Problem charging iPod, question about firewire/Windows compatibility

[Broohaha]

I bought an iPod a month or two ago for use with Windows. I figured I could make use of XPlay or Ephpod and that they'd work fine. I used the beta of XPlay and it worked alright but I had a problem with the iPod itself. It never charged right. I would set it to charge on the firewire for hours and it would only run for about 10 minutes before it just stopped. Also, I tried charging it on the separate little thing that you can use to charge it remotely and even that did not work. Now, I'm thinking it could have been one of two things: I bought a really, really cheap firewire card. I'm thinking that since it was so cheap, it didn't provide enough power to the iPod. (But then why didn't it work with the remote charger?). Or, it could have been that I am using a third-party firewire cable. I lost the original white Apple one that was included with the iPod and I ordered a different one off eBay.
Well, in addition to that I have another question. I recently purchased a Dell Inspiron 8200 laptop and it has a firewire port but not a 6-pin one. Instead, it has a 4-pin port. So, if I purchased a new 6-pin to 4-pin firewire cable, would it work fine with the iPod? Or would it not be able to, for instance, provide power to the iPod (or some other malfunction)?
Lastly, I've read that Apple is realeasing new iPods that are Windows-compatible. Will there be a way for me to make use of whatever new software or whatever they're releasing on my iPod? Or will I have to still rely on XPlay? Thanks for any help anybody can give me.

 

[Magicthyse]

I'm not sure if the new iPods are significantly different - I very much doubt it. You should be able to upgrade to the Windows software. But best to ask Apple on that one.
As for your power problem - well that is a real problem. The i.Link port does not supply power. The easiest - but the most expensive - solution would be a PCMCIA Firewire adaptor with a standard Firewire plug that supplies power out.

Alternative solutions, AFAIK, will have to be home-made.

 

[corkyg]

Firewire has two types of connectors - 4-wire and 6-wire. The 6-wire carry power, and the 4-wire do not. So, if your iPod has a small plug, it can't charge with that connection - there ain't no incoming voltage. The 4-wire connector on the laptop is for camera input basically. To use it with a device that has a 6-wire function, you must have an external power brick for the device.

I have Firewire and USB 2 installed on all 3 of my systems, including a lappy. The lappy has an external Firewire burner attached with a 4-wire to 6 wire 1394 cable - but the burner must have its power brick connected. With that done, other 6-wire devices can daisy chain off the burner.