Combo USB2/Firewire cards vs. Firewire alone (Name brand vs. Generic)

[Eug]

I'm getting an external Firewire HD and external Firewire Compact Flash reader for my PC and iBook.

Should I just get a cheapie 1394A Firewire card now or should I spend the extra bux on a combo USB 2/Firewire card? What's a good combo card that ain't too expensive?

For the Firewire-only card I can go name brand for about US$50 to $60, but there is this Xtend 3000 card that's available for about US$25. I believe it's 1394A unless someone else knows differently.

I'm not sure if it's this one.

Also, anyone know where in Canada I can order a front panel for the ports?

PC Desktop: Win 2000, 256 RAM, Asus P2B with Celery.
Lexar Firewire CF reader
Dunno which external Firewire drive yet, but it might be a non-powered non-portable one, so I definitely need a card with 6-pin powered outputs.

 

[bluemax]

If you *need* firewire, you could use that as perfect justification to move up to a SB Audigy card w/ its onboard firewire port.
If you do find a combo card that's not too expensive, I'd get that- only because I think we'll see a lot more USB 2.0 devices than firewire...

 

[Eug]

<< If you *need* firewire, you could use that as perfect justification to move up to a SB Audigy card w/ its onboard firewire port.
If you do find a combo card that's not too expensive, I'd get that- only because I think we'll see a lot more USB 2.0 devices than firewire... >>


Hmm... I'd get the audigy but it only has one port, and I already have a Sound Blaster Live! Platinum with the drive bay connector thingy for MIDI.

 

[Vegito]

heres an expensive one

usb2 + pci orange micro

 

[Eug]

<< heres an expensive one

usb2 + pci orange micro >>



Yep that's too rich for my blood.