Hello all, I need help to
to connect a Lacie dvd-writer firewire to my iMac that hasn't a Firewire input. Is there an adaptor that works to do that? Maybe with a driver for Mac? Thank you very much.
Massimo, Italy
If you had a MiniDV or Digital8 camcorder, and wanted to import digital video with minimum loss of quality, it might be worth jumping through hoops to try to find all of the equipment you need (some now discontinued, and hard to find) to make a FireWire connection.
For an optical drive? It isn't worth it. Apple never made an adapter to go straight from Thunderbolt 3 to FireWire, and by the time you finished stringing together a $50 Apple Thunderbolt 3-to-2 adapter with a now-discontinued Apple Thunderbolt to FireWire adapter, you'd have spent about as much as a new optical drive costs!
Just buy a new optical drive, like one of these:
That one comes with a short USB 3.0 B to USB-A cable. If your iMac is one of the 24" Apple Silicon ones that only has USB-C ports, there are several ways to overcome that, including
Note that USB 3.0 B is a "double-decker" connector that is taller than the single-decker USB B ones that you find on many printers. So if you go for a replacement cable, be sure to look for the "3.0" in the name.
If you had a MiniDV or Digital8 camcorder, and wanted to import digital video with minimum loss of quality, it might be worth jumping through hoops to try to find all of the equipment you need (some now discontinued, and hard to find) to make a FireWire connection.
For an optical drive? It isn't worth it. Apple never made an adapter to go straight from Thunderbolt 3 to FireWire, and by the time you finished stringing together a $50 Apple Thunderbolt 3-to-2 adapter with a now-discontinued Apple Thunderbolt to FireWire adapter, you'd have spent about as much as a new optical drive costs!
Just buy a new optical drive, like one of these:
That one comes with a short USB 3.0 B to USB-A cable. If your iMac is one of the 24" Apple Silicon ones that only has USB-C ports, there are several ways to overcome that, including
Note that USB 3.0 B is a "double-decker" connector that is taller than the single-decker USB B ones that you find on many printers. So if you go for a replacement cable, be sure to look for the "3.0" in the name.
What year model is your iMac..?
Identify your iMac model - Apple Support
The original Thunderbolt 2 to FireWire adapters are no longer made and used ones run over a $100 US on E-Bay.
Then you would need to plug that adapter into a Thunderbolt 3 to Thunderbolt 2 adapter that cost another $50 US.
Your best bet is to buy a inexpensive portable USB DVD/CD drive.
Or send a little more and buy another USB DVD/CD desktop drive.
Adding to den.thed's recommendation of getting a new optical drive consider this one: OWC Mercury Pro USB 3.2 (5Gb/s) 24X Super-Multi DVD/CD Burner/Reader External Optical Drive with M-DISC Support. It's currently on sale for $68 US. OWC (MacSales.com) has outlets in Europe so look for it there.
Thank you VERY MUCH
Thank you VERY MUCH
Thank you ALL
I want than you and all the community!!
GRAZIE from ITALY
You're welcome.
Collegare masterizzatore firewire al Mac
