FirewWire 400 vs 800

  • Thread starter Thread starter sambrothie
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sambrothie

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Hey,

I was wondering if anyone can give me some info about the different FireWire speeds. I have a MacBook with a FireWire 400 port and am looking to get an Audio Interface. However, looking at different products they say different things, for example:

- The Steinberg MR816X says FireWire 800 compatible
- The PreSonus Firestudio 2626 says FireWire 400 compatible

Does this mean that the MR816X will not be compatible with my Mac? Also, what kinds of number of channels can you expect to be able to simultaneously record with both input speeds?

Thanks and Happy Christmas!
 
Both are compatible with your Mac. FW800 is only important if you have FW800 harddisks. FW800 interfaces don't exist and probably never will...

FW400 is also backwards compatible both ways.
 
cyrano said:
Both are compatible with your Mac. FW800 is only important if you have FW800 harddisks. FW800 interfaces don't exist and probably never will...

FW400 is also backwards compatible both ways.
Click to expand...

Although this doesn't matter, I believe RME makes some with 800.
 
sockswithshoes said:
Although this doesn't matter, I believe RME makes some with 800.
Click to expand...

I just had a look at the newest Fireface UFX, and they don't say much about FF400 or 800. But if you look at the pic of the unit's back, it says "FW400" below the FW port...

[EDIT] But then I clearly overlooked the FF800... ;-(
 
FW800 interfaces DO exist, Santa...
(But most project studios just dont need 'em - that's why there is so few of them)

Look the only difference between FW400 and FW800 is the amount of data it can carry at one time (bandwidth).
FW400 can carry over 100 simultaneous tracks, FW800 does twice that amount.
And you can put multiple cards in a tower to get REALLY massive track counts if you need them.
The FW1600 and FW3200 specs have been approved but no one is making anything for them
because very very very few people really needs that kind of bandwidth...

So unless you're one of the handful of people who are into massive orchestrations with over 200 simultaneous channels dont worry about it.

You CAN put hard drives and convolution processors (tcelectronics powercore or focusrite liquidmix) on the chains too.

(I run a Glyph firewire drive with my Motu828mkII on my XP laptop with zero problems.)
 
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