Cannot capture footage from PANASONIC AG-HPX250P

Hi Folks,

I am relatively new to P2 footage, and very new to the PANASONIC AG-HPX250P. I think my problem may be as simple as a camera setting, but I am not sure what's up.

On the camera, in MENU> OTHER FUNCTIONS the 1394 CONTROL option is "blue'd out," which makes it non-accesible, and I can't seem to figure out how to get it accessible. The 1394 CMD SEL menu option also has "REC_P" blue'd out. I've been trying to figure this ut for hours and I see no posts or help anywhere!

Can someone PUHLEASE HELP?

I'm an old FCP user, now working with Adobe Premiere CS5 (b/c Apple didn't do well with FC X). But that's not my problem. I can't get FCP to recognize the clips in "LOG and CAPTURE" either b/c of the issues mentioned above.

Thanks in advance!

[Stephen Snow] " I can't get FCP to recognize the clips in "LOG and CAPTURE" either b/c of the issues mentioned above."

You do not use log and capture with P2. You use log and transfer in FCP. Premiere also has its own workflow.

Like Chris said, search for tapeless workflow for P2.

Steve Eisen
Eisen Video Productions
Vice President
Chicago Final Cut Pro Users Group

Chris and Steve,

I'm sorry , I did not in fact use Log and Capture I used Log and Transfer. Nothing is being recognized at all, in either Premiere or FCP (6.0.6, not 7). I've worked with P2 footage before, but I've got nothin' here.

Chris, I think Ive installed the right driver, also tried the viewer, which doesn't work.

Here's the link I used. https://eww.pass.panasonic.co.jp/download/DownloadRequest.do
I've installed both AVC-Intra Decoder for MAC
(AVC-Intra to QuickTime transcoder software for FinalCutPro)

and

AVC-Intra Encoder for Compressor (Mac)
(QuickTime file to AVC-Intra)
encoder plug-in for Apple Compressor

and

AVCCAM Viewer for Mac


Very odd. Rather frustrating.

Also, I am not sure why the 1394 control option disappears when I'm in AVC mode on the camera. The manual says it isn't available, but they don't say why.

It sounds like you are trying both - mounting/controlling the camera and importing the P2 footage.

Did you in fact view the Shane Tapeless Workflow?

Chris Tompkins
Video Atlanta LLC

I have done that. Still no recognition with the Lion OS. The camera doesn't even show up as a "drive" on the desktop. Quite simply, nothing happens at all.

I have a HPX-500 and while I played with the first 250 I didn't get far enough to know whether they function the same for offloading... but I'd still venture to say that if you have any sort of camera control, you should not expect the P2 volumes to mount.

On my camera I have a button to switch between the 3 modes, CAM (camera), MCR (playback) and PC. MCR would be the mode I would use if I wanted to control the camera via Firewire while capturing from it like any other tape camera - either via firewire (for valid formats) or SDI etc connections to a capture card.

If I wanted to mount the P2 cards for archiving and use Log & Transfer for all the benefits of tapeless workflow, I'd put my camera into PC mode. In this case all you need is the firewire cord. The cards should automatically show up on the desktop (might take a minute). Once they are up FCP and Premiere should easily see and capture the footage. Note that in PC mode there is NO remote camera control because you're not driving the camera to pick footage, the edit software is merely browsing the contents of the P2 cards like any other disk.

One quick note! As a safety precaution, WRITE PROTECT your P2 cards before mounting. You don't want the system writing anything strange on your cards. Never had a problem here, but I've seen people who have.

- - -
Video Photographer / Avid & Final Cut Editor