When I import XDCAM HD 422 it takes realtime. Is that normal or should it be faster?

I import with FireWire drag and drop from directory to bin.

 Are you using the PDWU1 XDCAM Drive or the PDWHD1500 VTR? I have found that the import from the PDWU1 (via USB2) is around real time, or actually 1.1x-1.2x real time. Using the PDWHD1500 deck I am getting about 2.3x real time. Also, dual layer disks are faster than single layer .The PDWHD1500 deck has two lasers on the optical transport to read the data at double the rate. So, for single laser drives (including the PDW700 camera) the around real time speed is normal for 50Mbit XDCAM HD 422.

I use the PDW700 with dual layer disks, so it seams to be normal, thanks.

Out of curiousity, would a PDWHD1500 deck import over Firewire XDCAM HD 35MB files & XDCAM SD files far faster than a PDW-U1 unit?

Or would there be no change due to the disks that we are using are single layer?

 The PDWHD1500 won't work with SD or 35Mbit XDCAM at the moment. There will be a firmware update later in the year to get 35Mbit XDCAM and SD Codecs, but SD codecs for the PDWHD1500 is a chargeable option. When the unit has the firmware update, then yes it will be twice as fast as a PDWU1. If you want faster SD XDCAM than PDWU1, the the current PDW1500 (SD, and single layer discs only) will give you a good speed increase. The reason why the PDWHD1500 (and PDW1500) decks are faster is that they have two optical pickups instead of the single optical pickup that is in the PDWU1 and the cameras, so double the amount of data read per revolution of the disc. This holds for single and dual layer discs.