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    Firewire port

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by soccr247, Jan 21, 2005.

  1. soccr247

    soccr247 Notebook Enthusiast

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    what is the easiest and most cost effective way to add a 6pin firewire port; my notebook only has a 4pin port. i haven't used firewire too much, so if you don't mind, enlighten me on a few things: what equipment usually uses a 4pin, what uses a 6pin? i just wanted to see the firewire with my ipod, which is a 6pin, but i'm curious as to waht a 4 pin is for. at any rate, if you know how to make an easy 6pin (a hub i suppose) or what a 4pin firewire is good for, let me know. thanks.
     
    soccr247, Jan 21, 2005
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  2. RadcomTxx

    RadcomTxx Notebook Deity

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    Pin coding for Firewire:
    4 pin - Bus only, no power
    6 pin - Bus and some power
    9 pin (i believe) - Bus and prolly more power then the 6 pin. This one may also be faster (might be firewire 800, maybe only available on macs, dont really know)

    Digital video cameras commonly use 4 pin, mostly because they have a strong enough powersource of their own. Personally i have networked with the firewire on my lappy a few times when transferring large files, the 400 Mbit/s is nice. I don't know if you can get external hubs or not, but that would prolly be the way to go. You might be able to use a 6 pin to 4 pin cable with the ipod, but i don't know enough about ipods to say for sure.
     
    RadcomTxx, Jan 22, 2005
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  3. soccr247

    soccr247 Notebook Enthusiast

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    i just got one of those $2 6pin (female) to 4pin (male) adaptors. has anyone used this? hope it works.
     
    soccr247, Jan 23, 2005
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  4. bmhome1

    bmhome1 Notebook Consultant

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    The 6>4 pin adaptors work fine, the four pins carry the data. But the firewire device has to have 6-24V powering it from somewhere, either the device plugged in via wall adaptor or by using a firewire hub using wall adaptor powering the hub. Only 6 pin firewire provides bus power.
     
    bmhome1, Jan 23, 2005
    #4