Aqua-Soft ForumsOK, I'm thinking about buying an iPod, but I don't have a firewire card. The iPod comes with a firewire cable, and a pc firewire adapter? what exactly does the adapter do?
thanx
Ipod Question
the adapter is only a 6pin firewire to 4pin firewire adapter.
Its like, a USB to miniUSB. Its still firewire, but some computers dont have the space for a big port, so they use the mini one. With 4Pin, you cannot charge the iPod. Apple sells a USB adapter, but its $20, and you cannot charge your iPod with it. I suggest spending a couple extra bucks and buying the PCI firewire card. You will not regret it.
Also, if you don't have space for any more PCI slots, for example if you have a Shuttle XPC (like me), you might have to sacrifice your sound card or whatever is in your PCI slot for the iPod. Luckily, most XPCs have more than enough ports for anyone, but I really really really want to add a lot of things, and if ANYONE knows how to add PCI slots to a machine, either EXTERNALLY or INTERNALLY (i.e. a PCI "hub") i would be very grateful. THANKS!
Most soundcards have a firewire port on them..... :canadian:
Originally posted by Aqua-girl@Jan 31 2004, 08:50 PMMost soundcards have a firewire port on them..... :canadian:
any decent one will, yea
Basically you have 2 options to connect your ipod to your pc.
1. via firewire (which is included). When your ipod is connect via the 6pin firewire, it carries power too so it charges/powers up your ipod while you transfer songs/files etc. You'll also be using the firewire cable to charge your ipod cause plugs into your pc firewire (AC) adapter and carries power to the ipod. It also comes with a 6 to 4 pin converter. However the 4pin does not allow power to go through so your ipod will be running on the battery when connect via a 4pin firewire port.
2. via USB 2.0 (you'll have to buy the dock port to usb2.0/firewire cable). It plugs into your dock port (just like the other one) but it splits into a usb connector and a 6 pin firewire connector so that you can connect it to the pc via usb2.0 while power it through your ac adapter.
I haven't tried the usb cable but people claim that firewire is faster. I didn't have a firewire port too before I got my iPod. I just grabbed a cheap $8 PCI firewire card off eBay and it's been working fine for me ever since. 
Cheaper and better than paying apple $19 for the USB 2.0 cable.
I just had to get one put into my pc, about $80 aus or so
Hmm I thougt it was Soundblaster Audigy, is there more soundcards whit firewire??? 
iPod does come with a USB 2.0 connection for Windows. But does anyone knows if the USB 2.0 is backward compatible with the USB 1.1? Or is USB 2.0 the only USB format which it supports?
I tried using an ipod on a linux system which was running XP in a VMware window... vmware was unable to support the usb2.0 and I had a hell of a time getting the ipod recognized... my suggestion is that if your pc does not suppor usb2.0, then go spend another $20 and buy a usb 2.0 pci card.
I think that 2.0 devices are backwards compatible with 1.1 systems, but they won't run nearly as fast.
Originally posted by AquaKid3D@Feb 10 2004, 12:39 AMI think that 2.0 devices are backwards compatible with 1.1 systems, but they won't run nearly as fast.
S'right.
USB 2.0 is 480 Mb/s
USB 1.1 is 12 Mb/s (I'm pretty sure)
Originally posted by Ludge@Feb 10 2004, 11:58 AMS'right.
USB 2.0 is 480 Mb/s
USB 1.1 is 12 Mb/s (I'm pretty sure)
Yup, that's the stats.
The 4-pin version of firewire is IEEE1394. So iPod should connect if you've got that as well. Just that you can't charge the iPod through this, you'd need the 6-pin one.
Originally posted by silencedge@Feb 10 2004, 09:38 AMThe 4-pin version of firewire is IEEE1394.
Firewire in general is 1394. It's just if it is 4 pin or 6 pin. The Firewire port on my comp is a 6 pin and is labeled a 1394 port. 1394 is just the specification of transfer that it uses set by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. All 1394 is Firewire.
Oops. My bad. Disregard my specification about the 4/6 pins then. 
I suggest a Firewire card.
My iPod works with my onboard port, all this nonsence about the iPod being very picky with Firewire ports is rubbish and it will work with a cheap PCI card, its usally the iPod more often than not, I got a bust iPod and then changed it and it sprung to life.
If you experience problems try it on a Mac before throwing money away to check the iPod.
Firewire is the best way to go as it will charge as you transfer becuase there is a good chance of losing power when transfering by USB (The iPod Mini charges by PC USB)
Firewire also has FAST speeds but even at these speeds transfering my 12GB of music to my iPod will still take the best part of 20 mins. USB2 is fast but unless you bought a special USB2 card chances are the USB port is USB1 which will take HOURS and the battery will almost certainly die then you have to recharge and start again.
Scott
p.s. dont forget if you choose USB2 and you have a device in the same hub of ports as a device that dosnt support USB2 all ports will only be capable of USB1.
I pretty much agree with all said about FireWire. When I got my iPod I also bought a cheap firewire PCI off ebay and it works till now (aince about a year ago).
But - and this is important - if you have a laptop and planning to get a miniPCI firewire --- keep in mind that most of them DO NOT transfer power through them. Unforunatly - I found that out after I bought the miniPCI - but its ok - it wasn't that expensive and I can still work it to transfer data...
~ Quazimodo ~