Transferring BPAV files between PC and Mac Intel. at DVinfo.net

Barry Uddstrom · January 22nd, 2009, 01:03 PM

Hi all,

Are looking at getting a External Hard Drive to back up and for transferring footage from my Sony PMW-EX3.
I have a PC Laptop and a Mac Pro editing suite.
Is it possible to back up my BPAV files to the External Hard Drive using the Laptop and then later bring them into the Mac computer from the same external HD.
Will the same External HD work with both PC and Mac?

I currently often transfer still pictures and word documents between PC and Mac using my Flash stick, will the above work also.

Your advise is appreciated.
PS hope this is the right section for this type of question, put it here because it relates to the EX3 camera and how the footage can be handled.

Jason Bodnar · January 22nd, 2009, 01:20 PM

I use rugged Lacie external drives and they are formatted for the Mac and I use the following software on all my PC's to read the drives Mediafour | MacDrive it is awsome software and I highly recommend if you are going from Mac to PC and back to Mac with files.

Craig Seeman · January 22nd, 2009, 03:12 PM

If the drive is formated Fat32 it shouldn't be a problem. Jason pointed to a solution if the drive is Mac formated. If you format it NTFS the Mac may read the drive but not write to it. You'd need a 3rd party solution for that although the name escapes me at the moment.

Of course you could just put the laptop on a network and through ethernet send the files over.

Barry Uddstrom · January 22nd, 2009, 03:27 PM

Hi,

Thanks for your suggestions, yes I have thought the Network idea is most likely the simplest way to copy files around.
Will most likely go that way.

When I was in the local computer shop they said I would have no problem with a External HD as long as the programs I was running on the PC & Mac are the same or simlar.

Thanks.

Peter Kraft · January 22nd, 2009, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Craig Seeman

If you format it NTFS the Mac may read the drive but not write to it. You'd need a 3rd party solution for that although the name escapes me at the moment.

Craig, NTFS for Mac lets you read AND write.
See here: Paragon NTFS for MAC OS X - full read and write access to Windows NTFS partitions under Mac OS X

Craig Seeman · January 22nd, 2009, 07:58 PM

Peter I believe NTFS can be read without the utility (it's been a while since I tried). The utility adds the ability to write from what I understand. Maybe it adds additional read features too?

Mitchell Lewis · January 22nd, 2009, 09:18 PM

I seem to remember that FAT32 has a gigibyte limit. So if you have large (long) files, that may be a problem.

Peter Kraft · January 23rd, 2009, 02:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Craig Seeman

Peter I believe NTFS can be read without the utility (it's been a while since I tried). The utility adds the ability to write from what I understand.

This is correct.

Peter Kraft · January 23rd, 2009, 02:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Craig Seeman

Maybe it adds additional read features too?

Possibly, but I have not yet become aware of any.

Craig Seeman · January 23rd, 2009, 07:58 AM

SxS cards themselves are formated FAT32. It's 4GB limit just as you see with cards and spanned clips.

Of course if you want to put long edited masters on the drive that are more than 4GB there might be an issue but then again you can put an edited master back on SxS card too now.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mitchell Lewis

I seem to remember that FAT32 has a gigibyte limit. So if you have large (long) files, that may be a problem.

January 22nd, 2009, 01:03 PM	#1
Barry Uddstrom Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: New Zealand Greymouth Posts: 39	Transferring BPAV files between PC and Mac Intel. Hi all, Are looking at getting a External Hard Drive to back up and for transferring footage from my Sony PMW-EX3. I have a PC Laptop and a Mac Pro editing suite. Is it possible to back up my BPAV files to the External Hard Drive using the Laptop and then later bring them into the Mac computer from the same external HD. Will the same External HD work with both PC and Mac? I currently often transfer still pictures and word documents between PC and Mac using my Flash stick, will the above work also. Your advise is appreciated. PS hope this is the right section for this type of question, put it here because it relates to the EX3 camera and how the footage can be handled.

January 22nd, 2009, 09:18 PM	#7
Mitchell Lewis Trustee Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Kennewick, WA Posts: 1,124	I seem to remember that FAT32 has a gigibyte limit. So if you have large (long) files, that may be a problem. __________________ Sony EX3, Canon 5D MkII, Chrosziel Matte Box, Sachtler tripod, Steadicam Flyer, Mac Pro, Apple/Adobe software - 20 years as a local videographer/editor

January 22nd, 2009, 01:20 PM	#2
Jason Bodnar Major Player Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Seattle WA Posts: 376	I use rugged Lacie external drives and they are formatted for the Mac and I use the following software on all my PC's to read the drives Mediafour \| MacDrive it is awsome software and I highly recommend if you are going from Mac to PC and back to Mac with files.

January 22nd, 2009, 03:12 PM	#3
Craig Seeman Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Brooklyn, NY, USA Posts: 3,841	If the drive is formated Fat32 it shouldn't be a problem. Jason pointed to a solution if the drive is Mac formated. If you format it NTFS the Mac may read the drive but not write to it. You'd need a 3rd party solution for that although the name escapes me at the moment. Of course you could just put the laptop on a network and through ethernet send the files over.

January 22nd, 2009, 03:27 PM	#4
Barry Uddstrom Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: New Zealand Greymouth Posts: 39	Hi, Thanks for your suggestions, yes I have thought the Network idea is most likely the simplest way to copy files around. Will most likely go that way. When I was in the local computer shop they said I would have no problem with a External HD as long as the programs I was running on the PC & Mac are the same or simlar. Thanks.

January 22nd, 2009, 07:58 PM	#6
Craig Seeman Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Brooklyn, NY, USA Posts: 3,841	Peter I believe NTFS can be read without the utility (it's been a while since I tried). The utility adds the ability to write from what I understand. Maybe it adds additional read features too?