SIIG PCI-e Firewire Card: No Alternatives?!

[allen_gibberish]

Hello

I need another buss because I have problems with the M-audio Profire because I also have an RME fireface and the bandwidth is at its limit.

Anyway, I thought, why don't get a card with 3 USB 1 FW800 1 FW400 ?
I need USB too and another FW800 isn't bad.

Like this
http://www.synchrotech.com/products-...re-800_01.html

Than I thought.. Better if I check on DUC to see if there are any restrictions...

That's it: I have to buy this http://www.siig.com/ViewProduct.aspx?pid=999

Another time, I have to spend more to get less.

Thanks Digi, the day you'll understand that Digi has to be compatible to computers not backwards...Long days.

So anyone has suggestions, workarounds?

[allen_gibberish]

is this compatible? http://www.siig.com/ViewProduct.aspx?pn=NN-8US212-S2

I also read a guy who had problems with the SIIG compatible card

Is there a easy, fast, exit way? I want more firewire and don't spend much time and money to get a so "stupid thing" that costed 20$ on pc or even less

now this costs 100$, I'd prefer to buy a plug in for that amount of money...

[bonestonne]

Unfortunately, even the "Digi-Qualified" hardware isn't 100% guaranteed to work. Small, sad fact we have to come to terms with.

Your most reliable bet is doing the following 5 things in order:

1) Research
2) Research more
3) Research even more
4) Pick a reputable retailer (or e-tailer) which has a good return policy
5) Only take chances on buying Firewire cards with Texas Instruments chipsets

- Texas Instruments based Firewire cards are the most successful, although other brands have some models which are confirmed working, but not "Digi-Qualified."

- I don't know about Mac firewire cards, I don't know if they are universal between Macs and PCs, and I don't have a Mac Pro to test it with (I also only use FW interfaces with my MBP).

Texas Insturments chipsets that are most commonly working are the following:
TSB43AB23
TSB43AB22A

While these are most commonly working, there are cases of them not working. Take it with a grain of salt, and do lots of research. I've been able to use Agere based FW cards, and have heard of people having success with VIA as well, however the success rate is much lower, this is also across Macs and PCs, not a specific Mac study or anything.

I'm not sure if I can help you past that, I don't have much more detailed information at all on the subject.

**side note**
If you have a Mac Pro: You can ONLY use PCI-Express based expansion cards. They ARE NOT cross compatible with PCI.
If you have a Power Mac G5 or older: You can ONLY use PCI and PCI-X based expansion cards. Check your Mac to know exactly which.

***PCI-X and PCI-Express are very different interfaces, they are not to be confused.

[spicemix]

I only found the SIIG card reliable in my limited testing. The combo cards are apparently a nightmare.

[allen_gibberish]

Originally Posted by bonestonne

Unfortunately, even the "Digi-Qualified" hardware isn't 100% guaranteed to work. Small, sad fact we have to come to terms with.

Your most reliable bet is doing the following 5 things in order:

1) Research
2) Research more
3) Research even more
4) Pick a reputable retailer (or e-tailer) which has a good return policy
5) Only take chances on buying Firewire cards with Texas Instruments chipsets

Do you know one thing, this was the period around 75 and the first eighties, when arrived the PC compatible thing, the purpose was that every component and every software should have been compatible between each other, obviously with some limitation, but ideally everything should have been compatible.

What happens, happens I pay a manufacturer to build a computer compatible to most of the components, hardware, software, is the manufacturer, payed by me, that should guarantee the maximum compatibility, not me.

Because:

A) A mortal like me, can't afford to buy every component in the market to figure out what works and what not, while manufacturer have agreements that let them have the product for free for testing, I haven't this opportunity.

B) To do that, like you say, research research research, buy stuff, try, put in the garbage, retry and so on, has a cost, in term of time and money, I pay x$ for pro tools x$ for the computer and so on, just because I don't want to lose time and money, I just want to USE stuff, because I am a USER.

C) Where I live there aren't reputable dealer, here the dealers sell you stuff that is not insured it works and if it doesn't work they tell you, ok I send it to the assistance, even the day after you bought it, so you start a beautiful experience where you ask them when your product will come back and after months (I mean 3/4/5 or more months) 9 out of 10 still doesn't work, so you go on claiming with the store until the end of the warranty. That happen with stuff you buy at 1k, try to imagine with a under 100$ thing, they laugh in your face.

- Texas Instruments based Firewire cards are the most successful, although other brands have some models which are confirmed working, but not "Digi-Qualified."

Well, the plural doesn't exist because Digi mention ONE card of ONE brand, if it doesn't satisfy your necessities (like mine, I need USB ports too, possibly) it's not a Digi problem, but usually you are free to choose where spend money, buying what you need, at the price you think is fair.

- I don't know about Mac firewire cards, I don't know if they are universal between Macs and PCs, and I don't have a Mac Pro to test it with (I also only use FW interfaces with my MBP).

That explains precisely what I tried to explain, you don't have the money to have a Mac just to try if it works with this or that chipset, this or that software, following your logic, if you want to switch to mac, you should buy a mac, with X-hardware/software and figure out what is compatible and what not, so you can create in advantage a system compatible for the needs you have.

Texas Insturments chipsets that are most commonly working are the following:
TSB43AB23
TSB43AB22A

While these are most commonly working, there are cases of them not working. Take it with a grain of salt, and do lots of research. I've been able to use Agere based FW cards, and have heard of people having success with VIA as well, however the success rate is much lower, this is also across Macs and PCs, not a specific Mac study or anything.

I'm not sure if I can help you past that, I don't have much more detailed information at all on the subject.

**side note**
If you have a Mac Pro: You can ONLY use PCI-Express based expansion cards. They ARE NOT cross compatible with PCI.
If you have a Power Mac G5 or older: You can ONLY use PCI and PCI-X based expansion cards. Check your Mac to know exactly which.

***PCI-X and PCI-Express are very different interfaces, they are not to be confused.[/QUOTE]

BTW I thank YOU for these informations, but honestly, one thing you find normal, for me is out of the world, doing research is not a USER job.

For me it's even absurd that I have to come in a forum to have support because the avid support center is very complicated, I bought my copy of pro tools used on ebay and I don't find anyway to register my copy, so I can't use the digi email support.

I have an m-audio profire bought new and I have no right to email support because I'm from Italy, and for Italy there is no support.

I've big problems with both, but no way to get support. While with other products I haven't needed support, pro tools and the m-audio card are the two products I own for which I need more support.

So all this isn't against you, you've been very nice in helping me, is against a habit we are starting to be used to testing, research, things that should be included in the price tag you pay when you buy a product.

RME, every RME product are well built and you don't need to test, research, or things like that, they works. The driver come out before that is necessary (like the snow leopard driver released before snow leopard)

Just an example.

Thanks for the rest.

[allen_gibberish]

Originally Posted by spicemix

I only found the SIIG card reliable in my limited testing. The combo cards are apparently a nightmare.

ok, are you sure about this?

Are you referring even to FW800/FW400 combo?

Thanks

[spicemix]

Originally Posted by allen_gibberish

ok, are you sure about this?

Are you referring even to FW800/FW400 combo?

Thanks

I was referring to FW/USB combo. 400/800 shouldn't be a problem theoretically. But the programmer that all these companies hire probably has the SIIG in his home machine. At least that is what it smells like to me.

[allen_gibberish]

well, anyway, this should be ok?

http://cgi.ebay.com/SIIG-NN-FW0012-S...ht_2238wt_1139

or I must take the FW400 card?

edit: uhm probably I will buy this instead.. http://cgi.ebay.com/SIIG-NN-E38012-S...ht_1972wt_1139 costs much more, but I have more possibilities to try different configuration (like the RME in the card and the M-audio to the computer or the opposite) to see which one gives me a more stable performance

p.s. SIIG products in Europe are almost impossible to find...

[bonestonne]

I've done what research I can in such little time (between breakfast and work) and can tell you this:

The SIIG NN-FW0012-S1 does use a TI chipset, and is supposed to be supported by Mac in 10.5 and newer. You could easily use this card and use basic FW800 to FW400 adapters or cables to all of your devices, that would work fine.

The SIIG NN-E38012-S3 also uses a TI chipset, and is supposed to work with 10.4 and newer, with reports on other websites that it works OOTB with Snow Leopard.

But this is also "on paper" and not real world tested, I don't want to say that it will definitey work for you, but I can't give you a reason for why it wont work for you.

M-Audio FW devices do work with 800 to 400 adapters, there's no change in performance at all, I know because I've tested this myself.

I can't really comment on your RME setup because I've never had a chance to work with or even set one up.

[allen_gibberish]

Originally Posted by bonestonne

I've done what research I can in such little time (between breakfast and work) and can tell you this:

The SIIG NN-FW0012-S1 does use a TI chipset, and is supposed to be supported by Mac in 10.5 and newer. You could easily use this card and use basic FW800 to FW400 adapters or cables to all of your devices, that would work fine.

The SIIG NN-E38012-S3 also uses a TI chipset, and is supposed to work with 10.4 and newer, with reports on other websites that it works OOTB with Snow Leopard.

But this is also "on paper" and not real world tested, I don't want to say that it will definitey work for you, but I can't give you a reason for why it wont work for you.

M-Audio FW devices do work with 800 to 400 adapters, there's no change in performance at all, I know because I've tested this myself.

I can't really comment on your RME setup because I've never had a chance to work with or even set one up.

Thank you very much! Just to be clear, what I wrote about "research, etc" wasn't referred to you, you are very kind, I wrote this referred to Digi, because is absurd their user have to be beta tester and "compatibility researcher" they, we, are user

I think I'll buy the second one so I don't have to spend more money in another cable