Firewire or USB 2?

[snidy1]

I know that firewire is better for video, but what about for an external hard drive?

 

[John]

Firewire should still be a little faster.

 

[Corporate Thug]

firewire

 

[WackyDan]

Firewire.

 

[warcrow]

Firewire has more bandwidth in real world usage (ignore the specs), I have both, and Firewire doesnt require a PC to be present. You can x-fer data from device to device is applicable.

 

[arsbanned]

Firewire.

 

[JustAnAverageGuy]

FireWire

Better yet

FireWire800

 

[jdogg707]

Originally posted by: JustAnAverageGuy
FireWire

Better yet

FireWire800

 

[warcrow]

Originally posted by: JustAnAverageGuy
FireWire

Better yet

FireWire800

awwww yea! FW800!

 

[jdogg707]

dp

 

[MDE]

Firewire is engineered for sustained transfers where USB is more for bursts. FireWire by far.

 

[snidy1]

Thank's

 

[Abhi]

Originally posted by: MDE
Firewire is engineered for sustained transfers where USB is more for bursts. FireWire by far.

 

[Arcanedeath]

Fire Wire =) Guess I'll join the crowd, but using Ghost and an external 2.5" HDD enclosure that has both USB 2.0 and Firewire, I ghosted my entire laptops HDD (aprox 15 gigs worth of data) and when using firewire it went quite a bit faster. So chalk one up for real world usage w/ FW. Hope this helps...

 

[Channeledbymodem]

Originally posted by: warcrow
Firewire has more bandwidth in real world usage (ignore the specs), I have both, and Firewire doesnt require a PC to be present. You can x-fer data from device to device is applicable.

Does this mean you can connect a mini-dv camcorder directly to an external Firewire drive in order to transfer video? I don't know how that could be done. But if this isn't possible what kind of "device to device" transfer is possible?

 

[Channeledbymodem]

Originally posted by: warcrow
Firewire has more bandwidth in real world usage (ignore the specs), I have both, and Firewire doesnt require a PC to be present. You can x-fer data from device to device is applicable.

Does this mean you can connect a mini-dv camcorder directly to an external Firewire drive in order to transfer video? I don't know how that could be done. But if this isn't possible what kind of "device to device" transfer is possible?

 

[Eug]

Originally posted by: Channeledbymodem

Originally posted by: warcrow
Firewire has more bandwidth in real world usage (ignore the specs), I have both, and Firewire doesnt require a PC to be present. You can x-fer data from device to device is applicable.

Does this mean you can connect a mini-dv camcorder directly to an external Firewire drive in order to transfer video? I don't know how that could be done. But if this isn't possible what kind of "device to device" transfer is possible?

No you can't connect a Firewire camcorder to a Firewire hard drive and expect it to work. However, you can connect a Firewire DV cam to a standalone Firewire DVD/hard drive recorder and it will work fine.

 

[pukemon]

IEEE1394/Firewire/i.Link, whatever they want to call it is generally better on technical merit as well as real world performance.

I'm just waiting for the dumb@ss that's gonna say USB2.0 is faster because its 480mb vs 400mb...

 

[Eug]

Originally posted by: pukemon
IEEE1394/Firewire/i.Link, whatever they want to call it is generally better on technical merit as well as real world performance.

I'm just waiting for the dumb@ss that's gonna say USB2.0 is faster because its 480mb vs 400mb...

My cheapie Firewire card has recently been acting funny so I decided to splurge and get the best of all worlds.

USB 2.0+FireWire+GigaLAN Combo PCI adapter

Well, no Firewire 800, but oh well. It should be good enough for this old BX motherboard.

 

[randomlinh]

BX?!?!?!? heh.. both mine fried after long time use....

 

[TechnoPro]

I use an external USB 2.0 HDD for work and asked myself the same question prior to buying it. Indeed, as far as speed goes, Firewire wins. However, in reviewing my needs, I realized that I would be connecting this drive to older machines that had no Firewire ports. So if you do plan on using this drive on machines other than your own or those that may not be equipped with Firewire, I would reccomend the USB 2.0 or the combo kind.

 

[SUOrangeman]

Eug-

I'm trying to wait for a FW800+USB2 card. Granted, I don't have a need for either right now.

Wouldn't the Gb interface on that card saturate the entire 32-bit/33Mhz PCI bus? I don't know if I'd get that card with the intent of using gB, unless it also functions as a 64/66 card.

-SUO

 

[Eug]

Originally posted by: SUOrangeman
Eug-

I'm trying to wait for a FW800+USB2 card. Granted, I don't have a need for either right now.

Wouldn't the Gb interface on that card saturate the entire 32-bit/33Mhz PCI bus? I don't know if I'd get that card with the intent of using gB, unless it also functions as a 64/66 card.

-SUO

I'm only getting it because my BX mobo doesn't have USB 2, Firewire, or LAN. Right now just to use LAN and Firewire I'm using up my last two PCI slots. I'm not concerned so much about Gigabit Ethernet so much as just the fact it has LAN at all. Assuming everything works on this card then I can actually add all three protocols and free up a port. (The triple combo card cost about $20 extra compared to other name-brand USB 2-Firewire dual combo cards.)

I will have to test the Gigabit Ethernet to see how fast it really is though, just for fun. I don't have a Gigabit router, but I do have a laptop with Gigabit Ethernet.

By the way, in addition to me Gigabit Ethernet laptop, I do have USB 2.0 and Firewire 400 peripherals. I don't have any Firewire 800 peripherals, and figured I can forego the Firewire 800 support, esp. since the Firewire 800 to Firewire 400 adapter cables cost extra.

 

[Eug]

This SIIG combo card is recommended.

I've now got Firewire 400, USB 2, and Gigabit Ethernet all running off one PCI slot on this ancient (1998) motherboard.

 

[corkyg]

I have and use both - and IMHO, Firewire is better - more reliable. And if you have Firewire B - it's no contest.