The problem here is not Apple removing FireWire from the MacBook, it's that Apple doesn't give us a timetable when FireWire will be gone from all Apple consumer offerings. My iBook is getting old, but I can't just upgrade yet. Money is tight. I have to wait. I do have 1 HDV camera on which I do DV edits, with the thought of doing HDV in the future. I have already a nice collection of tapes. I can't afford a new camera. I'm using Final Cut Express. Who's to say the white MacBook still exists in 6 months? Or even the Mac mini with FireWire? Or an iMac with FireWire. It's the timetable, people. That's what the people who say that Apple still gives us choice, and no new cameras use FireWire don't seem to grasp.
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Steve Jobs on Lack of Firewire in MacBooks
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This may be a crazy-A$$ idea, and if so, don't hesitate to shoot it down, but...
Would it be possible to import video this way:
1) Connect your MB via USB to a hard drive that has both a USB and a FW port.
2) Connect your video camera to the HD via FW.
3) Mount everything.
4) Suck in the video over this ragtag net using iMovie.
Not elegant, but possible?
Sorry, that is crazy-bleep.
The hard drive would have to implement Firewire-to-USB conversion. It would have to be specially made to even try that and it *can't* do that perfectly because of differences in the USB and Firewire specs.
You'd be better off looking at something like that device someone posted earlier. And that one, even though it is designed to be a Firewire-to-USB converter has significant limitations.
Oh yeah, that's exactly the quality my customers expect to pay for. All thye're useful for is internet video.
Like THIS???...
From the ad....
It sounds great, but is it Mac compatible?
Unfortunately our cable is not Mac compatible. However, it is compatible only with Windows XP. This product is not Windows Vista compatible as of yet. We are currently trying to find a work-around for this.
Useless....AND 119$?????
Yes that's OBVIOUSLY my best option.
Yeesssh.
This thread is amusing....
If Firewire is legacy then it isn't needed on the Macbook Pro either then? I seem to be missing the Pro level, non-legacy level eSATA connector on the Macbook Pro as well my DV camcorder could you help me find it?
All in all, I am disappointed in the missing FW on the Macbook, but that doesn't keep me from wanting one. Waiting till Nehalem has just been made that much harder
.That's ludicrous. Firewire is not dying it is the defacto standard of the video world.
seems like it's too soon to eliminate firewire, even if it is true that there is a switch to USB. People who believe in taking care of their purchases will own things like a video camera or Powerbook for several years.
Good thing I'm one of those people, I'm not updating my Powerbook...yet.
Good thing I'm one of those people, I'm not updating my Powerbook...yet.
I think Apple clearly did this to prevent the rather appealing new MacBooks from cannibalizing sales of the low end MacBook Pro. If you are doing any kind of serious-ish video work on the machine, you really need FireWire.
My Canon HV20 HD camcorder uses FireWire only for video out--and it's not so antiquated a device.
As well, if anyone wants very high data rate external storage, they will need to go MBP. FireWire 400 eats USB 2.0 alive for data transfer, to say nothing of the speed of the MBP's FireWire 800 bus.
It was an understandable move, IMHO.
blakespot
My Canon HV20 HD camcorder uses FireWire only for video out--and it's not so antiquated a device.
As well, if anyone wants very high data rate external storage, they will need to go MBP. FireWire 400 eats USB 2.0 alive for data transfer, to say nothing of the speed of the MBP's FireWire 800 bus.
It was an understandable move, IMHO.
blakespot
Firewire adapter
I've sent off for a cheap cable with a 4 pin firewire plug at one end and USB at the other. It costs under £4 incl shipping. I don't expect this to work, or if it does with any kind of stability abut I'll check it out and post my experience in a few days time.
+++
The lack of a FW port on the MB reminds me of the hassle we had in the UK trying to get camcorders in the UK with DV in and DV out. This was only available on top of the range models whose price absorbed the additional taxes these models attracted. Ways were found to hack some camcorders to enable DV in. I still have the Sony Commander Remote I used.
Who knows we may be lucky - we'll find a hidden port and after a bit of hacking with an Apple Remote we'll enable DV in on the MB! (British camcorder users from the mid 90's will appreciate this!)
I've sent off for a cheap cable with a 4 pin firewire plug at one end and USB at the other. It costs under £4 incl shipping. I don't expect this to work, or if it does with any kind of stability abut I'll check it out and post my experience in a few days time.
+++
The lack of a FW port on the MB reminds me of the hassle we had in the UK trying to get camcorders in the UK with DV in and DV out. This was only available on top of the range models whose price absorbed the additional taxes these models attracted. Ways were found to hack some camcorders to enable DV in. I still have the Sony Commander Remote I used.
Who knows we may be lucky - we'll find a hidden port and after a bit of hacking with an Apple Remote we'll enable DV in on the MB! (British camcorder users from the mid 90's will appreciate this!)
And that's called complaining about complaining for the sake of complaining.It's called complaining for the sake of complaining.
Well, only if you've decided to throw out your perfectly good laptop in favor of a new MacBook. Which is probably newer than your camcorder.
Yeah, it's annoying. Not quite as annoying as when they ditched all keyboard, serial, and SCSI ports all at once in favor of USB, ata and fw.
Firewire is essential for audio
Hey!
Not only video use Firewire, audio interfaces and processors use Firewire mostly. USB isn't good for sync transfers like audio. USB audio interface has many problems and only has two or four channels.
There are not option for portable audio systems.
Here you can see one hundred of Firewire audio interfaces that you can buy today:
http://www.thomann.de/gb/firewire_audio_interfaces.html?ls=100
Hey!
Not only video use Firewire, audio interfaces and processors use Firewire mostly. USB isn't good for sync transfers like audio. USB audio interface has many problems and only has two or four channels.
There are not option for portable audio systems.
Here you can see one hundred of Firewire audio interfaces that you can buy today:
http://www.thomann.de/gb/firewire_audio_interfaces.html?ls=100
I don't think every consumer is uploading and editing video. That is the primary use of firewire really, maybe for external storage. But many consumers don't do backups anyway. USB2 items are easy to find too. Guess Apple is making it easier for these consumers. I still think it should have been left there. I think Apple will just leave it on the pro books now and desktops.
Yes, but....
But then, Apple pisses off the professional users by going with a glossy screen, so what was accomplished?
Seems like everybody would be happy if, say, the $1500 MacBook had Firewire and the MacBook Pro had a matte screen option. You could differentiate the "pro consumer" who may need FireWire on their MacBook to hook up their DV cameras and hard drives from others who may not care about FireWire at all and go with a lower-cost MacBook, and the Pros can have the screen they need to do their work.
But then, Apple pisses off the professional users by going with a glossy screen, so what was accomplished?
Seems like everybody would be happy if, say, the $1500 MacBook had Firewire and the MacBook Pro had a matte screen option. You could differentiate the "pro consumer" who may need FireWire on their MacBook to hook up their DV cameras and hard drives from others who may not care about FireWire at all and go with a lower-cost MacBook, and the Pros can have the screen they need to do their work.
You don't have a clue. PC's offer more and more laptops all the time with firewire. Plus, even entry level PC laptops have PCMCIA or express card slots so you can add more ports.
Your comment makes no sense.
I buy a new computer about every 4 years. I have a rev A iMac and nowa previous generation Macbook I just bought.
If you are saying I should just stick with what I have, then that is fine except my PPC Mac is starting to not be able to run new software and has trouble with HD content. So I am starting to lose functionality on my old machine. Also, the performance gain by me upgrading is huge.
And lets no forget that there are many people like me that purchased a DV Cam less than a year ago that would not be able to use it with their new Mac.
Just like many of you think the complaining is un-warranted, many of us wonder why you care and post in these threads. If you don't care about the lack of Firewire, go buy a new Macbook and be happy about it. We don't all have to like it because you do.
Seeing as how the iphone 3g is like the fastest selling smartphone out there, your point is moot, Apple can't convince everyone to buy an iphone.
So what's the lens zoom ratio? Or the widest aperture? Or how good is the optical stabilzation? Stereo audio in? etc. etc.
What's "in good light" supposed to mean? Outdoors in bright sunshine? so what if i want to shoot indoors in usual lighting conditions? i.e about 80% of what I have filmed over the last 5 years?
Have you ever actually USED a decent Camcorder???