MBA Thunderbolt port also firewire 800?

[RustProofCorn]

I was looking at a MBA and figured it had a firewire port but nope. can the thunderbolt port with an adapter run a firewire 800 external HDD?

 

[chscag]

No. The Thunderbolt port is compatible with the Mini Display Port but not Firewire or USB. Different signals, different usage.

 

[RustProofCorn]

crap i just barely bought a firewire 800 drive.

 

[RavingMac]

crap i just barely bought a firewire 800 drive.

Sonnet is supposedly coming out with a Thundrbolt to FireWire Adapter, the Allegro FW800. It's on their website, but no availability date.

http://www.sonnettech.com/news/pr2011/pr041111_thunderbolt.html

EDIT: I just reread the release and they have updated to show the Adapter as coming 2Q 2012.

 

[Doug b]

Sonnet will be shipping an adapter in '12 :

The Allegro™ FW800 Thunderbolt™ Adapter enables users to plug in a FireWire® 800 device, including a bus-powered drive, to any computer with a Thunderbolt port. [Ships Q2, 2012]

See here:Sonnet - News & Media

The info is towards the bottom..

Doug

 

[Doug b]

HA! Great minds think alike I guess? Beaten by two minutes!

Doug

 

[RavingMac]

HA! Great minds think alike I guess? Beaten by two minutes!

Doug

Normally I lose these typing races.

 

[Doug b]

I know. That's why I LET you win.

Doug

 

[RavingMac]

I know. That's why I LET you win.

Doug

I'll take a win any way I can get it . . . so thanks.

 

[RustProofCorn]

Also is the 2010 MBA with the geforce 320 a better MBA with the intel 3000? there is a pretty good deal on a refurb in the apple store

 

[dtravis7]

I know this is crazy for most average folk, but I read Anandtech's review on the new 27" Apple Thunderbolt Display. You plug that into the Air and it gives you several USB and Firewire ports in back as well as other features. Just a bit costly and you would have to be on a desk with the display. But still an option for some and a cool way to make the Air a desktop machine when you are not carrying it around.

 

[chscag]

But still an option for some and a cool way to make the Air a desktop machine when you are not carrying it around.

More like turning the "Air" into a very expensive desktop. ;P

 

[dtravis7]

More like turning the "Air" into a very expensive desktop. ;P

True but word has it Apple is headed that direction. I won't say much here right now. It's said that the next Thunderbolt display will also have a Video Card, a FAST video card and that will transform the Air into a way nicer machine with just one Thunderbolt cable plugged into it.