USB to Firewire Adapter

Hey I was wondering if anyone knew of a decent USB to Firewire adapter?

I happen to have an extra Apple Firewire webcam (like this):



...and wanted to use it with my wife's older Dell laptop that only has USB ports. When I "Googled"...I couldn't really find many (or any) reasonably priced USB to Firewire adapters.

I did come across this adapter that works with the ethernet port:



....but then I was not sure since the ethernet port is a "networking port" if somehow using it would mess up the wireless networking.

Thanks,

- Nick

Hi Nick - a quick search shows these: Amazon.com: USB-Firewire adapter and http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00354MVP0/?tag=macforums0e4-20.

The adapters you've shown should work without interfering with the network if you use an ethernet switch (hub). Cheap as chips, eg. TP-Link.

Is the f'wre 4 or 6-pin? See Amazon.com: USB 2.0 to IEEE 1394 Firewire 4 Pin 4 feet Extension Cable for Digital Camer or…

hughvane said:

Hi Nick - a quick search shows these:

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Hey man...don't give me that "a quick search shows these"...crap! Ha ha!

I searched for quite a while before I posted...and didn't find much.

In fact...the item that I have pictured in my original post was from Amazon...and was in the Amazon search list you linked. Also many of the items in that Amazon search list are not USB to Firewire adapters.

Thanks a lot for the help. There were some items in that Amazon search list that I will have to look into further.

- Nick

The "quick search" meant that I didn't have/take time to screen all those I'd looked at, therefore there were some superfluous items.

Tell you what though - I'm mightily taken with this little number Amazon.com: USB Firewire 1394 Cable Travel Kit 6 Adapter Converter: Electronics. Take a close look at all the fittings. I shall be ordering one to be sent to my Am friends in Maine to bring over when they arrive in Dec for their five months in paradise.

NOTE - VERY IMPORTANT:

FireWire and USB are inherently incompatible. There are quite a few adapters out there that allow you to connect multiple devices. However, they will take a 4pin FW to 6pin FW or USB to USB... allowing you to carry a single cable for accomplishing multiple tasks. I have never seen an "adapter" that will allow you to connect FW to USB - except just to plug them in. I have seen reports of those that have burned out their ports in the attempt.

Make sure you read all reviews of whatever adapter/converter you find to see if there are "specific" comments of end users accomplishing what you want to do.

If you find one that will allow you to do this, please post back. This question gets asked at least a half dozen times a year. I've yet to see a positive successful response.

bobtomay said:

NOTE - VERY IMPORTANT:

FireWire and USB are inherently incompatible. There are quite a few adapters out there that allow you to connect multiple devices. However, they will take a 4pin FW to 6pin FW or USB to USB... allowing you to carry a single cable for accomplishing multiple tasks. I have never seen an "adapter" that will allow you to connect FW to USB - except just to plug them in. I have seen reports of those that have burned out their ports in the attempt.

Make sure you read all reviews of whatever adapter/converter you find to see if there are "specific" comments of end users accomplishing what you want to do.

If you find one that will allow you to do this, please post back. This question gets asked at least a half dozen times a year. I've yet to see a positive successful response.

Click to expand...

Bob,

Thanks a ton for the warning!!! I certainly wouldn't want to damage something trying to do this. Not sure if it makes a difference...but you mentioned Firewire to USB....I'm trying to do the opposite...USB to Firewire.

I'm guessing it's the same problem regardless of which conversion is trying to be made.

And like you said...I've also couldn't find too much "positive" evidence on the internet (products offered or discussion in various computer forums)...that said that this sort of conversion was easy or a good thing to try or do.

Thanks again,

- Nick

p.s. Bob...what do you think of the adapter I have pictured above? Since it goes thru the ethernet port...do you think that would be a "safer" way to get firewire accessibility on a laptop with no firewire port? Basically this would be an ethernet to firewire adapter. Thanks.

hughvane said:

The "quick search" meant that I didn't have/take time to screen all those I'd looked at, therefore there were some superfluous items.

Click to expand...

No problems! After "bobtomay's" warning...I'm not sure I still want to try this...not really worth the possible downsides. Unless of course I/we can find positive success with a specific adapter.

Thanks,

- Nick

Yeah, I just went and checked at newegg and couldn't find a converter there either. I did find a couple of really good explanations about this a couple of years ago, but couldn't find them on a quick google any more.

It's been about that long ago since I last researched this particular topic in depth.
So, there "could" be something out there that will do it and I've yet to see it.
Just wanted you to be warned, particularly with the <$10 adapters that are being peddled. My guess, if anyone has something that actually works, it's going to be in the $30-$50 range at a minimum. I've just not found a review on one that specifically states it will do it.

edit:
You'd think it wouldn't be much different than finding a serial to USB adapter, but apparently the way FW and USB move data is just too different. Figured if anyone had something Belkin would so I checked there also. They have nothing except some combo hubs, but still they're for USB to USB and FW to FW.

bobtomay said:

Figured if anyone had something Belkin would so I checked there also. They have nothing except some combo hubs, but still they're for USB to USB and FW to FW.

Click to expand...

Yes...I'm with you on the "Belkin" theory...if they don't have it...you probably don't need it! Ha Ha!

By the way...I edited my earlier post form this morning...and maybe you didn't see the edit before posting your latest response...but I was wondering your thoughts:

"Bob...what do you think of the adapter I have pictured above? Since it goes thru the ethernet port...do you think that would be a "safer" way to get firewire accessibility on a laptop with no firewire port? Basically this would be an ethernet to firewire adapter. Thanks."

Here's the Amazon link for it:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000NZI48W/?tag=macforums0e4-20

Thanks again,

- Nick

That particular adapter is an optional purchase for this tester which allows you to test cable continuity. It's not actually an adapter enabling the ability to connect other devices to your computer - sorry. Check out the 2nd review of the adapter itself.

bobtomay said:

That particular adapter is an optional purchase for this tester which allows you to test cable continuity. It's not actually an adapter enabling the ability to connect other devices to your computer - sorry. Check out the 2nd review of the adapter itself.

Click to expand...

Thanks again Bob...I think I'm going to skip this project altogether!

This is what I get for trying to use an Apple firewire device (web cam) on an older Windows laptop without firewire ports!!!

Looks like the mother-in-law is going to get the external Apple firewire web cam to use with her new Mac-mini!

- Nick

Well, well, after those dire warnings I went digging a little further in that Amazon link, and of the three reviews, two suggest that this thing is a potential liability, one downright slams it. I've said it before, but .... we live and learn, thank goodness - and thank bobtomay too!

Yeah, there's really no such thing as a working USB to FW adapter. They are inherently incompatible.

But even if there was, that iSight camera would flat-out not work anyway. It uses drivers found in only in Mac OS X to operate. You can't, to the best of my knowledge, make it work on a PC.

Like bobtomay, I've answered this same question several times. It seems to pop up every now and then. The answer is still the same... there is no adapter USB to FW. Like chas-m stated, they are flat out incompatible.

Back to the drawing board Nick.

Regards.

chscag said:

Back to the drawing board Nick.

Click to expand...

Live & learn! This is what happens when a person such as myself is not a "Windows" guy...and try to get a Windows computer to do what a Mac can do.

My wife's older personal Dell laptop doesn't have firewire...but her new HP work laptop does. That's what I get for working with a Windows laptop!

But hey...it took you 5 days to reply to this thread...what's up with that! Ha ha!

- Nick

But hey...it took you 5 days to reply to this thread...what's up with that! Ha ha!

Click to expand...

Well, I could always use the excuse that it slipped thru the cracks... but the truth is I just missed it first time around.

How's your wife like that new HP? Was looking at some on sale the other day in a military exchange (Navy) in Fort Worth.

Regards.

chscag said:

Well, I could always use the excuse that it slipped thru the cracks... but the truth is I just missed it first time around.

How's your wife like that new HP? Was looking at some on sale the other day in a military exchange (Navy) in Fort Worth.

Regards.

Click to expand...

I was just teasing about the 5-day thing! I know that you review most of the threads...and probably saw that some capable folks had already replied.

As far as the HP laptop. My wife's old laptop was a Dell D620 (vintage 2006 or so). From what I remember...she said that her old Dell D620 was top of the line...so I think that the HP has the same processor speed. I think that the HP is lighter, thinner, longer battery life...and probably better video.

I'll have to ask her more specifics about it (specific model, likes & dislikes), and see what she says. She's had it about 2 months. I know one thing for sure she misses about the Dell...is that little mouse pointer "nub" thing in the middle of the keyboard...she really liked it!

- Nick

Working USB to Firewire Adapter.

I went crazy looking for some kind of USB to firewire adapter as I am trying to use my netbook for a cheap tapeless capture device and I am a professional googler! There is not much I cant find on the net, however I had to laugh when I saw the cheap USB to Firewire cables at a few of the more popular online web sites. I almost bought one when I found it, and thought to myself "hey arent these things two completely different protocols" then saw no electronics package that could convert the two on the cable and looked further and confirmed my suspicions that this is not possible with a cable.. Then it HIT me! I have a box that I purchased, you could likely get one on ebay pretty cheap, but it was a Pinnacle Movie box that I bought that has a USB 2.0 interface that plugs into the PC then it has a composite video, 2 analog (L+R) audio ports and "Voila" a Firewire port oh and also an s-video port. I hooked it up to the PC and was able to capture video from my firewire camcorder to Windows Movie Maker (you could use anything Im sure) and I was able to convert USB to Firewire! (Well with the help of the Pinnacle Movie Box Dongle Thingie) Mines black but I think the new version is white. But there ya go, if you only have USB and need to connect to firewire this does work at least for video capture. I can confirm that for sure. Ill have to hook it back up and see if I get an official Firewire network port as well which should mean we can use it for networking. Hardly a cheap solution but I did pay around $100 for it new..

UPDATE - I plugged it in and DID NOT get an ieee1394 network port, I'm sure this solution will only work for video capture.