I have a Macbook Pro and a external drive connected through my Express card slot. I have easily been able to capture footage from my other cameras (Canon A1, Sony Handycam) using the firewire port since these cameras use tape. If I would like to purchase the 170 but what would be the best way to get the footage onto my hard drive since my Express Card slot is being used. Am I able to use USB 2.0 or Firewire to simply drag and drop the video files onto my hard drive? Will this be a long transfer process?
Thanks
- Owen

I have a Macbook Pro and a external drive connected through my Express card slot. I have easily been able to capture footage from my other cameras (Canon A1, Sony Handycam) using the firewire port since these cameras use tape. If I would like to purchase the 170 but what would be the best way to get the footage onto my hard drive since my Express Card slot is being used. Am I able to use USB 2.0 or Firewire to simply drag and drop the video files onto my hard drive? Will this be a long transfer process?
Thanks
- Owen

Owen:

If your Express slot is taken up, you would use FireWire from the camera to your MBP, not USB. USB is for PC users and FireWire is for Mac users in the HPX world.

Unfortunately, downloading from the camera is MUCH slower than using the excellent Dual Adapter in your Express slot. My Dual can download a 16GB P2 in less than 8 minutes. It takes about 30-40 using the camera. I would bag the (I assume?) e-SATA card in your Express slot, buy a cheap FW 800 pocket drive and get the Dual, it is a much better way to go.

Dan

Thanks man. I would of bought a firewire 800 drive to start with but i got my computer right before the MBP came out with the 800. Thanks for answering the question. I have another question tho. If I was to record in 720p at 60fps how long would I be able to record on the 16GB card that the camera comes with?
Thanks for the help
-Owen

Thanks man. I would of bought a firewire 800 drive to start with but i got my computer right before the MBP came out with the 800. Thanks for answering the question. I have another question tho. If I was to record in 720p at 60fps how long would I be able to record on the 16GB card that the camera comes with?
Thanks for the help
-Owen

I never shoot that format except for time lapse it but it gets you 17 minutes according to my trusty HPX170 here.

Dan