Firewire to USB adapter/hubs?

So one of my biggest gripes with Macbooks is that there's only 2 USB slots, and most products aren't using the firewire peripherals. I've used hubs, but some things need a direct connection to the MBP to either have enough power to function and/or transfer data fast enough.
I have an ext hard drive, ipod, cooling fan, printer/scanner, ext keyboard, and an ext dvd drive since my internal one broke, twice.

I'm wondering, is there a USB hub that can convert to firewire input? So I can make use of my unused ports with fast enough data transfer. I have a powered USB hub that broke, but even that wasn't providing fast enough data rates for some of the peripherals. I've had trouble finding something that does the trick. I have a 2.2 Ghz Core 2 duo MPB, about 3.5 years old.

There are no Firewire to USB (or vice versa) converters.

The solution is to use a really good powered USB hub. It used to be that the no-brainer solution to a problem such as yours was to get a Pertech USB hub, but they have gone out of business.

However, I can recommend both of these as being quite good:

Dr. Bott's
T7Hub 7-port USB 2.0 Hub
$40
Dr. Bott | T7Hub 7-port USB 2.0 Hub, Black by Dr. Bott
Dr. Bott | T7Hub 7-port USB 2.0 Hub, White by Dr. Bott

$36 from:
Dr. Bott T7Hub 7-Port USB 2.0 Hub (White) 3122-T7UW B&H Photo

or

Dr. Bott T7Hub 7-Port USB 2.0 Hub (White) 3122-T7UW B&H Photo
(This hub is so popular that it is often unavailable. You just have to wait for when they get them in.)


Kensington DomeHub USB 2.0 (7 Ports)
Picture and manufacturer's specs
DomeHub USB 2.0 (7 ports) - K33118 - Kensington

$35 with free shipping*and free flylight

Amazon.com: Kensington DomeHub 7-port USB 2.0 Hub with FlyLight: Electronics

or

Amazon.com: Kensington DomeHub 7-port USB 2.0 Hub with FlyLight: Electronics

Thanks for your reply.
Is there nothing that can be done than to deal with the data transfer rate issue? For instance, my scanner and dvd drive won't work unless they have a direct connection even with the powered hub I had. I assumed this was because the data flow gets split in a hub, which also makes the data rate for my ext HD or ipod really slow.
I also read somewhere, that one of my two usb ports is providing data to an internal component, which means it's data flow and power is already split.

Erock77 said:

Is there nothing that can be done than to deal with the data transfer rate issue? For instance, my scanner and dvd drive won't work unless they have a direct connection even with the powered hub I had.

Click to expand...

If you have a good enough hub (and peripherals that aren't somehow flaky) you should be able to connect all of your devices to your hub and there shouldn't be a serious data rate issue.

Peripherals normally have to be connected directly to your Mac because there is too much current draw. A good hub will be able to compensate.

As for the data rate, your scanner doesn't move as much data as you might suspect, and not for very long at a time. Even your external drives don't transfer data continuously. They should be able to share the bus just fine.

In any case, you don't have much in the way of alternatives, unless you want to purchase Firewire peripherals. Those will be faster, but harder to find and more expensive.

If you are still having trouble with the burner poke around in the burning software to see if there is a setting to activate Buffer Underrun Protection. In previous versions of Toast it was in Recorder>Recorder Settings>Advanced.

You might also try reducing the burn speed. If there is an increase in burn time is likely to be negligible and less than the time lost due to failed burns.