Audigy and Firewire

[docabel]

I am looking to add a firewire port to my computer so that I can do some video editing. The SB Audigy series seems like a nice fit because it would upgrade my existing SB Live sound card while giving me the added flexibility of an included firewire port.

The question is, would I get any better performance or other gains if I installed another type of firewire port, or will the performance be the same as I will find on the Audigy card.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts/opinions.

 

[vetteguy]

Since it is a standard firewire port I don't see why there would be any difference. I have an Audigy Platinum and use the front FireWire without a problem.

 

[Mem]

Performance should be about the same with the Audigy firewire port,so if you`re thinking of going with a fireport it would give you that plus a better sound card over your SB Live.

 

[nortexoid]

i heard that the audigy's firewire port isn't powered...if so, that's garbage...what's the deal?

 

[paralazarguer]

it is powered.

 

[bacillus]

Originally posted by: 7757524
it is powered.

but limited to 2W!

 

[nortexoid]

Originally posted by: bacillus

Originally posted by: 7757524
it is powered.

but limited to 2W!

what are most firewire cards limited to?

 

[paralazarguer]

I'm not sure where you pulled that number from but the port is a standard IEEE1394 port. You can read tom's article on the port here and they are clearly powering hard drives from it. IEEE1394 is not the same standard is USB 1 or 2 where you have powered and unpowered ports. ALL firewire ports are powered. It's the standard. In fact, the offer about 4 times the ammount of power as USB2.0. That's one reason they're so popular. There is a great article right here which clearly states that you don't need an external power adapter.

 

[paralazarguer]

I just plugged my Fathers camcorder into this audigy platinum. There is no battery in the camera but it can operate completely from the power of IEEE1394 from the audigy platinum. This is the same card as any other audigy just with the breakout box. Same on the front or the back. It has plenty of power.

 

[Pariah]

"ALL firewire ports are powered."

No they aren't, only 6 pin connectors are. 4 pin are not.

 

[paralazarguer]

That's true. I should have said that all full sized firewire ports are powered. The audigy uses a full sized (6 pin) port.

 

[paralazarguer]

Since it is a standard firewire port I don't see why there would be any difference. I have an Audigy Platinum and use the front FireWire without a problem.

Performance should be about the same with the Audigy firewire port,so if you`re thinking of going with a fireport it would give you that plus a better sound card over your SB Live.

Unfortunately the performance isn't the same. The firewire is controlled using the DSP. It's a powerful little chip. Tomshardware benched the firewire in the audigy compared to a stand alone card and found that the performance was inferior but still acceptable.
"We carried out file transfers to test the Audigy processor's ability to handle the data from the FireWire port. With a FireWire card using the Lucent FW323-04 processor, copying 100 Mb onto the disc took 15 seconds. With the Audigy card, the same operation took 22 seconds. So you can't expect full output from the FireWire using the Creative system. "

 

[vetteguy]

Interesting. Well, even so, it works great for me, I transferred 700MB last night in about a minute-minute and a half, wasn't really counting, but it's very fast. Plus, it doesn't require a separate firewire card.

 

[Mem]

but limited to 2W!

Review I read said that as well,

The limitation, I gather, appears to be that the port can supply up to 2 Watts of power. This means that if you connect a high-power device such as a hard disk or CD-ROM which isn't powered separately, it may not function. Hopefully, this shouldn't affect compatibility with digital camcorders and they have their own power supply.

Link.

 

[paralazarguer]

I don't know about that source. every review that I've read has used hard drives powered from the port. It definiltely works well enough to power a hard drive. This source you linked to also states that the audigy can record at 24bit/96khz/100db so I'd take what they say with a grain of salt.

 

[paralazarguer]

The audigy drive has it's own power lead in so I wonder if the firewire port on this has more power. Anyone able to find anything on that?

 

[bacillus]

Originally posted by: 7757524
I don't know about that source. every review that I've read has used hard drives powered from the port. It definiltely works well enough to power a hard drive. This source you linked to also states that the audigy can record at 24bit/96khz/100db so I'd take what they say with a grain of salt.

if you read the pdf it clearly states the maximum power output is 2W!

 

[paralazarguer]

I was referring to their statement that it only works with "a few select devices." and they suggest that it won't power hard drives. It will and it works with everything I've heard of. What they should have said is that it's only been tested and certified for a few select devices. It powers a hard drive fine.

 

[Mem]

It actually says

This means that if you connect a high-power device such as a hard disk or CD-ROM which isn't powered separately, it may not function

So the only way to find out is to test all HD,CD-roms which would be virtually near to impossible,it does not say it will not work but there`s a small chance some devices might not work properly,nick picking here but that`s how I read it.

 

[paralazarguer]

link: apparently, Most firewire cards provide 15watts. I've been looking at the specs on a lot of firewire hard drives and all but one had less then 2 watts needed. One needed 2.5 +0.5watts. Shouldn't be a problem. I think the audigy platinum's front port would have more power but I'll look into that.

 

[paralazarguer]

well, I opened up the manual for the audigy (pdf) and started reading. This is what I came up with:

"The SB1394 port provides easy high-speed connectivity to NOMAD portable digital audio players, external CD-RW drives and other IEEE 1394 compatible devices like DV Camcorders, printers, scanners, and digital still cameras."

"Compiant to IEEE 1394a specification"

"supports up to 63 IEEE 1394 compatible devices in a daisy-chain configuration"

"The 6-pin SB1394 connector/port has a 2 watt maximum power output. Connect only one high power usage device such as the IEEE 1394 hard disk and IEEE 1394 hard disk and CD-RW drive to this port unless it is self-powered."

The way I read the above is that this port will work with ANY firewire device. That's what it says. It's compliant with the specification and every device must work with the spec. It also says that it will power any ONE device but if you're going to use more you need external power. I'm not sure what it means when it says "IEEE 1394 hard disk and IEEE 1394 hard disk and CD-RW drive" Do they mean a combo drive or what? Weird...

 

[Mem]

More info here,

SB1394-Certified / Compatible Devices

Manufacturer Model Status
Digital Camcorder

Canon ZR-10 SB1394 Certified
Canon ZR-20 SB1394 Certified
Canon ZR-25MC SB1394 Certified
Canon ZR-30MC SB1394 Certified
Canon CA-910 SB1394 Certified
Canon DM-GL1A SB1394 Certified

Storage
Creative ED2400 CD-RW Blaster 24.10.40 External (USB1.1/SB1394) SB1394 Certified
Maxtor 40 GB External 1394 HD FWRA040PRX01 SB1394 Certified
Maxtor 60GB Maxtor Personal Storage 3000DV-Y01FWR060 SB1394 Certified
Maxtor 80GB Maxtor External Storage X01FWRA080 SB1394 Certified
Western Digital Firewire Hard Drive 20GB WD200A001 SB1394 Certified
Western Digital Firewire Hard Drive 30GB WD300A001 SB1394 Certified
Western Digital Firewire Hard Drive 60GB WD600A001 SB1394 Certified
Western Digital Firewire Hard Drive 80GB WD800A001 SB1394 Certified




SB1394 Compatible Products
Manufacturer Model Status
Digital Camcorder

JVC GRDVL-805U SB1394 Compatible
Panasonic PV-DV600 SB1394 Compatible
Sharp VL-SD20 SB1394 Compatible
Sony DCR-PC5 SB1394 Compatible
Sony DCR-PC100 SB1394 Compatible
Sony DCR-TRV20 SB1394 Compatible
Sony DCR-PC100E SB1394 Compatible
Sony DCR-TRV720E SB1394 Compatible

Storage

Bell Stor 30GB Firewire HD Eclipse 7200 RPM SB1394 Compatible
BUFFALO Harddisk DIL-20GVA SB1394 Compatible
EZQuest CDR/W 8X4XX32 Firewire Ext SB1394 Compatible
QPS 1394 8x4x32 CDRW SB1394 Compatible
Sony Spressa i.LINK CRX1600L CD-RW SB1394 Compatible
FANTOM Drive 45 GB Hard Disk Drive 7200 RPM SB1394 Compatible
La Cie Pocket Drive 20GB MK2016GAP SB1394 Compatible
New Motion Firewire Enclosure for 2½" Harddisk SB1394 Compatible
New Motion Multi-ibay, Firewire Enclosure for 5¼" ATAPI Interface (CD/CDRW/DVD Drive) SB1394 Compatible
New Motion Multi-iBay, Firewire Enclosure for 3½" Harddisk SB1394 Compatible
Power Drive 2½" Harddisk Interface SB1394 Compatible
Vault Firewire Enclosure for 3½" Harddisk SB1394 Compatible
VST Firewire 30GB Hard Drive FWFH45 SB1394 Compatible


Important Note:
1. Devices listed as SB1394-certified have successfully completed Creative's comprehensive evaluation of technical performance, relaibility and user convenience. These devices are awarded with Creative's official seal of SB1394 Certification.

2. Devices listed as SB1394-compatible have passed the SB1394 evaluation scheme but have not completed the SB1394 certification process.

link .

 

[paralazarguer]

Yeah so it runs 80 gig hard drives and enclosures for desktop hard drives and the works. I don't think power is an issue unless you're daisy chaining.

 

[Pariah]

Originally posted by: 7757524
Yeah so it runs 80 gig hard drives and enclosures for desktop hard drives and the works. I don't think power is an issue unless you're daisy chaining.

There is no way you are powering any enclosure with a HD in it with 2W of power. There are very few bus powered peripherals for firewire. The only bus powered HD's I've seen are the Que! M3 which use laptop hard drives. I don't think even those would work on 2W. The firewire port is capable of 60W with most standard cards supplying around 12W per port which is enough for a mobile hard drive.

 

[Mavrick007]

Can you use both firewire ports at the same time on the Audigy Platinum?
Or does it only use one at a time? Or Can you use both but it only defaults to front or back depending on if both are plugged in?
Does the Audigy OEM have a connector on the card for external firewire or is it just off of the back of the card?