macbook pro firewire issues

[theo_celano]

hi ive got a brand new 15" macbook pro, the problem is it only has one firewire port. i need both my mbox 2 pro and an external hardrive plugged into firewire. i saw it was not recommended to use a USB 2 external hardrive...

what do you suggest? surely there are lots of users using macbook pros

thanks

[theo_celano]

i didnt search the forums before posting this. sorry

[Obsidian Dragon]

Search for "daisy chain" for connecting multiple firewire devices.

[bikegerm]

Hey Theo... I also have a 15" macbook pro I purchased last march and I'm running a mbox 2 pro. I purchased a sonnet technologies "FireWire/USB ExpressCard/34 (FWUSB2-E34) = $69.95". It has (2) firewire 400 ports and (1) USB port. This way I use the built in firewire 800 port for a firewire 800 hard drive. Then one of the sonnet 400 ports goes to the 400 port on my mbox pro. This way I'm using the 800 port to it's potential and not feeding it the 400 output on the mbox. I also read digi doesn't recommend putting a 400 to 800 cable on the mbox so it put that potential problem to rest.

I'm also running 8.0.3 with Snow Leopard 10.6.2

Later...
Randy

[Obsidian Dragon]

Originally Posted by bikegerm

Hey Theo... I also have a 15" macbook pro I purchased last march and I'm running a mbox 2 pro. I purchased a sonnet technologies "FireWire/USB ExpressCard/34 (FWUSB2-E34) = $69.95". It has (2) firewire 400 ports and (1) USB port. This way I use the built in firewire 800 port for a firewire 800 hard drive. Then one of the sonnet 400 ports goes to the 400 port on my mbox pro. This way I'm using the 800 port to it's potential and not feeding it the 400 output on the mbox. I also read digi doesn't recommend putting a 400 to 800 cable on the mbox so it put that potential problem to rest.

I'm also running 8.0.3 with Snow Leopard 10.6.2

Later...
Randy

The current 15" Macbook Pros do NOT have an ExpressCard slot. Only the 17" model have that now. Previous 15" models (pre unibody I think) did have the ExpressCard slot and both FW400 and FW800 ports too.

[theo_celano]

thanks for the replys. its a massive shame that apple didnt bother with the expresscard slot OR more firewire slots.

has anyone got experience of daisy chaining with this kind of set up? i hope it works ok or ill be seriously upset about shelling out £1200

[Obsidian Dragon]

Originally Posted by theo_celano

thanks for the replys. its a massive shame that apple didnt bother with the expresscard slot OR more firewire slots.

has anyone got experience of daisy chaining with this kind of set up? i hope it works ok or ill be seriously upset about shelling out £1200

Umm, just about every Macbook Pro, IMac, Mac Mini users using a firewire interface for Protools is daisy chaining the hard drive and the interface unless they have a ExpressCard slot for another firewire port. It works. You just might need to get the FW800 (9pin) to FW400 (6 pin)adapter cable.

[theo_celano]

thanks alot for your time, i know this has been covered already but i wanted a bit of confirmation. thanks again