MacPro alternative to Panasonic card reader? at DVinfo.net

Jeff Heywood · November 7th, 2007, 01:46 PM

Is there any alternative to the panasonic 5 card P2 reader? It seems fiendishly expensive for what it is. Currently, because we are cheap, we are just plugging firewire from camera to the macs, but putting the cards in them would be so much easier.

Robert Lane · November 7th, 2007, 02:59 PM

Welcome to the forum, Jeff. Currently there isn't any other device other than the P2 Drive that does it's job. My advice would be to keep using the camera as your connectivity if you can't justify the cost of a dedicated reader.

David Saraceno · November 7th, 2007, 03:04 PM

If you are on a MBP, the dual adapter EC/34 to PC CardBus slot works lickety split.

Jeff Heywood · November 7th, 2007, 03:06 PM

Thanks for the welcome. You confirmed my suspicion. It's interesting though. I don't need to edit off cards, and I don't need five at a time. One offload at a time and I'd be set.

Jan Crittenden Livingston · November 7th, 2007, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff Heywood

Is there any alternative to the panasonic 5 card P2 reader? It seems fiendishly expensive for what it is. Currently, because we are cheap, we are just plugging firewire from camera to the macs, but putting the cards in them would be so much easier.

Hi Jeff, You could use the Duel Systems adapter to Xpress card adapter. www.duel-systems.com

Best,

Jan

Jeff Heywood · November 7th, 2007, 03:47 PM

There's no expresscard on the Mac Pro's though. As near as I can tell it's just for laptops with expresscard. We have a PC laptop we use in the field, but this would be for dumping P2 files direct to the Mac's when we're shooting in and around the building.

We stretched our budget as far as we could to get the HPX500, but now that we're trying to buy 'pro' level accessories we're fainting on a daily basis. We don't even dare to dream of that spiffy field monitor.

David Saraceno · November 8th, 2007, 10:39 AM

One company has indicated an intent to provide a PC CardBus PCI-X slotted reader for the MacPro.

Nothing yet however.

Kaku Ito · November 8th, 2007, 09:08 PM

I looked around but nothing was available, so I bought AJ-PCD20.
Its 5 slot makes it easy to mount everything I shot and directly browse everything and transfer the ones I need. Of course you can also copy everything you shot without swapping the cards and can'be be done unattended. Those are big advantages over one slot card reader like Duel adapter. Duel adapter works good for its own intended use (wish it has no cable), though. So, I use both.

Dick Campbell · November 9th, 2007, 10:06 AM

network your laptop to the Mac Pro and mount a drive on the Mac from the laptop and dump that way. Then you don't need the camera.

Barry Green · November 9th, 2007, 06:59 PM

You could also pick up a used P2 Store and use it as a card reader. Or a cheap Windows laptop, connected via network to your Mac desktop.

November 7th, 2007, 01:46 PM	#1
Jeff Heywood Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Vancouver, BC Posts: 41	MacPro alternative to Panasonic card reader? Is there any alternative to the panasonic 5 card P2 reader? It seems fiendishly expensive for what it is. Currently, because we are cheap, we are just plugging firewire from camera to the macs, but putting the cards in them would be so much easier.

November 7th, 2007, 02:59 PM	#2
Robert Lane Go Go Godzilla Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Scottsdale, AZ USA Posts: 2,823 Images: 15	Welcome to the forum, Jeff. Currently there isn't any other device other than the P2 Drive that does it's job. My advice would be to keep using the camera as your connectivity if you can't justify the cost of a dedicated reader.

November 7th, 2007, 03:04 PM	#3
David Saraceno Major Player Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Inland Northwest Posts: 490	If you are on a MBP, the dual adapter EC/34 to PC CardBus slot works lickety split.

November 7th, 2007, 03:06 PM	#4
Jeff Heywood Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Vancouver, BC Posts: 41	Thanks for the welcome. You confirmed my suspicion. It's interesting though. I don't need to edit off cards, and I don't need five at a time. One offload at a time and I'd be set.

November 7th, 2007, 03:47 PM	#6
Jeff Heywood Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Vancouver, BC Posts: 41	There's no expresscard on the Mac Pro's though. As near as I can tell it's just for laptops with expresscard. We have a PC laptop we use in the field, but this would be for dumping P2 files direct to the Mac's when we're shooting in and around the building. We stretched our budget as far as we could to get the HPX500, but now that we're trying to buy 'pro' level accessories we're fainting on a daily basis. We don't even dare to dream of that spiffy field monitor.

November 8th, 2007, 10:39 AM	#7
David Saraceno Major Player Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Inland Northwest Posts: 490	One company has indicated an intent to provide a PC CardBus PCI-X slotted reader for the MacPro. Nothing yet however.

November 8th, 2007, 09:08 PM	#8
Kaku Ito Trustee Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Posts: 1,382	I looked around but nothing was available, so I bought AJ-PCD20. Its 5 slot makes it easy to mount everything I shot and directly browse everything and transfer the ones I need. Of course you can also copy everything you shot without swapping the cards and can'be be done unattended. Those are big advantages over one slot card reader like Duel adapter. Duel adapter works good for its own intended use (wish it has no cable), though. So, I use both.

November 9th, 2007, 10:06 AM	#9
Dick Campbell Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 117	network your laptop to the Mac Pro and mount a drive on the Mac from the laptop and dump that way. Then you don't need the camera.

November 9th, 2007, 06:59 PM	#10
Barry Green Barry Wan Kenobi Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 3,863	You could also pick up a used P2 Store and use it as a card reader. Or a cheap Windows laptop, connected via network to your Mac desktop.