Flip protect button on the cards into “Protect”
-Make a connection camera-computer via USB
-The cards show up on the desktop as “No Name”
-Open FCP5
-Select import data/P2 data (there is an extra import function for P2)
-A window opens
-select drive (They are numbered)
-The clips show up
-select all, press import
All the files are copied from the selected card and show up as media files in the FCP project. The files are a real copy, like a batch digitised clip.
Make sure all data is copied, before you disconnect the camera, put the camera off USB, flip card protection in write and delete the copied clips.
Whats not working is this: If you copy the contents folder (on the P2cards) on the hard disc, FCP5 won’t recognize the data. FCP requires a P2 drive (in the camera or the p2 Panasonic drive) I’ve tried it, the clips won’t show up. It is not possible to write back to the p2 cards so far. It’s a one way procedure.
I’ve tested this on the Mac Expo cologne yesterday. I’ve used an SPX800, 5 P2 cards and a G4 Powerbook 1.3GHZ, Tiger 4.1, FCP5.0

Rainer