[Job Ter burg]

Watch the tutorials, the info is all there. Make sure to work in the right framerate. Be absolutely sure about the framerate of the footage.
Then decide whether you want to edit in the native resolution (DVCPRO-HD) or if you want to transode (to a DNxHD resolution that has more or less the same bandwith). Pesonally, I’d opt for DNxHD, since that is likely to be more flexible in post production, but it does take more time to transcode than to simply copy the media.

[Job Ter burg]

There’s very detailed info here: https://www.avid.com/P2/

Make sure to read it thoroughly.

In short, under the File menu, you have an “Import P2” option, with two tabs, “Import Clips” and “Import Media”. You’ll have to first import the clips (metadata) into a bin, then either choose to import media (natively), or Transcode/consolidate to a resolution of your choice.
After that, you’re editing.

I’ve often read that editing 720 on MC is not a joy per se, but I can’t really say, since I’ve only done 1080 P2.

Also, you might want to know about the existence of Raylight MXFX, application that lets you convert MXF files from and into various formats and framerates.

[Job Ter burg]

What Bouke says.

Also: you don’t want QT 7.3 for MC 3.0.1. You want QT 7.4.5.

[Job Ter burg]

What Bouke says: OMF, not MXF.
Moving Picture: they will need to have that plugin installed, and you’ll need to make sure that this will work across different versions. I would not bet on it, but maybe it works.
Bins and sequences should travel across, but do create new projects on the Meridien, that’s probably safer.
I’ve brought projects, bins and sequences back and forth between PC Meridien v12 and Mac XpressPro 4.8 for a while and that never caused any issues.

[Job Ter burg]

Hence your infamous line: “friends don’t let friends edit 720p”, right?

[Job Ter burg]

Or you switch the project type to SD, then choose to export as OMF.

[Job Ter burg]

Also: don’t zip OMF files. It’s likely to cause file corruption, at least that has been my experience.

[Job Ter burg]

Not sure how you can tell that this PC recognises the dongle if there is no Avid software installed, not even dongle dumper / dongle manager.

If you are sure that the dongle isn’t broken, than maybe the USB port on your system is malfunctioning?

[Job Ter burg]

It’s not a Windows thing, it may be a FAT thing. Some of my MXF mediafiles are well over 2GB.

[Job Ter burg]

That’s weird. I’ve often exported 4+ GB QT’s from Avid, ever since the Meridien days.