Add-on 1394
 

Well I am wanting to add fire-wire to a computer that does not have it. This computer is a 2 yr old acer. The mobo may have it but I don't have any manual and from what I can tell there is not any where on the mobo to install it.

I am looking for a 1394 PCI(not PCI-E) add-on card. Which is easy to find. Lots of them. But I want to be able to connect stuff up to the front of the PC. Like I already do with usb and etc. But I can not find a card that has the front panel attachment. All of them have internal fire-wire ports. But that does not really help me out. As all the separate front panels do not have fire-wire ports on them. Its just a block of wires to hook to a mobo.

If anyone has a good idea of how to fix this issue please let me know. I need to burn some videos from my camcorder so I gotta have this issue fixed by the middle of the week so time is of the essence. If I do not find a better option I will just order the standard one and hook it up on the back but I would rather not.

Thanks Smackre,

Wait, people still use firewire?

If you're insistent on getting this to work, you'll need something like this.

we use firewire more than USB when it comes to footage...


just sayin'

Look on your motherboard for a 1394 header. It will probably be labeled, and I'd be very surprised for it to not have one if it's only 2 years old. If it's not labeled, google for the motherboard number and find a schematic.

---------- Post added at 02:32 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:23 PM ----------

Edit: I just searched newegg for 'internal firewire' and the first hit is an $8 card with one internal header and one external port, the second hit is a $10 card with one internal and two external. Both are in stock. Where did you look exactly that they were hard to find?

Newegg.com - internal firewire

For high-end multimedia applications, sure. In home use? Not so much.

Tele those cards do not give me a firewire port on the front of my PC. Just one on the back and one inside the case. I want one on the front.

Wait, you mean you don't already have a front panel firewire port?

In that case, you'll want something like this.

just get a 1394 extension cable and velcro it to the top of the tower by the front and run it back to the card... problem solved

That might be alittle bit of a eye sore jstrider. The mobo has a spot labeled 1394 but there is no pins. Must of been a option that was not included in this model of the mobo. I think its crazy to think there is no firewire card that has exactly what I am looking for. Very surprising.

I would go with the product that Martian listed, those are really nice and can be bought in a variety of ports for your computer. I use one on my home PC for when I need to get pictures off of my camera, as I lost the USB cord a while ago. They are really simple to install and only needs an empty 5 1/4 bay, which most PCs have. You can even get them with 3 1/2 floppy drive as part of the port combo.

Make sure your motherboard can handle all of those extra ports, you may have to buy the 1394 card along with this. Aside from cutting a hole in your PC and running a cable to it, this is your best bet.

The headers on the cards I linked you to are exactly what you need to connect your front panel to. Buy a front panel with a firewire jack, and connect it.

Here is one, for $8, from newegg for a search for 'front firewire':

Newegg.com - Koutech KW-F7771-B FireWire 1394a + USB 2.0 Combo Internal Front Bay Connector Module - Controller Panels

If you don't have an open 3.5" external bay, you'll need a 5.25" to 3.5" converter like one of these:

That is what I am planning on doing telekinetic. But I am also going to need a special cord to do that. Martin gave me a link to a place to get one.

The one I linked to you comes with the cord...

My motherboard does not have 1394 on it. So that cord does not work. I would need to add a pci card with 1394. And those do not have the connection that the one you linked has.

This front panel connector:
Newegg.com - Koutech KW-F7771-B FireWire 1394a + USB 2.0 Combo Internal Front Bay Connector Module - Controller Panels

Plugs into this PCI card:
Newegg.com - SYBA IEEE 1394a FireWire PCI Card with Internal 9-pin Header Model SD-VIA-FW1E1H - Add-On Cards

With the included cable, right here:

http://imgur.com/ZYfDd.jpg

I searched for 30mins on newegg for one with those ports. The one I ordered didn't have that on it :-(