Panasonic P2 User Manual
DVCPRO P2 SERIES
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Get ready to take a leap beyond the conventional, a
leap beyond today's limits. Get ready for Panasonic's
DVCPRO P2 Series equipment.
At the heart of the P2 Series is the innovative P2
(Professional Plug-in) card. This solid-state card is
neither tape nor disc and requires no moving parts. The
P2 card is extremely rugged, and it brings outstanding
anti-vibration and anti-shock performance to the P2
camera-recorder. Its high data transfer speed,
ruggedness and expandability usher in an entirely new
era of mobility.
The P2 records in MXF – a file format whose
exceptional PC versatility is transforming the news
production workflow. The P2 card mounts directly into
the PC card slot on a PC, so you have instant access
P2 Products
Help Protect
the Environment
Recyclable Media
A P2 card can be used repeatedly. Simply copy the files on a P2 card to a
hard disk drive for nonlinear editing or archiving, and the card is ready to be
used again. IT-based broadcast systems do not consume large amounts of
media the way tape-based systems do.
Low Power Consumption
The AJ-SPC700 P2 camera-recorder consumes only 17 W when recording
– lowest in its class. This high energy-efficiency is possible only with
memory cards, because they require no moving mechanism. Future P2
products will offer this same power-saving advantage.
Less Maintenance
P2 systems have no heads, tape travel mechanisms or other moving parts.
This means there are no consumables or other parts to replace regularly,
and maintenance frequency is greatly reduced.
for nonlinear editing and for faster data transferring into
the network. The P2 is a fusion of the very best of the
AV and IT worlds. It goes way beyond today's
generation of equipment. The P2 introduces a new era
in news acquisition – one in which conventional ENG
gives way to a more mobile, reliable and faster IT-based
news gathering (ING).
Panasonic has now taken P2 even further with the P2
HD series. Offering HD/SD multi-format capability and
multi-codec recording, the new P2 HD cards take you to
an era in which HD is fast becoming the mainstream for
news gathering and content production.
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2
3
Bringing Greater Reliability to News
Acquisition: The P2 card
The P2 card far surpasses videotape and discs
in reliability. It withstands shock up to 1,500 G
and vibration up to 15 G, operates in
temperatures from –20 to 60°C, and can be
stored in temperatures from –40 to 80°C. The P2
lets you work in the harshest news gathering
environments in the world. And a card can be
rewritten repeatedly, with no degradation and no
drop-outs. With the P2 card's rewritability, you
don't have to carry as much gear to acquire the
news. This means greater mobility in the field,
with less equipment and a smaller crew.
News Gathering Solutions: The P2 cam
Because the P2 camera-recorders have no drive
mechanism, they provide reliable recording even
when subjected to shock and vibration. Mobility
is outstanding. The full-size P2 cams have five
cards slots and offer seamless, continuous
recording over all five. Cards load and unload
quickly. A hot-swap function lets you replace
cards on the fly. A built-in colour LCD monitor
displays thumbnails of recorded clips. The P2
cams also offer proxy data recording, voice
memo capability, and shot markers.
AJ-SPC700 is cost-affordable, and have the
lowest power consumption in its class.
P2 handheld — Innovative Camera-Recprder
The new AG-HVX200 handheld camera-recorder
takes P2 mobility a step further. The first P2 unit
to offer DVCPRO HD/SD multi-format recording,
this handheld is a high-end, affordable solution
to everything from news gathering to contents
production.
The 'P2 store' and 'P2 mobile' Bring Greater
Ease and Efficiency to Field Work
Equipped with a P2 slot and hard disk drive, the
portable AJ-PCS060G P2 store lets you copy a
recorded P2 card right in the field and reinitialise it for immediate re-use. You get
extended recording time using only a few P2
cards. Also, you can insert a P2 card directly
into the card slot of a notebook PC and view
data on the PC screen or transfer it over a
network.* You can also insert a P2 card into a
compatible mobile nonlinear editor for editing
and production right on the card itself.
The P2 mobile, now under development, is a
portable recorder that will speed up the entire
workflow, from viewing and editing (playlist
creation) to on-air transmission.
* The P2 card driver (standard equipped) must be installed.
The P2 card driver operates under Windows XP, Windows 2000,
and Mac OS X.
Recorder
Camera-Recorder
Mobile Non-Linear Editor
(P2 compatible)
P2 cam
Camera-Recorder
P2 handheld
P2 card
Video/Audio
and Proxy
HDD Unit
P2 store
3. Transmission2. Field Editing/Viewing1. Acquisition
Video/Audio
Proxy
SD Memory Card
Proxy
Pocket PC
for Proxy Viewing
P2 mobileP2 mobileP2 mobile
AJ-HPM100
The New Workflows of News —
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Random Access Playback and Nonlinear Editing:
The P2 deck
The P2 Series provides super-fast news
transmission from mobile vans. This is thanks in part
to the P2 deck, which features five P2 card slots and
the same kind of jog & shuttle operation as a VTR.
Simply view the thumbnails of the recorded clips on
the front-panel Colour LCD Monitor, and use the jog
dial to select the ones you want. The clips can be
played back instantly for on-air playback.
Its Playlist function lets you play the equivalent of
100 events on a nonlinear editor, for quick postacquisition program production and transmission.
With a USB 2.0 cable, you also can connect the P2
deck to a PC and use the deck as an external drive
for a P2-compatible nonlinear editor.
New P2 Drive for High-Speed PC/Mac Networks
P2 provides unique high-speed, low-cost solutions
in IT networks with nonlinear editors and servers.
The new AJ-PCD20 P2 drive lets you use P2 cards
in your desktop computer.* Or, using the P2 drive
and a P2-compatible nonlinear editor, you can edit
recorded files as video clips right on the P2 card
itself. There is no need for digitising. The new P2
drive, which offers an IEEE 1394b interface as well
as a USB2.0 interface, brings even greater speed to
data transfer with either a Windows PC or a Mac.
* The P2 card driver (standard equipped) must be installed.
The P2 card driver operates under Windows XP, Windows 2000,
and Mac OS X.
New P2 HD Series Continues to Evolve
The new P2 HD series offers full high-definition
capabilities. In addition to the AG-HVX200 handheld
camera-recorder now available, Panasonic will
introduce a steady stream of new P2 HD products,
including an HD-compatible P2 cam and P2 mobile.
In each of these products, the HD/SD multi-codec
will allow smooth migration from all previous
DVCPRO systems. There are also plans to support
the new AVC-Intra (H.264 compliant) codec*. As it
continues to advance, the new P2 HD series is
bringing to HD the outstanding reliability, speed and
IT compatibility that make P2 such a revolutionary
development.
* Requires optional equipment. The AG-HVX200 does not support
the AVC-Intra (H.264 compliant) codec.
Material Server
Data
Archive
System
Data
Tape
Library
On-Air Server
On-Air
PC
PC
EtherNet
P2 card
6. On-Air/Archive5. Desktop Editing4. Network
P2 drive
Recorder
P2 deck
ING: IT-based News Gathering
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AJ-P2C008HG
H-Series 8GB Memory card
AJ-P2C004HG
H-Series 4GB Memory card
P2 card Line-up Expands with New 8GB Capacity
card
card
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Innovative PC Card Media for Professionals
P2, which stands for Professional Plug-in, is a compact solid-state
memory card designed for professional AV use. Compliant with PC
Card standards (Type II), the P2 card plugs directly into the card slot of
a laptop PC.* AV data on the card mounts instantly, with each cut as
MXF and metadata file. The data can be used immediately – no
digitizing necessary - for nonlinear editing, or it can be transferred over
a network.
*The P2 card driver (standard equipped) must be installed.
The P2 card driver operates under Windows XP and Windows 2000.
Super-Compact Cards with Large Capacity
and High Speed
In developing the P2 card, Panasonic applied some of the same
technology that proved so successful in the SD Memory card.*
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Basically, four SD Memory cards are packaged together to create a
single P2 card. This gives the P2 card four times the capacity and four
times the transfer speed of a single SD Memory card.
Now the P2 line-up is growing. The new AJ-P2C008HG is an 8GBcapacity card*2that extends DVCPRO or DV recording time to 32
minutes. And this 8GB P2 card supports 8 minutes DVCPRO HD
recording. The P2 far surpasses all other AV media in transfer speed,
too. The AJ-P2C004HG and AJ-P2C008HG transfers data at up to 640
Mbps*3, which can greatly speed up production processes.
Repeatedly Reusable
Solid state memory has the unique advantage of being rewritable, over
and over again, in part because it is a non-contact media and requires
no rotation. You can use the same P2 card again and again for years –
slashing media expenses while also minimizing impact on the
environment. To help manage this reuse, a serial number is printed on a
bar code on each P2 card. This makes it easier to identify and track
cards when they're in a PC or checked into or out of inventory. P2
cards also have a write protect switch that prevents accidental
data deletion.
Reliable in the Face of Shock
and Temperature Change
The super-slim P2 card weighs only about 45 grams. Yet it's anything
but fragile. These rugged cards provide the superb reliability only a
memory card can provide and are suitable for news gathering in even
the harshest environments. Despite their compact size, P2 cards
withstand shock up to 1,500 G and vibration up to 15 G, operate in
temperatures from –20 to 60°C, and can be stored in temperatures
from –40 to 80°C. In durability too, the P2 card goes well beyond
ordinary PC cards. Its connector, portion, for example, is specially
designed for professional use and has passed insertion/removal tests
of more than 30,000 cycles.
SD/HD Migration with the DVCPRO Family
P2 cards can record in DVCPRO 50, DVCPRO and DV. And they can
be used with current equipment of those formats, so you can transition
easily from tape to solid-state cards. The H-Series P2 cards also
support DVCPRO HD recording with the new AG-HVX200 HD P2
handheld camera-recorder. A new 8GB card has also been added to
the P2 line-up. P2 offers the seamless SD/HD migration path that
distinguishes the DVCPRO family, and it supports the IT-based news
gathering concept that promises to revolutionize the industry.
P2 card Recording Time Reference
Model
Number
Capacity
Indication*
2
Approx. Recording Time
DVCPRO/DV
(Audio 2ch)
AJ-P2C008HG 8 GB 32 min. 16 min.
DVCPRO 50
(Audio 4ch)
16 min.
DVCPROHD
(720/25p)
AJ-P2C004HG 4 GB 16 min. 8 min. 8min.
DVCPROHD
(1080/50i)
4 min.
8 min.
*1SD Memory card has quickly become the world's standard media for compact, portable,
high-capacity storage. New SD Memory cards are being developed every year with double
the capacity of previous cards; development of a 32-GB card is just a few years away. More
than 700 of the world's leading companies now support SD Memory card, assuring
significant economies from scale and competition. And as production volumes rise, prices
will continue to fall. *
2
Total card capacity includes space for data management such as
system data, therefore, actual usable area is less than capacity indicated on the card.
*
3
This data transfer speed is theoretical value. An actual data transfer speed varies
according to operating condition and devices.
4 GB
8 GB
16 GB
32 GB
64 GB
P2 card Roadmap
30,000 times insert/removal
connector reliability
Write protect
switch
Memo space
Aluminum
diecast case
Card serial Number
Bar code
Capacity
4 GB
4 GB
16 GB
16 GB
8 GB
8 GB
Faster Data Transfer Rate
Larger Storage Capacity
20052004 2006 2007
32 GB
32 GB
64 GB
64 GB
. . . . .
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AJ-SPC700
MEMORY CARD CAMERA-RECORDER (P2 cam)
Cost-efficient P2 Cam with Outstanding
Mobility and Low Power Consumption
cam
cam
P2 Card Offers Outstanding Mobility and Reliability
The solid-state P2 card records and plays back without requiring a
mechanism like that found in conventional tape or disc systems. This
gives the P2 cam exceptional impact and vibration resistance, and
makes it the ideal choice for reliable recording in harsh conditions.
Low Power Consumption (17 W)
Because the P2 cam does not have a drive mechanism, and thanks to
use of a newly developed digital signal processor, power consumption
is only 17 W* during recording. This also helps boost mobility and
reliability. *without option,LCD monitor off.
Instant Rec Start — Another Memory Card Advantage
Thanks to the solid-state memory, recording response is much faster
than with tape or disc recorders. You can begin recording an instant
after powering up, making it possible to capture unexpected events
that other systems miss. You won't worry about missing the shot.
Next-Generation Recording Functions
The AJ-SPC700 has slots for five P2 cards and lets you record
continuously onto all five in sequence. It also provides several entirely
new recording functions that are possible only with memory cards.
• Data protection: The P2 card records only onto blank spaces, so
there's no danger of accidental writing over data.*
• Hot-swap recording: You can replace a full memory card with a
blank one while the P2 cam is recording onto a second card.
Successively swapping cards this way gives you virtually unlimited
recording capability.
• Loop recording: By loop recording onto a specified recording area,
you can continue to record over a fixed area.
• Pre-rec: While in standby mode, you can continuously store, and
subsequently record, up to 15 seconds of video and audio (in
DVCPRO). In effect, this lets you record footage of events that occur
even before you press the rec start button, giving you a way to "go
back" and capture moments you otherwise would have missed.
*It is possible, however, to delete data, or to lose data by re-formatting the card.
2/3" IT 3CCD Imaging System
for Wide-Screen Images
Use of the reliable, cost-effective 2/3" IT 3CCD imaging system gives
the AJ-SPC700 full broadcast-level performance, with low smear, 750line resolution, and an S/N ratio of 62 dB.
The AJ-SPC700 switches easily from 4:3 to 16:9 for wide-screen
recording.
Newly Developed Gamma Curve for News
The gamma functions featured in Panasonic VariCam models have
earned wide acclaim. Now Panasonic has developed a new gamma
curve for the P2 cam: news gamma. This new function, offered in
addition to conventional video gamma, helps to preserve important
image data by suppressing over-saturation in highlight areas during
sudden changes in contrast.
DVCPRO 50/DVCPRO/DV Switchable
The versatile P2 cam can record in high-quality 4:2:2, 50Mbps
DVCPRO 50; 25Mbps DVCPRO and DV. A single 4GB* P2 card holds
up to 16 minutes of DVCPRO/DV data or 8 minutes of DVCPRO 50
data. Using the P2 cam's five slots and hot-swapping function, you get
virtually unlimited continuous recording.
*Total card capacity includes space for data management such as system data, therefore,
actual usable area is less than the capacity indicated on the card.
Clip Thumbnail Function
• Thumbnails: The P2 cam automatically generates a thumbnail image
for each clip. These can be used for nonlinear editing or by the P2
cam itself.
• Displaying thumbnails on the colour LCD monitor: You can view
up to 12 thumbnails at once on the 3.5" colour LCD monitor on the
P2 cam's side. Any of the corresponding clips can be accessed
instantly.
• Seamless playback of selected clips: Using the thumbnails, you
can specify a number of clips for seamless playback or on-air
broadcasting.
*Seamless playback is not possible between clips recorded in different formats.
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The AJ-SPC700 makes it even easier to start P2, with excellent cost performance and low power consumption.
Voice Memo and Shot Marker
If desired, to each clip you can add a simple OK/NG shot marker
and a voice memo with an audio comment linked to the time code.
You can do this either during or after recording to support postrecording processing.
Proxy Data Recording*
Mount an AJ-YAX800G Proxy Encode Card into the option card slot or
5th slot of the P2 card slots, and the AJ-SPC700 records MPEG4
proxy (low-resolution) data — useful for news flash or other studio
news system use — onto the card along with the full-resolution data.
You can select either of 1.5Mbps quality, 768kbps quality, or 192kbps
quality. Proxy data can also be recorded onto an SD Memory Card
mounted in the slot provided, for easy viewing on a laptop PC. The
encode card, available as an option, lets you upgrade as future image
encode systems evolve.
*Proxy data is AV data with low-resolution MPEG4 video and audio containing time code,
metadata, and other control information.
*Use of DCF Technologies under license from Multi-Format, Inc.
Four User Scene Files
Store specific camera settings in built-in memory, then retrieve them
when needed for quick, easy setup. Four files with settings can be
stored in the camera's memory. Files can also be copied onto an SD
Memory Card, allowing storage of up to eight files.
Customized User Buttons and Menu
Three user buttons are provided. Assign a function to each, and then
you can select those functions with pushbutton ease. You can also
customize the on-screen menu with the items you use most often, then
display them by simply pressing a button.
Auto Tracking White Balance
White balance is automatically adjusted, in real time, as the lighting
changes. This makes it easy to get natural colour even when shooting
scenes under difficult lighting conditions.
Connects to a PC via USB2.0 or IEEE 1394
The AJ-SPC700 comes equipped with a USB2.0 interface, and you can
add an IEEE 1394 interface by mounting the optional AJ-YAD800G
board. When the P2 cam is connected to a PC, you can use its card
slot as an external device for the PC — ideal for nonlinear editing in the
field or transmitting data.
Enhanced Functions and Specifications
•The electronic shutter has speeds of 1/60, 1/120, 1/250,
1/500,1/1000, and 1/2000 sec, plus synchro-scan capability(1/50.4
to 1/248 sec)
•4-position optical filter
•Select from a variety of finder markers, or make your own.
•A zebra pattern can be displayed for contrast adjustment, Auto White
Balance setting, and onto colour bar output.
•One touch of the mode check button displays the camera settings for
easy confirmation.
•Built-in SMPTE/EBU time code generator/reader, with time code
In/Out terminal
Options That Add Versatility
•Slot for UniSlot* wireless audio receiver
*UniSlot is a trademark of Ikegami Tsusinki Co., Ltd.
•AJ-EC3E Extension Control Unit (ECU)
•AJ-VF20WBE (2.0" wide) or AJ-VF15BE (1.5") viewfinder with rugged
mount design
Non-Linear Editor
(P2 compatible)
P2 cam
USB 2.0
USB Connection with P2 cam and NLE
SD Memory Card
Proxy Encode Card
(option, AJ-YAX800)
P2 card
PC Editing
LAN/Internet
Browse Server
P2 cam
Proxy
Proxy
DVCPRO
Simple Viewing in the Field Quick Copy to Browse System
Pocket PC for Proxy Viewing
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