3.0 and FW

LazyChivalry

New member
Can someone tell me why there's no market for a USB 3.0 to firewire adapter?
I feel like firewire is going by the wayside, and the only searches as to why this doesn't exist is due to bandwith, which is not true. 3.0 has a capacity of 640MBps, but fw 400 has 400.

I want to buy a laptop, and I prefer to daw on pc, but It's impossible to find a pc that accepts firewire. most 8 channel interfaces use 400 [I have a profire 2626 and am pleased with it]
 
Firewire is pretty much dead at this point. It's been replaced by Thunderbolt and USB3. FireWire 400 and 800 have throughput of 400 mbps and 800 mbps respectively (that's mega BITS, not megabytes). USB3 is capable of 5 gbps (about 12 times faster than FW 400).

It doesn't seem that audio interface manufacturers have really adopted USB3 for whatever reason. Most offerings from the familiar brands are either USB2 or Thunderbolt. But even the thunderbolt interfaces are few and far between when compared to the massive number of USB2 offerings on the market today.

You might be able to find a PC that's Thunderbolt enabled, and you can adapt FireWire to Thunderbolt. But I don't think there is a reliable way to adapt FireWire to USB, due to the pretty big difference in power supply requirements between the 2 standards.
 
Can someone tell me why there's no market for a USB 3.0 to firewire adapter?
I feel like firewire is going by the wayside, and the only searches as to why this doesn't exist is due to bandwith, which is not true. 3.0 has a capacity of 640MBps, but fw 400 has 400.

I want to buy a laptop, and I prefer to daw on pc, but It's impossible to find a pc that accepts firewire. most 8 channel interfaces use 400 [I have a profire 2626 and am pleased with it]

Firewire is supported over thunderbolt natively. No conversion required, data wise.
The same wouldn't be true for FW/Thunderbolt to any kind of USB. They're different 'languages'.

As far as I know, Firewire is mostly falling by the way side because some combinations of hardware/chipsets caused massive compatibility issues for a lot of people.

I don't know if the same fussiness exists with TB but, given the history, I'd do the research on that. ;)
 
I usually am all for trying to make things work- But take it from me, man- this is a losing proposition.

What you need to do it buy a new interface.
Luckily, you can buy something and still use your 2626- just with the ADAT!

If I were you I would look at something like this:
Audient iD14 | Sweetwater
or
PreSonus Studio 192 Mobile | Sweetwater

to add a couple pres and some nice knobs to your DESK.. meanwhile you setup your 2626 across the room and run its preamps in via ADAT. The beauty of the Audient- its mad portable if you need a mobile rig.
Or if you have plans for a bigger studio down the road- there are pleanty of full-rack 8channel interfaces that accpt ADAT. Boosting your capacity.

Sorry to say it.. but this is gonna be the best way.
 
"Luckily, you can buy something and still use your 2626- just with the ADAT!"

You would still need AFAIK, some form of FW PC to configure the interface?
Do you have a desktop PC? If so you should be able to get a PCI/PCIe FW card for it, they are still pretty cheap but no doubt as FW gets ever rarer they will hold you to ransom!

It is JUST possible you might find a top line, refurbed laptop from one of the specialist audio PC firms that has an Express card slot?

But yes, USB 3.0 has had little 'penetration' into the AI market. RME are one of the few companies that have embraced the protocol fully, but then they did the same with USB 2.0. I have asked elsewhere why 3.0 seems to be being ignored? After all, it is bloody fast (got a USB 3.0 ext' HDD so I SEE'D it!) and has nearly twice the power capability which makes say, a 4 mic input, 4 output AI WITH MIDI and digital I/O a bus powered possibility. Such an AI would I would think have the 'location' bods banging on the shop doors?

Silly question perhaps but, does it HAVE to be a laptop?

Dave.
 
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