Need creative (i.e. cheap) fix for firewire port problem

M

mooncat

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hi - don't know how often this happens, BUT: the little plastic insulator piece that keeps (i assume) one set of 3 pins from possibly touching the other set of 3 pins in the fireport port has broken off. how? no idea - just found a piece of it in my firewire cable. anyway, the port still works - just wondering what is the likelihood that the firewire plug (which fits aound the outside of these internal pins) could ever cause them to touch and then .... what? nothing? disaster? i might try to carefully fit this plastic piece in again but don't know if it will stay. curious if this has happened to anyone and what options there might be in continuing (safely) to use it:

1) have apple replace the motherboard (NEVER! too expensive - besides, i bought a cardbus adapter that works fine, except for certain things that do need power (my high end digital camera used to get it's juice from the motherboard firewire port but now needs an expensive external battery if i use the cardbus adapter).

2) just use the port - but carefully! i tried to push those pins together and don't think they would touch even with the plug fitted around them and that plastic thing missing.

3) find some clever tech to solder a new firewire port on to the motherboard.

thanks for listening and any helpful suggestions!
 
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i dont have no mac's
how old is the PB? it sounds like you are assuming it is out of warantee. if it is not call up apple and fight for a new one
-chris
 
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K

Kokopelli

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Well you could get a powered hub and connect that to your cardbus FW card.

I have no idea if your bult in port is still safe to use, sorry.
 
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Mac Pro 8x3.0ghz 12gb ram 8800GT , MBP 2.16 2GB Ram 17 inch.
I am guessing that it would not be safe to continue use of your internal firewire, I am not sure though. Did you try to put the plastic piece back in? If you could find somebody who could sodder a new piece back on I wouldn't see a problem with that, just make sure that they line it up with the case so when they put it back together that you can actually get a plug in there. Also don't know about what soddering a new port would do for your apple care protection plan.
 
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Buy a new connector and solder it on. I have the know how, experience and tools. If you're interested pm me.

ed724

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