What devices do you have running? However, you do not state which OS/Kernel you are running...
In the lappie I have QueFire! CD/RW (12X) running since last December. Then in turn a Firewire/SCSI converter accesses a SyJet external removable drive. Athlon 1 has a new Orange Micro USB 2.0/1394 combo PCI card. That is running my USB hub and another QueFire! CD/RW (16X). That card came with a driver CD. Athlon2 has a Siig 1394 PCI card, and it is running another QueFire! CD/RW (16X). We do a lot of burning of photo CDRs.
The OS was not stated because it was assumed to be irrelevant since you did not state yours. 🙂 But, it is WinME.
I built a system last year for a friend who is into DV (Sony) and it was my first 1394 installation (PCI Card.) It came with digital video software which he uses regularly and has never had any problems with it. He uses 98SE.