bdt
Executive Member
FYI guys, FireWire cables come in 3 variants:
- 6pin to 6pin: this is (cr)Apple's preferred form as it allows for host-based power to the slave device you're plugging in. IOW, this mode has 4pins for data and 2 for power.
- 6pin to 4pin: this is the one we see a lot in the PC world. For eg I have an external 3.5" HDD case that has USB & FireWire sockets; it has both sockets on the box. Seeing as my laptop has the 4pin socket I'll use that end on my lappie 'n the big 'un on the HDD box; but when I wanna connect it in to a desktop/server box, I'll flip it the other way and use the 6pin on the desktop 'n the 4pin on the HDD box. Clearly there's no power being transferred here.
- 4pin to 4pin: should be fairly obvious about this 'un.. you'll find a 4pin FW in a (decent, not gutted for cost constraints) DV cam (obvious size contraints there), that'll easily connect to, for eg, your laptop.
One exception: I've just seen the first EVER 'doze-based laptop, a VERY schweet Samsung widescreen hottie, that has a 6pin FireWire in the front-left corner.
Also, as far as performance comparisions between USB2.0 and FW400 go and why the latter regularly trounces the former: FW is managed by a dedicated controller that handles its own affairs, while USB has to be managed by the CPU; a situation not unlike the relationship between SCSI and IDE. It's this edge that FW400 has over USB2.0 that makes it so much better for big file transfers. BTW, it's this dedicated controller that also puts onboard FW as a network controller in modern machines.
..just a li'l background, in the hopes of clarifying things some.
-bdt
- 6pin to 6pin: this is (cr)Apple's preferred form as it allows for host-based power to the slave device you're plugging in. IOW, this mode has 4pins for data and 2 for power.
- 6pin to 4pin: this is the one we see a lot in the PC world. For eg I have an external 3.5" HDD case that has USB & FireWire sockets; it has both sockets on the box. Seeing as my laptop has the 4pin socket I'll use that end on my lappie 'n the big 'un on the HDD box; but when I wanna connect it in to a desktop/server box, I'll flip it the other way and use the 6pin on the desktop 'n the 4pin on the HDD box. Clearly there's no power being transferred here.
- 4pin to 4pin: should be fairly obvious about this 'un.. you'll find a 4pin FW in a (decent, not gutted for cost constraints) DV cam (obvious size contraints there), that'll easily connect to, for eg, your laptop.
One exception: I've just seen the first EVER 'doze-based laptop, a VERY schweet Samsung widescreen hottie, that has a 6pin FireWire in the front-left corner.
Also, as far as performance comparisions between USB2.0 and FW400 go and why the latter regularly trounces the former: FW is managed by a dedicated controller that handles its own affairs, while USB has to be managed by the CPU; a situation not unlike the relationship between SCSI and IDE. It's this edge that FW400 has over USB2.0 that makes it so much better for big file transfers. BTW, it's this dedicated controller that also puts onboard FW as a network controller in modern machines.
..just a li'l background, in the hopes of clarifying things some.
-bdt
