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uspcommuter

macrumors regular
Original poster
Aug 23, 2004
133
0
I know almost 99% certain that the nano is compatible with ipod port accesories, now the question is, is it compatible with the port-> firewire adapter? Anybody tired that yet? b/c I really really really dont like usb. :)
 

mad jew

Moderator emeritus
Apr 3, 2004
32,191
9
Adelaide, Australia
Not sure if it'll work but I guess it would. Still, you do realise it's going through a USB port nonetheless, right? It won't go any faster and it may even be slower. :(
 

mad jew

Moderator emeritus
Apr 3, 2004
32,191
9
Adelaide, Australia
I think I misread it. I interpreted the firewire adaptor to be a firewire-to-USB adaptor which the USB-to-dock connector would plug into before plugging into the computer. My bad. :eek:

Listen to DeSnousa, he knows what he's talking about. :)
 

.:*Robot Boy*:.

macrumors 6502
Jan 21, 2005
373
0
New Zealand
mad jew said:
I think I misread it. I interpreted the firewire adaptor to be a firewire-to-USB adaptor which the USB-to-dock connector would plug into before plugging into the computer. My bad. :eek:

Listen to DeSnousa, he knows what he's talking about. :)

Damn, I was hoping you might have some big conspiracy theory about how FireWire is nothing more than rerouted USB 2.0 or something :p ;)
 

micvog

macrumors 6502
Sep 10, 2003
422
0
giveup and DeSnousa are correct... unfortunately. Apparently the nano uses a TI USB controller chip; no FW. See attached PIC.
 

Attachments

  • FW nano.jpg
    FW nano.jpg
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Sedulous

macrumors 68030
Dec 10, 2002
2,530
2,577
Yep, and that confirms for me that I won't be getting a nano. Shame too. USB is silly... but then again it is Intel that made USB, and thus it sucks on the CPU's power.

On a less significant thought: this brings to question whether one could boot from the thing in target mode?
 

Yvan256

macrumors 603
Jul 5, 2004
5,081
998
Canada
While I agree that FireWire 400 is better than USB 2.0, you do have to remember one thing: the iPod nano uses flash memory. Even USB 2.0 will be more than what the flash memory will be able to handle. Putting FireWire on the iPod nano (or iPod shuffle, if it had a dock connector) would be a waste of better technology.

If, however, the next (big, i.e. hard-drive-based) iPod isn't compatible with FireWire, then you may panic. ;)
 

jsw

Moderator emeritus
Mar 16, 2004
22,910
44
Andover, MA
Yvan256 said:
While I agree that FireWire 400 is better than USB 2.0, you do have to remember one thing: the iPod nano uses flash memory. Even USB 2.0 will be more than what the flash memory will be able to handle. Putting FireWire on the iPod nano (or iPod shuffle, if it had a dock connector) would be a waste of better technology.

If, however, the next (big, i.e. hard-drive-based) iPod isn't compatible with FireWire, then you may panic. ;)
True. FWIW, transfer times to the nano are pretty good. Substantially better then the Shuffle's.
 

mrgreen4242

macrumors 601
Feb 10, 2004
4,377
9
Yvan256 said:
While I agree that FireWire 400 is better than USB 2.0, you do have to remember one thing: the iPod nano uses flash memory. Even USB 2.0 will be more than what the flash memory will be able to handle. Putting FireWire on the iPod nano (or iPod shuffle, if it had a dock connector) would be a waste of better technology.

If, however, the next (big, i.e. hard-drive-based) iPod isn't compatible with FireWire, then you may panic. ;)

Everyone who comments on the speed of flash memory should read these two pages.
http://www.barefeats.com/usb2.html
http://www.barefeats.com/jump.html
 

Yvan256

macrumors 603
Jul 5, 2004
5,081
998
Canada
jsw said:
True. FWIW, transfer times to the nano are pretty good. Substantially better then the Shuffle's.

Thanks for the info, I was afraid the nano was as slow as the shuffle.

I should get my iPod nano in about 6 to 10 days now. :)
 

Yvan256

macrumors 603
Jul 5, 2004
5,081
998
Canada
mrgreen4242 said:
Everyone who comments on the speed of flash memory should read these two pages.
http://www.barefeats.com/usb2.html
http://www.barefeats.com/jump.html

Why? Those two pages seem to be showing exactly that: flash memory is slower and that USB2 is slower than FireWire... :confused:

In any case, FireWire on flash memory would be a waste, especially since the most important thing is write speed (put songs into the iPod).
 

neocell

macrumors 65816
May 23, 2005
1,073
2
Great White North
The thing is though, that Macs have had Firewire for a lot longer than USB2.0. So it kind of screws a lot of mac uses that have slightly older equipment, in regards to transfer speed. I know you could just plug it into the 1.1 and wait a while to download it all initially, then you probably wouldn't need to transfer too much stuff after that so it would only be bad initially. But can you charge through USB1.1?? I hope so. All in all it would have been nice to have firewire support since so many macs have it, but not USB2.0. Oh well I guess I'll have to buy a new mac before a nano
 

uspcommuter

macrumors regular
Original poster
Aug 23, 2004
133
0
Noooooooooooooooo I only have usb1.1 on my mac....noooooooooo damn it...oh well :-D at least I will be getting a nano.
 

mkubal

macrumors 6502a
Jul 22, 2002
557
0
Tampa
There really needs to be a sticky on this info. I've seen these same questions asked repeatedly for the last few days. Although I don't blame people. It's pretty hard to believe that FW transfers aren't possible.

I can cofirm that it charges via USB 1.1.
 

iEdd

macrumors 68000
Aug 8, 2005
1,956
4
XIII said:
Why? Why can't you sync over FW?
The electronic transfer controller chip...


I hope the next gen of iPods support FW800... That would be sweet.. Only if the HDs were fast enough though I guess.
 

Le Big Mac

macrumors 68030
Jan 7, 2003
2,809
378
Washington, DC
neocell said:
The thing is though, that Macs have had Firewire for a lot longer than USB2.0. So it kind of screws a lot of mac uses that have slightly older equipment, in regards to transfer speed. I know you could just plug it into the 1.1 and wait a while to download it all initially, then you probably wouldn't need to transfer too much stuff after that so it would only be bad initially. But can you charge through USB1.1?? I hope so. All in all it would have been nice to have firewire support since so many macs have it, but not USB2.0. Oh well I guess I'll have to buy a new mac before a nano

Yep. Disappointing, especially since Apple was slow to adopt USB 2.0. It's not like only the oldest macs have 1.1. 2.0 on Macs is less than two years old. Guess I'll stick with my 3g iPod for now.
 

JeffTL

macrumors 6502a
Dec 18, 2003
733
0
I think it's a margins issue -- the components in the nano aren't cheap, even when ordered in bulk. Nor is the in-house-design custom clickwheel. One more chip, even if they could make it fit, would probably necessitate jacking up the prices to maintain satisfactory profitability. Besides, if you really want FireWire sync, you can still get that on the full-size iPod.
 

SummerBreeze

macrumors 6502a
Sep 11, 2005
593
0
Chicago, IL
Although this does kinda suck, there are a few things that are important to think about:

1) Most people still use Windows. The Nano comes pre-formatted for Windows. USB 2.0 comes more readily on Windows. Sure, I don't like this, it makes me sad inside, but it does make market sense.

2) Not many songs can be put on the Nano. It would suck having to sink my 30gb iPod photo over USB (espeically 1.1), but about 1000 or so songs won't take too long.
 
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