Firewire: Internal vs PCIe vs ExpressCard?

[nikki-k]

Hi!
For those using firewire based Digi devices (002, 003, Mbox2 Pro), has anyone compared performance of internal/onboard firewire ports vs using a PCIe or ExpressCard firewire solution? If so, what Digi device, what card, and what did you find?

If someone had a Mac Pro, and say, a MacBook Pro, and wanted to use an Mbox2 Pro, it would be interesting to see if a PCIe firewire card would be of benefit, and if an ExpressCard firewire would provide better pperformance with the MBP.

Further, if using an ExpressCard firewire, has anybody tried that with a firewire Digi device and a firewire external drive? If yes, which way did it perform better: Digi device on internal/on-board, or via the ExpressCard? Or is a MBP user better off with the firewire Digidevice on the 400 port, and then using an ExpressCard eSATA portable drive solution instead?

I am trying to put together a "pre sales" article for those contemplating upgrading their Digi hardware, starting off with LE and a Mac, or those considering upgrading their Mac to one of the current Intel batch, and want to be able to provide as much info as possible, based on real world experience from as many users as possible. Would hate to try this myself, draw a conclusion, only to find I was simply very lucky while most users find the opposite of what I might find.

Thx!!!

[sky88dd]

Early last year, I decided to get a new computer(Dual G5 PPC) and had to upgrade my 001 to the 002R.
I've pretty much tried all the combination of fw ports on my computer with the 002 and the external drive but still getting error messages and interrupts.
I have gone through all the steps in the troubleshooting thread by myself and with a few digi techs.
Then I got the SIIG firewire pcie card and it just worked.
I can plug the external drive on the card with the 002(tried the mbox2 pro as well)plugged to the computer or vice versa.
I was struggling with my setup like a lot of people are and I strongly recommend the fw card.
Hope that helps.

[Forum Member LE]

I think the problem will be that most who have used multiple scenario's will be like sky88dd, trying to get the system to run so they will only have one way that worked.
The there's also teh classic I tried everything then one day it started to work.