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what is the lowest spec macbook to tether a P30+

djonesii

Workshop Member
Dear Forum;

I tried to tether my P30+ to my old desktop with XP, and just could not get it seen by the firewire port. After much reading, it seems that there is little need to fight the tide!

So, what is the lowest spec MacBook that I can use to tether a P30+ ...

I seems that there are a fair few 13" core duo 4 gig options running about, will one of those work? I'd basically be using it like a big CF card, and copying to my Windoze PC to do the editing, so HD capacity is really not the issue, the CPU/HD speed/FireWire will hold up the the P30+ I'll be happy.

Prefer comments from those who have actually done this!

Dave
 

dick

New member
Dear Forum;

So, what is the lowest spec MacBook that I can use to tether a P30+ ...

Prefer comments from those who have actually done this!

Dave
If you tell us where you are, there might be a member in your area willing to let you plug your back into their laptop. My Mac Book pro was max spec when I bought it, so it is probably not what you are looking for.
 

djonesii

Workshop Member
Good Points .... Just edited profile.

Clearly, I have a P30+,

Which less than obviously, I shoot on an AFD II in studio, with great windows, so I often shoot natural light. This makes me a bit in the minority for this site, but I find the model sites a little limited as to MFDB advice, and the other big site is really more targeted to landscape.

Main type of shooting is fine art figure.

Dave
 

mvirtue

New member
I have shot my Aptus II 7 with a 1st gen MacBook with C1. It does ok. Nothing to write home about. I normally shoot to a MacPro, 1st gen, but I was curious what would happen if I wanted to do tethered out in the field.
 
R

richard.L

Guest
I've tethered a P30+ to a mac mini w 4 Gig Ram... and a MBP with 2G...
... the model never seemed to get bored between shots :)

richard... at the top of the tejas triangle ...
 

dougpeterson

Workshop Member
Dear Forum;

I tried to tether my P30+ to my old desktop with XP, and just could not get it seen by the firewire port. After much reading, it seems that there is little need to fight the tide!
I'd work with your dealer to troubleshoot your XP.

It's true that troubleshooting tethering on Windows is not as straightforward as with a Mac, but it's very likely a knowledgable dealer can get you up and running in not too long and you wouldn't have to buy or learn anything new.

Don't get me wrong - I'm a big fan of Mac, but I always start problem solving by asking first what can be done with what you already know/have and then asking what more you could accomplish with learning/buying something new. In this case a low-end MacBook is not going to give you much that a decent Windows desktop couldn't other than portability which in a studio environment is just as well provided through a rollable cart, extension cord, and UPS.

Probably you've been trying to make it work without having any prior expertise on setting up Windows tethering - by reading through articles/posts on the internet. Stop banging your head against the wall and work with your dealer - that's why they are there!

Doug Peterson (e-mail Me)
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djonesii

Workshop Member
thanks for all the help ....

bit of a Homer moment here! I did buy it from a dealer, and they should help. DOH!

My job to ask for that help though. Sent an e-mail and will let the forum know how it ends.

Thanks for the reminder Doug.

Dave
 

djonesii

Workshop Member
So .... I got in contact with my dealer, they pointed me to a script that would down grade my XP SP3 drivers to SP1 drivers.

At the same time, I decided to get a firewire card and test it on my Vista machine.

Did that.

Still no joy in Mudville.

A few e-mails popped back and forth, and we decided that a full clean install of XP would be a good idea. As I had done this to the machine just before starting the process, it was no big deal, and I did a full format first just to make sure it was a really clean install.

Repeated above over the phone with my dealer rep. Still no joy.

They then contacted Phase one who pointed us to an article in their knowledge base that specifies cards that they have used for XP and are known good. Mine is not on this list. Out to my favorite internet computer shop, and the recommended XP cards are well out of the sales chain. On to my favorite auction site, and one is on order.

Tested on wife's iMac, and back + cable are good.

Throughout the process, dealer has been most helpful, and I never would have got this far on my own. I'm the one dragging my feet as day jobs, kids, and shipping do slow the trouble shooting process.

more details to follow when the big brown truck arrives!

Dave
 

djonesii

Workshop Member
The big brown truck got to Houston, with both a Belkin firewire card from the XP generation and a belkin powered hub.

Neither solved my problem with the XP machine.

For a suite of reasons, I decided that a notebook would be more useful all around anyway.

I just have such trouble paying the Apple tax on design, that I went with a Dell from Craig's list.

For less than the price of a 13 inch G5 macbook, I got a near new Intel i5, 17 inch, with 4 gig and an express 34 port running the best home OS from Redmond. ( tongue firmly in cheek on OS)

Plugged in a 6 pin 34mm express card, and it worked on almost the first try.

I was hoping to use the powered hub as an extension cord, but that alas is a no go.

Now all I need to do is work out my workflow.

Dave
 
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