Recording Direct to an Ipod or Firewire HD
 

I know this has been discussed before, but Panasonic has now updated their web site and I found this statement in their FAQ.

"Can I use the FireWire output to record directly to a FireWire drive or Apple iPod?
Yes, we have done tests on original iPod models over FireWire by putting the camera into the "Host Mode," though its performance is a little slow. However, the latest iPod models do not have a FireWire port. On a standard 1394 drive, it would be a bit faster."

Does this mean you would not need a Firestore and an off the shelf firewire drive could also be used to record to? It says RECORD DIRECTLY to a firewire drive, or is this just a miss print and they actually mean transfer P2 contents to the drive.

Hopefully they clear this up with the announcement today.

Also here is the link for those of you who want to see the FAQ

http://www.panasonic.com/business/pr.../hvx200faq.asp

I was at a panasonic presentation yesterday where they presented the camera. I must say the camera looks like a winner if people will be open minded enough to adopt the p2 technology. That questioned was asked at the workshop, and sales dude was uncertain. However, now that you mentioned that a firewire port in part of the new ipod, it may be possible. I just don't know if the ipods drive will spin fast enought to capture the video. You may be able to transfer the footage from the p2 card to the ipod once it's captured, erase the card and keep shooting. It all depends, on if the ipod will allow the p2 card show up as another drive to extract information from it.

That's Insanely Amazing,
But I wouldn't get my hopes up...Something tells me either you cannot record directly in Host mode or the drives are too slow...Maybe it's gonna be ideal for a storage solution... Self powered Drive

Her's another question though...
Even though the Vpods are USB only if you were to plug in and Dump a P2 directly ontop a Vpod, would you be able to preview it on the screen?

if they had faster HD's AND Firewires they could even be used as a real time monitor...(The reason I think of this is that I want to use a 35mm adaptor that is gonna flip the image)

I thik this is one of those things that is close but not gonna really be an option

This has to be a mistake. they wouldn't be referring to fast and slow if it was recording of a live stream. It has to be downloading data from the p2s', who's speed will depend on where it's being dumped. Though with the new video ipods , it's still interesting , I still don't see any advantages over a pwb - and even less , a pwb w/7200 drive.

except with a PowerBook 7200 you can capture directly...

It would be super cool to just dump the files on a Vpod
(but I think this only works with a Firewire drive)
and view them instantly


wishwishwishwash

My hope, or dream as it may be is that I could record long form to a 300GB lacie or other such portable hard drive in a location that I could have power for it, presentations and such where its just basicly locked to the tripod.

I know the ipod isn't fast enough for HD, nor would a video ipod play back any video that was recorded to it (it has to be in a specific codec and resolution for the Vipod to play back any video on the screen). But it might be a posiblity for SD or at the max probably DVCPro50.

But I won't get my hopes up too high until I hear from someone that has actually has a camera in their hand.

They've updated their FAQ now.
Apparently it was just bad writing.

But, looks like you CAN transfer footage from the P2 cards to a firewire drive.
That's new news.

here's the link to the new FAQ

"Can I use the FireWire output to transfer previously recorded content from P2 cards to an external hard drive or Apple iPod?
Yes, we have done tests on original iPod models over FireWire by putting the camera into the "Host Mode," though its performance is a little slow. However, the latest iPod models do not have a FireWire port. On a standard 1394 drive, it would be a bit faster"

Notice it no longer says "record directly"

Actually, Jan confirmed this tidbit back in May... :) The camera has the ability to transfer data from the inserted P2 cards to a directly connected firewire HDD (and I'm assuming data can flow the other direction too). No direct recording or capture to a firewire drive though -- the attatched capture/record device must be "intelligent".

John - that was my point but I believe only to dvcpro50. If you want 100mbps , you'll have to download off the p2. Correct me , please , if I'm wrong. The truth is, if I'm doing a shoot , and offloading my files to a hd , then , I would use at least two backups . The ipod strategy might be ok , for a third! I'd probably prefer a powerbook w/firewired hd running off a hub to both the pwb and hd. Both having 7200rpm disks .This gives one a backup if anything goes wrong. thanks

- Jeff Kilgroe wrote:

"...The camera has the ability to transfer data from the inserted P2 cards to a directly connected firewire HDD (and I'm assuming data can flow the other direction too). No direct recording or capture to a firewire drive though -- the attatched capture/record device must be "intelligent".
__________________

By "intelligent", you're including recording live to hard drive thru an NLE in "capture mode", yes?

The Panasonic site FAQ sez...

"Q: How can I record for durations longer than the P2 cards’ capacity?

A: In three ways; you can continuously record over from one P2 card to the next and hot swap them for unloading, or you can use the FS-100 mentioned above, which is an external FireWire drive. You can also open your capture window in your NLE and capture via FireWire to your external drive."

Yes, you can capture right out of the firewire port to your NLE. By "intelligent", I meant that whatever device is doing the live recording must be able to interperet or digest the video stream coming from the camera. The camera itself doesn't provide any ability of its own to stream a live feed directly to a filesystem connected to the firewire port. Hence you need something like the Firestore that understands DVCPRO and DV video streams.

IMO, Panasonic simply crippled the camera in this way and there's no reason a direct live recording could not and should not be available via firewire direct to a standard firewire HDD or other capable storage device. The interface is already there in that the camera facilitates copying from the P2 media to the firewire connected device.

Put a laptop between the camera and the drive and yes, you could do exactly that. The camera cannot stream data directly to a hard disk (unless it's an "intelligent" hard disk like the FireStore) but if you use FCP or Avid or Canopus or some other DV100 capture application, you can stream through that capture application right to the hard disk.

Yes Jeff, but back in May it was only doable with a USB drive.
Now we're being told we can transfer files with firewire drives.
:)

Heh. Touche'

Either way works for me. All my external HDDs have both interfaces. ;)

I'm with you.
Just semantics.