i wanted to add a port for digital video editing, but i have no pci slots left that i want to take out if i dont have to.
Is a usb to firewire cable even worth it or is it too slow for good video capture?
Also I have a section on my motherboard next to the usbs that says 1394 on the board, it has no pins sticking out an is just a few flat solder points. The motherboard manual says "1394 optional"
im not quit sure, but I believe id have to solder some crap (the header) on the board to get that to work, which is beyond my electronics ability.
any thoughts would be great.
2007-02-02 03:39:01 · 5 answers · asked by sheaalyssa 2 in Computers & Internet ➔ Hardware ➔ Add-ons
I would not recommend trying to add optional electronic components to the motherboard.
A USB to Firewire cable will work but it will only run at USB speed (if that - the conversion may cut into the speed). Theoretically USB 2.0 is comparable to Firewire 400 but would be half the theoretical speed of Firewire 800. Whether that is enough, I can't really say.
There are weirder solutions as well. If you have a Card Bus slot, you can get a Firewire adapter for that. There are a number of IDE to firewire adapters for creating external drives, you might be able to find a similar adapter for adding a front firewire connection using your IDE cable. There are also PCI expansion chassis but they cost as much as a new computer.
Basically, though, you'll need to look at your PCI cards and pick one you don't need.
2007-02-02 03:45:27 · answer #1 · answered by Dave P 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The optional FIrewire means you would have to have purchased the model that had the firewire on the board. They use the same MB template for both boards, but you have the one that optionally doesn't have it.
You are probably better off upgrading your MB to th one that has the Firewire rather than getting a USB->Firewire converter, since the cost difference would probably be small.
2007-02-02 03:44:03 · answer #2 · answered by Amanda H 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
USB 2.0 is actually FASTER than FireWire. The onboard 1394 adapter on your motherboard is on another model of your board, not the one you have. Here are some adapters:
http://usbfirewire.com/uadapters.html
2007-02-02 03:44:23 · answer #3 · answered by Yoi_55 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Buy a firewire card available in market and it's not costly. This will solve your problem.
2007-02-02 03:53:15 · answer #4 · answered by LitrateKB 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
you may have to consider taking out one of the present cards. If you have a DSL or cable connection then you can remove the modem if one is installed.
2007-02-02 03:47:28 · answer #5 · answered by DaProfessor 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋