ASUS A7S333 and firewire capability, please help me

[verytasty]

Yes, I read the "official" a7s333 thread. But here is my question. On the ASUS page it says there are 3 "optional" IEEE-1394 ports. I called at least 5 computer stores today and some of them told that firewire was not possible with this board. Others said that I had to buy an optional connector which they do not sell.

I'm scratching my head and pulling my hair out because I just want a simple question answered. Does the ASUS a7s333 have on-board firewire or not? And if I have a computer case that has a front USB/1394/audio panel, will this motherboard allow me to connect it properly or not??

Someone please help me before I go insane!!!!!!!!!!

BTW, the specs for my USB/1394/audio connector are at http://www.evercase.com/pdf.doc/4252_USB_pin.doc

 

[verytasty]

someone has to know the answer!

 

[mechBgon]

Ok, look at your board. About 1cm below the floppy connector, your board will have three rows of solderpoints, or else three thin white connectors. If you have solderpoints, no FireWire. If you have connectors, you do have FireWire. And if you do, you can compare the pinout to the diagram for your connector.

I can't reach the URL you gave for the diagram, but here's what I would do, if my board had FireWire connectors but the pinout was wrong:

1) label each of the wires in the connector with their function
2) use a needle to depress the prong that holds the wires into the connector, and remove them carefully
3) plug the now-empty plastic connector into the motherboard
4) look at the motherboard's pinout and plug the wires into the plastic connector in the proper position, one wire at a time, making sure their prongs are facing the direction that will engage to hold them into the connector

Good luck. As you saw in the official thread, there are boards coming along with no connectors on them.

 

[VotTak]

The answer is on your board and ASUS site.
Site says that it is optional.
So liik at your board and in case you got connectors than you got firewire.

 

[VotTak]

Looks like I'm too slow

 

[verytasty]

I just spoke with a CS rep at newegg and a lady, who did not seem knowledgeable at all, told me that this is the difference:

Retail versions of this mobo come with firewire capability
OEM versions do not come with firewire capability

Since newegg sells OEM, then they don't support it.

Can anyone confirm or deny the difference between retail and oem verisions of this motherboard?

 

[mechBgon]

Did you look at your board to see if the connectors are there or not? Refer to page 5 of your manual, they are indicated as connector #11 in the picture.

 

[Hendrik]

Mine doesn't have firewire capability - and it's a retail board bought from Mwave.

I'd say by default they don't have firewire.

 

[verytasty]

Mech, I have not yet bought the board yet. I want to make sure that there is firewire capability before I make a purchase.. Just trying to see if anyone here knows how I can get a firewire-enabled board for sure.

 

[mechBgon]

Ohhh, ok. Good luck, I don't have any leads on one myself.

 

[Wildmana]

Check out the MSI 745, i think it has Firewire. I have the A7S333 and it doesn't have nutin.....

 

[verytasty]

Wildmania, I saw the specs for the MSI 745 and it looks promising. But it also says "optional 1394.." how can i ensure that I get firewire capability? Will it support front panel firewire ports?

 

[Toxy24]

Just a short information that is true for Germany at least: The MSI bord WITH FireWire onboard has the designation MSI 745 Ultra-E instead of MSI 745 Ultra!

I didn't find auch a difference for the A7S333, but I won't give up looking!

Toxy24

 

[Peter]

It's a manufacturing option folks.

Another contestant: PC-Chips M846FLR.

http://www.pcchips.com.tw/M846FLR.html

FireWire and LAN are, as with the others, manufacturing options.

regards, Peter

 

[asveepay]

I've been doing research on this board as well, and it seems as though firewire only comes on the a7v333's that have RAID. at least, all the ones i've seen listed with raid also list IEEE 1394, whereas the non-raid ones don't mention it.