ive got two cases with front panel USB/firewire connectors that are going to waste
both have 2xUSB2.0 ports and 1xFirewire1.0
so i thought i should put them to use. for that i need a USB2.0 card (both boards are USB1.0) and a Firewire card (neither board has firewire) and/or a combo card with both.
now the card does no good unless you can hook in some external connectors (for example, this card http://graphics.adaptec.com/aua_4000_600x399.jpg doesnt seem to have any way to hook up a connector that is built into the case).
well ive found lots of cards that seem to have an internal USB connector (examples: http://graphics.adaptec.com/aua_5100_600x394.jpg, http://www.siig.com/product.asp?catid=18&subcatid=47&pid=356). im familiar with this method, as i have an HP computer with one of those USB cards with an internal connector. a USB cable goes from that internal connector to the front panel USB ports
my questions:
1. a case with built in front usb ports usually has a cable made to connect to tiny pins on the motherboard. how do i convert that 8 pin connector back to a normal USB cable to plug into the internal USB port on the PCI card? (similarly, is there a converter for the firewire pin connector to normal firewire? http://www.siig.com/product.asp?catid=1&subcatid=46&pid=331)
2. my HP only has one internal USB port, but it goes to two front panel USB ports. how does one port become two ports? and will the one port on these PCI cards work with the two front panel ports on my cases?
3. finally, id rather just get one card that does USB2.0 and firewire (buying it separately would probably be more expensive anyway and take up more PCI slots). adaptec has a combo card (http://graphics.adaptec.com/AUA_3020_board_600x440.jpg), but no internal connectors on it. i found this one by SIIG (http://www.siig.com/product.asp?catid=1&subcatid=29&pid=297), and this seems to be the only reasonably priced one at newegg any comments on these cards or on SIIG/zonet in particular? any other products companies you guys know of?
thanks
~Zippy!
p.s. should i care about loading this on the PCI bus?
Update: ok i found this one http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=15-104-223&depa=0 at newegg that seems to have the pin headers on the card itself which would make things much easier. but it seems to be the only one i have found like that so far with the pins. why is this so rare?
both have 2xUSB2.0 ports and 1xFirewire1.0
so i thought i should put them to use. for that i need a USB2.0 card (both boards are USB1.0) and a Firewire card (neither board has firewire) and/or a combo card with both.
now the card does no good unless you can hook in some external connectors (for example, this card http://graphics.adaptec.com/aua_4000_600x399.jpg doesnt seem to have any way to hook up a connector that is built into the case).
well ive found lots of cards that seem to have an internal USB connector (examples: http://graphics.adaptec.com/aua_5100_600x394.jpg, http://www.siig.com/product.asp?catid=18&subcatid=47&pid=356). im familiar with this method, as i have an HP computer with one of those USB cards with an internal connector. a USB cable goes from that internal connector to the front panel USB ports
my questions:
1. a case with built in front usb ports usually has a cable made to connect to tiny pins on the motherboard. how do i convert that 8 pin connector back to a normal USB cable to plug into the internal USB port on the PCI card? (similarly, is there a converter for the firewire pin connector to normal firewire? http://www.siig.com/product.asp?catid=1&subcatid=46&pid=331)
2. my HP only has one internal USB port, but it goes to two front panel USB ports. how does one port become two ports? and will the one port on these PCI cards work with the two front panel ports on my cases?
3. finally, id rather just get one card that does USB2.0 and firewire (buying it separately would probably be more expensive anyway and take up more PCI slots). adaptec has a combo card (http://graphics.adaptec.com/AUA_3020_board_600x440.jpg), but no internal connectors on it. i found this one by SIIG (http://www.siig.com/product.asp?catid=1&subcatid=29&pid=297), and this seems to be the only reasonably priced one at newegg any comments on these cards or on SIIG/zonet in particular? any other products companies you guys know of?
thanks
~Zippy!
p.s. should i care about loading this on the PCI bus?
Update: ok i found this one http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=15-104-223&depa=0 at newegg that seems to have the pin headers on the card itself which would make things much easier. but it seems to be the only one i have found like that so far with the pins. why is this so rare?
