interfaces, firewire cards, pc's, and so on

[i dont know]

I have a computer running Vista that has no firewire port. I am going to downgrade to XP (sp1 or sp2? or something different? i dont know.) I need to know which windows xp is compatible with almost all interfaces. I have heard only m-audio is compatible with Vista. Vista is a pain in the ass, and also is barely compatible with firewire cards, atleast as far as I have looked. I also would like advice for a firewire card, I am looking for a 400s straight up firewire. if there is a certain firewire card that beats others, go ahead and fill me in.

I am looking at the presonus firepod for an interface, but i have heard the motu 8-pre is good also. So if you guys have any interfaces you'd like to recommend, bash, or praise go for it. (price wise, 300 to 700)

also, what is the difference between PCI and PCIMI? (i cant remember what the initials are, pci-something.)

i am hoping if i do find a firewire card i can just slide it in a panel verses opening up my desktop and installing it...


I was considering just doing USB, but I have read and heard thats it verrrry bad for recording. and last but not least, correct me if I'm wrong, but an interface is basically equivalent to a mixer, right?

fill me in on any information you have, relevant or not, on topic or off.

thank you!

 

[dgatwood]

I have heard only m-audio is compatible with Vista.

Other way around. Everybody but M-Audio is compatible with Vista. They are coming around, but they still don't have everything supported last I checked. By contrast, MOTU had all their hardware supported before Vista was released to the general public. Other companies were similarly ahead of the game.

8Pre versus FP10... depends on what you need for inputs and outputs. I assume they've fixed the weird "firmware upgrade kills S/PDIF" problem that killed my first FIREPOD, and I assume the FP10 improves on the problems with the FireWire ports blowing out occasionally when hot plugging, so I would compare them on features until we hear otherwise.

 

[i dont know]

ah, i didnt know that, i was thinking i should change my computer from vista to xp. i kept checking compatability for a lot of these interfaces and none mention vista, mostly windows xp sp1 and sp2. do you know much about firewire cards?

 

[Alden_Sloe]

I have a computer running Vista that has no firewire port. I am going to downgrade to XP (sp1 or sp2? or something different?

also, what is the difference between PCI and PCIMI? (i cant remember what the initials are, pci-something.)

i am hoping if i do find a firewire card i can just slide it in a panel verses opening up my desktop and installing it...

I think you're talking about PCMCIA. That's the old laptop interface. You could slide the "card" into the side of the laptop. Usually used for laptops that didn't have wireless ethernet built in. They do make Firewire cards for this but very few desktops have a PCMCIA slot.

PCI is getting replaced by PCI Express. Check what type of slots your computer has and if you have the choice (most motherboards are shipping with some of each type of slot to support "legacy" hardware) then I'd get the PCI Express. They had to go and make it more complicated now in that there are multiple types of PCI Express slots, 2X, 4X, etc. Find a card you like and see which type of slot it needs. you can put a 2X card in a 4X slot but not vice versa. Clear as mud?

You also might what to check if by chance your motherboard has Firewire already on board but they just didn't bother to cable it up. If that's the case there should be adapters that will let you add it to the front of the machine in an empty drive bay.

What type of interface are you looking for. There are some decent USB choices as long as you're not trying to record more than four channels at one time.

 

[i dont know]

You also might what to check if by chance your motherboard has Firewire already on board but they just didn't bother to cable it up. If that's the case there should be adapters that will let you add it to the front of the machine in an empty drive bay.

What type of interface are you looking for. There are some decent USB choices as long as you're not trying to record more than four channels at one time.

how would I check if my motherboard has a firewire port un-cabled? my computer apparently comes with two expansion slots one PCI and the other PCI Express x1, but i cant find a firewire port. ill keep looking though.

also, i was planning on a firewire interface such as the presonus fp 10. 8 inputs etc., im going to be recording drums, so 8 is about right for me. im going to look into my computers firewire more and ill update.

 

[Alden_Sloe]

What type of computer is it? If it's a brand name system like a Dell or HP then it's unlikely the motherboard has a "hidden" Firewire. If it's a clone then you'll need to figure out what motherboard it has. The model number of the motherboard is usually silkscreened on the board or if you're lucky it came with the documentation. Once you figure that out you go to the manufacturer's website and check out the specs.

 

[i dont know]

its a dell dimension E520. i looked it up and it said it has 2 rear firewire ports, but i am having no luck at finding them.

 

[Alden_Sloe]

The Firewire looks like a USB but with a V shape at one end:

-
| |
V

 

[i dont know]

yea, i figured that out, no dice. im just going to have to install a firewire card, which shouldnt be too hard. oh yea, and this may be a bit off subject, but what kind of software do you use?