Need two FireWire ports - what are my options?

I'm in the market for an iMac. Currently, I use an external hard drive, connected via FireWire 800, as my Time Machine drive, as well as some external storage. I also have another interface hooked up via FireWire 400. It's very important that I have both of these drives plugged in at the same time, but the new iMacs only come with one FireWire port (my MBP has two - one FW800 and one FW400).

I really want the power of the new iMacs, but not having two FW ports is absolutely a deal-breaker - I simply can't work without both. I know that one option is to go with a Mac Pro, and I am considering this option but the biggest thing holding me back, of course, is the price. I suppose a FW hub is another option, but I don't like that idea as it'll decrease the performance of both devices hooked up to it.

Macbook Pro 15", Mac OS X (10.6.2), Intel

Posted on Sep 2, 2010 12:53 AM

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3 replies

Sep 2, 2010 3:41 AM in response to bricker88

I have the new 27 inch iMac and have a western digital 'My Book' dive for time machine and a Drobo for general storage. Both are Firewire 800 and are 'daisy chained' - the WD drive is connected to the iMac and the Drobo is connected to the other Firewire port on the WD drive. I do not know if connecting a Firewire 400 device at the end of the chain would slow it down though.

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Need two FireWire ports - what are my options?

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