Which Texas firewire ports to get?

[tearsofthedragon]

Greetings sneapsters,

I'm currently upgrading my USB recording hardware to a firewire interface. I've read many times that with firewire interfaces it's best to get proper texas firewire instrument ports for compatibility issues etc.

Having never really used any firewire devices before I haven't a clue which chipset exactly to buy? Apparantly theres firewire400, 800, 6pin, 4pin, PCI Express? etc...

Can anyone tell me a model that works with a standard firewire interface?
Do i get a 400, 800, 6pin, 4pin chipset or what?

Any help greatly appreciated!

 

[nwright]

the vast majority of firewire interfaces are FW400. 6 pin is the usual connection on the interface and on the card in desktops. The 4 pin is usually seen in laptops.

the Texas Instrument aspect of a firewire card is the chipset, that's what you want to be TI branded. The cards can come from a variety of manufacturers, so you have to check specs to see which manufacturers utilize TI chipsets in their cards.

I use a Syba branded Expresscard for my laptop. It has a TI chipset and was around 28 bucks shipped. Syba also makes low cost cards for desktops as well. Other manufacturers include SIIG and Belkin although not all of their models have the TI chipset.

 

[GabeFry]

Hmm... I just bought one of these http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Dynex%26%23153;+-+FireWire+800+ExpressCard+Adapter/8909657.p?id=1213399750057&skuId=8909657&st=dynex%20firewire%20card&cp=1&lp=2 I hope it's compatible with my profire. Anyone use one of these?

 

[tearsofthedragon]

Gabefry, that link appears to be dead my friend.

Thanks to nwright for the useful info.

So if laptops only have 4-pin firewire ports, does that mean the standard ports on a firewire chipset (used on a pc for example) can be used for either a 4pin or 6pin connection? As opposed to just one or the other? And is firewire800 just faster that 400?

Thanks!

 

[tearsofthedragon]

Does this chpset sound as though it would work with any firewire audio interface?


Chipset:Texas Instruments XIO22313AZHH
----------------------------------------------------------
Bus InterfaceCI-Express X1
----------------------------------------------------------
Features:
* Compliant with PCI Express Base Specification 1.0a
* Compliant with IEEE 1394-1995, 1394a-2000 and OHCI 1.1 Standards
* PCI Express 1-lane(x1) FireWire adapters works with PCI Express slots with different lane width
* Installs in any available PCI Express slot and supports data transfer rates up to 400Mbps
* Two external and One internal 6-pin FireWire(1394a) ports to support DV camcorders,
hard disk, removable drives, scanner, digital cameras and other FireWire audio/video devices
* Onboard power connector to provide reliable source
----------------------------------------------------------
OS Support:Windows® 2000/XP/Server 2003/Vista 32/64 bit
----------------------------------------------------------
Connectors:2 x external & 1 x internal IEEE 1394a connectors
------------------------------------------------------------
System Requirements:
* Windows® 2000/XP/Server 2003/Vista
* PCI Express-enabled system with an available PCI Express slot

 

[DEFIED]

This is the one that I recently got. Im planning on using it with the Focusrite Saffire Pro 40 when I get it. Here is the New Egg and Amazon link. I got it from Amazon tho, its like $40 cheaper!!

New Egg

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/SIIG-NN-830012-S2-FireWire-800-3-Port/dp/B000I5N5UE"]Amazon[/ame]

 

[professorlamp]

@tearsofthedragon

I use a texas instrument pci express chipset with my profire 2626 and it works fine

 

[nwright]

Does this chpset sound as though it would work with any firewire audio interface?


Chipset:Texas Instruments XIO22313AZHH
----------------------------------------------------------
Bus InterfaceCI-Express X1
----------------------------------------------------------
Features:
* Compliant with PCI Express Base Specification 1.0a
* Compliant with IEEE 1394-1995, 1394a-2000 and OHCI 1.1 Standards
* PCI Express 1-lane(x1) FireWire adapters works with PCI Express slots with different lane width
* Installs in any available PCI Express slot and supports data transfer rates up to 400Mbps
* Two external and One internal 6-pin FireWire(1394a) ports to support DV camcorders,
hard disk, removable drives, scanner, digital cameras and other FireWire audio/video devices
* Onboard power connector to provide reliable source
----------------------------------------------------------
OS Support:Windows® 2000/XP/Server 2003/Vista 32/64 bit
----------------------------------------------------------
Connectors:2 x external & 1 x internal IEEE 1394a connectors
------------------------------------------------------------
System Requirements:
* Windows® 2000/XP/Server 2003/Vista
* PCI Express-enabled system with an available PCI Express slot

this is the TI chipset in my card.

As for 400 and 800, 800 is faster, but many interfaces are not equipped with 800 ports.

as for 4 pin vs. 6 pin. you can buy a 4 pin to 6 pin cable and it would work, assuming your interface works with the integrated FW chipset in the laptop. Also, 4 pin won't power the interface like 6 pin can. I ran my old Presonus Firepod off my HP's integrated fw port, which had a Ricoh chipset...But, it wouldn't even recognize my M Audio Profire, so I had to get an expresscard FW card for my lappy to use the Profire.

 

[GabeFry]

Gabefry, that link appears to be dead my friend.

Thanks to nwright for the useful info.

So if laptops only have 4-pin firewire ports, does that mean the standard ports on a firewire chipset (used on a pc for example) can be used for either a 4pin or 6pin connection? As opposed to just one or the other? And is firewire800 just faster that 400?

Thanks!

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Dynex%26%23153;+-+FireWire+800+ExpressCard+Adapter/8909657.p?id=1213399750057&skuId=8909657&st=dynex%20firewire%20card&cp=1&lp=2

 

[tearsofthedragon]

Okay, thanks for all the great info here! Finally, does anyone know waht the advantage of a dual chip-set is?

Such as this:

[ame]http://www.amazon.co.uk/PCI-FIREWIRE-400-CARD-INSTRUMENTS/dp/B002UOLZ5S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1282596510&sr=8-1[/ame]

What does this one do that the other ones don't?

Also is there any point in getting an 800 chip set if most audio interfaces can only operate at 400?

Thanks!