i can understand that the older comps use these iSight thingies but the newer comps have built-in ones... I think FW is probably for HDs for most of the time.many said:
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What do you use your FireWire Port for?
- Thread starter iSamurai
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I have an iBook and a Macbook.
I use FW on the iBook with a FW HDD. It's the designated back-up drive, so occasionally, the Macbook is connected to it as well.
The MB uses the FW port for the miniDV camcorder.
Otherwise, USB is used for all other peripherals.
I use FW on the iBook with a FW HDD. It's the designated back-up drive, so occasionally, the Macbook is connected to it as well.
The MB uses the FW port for the miniDV camcorder.
Otherwise, USB is used for all other peripherals.
DV Camera
My DV Camera is still tape based and Firewire is the only way to import video. I moved to FW800 for my mass storage needs and USB for my mini external drive needs along with all the other stuff like scanning and iPods. FW400 just for video.
My DV Camera is still tape based and Firewire is the only way to import video. I moved to FW800 for my mass storage needs and USB for my mini external drive needs along with all the other stuff like scanning and iPods. FW400 just for video.
Another great use for FW and target Disk Mode is the migration assistant. It worked very well, effortlessly placing an exact copy of my MDD G4's software (and even an exact copy of the desktop clutter, hehe) onto my new PBPro, while switching from Panther to Tiger. "It just worked" 
Glen
Glen
1. Updating content on my older iPods.
2. External FW hard drives I use for backups.
3. Target mode transfers among my G4 powerbooks.
I love how fast firewire is, I hope it stays viable tech for awhile yet.
2. External FW hard drives I use for backups.
3. Target mode transfers among my G4 powerbooks.
I love how fast firewire is, I hope it stays viable tech for awhile yet.
I have two FW800 external drives that I use with my PB, and I import video from my DV camcorder as well (using FW400). The only thing I use USB for is my iPhone, printer, and the occasional USB key drive.
The OP asked about 2.5" enclosures with FW in the original post... I have two of those, one of which matches the Macbook Pro beautifully - it's exactly same height as MBP when open, same brushed aluminum colour, is actually made of metal, and has a matching MBP style grille at the front as well. And it has an eSata port (and USB) to boot!
The only thing about it is that it doesn't seem to receive power over the FW cable... though there is another series of enclosures which do accept power over the FW (at least mine does... and it has TWO FW ports!) and which are physically smaller, as well.
The only thing about it is that it doesn't seem to receive power over the FW cable... though there is another series of enclosures which do accept power over the FW (at least mine does... and it has TWO FW ports!) and which are physically smaller, as well.
I have two triple interface 500GB Western Digital drives. I use firewire 400 with one, USB with the other (I have a MacBook).
In January when I pick up a MBP, I'll be able to use its fw800 port, freeing up one of the USBs.
In January when I pick up a MBP
, I'll be able to use its fw800 port, freeing up one of the USBs.
MacBook, MacBook Pro, final rev G5 iMacs and younger... they're the only Macs with built in iSight. You think people buy new Macs just because they are out?
That leaves every single Mac Pro, Mac Mini, plus older lines like eMac, G4 Cube, PowerMac...
Importing home video footage from my Canon DV camcorder and editing with imovie. Most of DVs use firewire instead of USB. I would have been in trouble working with it, if I don't have my Macs. Coz pc usually don't have the port.
Also, the old firewire cable from 3rd generation, can still charge my new Nano, put it on firwire, save 2 usb for other stuffs.
Also, the old firewire cable from 3rd generation, can still charge my new Nano, put it on firwire, save 2 usb for other stuffs.
- HDV camera (I do a lot of video work)
- Three external hard drives (did I mention I do a lot of video work?)
- Echo AudioFire 8
- Tascam FW-1082 mixer/control panel
I need a FireWire hub. I am daisy chaining some of my hard drives, but still I keep swapping out FireWire devices quite a bit!
- Martin
- Three external hard drives (did I mention I do a lot of video work?)
- Echo AudioFire 8
- Tascam FW-1082 mixer/control panel
I need a FireWire hub. I am daisy chaining some of my hard drives, but still I keep swapping out FireWire devices quite a bit!
- Martin
I use mine for my external hard drive. other than that, I can't think of any use I'd have for Firewire.
Firewire Hub
Does anyone here who uses a Firewire Hub have problems with it? I am thinking about getting both a Firewire HD and mixer, and was wondering if it'd slow either of those devices significantly. I'd be using both for music production in Ableton Live. Thanks!
Does anyone here who uses a Firewire Hub have problems with it? I am thinking about getting both a Firewire HD and mixer, and was wondering if it'd slow either of those devices significantly. I'd be using both for music production in Ableton Live. Thanks!
ANYTHING THAT GIVES ME THE OPTION TO USE FIREWIRE OVER USB!
Which is basically every external hard drive I have and an old ipod.
It's just faster.. my time machine drive and my movie drive are both firewire. Daisy Chaining and speed make it the clear choice for pretty much everything that will allow it. Plus it frees up a usb port for other **** like flash drives and keyboards etc..
Which is basically every external hard drive I have and an old ipod.
It's just faster.. my time machine drive and my movie drive are both firewire. Daisy Chaining and speed make it the clear choice for pretty much everything that will allow it. Plus it frees up a usb port for other **** like flash drives and keyboards etc..
Grateful for your help
I have an iMac Intel Core2duo, 10.4.11 and I've just got a white macbook 10.6 which has a firewire slot.
I have no idea how to transfer files from my iMac to the mb - can you help, please?
I have not yet started the mb, in case I can use the setup assistant to migrate files.
so I'd be glad if someone can tell me [a] HOW to transfer files, HOW to transfer iPhoto, [c] HOW to transfer iTunes
and if I need to buy a cable, then what to look for
Thank you for any help: please forgive my asking what must seem an obvious question to you!
I have an iMac Intel Core2duo, 10.4.11 and I've just got a white macbook 10.6 which has a firewire slot.
I have no idea how to transfer files from my iMac to the mb - can you help, please?
I have not yet started the mb, in case I can use the setup assistant to migrate files.
so I'd be glad if someone can tell me [a] HOW to transfer files, HOW to transfer iPhoto, [c] HOW to transfer iTunes
and if I need to buy a cable, then what to look for
Thank you for any help: please forgive my asking what must seem an obvious question to you!
The only USB thing I have is a mouse. I use the following firewire devices:
- Firewire 800 hard drives. A bunch of them. Way way faster than USB. Even Firewire 400 is much faster than USB. USB is so slow, I refuse to use any USB hard drives, the performance just sucks too much.
- Firewire 800 memory card reader for my digital camera.
- Firewire 400 DVD-RW optical drive.
- Firewire 400 flat bed scanner. Firewire scanners are WAY faster than USB scanners.
- Firewire 400 audio interface. "sound card" you could call it, but it's a recording studio device with a mixer and tons of inputs and outputs.
- Firewire 400 mini-DV camcorder. My camcorder has both firewire and usb. Over firewire it can do real-time video hooked to your computer. On USB, it cannot. It can only do still-photos using USB.
Nearly all professional grade audio video equipment uses Firewire. Aside from being a much faster interface, firewire also is isochronous - that means the bus timing and latency is guaranteed - which is critical to real-time editing. If you can't depend on the timing of the bus, you can't do real-time editing. This is also why most camcorders have firewire interfaces.
Also Firewire is awesome for laptops, since it provides more than triple the amount of bus power that USB does. I can run THREE big fast 500 gb 7200 rpm hard drives all bus powered off of a single firewire port. You can't even run one 7200 rpm hard drive off of a USB port, it simply doesn't provide enough bus power.
All Apple laptops also support Target Disk Mode (hold the 't' key during power-on). This allows you to plug your laptop to another computer using firewire interface, and the other computer sees your laptop as an external hard drive! No peecee has this feature, it is unique to the Mac. Very handy for moving data around, and also for the Apple Migration Assistant to move all your stuff to a newer machine.
Another reason Firewire is so much faster and better than USB, is that firewire operates in DMA mode, just like SATA (and eSata). That means the firewire chipset has direct memory access, and handles all the processing associated with moving large amounts of data. Huge data transfers over firewire don't place any load at all on your computer's CPU!! On the other hand, USB does not use DMA mode, and all data transfers must go through the system CPU. This slows everything down, and really kills your multi-tasking performance when moving large files around.
USB was originally designed as a replacement for simple serial devices - keyboards, mice, and joysticks. That is about all that its good for. For any bulk data transfer, Firewire is a far better choice, and way faster in every measure.
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+1. I use it for my external backup hard drive (that could also be USB). So it basically frees up my other USB ports for stuff that can't do both. But I'd be just as happy if the firewire port was a third USB.