1394 FW Cards

[BTLG]

Anyone have suggestions as to the best/most compatible 1394 Cards with MOTU hardware?

So far, someone suggested the Adaptec 4300... which looks pretty good.

Anyone else?

Matt

[itsplayed]

The 4300 is good and so is this....ADS PYRO 1394b FireWire 800 PCI card.
If you want to try the patch first...here's the link:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/885222/en-us

[BTLG]

I've heard that the patch only works with 1394b.

just a couple questions, maybe you can help.

1. is 1394b essentially Firewire 800

2. FW 800 is backwards compatible with 400 right?

3. Could I trick XP (since i can't remove SP2 because it came integrated in my computer) by getting a 1394b card, installing the patch, thus eliminating issues?

I'll try the patch first though. Thanks for all of your help man, hopefully I'll be able to return the favor sometime.

M

[itsplayed]

BTLG Wrote:
I've heard that the patch only works with 1394b.

Yes, the problem occurs with 1394b ports and XP, thus the patch is mainly for mainboards that are using this interface.

just a couple questions, maybe you can help.

1. is 1394b essentially Firewire 800

Yes

2. FW 800 is backwards compatible with 400 right?

Yes

3. Could I trick XP (since i can't remove SP2 because it came integrated in my computer) by getting a 1394b card, installing the patch, thus eliminating issues?

More than likely, this patch was included with your version of Windows. This patch was introduced back in 2004 at the early stages of the SP2.

I'll try the patch first though. Thanks for all of your help man, hopefully I'll be able to return the favor sometime.

M

It may not do you any good as I still believe this is a VIA chipset issue....but it's worth a shot. Your welcome and don't sweat returning the favor, I'm a firm believer in what goes around comes around....cheers!

[itsplayed]

I have just discovered that the Adaptec Firewire 4300 card may no longer be using the TI chipsets, but rather the Agere ones which have been proven to be no good for running audio devices.....just a heads up!

[Chrispy]

I have just discovered that the Adaptec Firewire 4300 card may no longer be using the TI chipsets, but rather the Agere ones which have been proven to be no good for running audio devices.....just a heads up!
Yeah, I was told by M-Audio tech support to avoid Adaptec cards.

[BTLG]

so I ought to drop the extra dough on the ADS Pyro?

[itsplayed]

In my opinion yes, although recently I did purchase a cheap($40) firewire card(Startech) off of newegg that just so happened to sport the TI chipset. I haven't tried using this card for audio though, just video works very well.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16815158016

[BTLG]

So is there a list somewhere of Firewire cards with the TI chipsets?

[itsplayed]

Not that I am aware of.....but you could shop online at places like newegg that provides visuals of the cards to see if they sport the TI chipsets. This is the cheapest 1394b card at newegg I have found that uses the TI chipset.....
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16815150501
and here's a link that shows the cards they offer....
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.asp?N=0&Submit=ENE&description=1394b+cards&DEPA=0&Ntk=all&Order=price
It would seem that most 1394b cards use the TI chipsets and the 1394a units tend to use others.

[BTLG]

that wouldn't be nearly as much of a drag if i had some firewire 800 devices.

They also recommend the Lucent chipsets as well...

[itsplayed]

It doesn't matter as long as the pins are the same. The firewire 800 cards are backwards compatible. TI chipsets are leaders in what's being recommended by audio card manufacturers. That StarTech card I gave you the link to, sports both 1394a(FW400) and 1394b(FW800) ports as well as using the TI chipset.

[BTLG]

and retarded me just realized that i DO have 2 800 ports on my drive.

duhhhhhh

Matt

[itsplayed]

Well there you go, even the cheapest card listed at newegg sports both 1394a and 1394b ports w/Ti chipset....at $18.00, I'd say it's a bargain.

[BTLG]

$18 seems a bit suspiciously cheap, no?

I may try out that star tech card.... if it works for video, audio shouldn't hit it much harder.

Thanks for the help

Matt

[itsplayed]

Well that unit is actually $30.00, brought down to $18.00 after rebate. Most soundcard manufacturers whose sites contain recommendations on firewire cards pretty much unanimously agree that it makes little difference on make as long as it uses the TI chipset. That said, and although I use it for video, the StarTech unit I have is rock solid and has never given me issues from install to use.

[ttvv]

Is that compatibility between the Ricoh R5C832/R5C843 firewire chipset found in Dell Inspiron 6400 laptop
and the MOTU 828Mkll FireWire line of interface ?

[charliephogg]

I didn't even think about my Firewire PCI card when I placed my order last week!
I just assumed they were all created equal. I bought this Koutech 1394 PCI card: http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16815104218

I'll check later to see what kind of chipset it has, since I can't tell from the online picture.

If I install my Firewire audio interface and it doesn't have noticable problems - is it possible that I could get lower latency/better results with a better card - or is it more of a buggy or not buggy thing with the card?

Also - How is FW800 backward compatible with FW400? - they use totally differennt cables.

[itsplayed]

charliephogg wrote:
If I install my Firewire audio interface and it doesn't have noticable problems - is it possible that I could get lower latency/better results with a better card - or is it more of a buggy or not buggy thing with the card?

It will either work or won't work without issues...ie pops, crackles, dropouts etc.

Also - How is FW800 backward compatible with FW400? - they use totally differennt cables.

It's backwards compatible in that a Firewire 400 device can be connected to an FW800 port using the correct cable.