Firewire 800 expansion, Hub?

Question

Level 2

159 points

Firewire 800 expansion, Hub?

Given the Mac mini has only one Firewire port, a FW 800 connection, the options for connecting multiple FW Devices are limited to daisy chain.

I have three FW 800 hard drives. These are daisy chained, which is fine, I also need to connect my SanDisk FW 400 CF Card reader to my Mac mini.

The SanDisk card reader comes with attached lead terminating in a 6 pin plug. I can't find a 9 pin to 6 pin adaptor, also this means connecting the card reader to the end of the daisy chain, and switching on all the drives.

Does anyone know of a FW hub which would allow the connection of my Card reader to the beginning of the daisy chain and would allow the drives to be still connected via FW 800.

Mac Mini 2.6/160, G5-2.7, PowerBook Al G4-867, G4-466, G4-400, iMac G3 400, Mac OS X (10.5.8), Mac user since 1989

Posted on Nov 16, 2009 8:28 AM

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Answer 1

varjak paw

Level 10

182,686 points

Nov 16, 2009 9:50 AM in response to Epochmaker

You'll find a number of options for Firewire 800 hubs if you do a web search for "firewire 800 hub". For a Firewire 400 to 800 adapter, there again are several. Amazon has one, for instance.

Regards.

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Answer 2

Nov 16, 2009 9:55 AM in response to Epochmaker

There are not that many FW 800 hubs available, e.g. http://www.nitroav.com/product/113/

FW 800 to 400 adapters are available here, e.g. http://www.sonnettech.com/product/fw_adapter.html

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Answer 3

Epochmaker Author

Level 2

159 points

Nov 16, 2009 10:14 AM in response to Kay Marczoch

Thanks, Both of you! Remarkably I was actually looking at the Nitro AV page you offered me as the notification of your post came through.

I like the idea of a hub being able to connect, or disconnect without messing with a daisy chain, I am sure 8 ways will be more than enough.

Just to find a UK supplier now! LOL

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Answer 4

Nov 16, 2009 10:23 AM in response to Epochmaker

Guess they'll ship to the UK as currency can be set to pound sterling.

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Answer 5

Steve-Mac-

Level 5

5,804 points

Nov 22, 2009 4:01 PM in response to Kay Marczoch

Hi,

Sorry to hijack this thread, but I'm also looking for a similar device. Daisy chaining has its limit in the cable cluttering world!!

While I find the Nitro device interesting, I'm wandering if there is equivalent device that can offer both FW800 and FW400 ports without having to change all my cables. Any idea?

I already have lots of FW800 and FW400 cables, so if I can prevent myself from buying adaptors or new cables, I would appreciate!

Thanks

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Answer 6

Nov 22, 2009 11:08 PM in response to Epochmaker

theres also this;

http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Firmtek/SPYDERHUB/

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Answer 7

Nov 23, 2009 7:28 AM in response to l_elephant

Thanks, I was just looking for such an adapter ... but it still offers only a single FW800 connection. So unless your external drives all have SATA ports (and SATA can be daisy-chained, which I don't know), this little gadget isn't going to be of much help here...

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Answer 8

pvonk

Level 6

13,857 points

Nov 25, 2009 5:49 PM in response to Steve-Mac-

About five months ago I did a wide search for FW 800 hub, also keeping an eye for a combo 800/400. Never found a combo. Got the 800 hub and now connect my 400 hub to it, that's the only way I could find to get a bunch of 400 and 800 peripherals attached to my new MBP.

As I'm on vacation now, I don't have the hubs in front of me, don't recall the brands.

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Answer 9

Steve-Mac-

Level 5

5,804 points

Nov 25, 2009 7:07 PM in response to RJV Bertin

This "gadget" is interesting. It is a bridge between FW and eSATA. First time I see that kind of thing.

As for the question of eSATA daisy chaining, no eSATA is not like firewire and it cannot be daisy chained. So this one is only for two eSATA drive.

Message was edited by: Steve@Mac

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Answer 10

Steve-Mac-

Level 5

5,804 points

Nov 25, 2009 6:56 PM in response to l_elephant

If you can follow-up with the model you have, would be nice. And the idea of chaining a FW 800 hub with a FW400 one is not a bad idea either.

The Nitro device is nice, but costly and will require a few new cables (800-400, 800-400 4 pins) in my case.

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Answer 11

Jan 1, 2010 10:58 AM in response to Steve-Mac-

Anyone has tried this?
http://www.unibrain.com/Products/p1394/FR800.htm

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