Are there generic p2 cards for the HVX? at DVinfo.net
DV Info Net

Go Back   DV Info Net > Panasonic P2HD / AVCCAM / AVCHD / DV Camera Systems > Panasonic P2HD / DVCPRO HD Camcorders
Register FAQ Today's Posts Buyer's Guides

Panasonic P2HD / DVCPRO HD Camcorders
All AG-HPX and AJ-PX Series camcorders and P2 / P2HD hardware.

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old July 24th, 2007, 03:59 PM   #1
Trustee
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Niagara Ontario Canada
Posts: 1,121
Are there generic p2 cards for the HVX?

Have they come out with generic p2 card for the HVX yet? It has been almost two years now, I would have thought someone would have - unless it is proprietary to Pana and they won't license it...

----------------------------------

Admin Update 06 Feb. 2008: Hoodman Corporation has cancelled its P2 card project.

See http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showpost....5&postcount=80
/ Admin

----------------------------------
David Delaney is offline   Reply With Quote
Old July 24th, 2007, 06:40 PM   #2
Obstreperous Rex
 
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: San Marcos, TX
Posts: 27,366
Images: 513
See http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=91386
__________________
CH

Search DV Info Net | 20 years of DVi | ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!
Chris Hurd is offline   Reply With Quote
Old July 28th, 2007, 10:00 AM   #3
Go Go Godzilla
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Scottsdale, AZ USA
Posts: 2,788
Images: 15
Update

I spoke directly with one of the sales people at Hoodman USA who is making their version of a 16GB P2 card. According to [the saleswoman] the reason they've been silent so far about the card is that when Panny announced the firmware update for the new cards that set back their engineering and they had to reconfigure. Unfortunately she was not very tech-savvy and couldn't address the actual issues they came across but it seems my initial concerns about a third-party card being able to talk properly to the cameras were correct.

She also could not confirm whether or not their card would allow for "Repair Clip" and other P2-specific functionality. As I mentioned in another thread about these upcoming cards, that my main concern is that since P2 cards are actually (4) SD modules in a RAID-0 array ergo there is a controller on the cards that manages the communication, and the camera is specifically looking for this controller communication, that since Hoodman P2 is a single RAM module design that there must be some compromises made in either communication (such as being able to repair a clip) or speed. Exactly what the implications of their card will be can't be known until it ships and it's tested.

She did say they expect to release their P2 card by mid-September for approximately 15-20% less than Panny P2 pricing. When asked why none of this was on their website yet or why there was no posting of updates she only said that this and other info would be posted on their site "soon".

So, Hoodman P2 is officially coming but actual compatibility specs and usage are still unknown.
__________________
Robert Lane
Producer/Creator - Bike Pilots TV
Robert Lane is offline   Reply With Quote
Old July 28th, 2007, 11:16 AM   #4
Major Player
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Monterey, California
Posts: 895
Robert: That's interesting information, but it does bring up an obvious question.. since, as far as I know, there are no other user applications at the time for P2 cards other than Panasonic cameras, why would they bother to create a card that isn't fully compatable?

In my case at least the whole P2 thing is somewhat nerve-wracking.. Since I've only been doing this for a month and a half (admittedly with zero problems) I am still having sleepless nights "waiting for the other shoe to drop" ie, a card to fail and the loss of irreplaceable footage..

It would take a lot, I mean a LOT, to convince me to buy a questionable 3rd party product even if it was half the price...
Steve Rosen is offline   Reply With Quote
Old July 29th, 2007, 03:45 PM   #5
Regular Crew
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 28
I have shot a couple of thousand cards and never had a lost clip or an issue - so I believe it is a foolproof system if you have redundent storage.

I agree though - a third party p2 card would have to be 75% cheaper for me to consider it - panny p2 cards have come down in price so much that I dont beleive there is room in the market for others
Seth Melnick is offline   Reply With Quote
Old July 30th, 2007, 03:14 PM   #6
Major Player
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Inland Northwest
Posts: 490
Yes, they are a lot cheaper.

Problem is and has been that you can't find them anywhere.
David Saraceno is offline   Reply With Quote
Old July 30th, 2007, 08:16 PM   #7
New Boot
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Adelaide, South Australia
Posts: 5
Yes, I agree. The "pro-sumer" customer will go after price, moreso than the "pro"... but that price will have to be more than a 15-20% difference.

Unless Hoodman realise this, I suspect their sales targets for the alternative will be unrealised.
Peter Gresham is offline   Reply With Quote
Old July 31st, 2007, 10:16 AM   #8
Major Player
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Monterey, California
Posts: 895
Seth: You said you've shot a couple of thousand cards?..whew, that's a lot!!! Are they 4 or 8 gig cards?

I've shot (16g cards) for the last month and a half with the HPX500, probably 30+ hours of "footage" (we need a new term here) and haven't had a problem, as I said...

I do back everything up twice, though, and - I hate to be the one that says the emporer isn't wearing any clothes - honestly I think this work flow takes more time, not less, than tape because of the backups...

I may admittedly be creating more redundancy than necessary, and the harddrives are piling up, but it would be disaster to lose anything in the middle of this year and half fully funded feature length documentary I'm making - but it would also be a disaster to lose the image of your daughters first step...

The point, relative to this topic, is that these cards get hot, as anyone who has immediately removed one can testify... I wonder how many heating and cooling cycles they can take - and how far I personally would trust a third party card without a good track record like the one Seth has with the Panasonic cards?
Steve Rosen is offline   Reply With Quote
Old July 31st, 2007, 05:31 PM   #9
Major Player
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 295
I love how everyone assumes that 3rd party cards are going to be lower quality. How does anyone know? They might come manufactured from titanium, plated in iridium, lined in diamonds, twice the speed, half the weight and half the price.


... who knows :)
Gene Crucean is offline   Reply With Quote
Old August 2nd, 2007, 09:30 AM   #10
Major Player
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Monterey, California
Posts: 895
Gene: You're right - "who knows".. problem is, I don't want to be the one who finds out one way or the other.. These 3rd party cards may be better, they have every reason to be given that they have to compete with a large corp like Panasonic.

But, and this is a big one, I'm shooting a film on someone else's dime, and it's a good-sized dime, so I need to be cautious when entering the unknown...
Steve Rosen is offline   Reply With Quote
Old August 3rd, 2007, 01:58 AM   #11
Trustee
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Tulsa, OK
Posts: 1,689
I will be checking them out. The beauty of second to the market products is that they dont have to roll in years of R&D into the price. I heard at NAB they were going to be 30% cheaper, if so, I will be buying at least one.

----------------------------------

Admin Update 06 Feb. 2008: Hoodman Corporation has cancelled its P2 card project.

See http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showpost....5&postcount=80
/ Admin

----------------------------------
Ash Greyson is offline   Reply
Reply

DV Info Net refers all where-to-buy and where-to-rent questions exclusively to these trusted full line dealers and rental houses...

B&H Photo Video
(866) 521-7381
New York, NY USA

Scan Computers Int. Ltd.
+44 0871-472-4747
Bolton, Lancashire UK


DV Info Net also encourages you to support local businesses and buy from an authorized dealer in your neighborhood.
  You are here: DV Info Net > Panasonic P2HD / AVCCAM / AVCHD / DV Camera Systems > Panasonic P2HD / DVCPRO HD Camcorders


 



All times are GMT -6. The time now is 03:04 PM.


DV Info Net -- Real Names, Real People, Real Info!
1998-2024 The Digital Video Information Network