Mbox Pro and FW400/FW800 external HD and more...

[Zakazastar]

Hi guys

Former Cubase user here. I bought Mbox 3 Pro + Pro Tools 10 (installing and connecting time tommorrow!). I hope it works...

Please can you help me with this:

1) Mbox Pro is FW400. But it connects to my iMac i7 through FW800 adapter. How does iMac perceive it? Does iMac "think" that it was connected with FW800 device or FW400 device?

2) I am about to buy external HD for audio sessions. OWC or Glyph. I see that all OWC drives "recommended by AVID" are FW400: http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/firew...W800_FW400_USB. Should I still go for FW800 even if drive is not directly recommended by AVID? I love many channels, I need some speed.

3) Is Oxford chipset number important (i.e. Oxford 934, 924, 911...)? I don't find OWC or Glyph external FW800 drive with precisely the same Oxford chipset that is reccomended by AVID.

4) I got confused by articles like this: http://www.m-audio.com/index.php?do=...89704091cab226

I will use Mbox Pro interface + PT10. Does this "conflict" with either FW800 or FW400 external hard drive? Should I avoid any of those and go for USB.3?

I am not going to use daisy chain.

My iMac has two Thunderbolt connection slots (it can be turned into FW800) + four USB.3 slots.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HELP!

[Darryl Ramm]

If you are buying a Firewire drive buy a FW800 drive. FW400 are vintage slow junk by comparison. Make sure it is a 7200 rpm or faster drive or an SSD (Samsung 840 Pro or Micron SSD recommended).

Any Oxford chipset is fine.

Hang the Firewire drive and interface on separate Firewire busses using two separate Thunderbolt to Firewire adapter. Or just get a USB3 or Thunderbolt HDD or SSD and skip Firewire altogether. It really matters what exact drive is inside the enclosure, not just the interface specs. A hugh-end SSD or HDD @ 7200 rpm and no "green" drives with funky power management (esp. no WDC Caviar Green drives).


Darryl

[Zakazastar]

Thank you very much for very clear answer. Appreciate that!