FW cards for MacPro early 08

[BigAlMAC]

Good day all..
I have searched but didnt come up with the info i was looking for.

I have a new MacPro 08 & would like to add more Firewire ports.
Is there anything special about cards for this machine?

I have an older FW card for my Quicksilver, can I just pop it into me new MacPro?

Any info would be great...
Thanks..Al

 

[TheStrudel]

Firewire cards, or, for that matter, any kind of expansion card at all for a Mac Pro must be PCIe (PCI Express). Your QS G4 used regular PCI cards; thus, you cannot simply switch that card into your Mac Pro. So you'll need a firewire PCIe card like one of the ones sold here by OWC:

http://eshop.macsales.com/search/PCIe+firewire

If speed is an issue, you might instead want to get NitroAV's cards:

http://www.nitroav.com/product/363/
http://www.nitroav.com/product/347/

They'll run a bit faster (native PCIe bus instead of PCI->PCIe bridge used in older cards). Their cards will be close to the speed of the onboard ports Apple uses; the other cards will be slower. Barefeats has an article about this, if you're interested.

 

[BigAlMAC]

Firewire cards, or, for that matter, any kind of expansion card at all for a Mac Pro must be PCIe (PCI Express). Your QS G4 used regular PCI cards; thus, you cannot simply switch that card into your Mac Pro. So you'll need a firewire PCIe card like one of the ones sold here by OWC:

http://eshop.macsales.com/search/PCIe+firewire

If speed is an issue, you might instead want to get NitroAV's cards:

http://www.nitroav.com/product/363/
http://www.nitroav.com/product/347/

They'll run a bit faster (native PCIe bus instead of PCI->PCIe bridge used in older cards). Their cards will be close to the speed of the onboard ports Apple uses; the other cards will be slower. Barefeats has an article about this, if you're interested.

Thanks for the info...
Glad I asked, and now looking for the right card.
The nitroav's only seem to be FW800.
I might try the OWC.

Thanks for the info, it is appreciated.

Al

 

[TheStrudel]

One of the NitroAVs has a firewire 400 port. Also worth pointing out that FW800 ports are fully compatible with firewire 400. You only need an 8-to-6-pin cable.

 

[rhett7660]

Firewire cards, or, for that matter, any kind of expansion card at all for a Mac Pro must be PCIe (PCI Express). Your QS G4 used regular PCI cards; thus, you cannot simply switch that card into your Mac Pro. So you'll need a firewire PCIe card like one of the ones sold here by OWC:

http://eshop.macsales.com/search/PCIe+firewire

If speed is an issue, you might instead want to get NitroAV's cards:

http://www.nitroav.com/product/363/
http://www.nitroav.com/product/347/

They'll run a bit faster (native PCIe bus instead of PCI->PCIe bridge used in older cards). Their cards will be close to the speed of the onboard ports Apple uses; the other cards will be slower. Barefeats has an article about this, if you're interested.

Thank you very much for the info. This is what I was looking for!!! Picking up the 347 card.

Thanks again

 

[TheStrudel]

Let me know how that card works out for you. I already got and use their eSATA card, but I was thinking of buying their USB/FW card; I'm curious to see how your experience with this one is.

 

[ben1969]

Cables vs PCIe card?

I am getting one of the new Nehalem Mac Pros and was hoping I could get advice about how best to use my older firewire 400 devices (eyetv, an external drive, a camcorder) -- would it be better to get a PCIe card with firewire 400 ports or to get cables that connect firewire 400 to the firewire 800 ports already on the Nehalem MacPro? Given that the cost is about the same, which would have faster transfers and better stability?

I am looking at this PCIe card -- http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812186009 -- versus these cables -- http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812270197

Thanks!

 

[TheStrudel]

The best, simplest way to do so is simply to run a FW800 cable that has a six pin end (you want a 9-to-6-pin cable), which will then run at FW400 speeds - Firewire is completely cross compatible. And it's hardly a waste of a port, as you've now got 4 FW800 ports. Check monoprice.com for the kind of cable you'd need.

 

[ben1969]

The best, simplest way to do so is simply to run a FW800 cable that has a six pin end (you want a 9-to-6-pin cable), which will then run at FW400 speeds - Firewire is completely cross compatible. And it's hardly a waste of a port, as you've now got 4 FW800 ports. Check monoprice.com for the kind of cable you'd need.

Thanks for the input!...and will order a few cables asap (had forgot about monoprice).

 

[rhett7660]

Let me know how that card works out for you. I already got and use their eSATA card, but I was thinking of buying their USB/FW card; I'm curious to see how your experience with this one is.

Works like a charm. Installed without a problem and I am running two FW800 drives off it and I have not had a single problem at all..