Just a Random Sawtoooth FW Question

[ifrit05]

After busting out my older PowerPC Mac's to play with again I remember that I always wondered what the internal FireWire port in the Sawtooth models were for...

Anyone care to chime in?

 

[gavinstubbs09]

I didn't know they even had an internal port until you said this, maybe Apple saw potential in using a FW400 connection for faster hard drive speeds?

 

[ifrit05]

I didn't know they even had an internal port until you said this, maybe Apple saw potential in using a FW400 connection for faster hard drive speeds?

Yeah, as far as I know, it's the only model that had one.

Seeing as how the ATA controller only supports ATA/66, I can see that logic. But I never heard or seen a direct FireWire to HDD solution... It's always FireWire to another controller, i.e. FireWire to ATA controller. I would love to be corrected though.

P.S.: Just noticed I have a typo in the Title for this thread... I wrote Sawtoooth... I just bought a Mechanical Keyboard and am still getting used to typing on it. :\

 

[MacCubed]

Just a thought, I have an old HP Pavillion with a FW card, and I noticed that there was an odd cable going from the card to the front panel. On the front panel there is a FW400 port, it may have been used for a similar purpose. Who knows, there could have been FW "hubs" that fit in the Floppy bay for expansion

 

[ifrit05]

Just a thought, I have an old HP Pavillion with a FW card, and I noticed that there was an odd cable going from the card to the front panel. On the front panel there is a FW400 port, it may have been used for a similar purpose. Who knows, there could have been FW "hubs" that fit in the Floppy bay for expansion

Huh, yeah I think you're right. Never thought of that. Maybe Apple at one point was thinking of offering that as an option instead of the ZIP drive in Build-to-Orders.

 

[bunnspecial]

I'm not sure if anyone has ever figured out the purpose. Somewhere along the way I've seen aftermarket front panel boards for the ZIP bay that used this port(along with internal headers on a USB card).

Truth be told, though, it's actually in sort of an inconvenient location for that. If I were to install one of the panel boards, I'd likely try to use the port on a FW PCI card instead.

Whatever the case, it's an interesting relic and it is handy if you're working on the computer and are doing something in TDM.

BTW, the port disappeared from the Gigabit Ethernet, which was the next model in the series.

 

[jbarley]

P.S.: Just noticed I have a typo in the Title for this thread... I wrote Sawtoooth... I just bought a Mechanical Keyboard and am still getting used to typing on it. :\

As the originator of the post you can edit and correct that error if you so choose.

 

[0248294]

As the originator of the post you can edit and correct that error if you so choose.

You could be an example of that, as your post wrongly states that quote is from Gavin, while it's not. Might as well take that opportunity! 😀

 

[jbarley]

P.S.: Just noticed I have a typo in the Title for this thread... I wrote Sawtoooth... I just bought a Mechanical Keyboard and am still getting used to typing on it. :\

You could be an example of that, as your post wrongly states that quote is from Gavin, while it's not. Might as well take that opportunity! 😀

Mmm? not quite sure how that happened, but all's well now thank you.🙂