Hello Tingsern,

I say "low cost" as my last six or so cameras were all well over $15000AUD each for the heads only. yes Pro's , well I suppose I'm in that groove, that's why I slot the HVX200 into the "Low Cost" camera category, I'm sorry if you are offended. Maybe I should have used, "P2 Entry Level".

Cheers
Tom K
olinevideo.com.au

Heh Tom,

No offense at all. Just pointing to everybody that HVX200 is not exactly "low cost" video camera for the masses. It is a Professional video camera that happens to be priced at the "low" end of the price range.

Hi TingSern,

Yes they are a very nice piece of gear, recently I convinced a client of mine to get the Latest HVX200A , he had been using an old Sony little 3 chip camera prior , after his first shoot and loading, then editing the P2 files , he gave his old Sony to his son to play with.
He's now a very happy man.

cheers from the bush
Tom K
olinevideo.com.au

Tom,

Hope your client don't start complaining to you about the high cost of P2 cards :-).

As a matter of fact he did ask me why they where so Pricey, jokingly I told him "we have to keep the manufacturers in the lifestyle there accustomed too".
I can understand his comment when comparing a 60 min DV tape at roughly $4. I went on to tell him P2 cards can be re written many many many times, and he only has to buy them once, that made him happy.

Panasonic would make thousands more P2 users happy by producing a cut down 2 card reader at say under $1000. that's my christmas wish to Panasonic.

Cheers
Tom K

Tom,

Even at $1K, I doubt many people will want to pay for that. The PC-Card slot in my IBM Thinkpad T60 is a fantastic P2 card reader - and it is free :-).

P2 reader
 

I'm new to all this.
I was hoping out there somewhere is a P2 reader for a Mac that I could just plug in and transfer the images on my card into my computer.
Based on the previous threads, it doesn't sound like that's the case.
Is that really the case?

Hi Noah,
Lots of discussion on P2 card readers, everyone has different expectations, and differing views on what is reasonable cost, Lots of info on my site--
O-line Video Productions - Home Page
If your on a Macpro with PCIe theres a new reader on the horizion from Sonnettech, the QIO. that info is too on my site and posted on some forums. Hopefully It will be the card reader to take us "solid state users" into the future.
cheapest way is to get an old Windows lappy and network to your mac. If your Mac is an old G4 with PCI then you could use the Amtron reader, as long as your on Tiger 10.4.8 no later.
Leopard and Intel Macpros are designed for expresscards so don't expect any easy solutions there.

Cheers
Tom K
olinevideo.com.au

This is true. But if you are on a MacBook Pro, find a duel adapter and install P2 CMS and transfer that way. There are plenty of threads on that work-flow around here....

Sonnet's Qio looks just great and can be used for SxS cars too and maybe SDHC cards.
What I cannot see, is if if will work under windows too ??

Hi Bo, I believe there's plenty of cheap card reader solutions for windows out in the market place, it's the current range of Intel Macpro's that's been satisfied by the QIO, who knows Sonnet may make a driver for it to work under windows, time will tell.
Let's wait n see.

Cheers
Tom K
olinevideo.com.au

Hi
I am aware that there are not man P2 reader solutions for Mac but I do not think there is many alternatives for windows either. This solution will probably be very fast and great for the new 1,2gB P2 cards - I have not seen anything like the sonnet solution for PC's.
Bo

Hi Bo,

what is your computer you need to have a P2 reader for, give me some specs.
have you USB, FW, PCIe, or PCI, or expresscard connect...XP or Vista. desktop or lappy.

Cheers
Tom K
olinevideo.com.au

A external or 5,25 combined sxs and P2 reader for PCIe would be nice. Or a P2 reader only for PCIe or for expresscard/34. I know panasonic makes one - but it would be nice wirh something cheaper. Although I am considering the panasonic AJ-PCD35 for news gathering.
An sxs reader for PCIe on my stationary PC would be nice too. Guess it would be faster than the Sony SXS-USB reader
Bo..

Hello Bo,
Compare the cost ofthe (AJ-PCD35) to the (Qio) and then bear in mind that the Qio will read many cards other than just P2,
It's "Not rocket science" to see which one is the stand out winner...cost v performance v versatility.
I'm looking forward to my Qio and will report transfer times as soon as I have them..
I imagine to have a "driver" built, to have the Qio recognzed on windows with a PCIe or expresscard slot will be a much easier process to achieve than it is on the Mac.

cheers
Tom K
olinevideo.com.au