Using a Firewire port on External HDD to add FW capability to my MacBook

Discussion in 'Digital Video' started by pilotrtc, Jan 14, 2010.

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  1. pilotrtc, Jan 14, 2010

    pilotrtc macrumors regular

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    #1
    I have an October 2008 MacBook and I'm just getting into the video thing now. I am looking into getting an external hard drive so I don't kill my MB's hard drive prematurely.

    I'm looking into getting this, http://www.pcnation.com/web/details.asp?affid=304&item=BH2918, and was wondering if the Firewire ports on it can be used to download video from a camera. My MB doesn't have a Firewire port so I'm hoping this would fix that.

    I think it would be able to but the fact that it's an external drive and I don't have a lot of experience with these things makes me wonder if I might be wrong. I'd hate to spend the extra dough for a capability that won't work.

    Can anyone advise?
     
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  2. sovereign, Jan 14, 2010

    sovereign macrumors 6502

    sovereign

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    #2
    You cannot daisy chain FW accessories through the ports of a drive that is connected via USB to your MB.
     
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  3. pilotrtc, Jan 14, 2010

    pilotrtc thread starter macrumors regular

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    #3
    Bummer.

    Then what use is all those input ports? Are they useful when the drive is a startup drive?
     
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  4. jampat, Jan 14, 2010

    jampat macrumors 6502a

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    #4
    Firewire drives can be daisy chained, one port would connect to your computer, the next to another drive, then the empty port on drive 2 to drive 3 and so on (up to 127 or 255 or something). You need the computer to be one end of the chain though, a drive won't cut it.
     
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  5. pilotrtc, Jan 15, 2010

    pilotrtc thread starter macrumors regular

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    #5
    OK. But now would I be able to daisy chain drives together via the Firewire even if the first drive is connected to my computer via USB? Will they be usable that way?
     
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  6. TuffLuffJimmy, Jan 15, 2010

    TuffLuffJimmy macrumors G3

    TuffLuffJimmy

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    #6
    No. Firewire to Firewire to Firewire, USB cannot be in the mix at all.
     
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  7. Consultant, Jan 15, 2010

    Consultant macrumors G5

    Consultant

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    #7
    Not possible. Even if it's possible, firewire's benefit would be removed by going through USB.

    Firewire benefits
    - Dedicated transfer chip without need to tax computer CPU (USB taxes CPU)
    - Lots of bus power, way more than usb port
     
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  8. pilotrtc, Jan 15, 2010

    pilotrtc thread starter macrumors regular

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    #8
    Thank you, everyone! Now I understand why everyone was/is upset that Firewire was eliminated from the lower end Apple laptops.
     
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