3.7.9 New Macbook Pro / Sonnet Express 34 compatability...

[eddie1]

Hi Folks, here is an interesting one for the forum - Just took delivery of new MBP and ordered a Express 34 Card 2 x 400 and USB for to overcome the lack of Firewire 400 oversight. Started up Capture 3.7.9, plugged in the 400 Firewire cable, plugged in the Card - No Joy. Will not see the camera (P20).

Does anyone know if you use the 34 slot it will power the camera or do you have to power up the card?

Has anybody else tried this configuration or a different adapter and if so any luck.

Love to jump to Capture 4 but clients don't seem as enthused with layout as the techies... Time will tell if the Capture boys and Girls have got it right!

[Alex2112]

Yeah, I'd love to know how anyone plans to use the new MacBook Pros without a Firewire 400 port. The old PCM / CIA slots on the much older PowerBooks didn't carry any power, and I assume that the new Express 34 cards don't carry power either. So a FireWire 400 Express 34 card isn't of much use without power.

Perhaps there's a FireWire 800 male to 400 female conversion cable that transfers power.

That was a fun one for Apple to spit out. Like the early version of the previous line of aluminum MacBook Pros without FireWire 800 ports.

I suppose Apple will realize this mistake.

Let me know if anyone has a solution worked out...

-Alex

[Ulf]

Firewire 800 is 100% backwards compatible so no extra card is required.
Simply use a Firewire 800 to 400 cable (9pin in one end and 6pin in the other) and off you go.

I have tested it my self with everything from a 6mp "Lightphase" to a 60,5mp "P65+" and it works perfect.

Here is also some aditional reading
http://www.phaseone.com/HOME/Content/Su ... 20-%20Main

[Alex2112]

That's a good answer from Phase One, but not from Apple. Finding a 6-pin female to 9-pin male would fix part of the problem. Then there are no other usable FireWire ports. Sure, you can get an Express 34 FireWire card, but with no power, you can't run a bus-powered FireWire drive.

It's another example of Apple favoring the casual consumer over the serious professional. Look at the glossy screen as the only choice - another example. Imagine how all the video artists are dealing with only one FireWire port - an a FW 800 port at that. You can't daisy chain digital backs or video cameras.

Nice one, Apple.