Firewire converter hub to USB 3.0?

[Steve Rhoden]

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Sima-USB-FireWire-Multi-Adapter-Cable-USB-A-And-FireWire-To-USB-B-Mini-B-5-Pin-Mini-B-4-Pin-Mini-8-Pin-Flat-And-FireWire/11038655
Unfortunately, i’ve never tried any of these before.

Steve Rhoden
(Cow Leader)
Film Editor & Compositor.
Filmex Creative Media.
https://www.facebook.com/FilmexCreativeMedia
1-876-461-9019

[Stephen Mann]

Short answer – no.
Long answer, Firewire and USB are two entirely different protocols. Firewire is DMA (Direct Memory Access) and USB is ACK/NAK. The only way to make the protocol conversion is with a computer in the middle.

The best solution is to buy an older PC or laptop that has a Firewire port, or add a Firewire port to your PC.

Steve Mann
MannMade Digital Video
http://www.mmdv.com

[Graham Bernard]

[Stephen Mann] “The best solution is to buy an older PC or laptop that has a Firewire port, or add a Firewire port to your PC.”

_______________________________________________________________

I agree with Stephen, I have both scenarios running. Yet again we’re midway in a transition. Keeping up with “flow” in something as memory <> cpu intensive as editing video anything that can help I’m up for it.

A CF card Reader that is both USB3 and Port compliment and working alongside a f/w option for legacy work that is DV from tape/vhs and out to a JVC Monitor, is my favoured modus operandi.

Keeping it simple is my mantra.

Cheers

Grazie

Video Content Creator and Potter
PC 7 64-bit 16gb * Intel® Core™i7-2600k Quad Core 3.40GHz * 2GB NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX 560 Ti
Cameras: Canon XF300 + PowerShot SX50HS Bridge

[John Rofrano]

[Stephen Mann] “The best solution is to buy an older PC or laptop that has a Firewire port, or add a Firewire port to your PC.”

Just buy a Firewire card. That’s what I did.

My brand new MacBook Pro supports Firewire, USB 3.0, and Thunderbolt right out of the box. It’s an awesome platform for video connectivity. Unfortunately new PC’s seem to have very limited connectivity these days with only USB 3.0. I’ve seen some PC motherboards with Thunderbolt so that’s good news for PC users in the future because there are Firewire adapters for Thunderbolt.

~jr

http://www.johnrofrano.com
http://www.vasst.com

[Stephen Mann]

I bought the latest Gigabyte motherboard a few months ago, and Thunderbolt wasn’t an option. Thunderbolt is an extension of the PCIe bus, so theoretically any adapter that could be plugged into a PCIe slot in the PC can become a Thunderbolt device.

I can envision a box that connects to your PC by Thunderbolt and provides some PCIe slots.

Steve Mann
MannMade Digital Video
http://www.mmdv.com

[Chas Smith]

Thanks to all for posting…. while there seem to be firewire-to-usb adapters…. these really don’t support firewire to usb conversion.
As pointed out previously….firewire protocol is “peer-to-peer” for constant streaming whereas USB is packet protocol, delivering info in “chunks” for lack of a better term.

Not exactly sure about firewire to usb adapters and their purpose… I suppose there’s an application but given the incompatiblility in how each handles data, I don’t see it working.

I have seen ASUS laptops with Thunderbolt ports. It’s funny, I was at Fry’s Electronics recently and their sales staff really wasn’t all that familiar with Thunderbolt other than to say it was on Macs.

On another note… I did explore the EXPRESS CARD ADAPTER option but the thing is that I’ve not found any “off-the-shelf” new laptops that support this option.

Crazy… I’ve got firewire & eSata stuff that has served me well yet no easy path on the new laptop options. I have thought about Apple but in all honesty I just don’t want to spend more on another different set up. Guess I’ll sell everything and stick with one solution that is compatible for the next 3 yrs or so and then repeat if I still stay in this biz.

Thanks again,

Chaz

[Stephen Mann]

I still have a few SCSI devices.
Yes, I’m that old.

Steve Mann
MannMade Digital Video
http://www.mmdv.com

[Chas Smith]

Mee Too! I still have my original Sledgehammer 8.2GB FMF scsi disk array that I used on my Apple Quadra 840av which cost $3400 bare (still have that too). The 8GB array cost me $5700 USD back in ’95 and I used it with my Targa2000 AV card (nubus) which cost $6,100 (still have that on a shelf). I started on Premiere 4.0, migrated to Media 100 (nubus & powerpc) then jumped to Sony Vegas.

The funny thing is the devices still work… they were built to last back then. I used the heck out of my SCSI disk array and had one drive failure in 6 yrs. Since then I’ve had numerous drives crap out at an alarming rate by comparison. Of course they cost waay less but still it is worth mentioning.

[Dave Haynie]

I still have a Firewire to SCSI adapter around here somewhere. I had SCSI HDDs on my PCs in the very early days (well, kinda early, I has successfully avoided The PC until 1994), and of course, Amigas before that. The last SCSI device I actually used was my old Polaroid film scanner… but I have a far superior Epson. But I’m sure that adapter is around somewhere.

I still have Firewire, since that’s what I use to talk to my Drobo… haven’t used a DV/HDV camera in longer than I’d like to admit 🙂

-Dave

[Brad Leigh]

I bought a HP Elite Book a few months ago from Tiger direct, It has firewire, esata, usb3, and and display port ( DVI or HDMI)
Metal case.
A Win 7 pro machine it is a very handy laptop for vegas.
I think they are still being sold.
Brad

i7 2600 3.4 Ghz 8Gig Ram , Win 7 Pro, Vegas Pro 12