Firewire frustrations!

[DeadlyKungFu]

I finally picked up a Presonus Firebox, I went to hook it up only to find that my HP laptop only has the 4 pin unpowered firewire port. So I bought a PCMCIA firewire port and that doesn't power the Firebox either, even though it's the 6 pin port version.

So, do I return this and go for a USB device or is there another way out? I'm cool with a PMCIA firewire card but what I really want is a bus powered sound card.

Any advice?

EDIT:
Looks also like the card just isn't usable, there aren't any combinations of sample rate and buffer size that can play without burping.

[stinky]

4pin firewire doesn't power.. you have to have 6 pin for for that.. pcmcia and onboard won't do it, unless it's 6 pin onboard.. sorry.

[DeadlyKungFu]

Thanks for the insight, I had no idea. Deeeyamn!!! PCMCIA doesn't provide power either???!!!

So I guess I'm in the market for a USB 2.0 and I have a $300 return to http://www.robotspeak.com to work with. Money isn't as much of an issue than getting good gear (not that I'm getting RME.)

Nice box from what I can tell, looks and feels better than the pics show. Software looks straightforward too. I was sooo looking forward to some guitar playing with Live too.

[iskandar]

check out this product, esi make decent gear and also good drivers..

http://www.esi-pro.com/viewProduct.php?pid=60&page=1

[DeadlyKungFu]

I think it's the Edirol Ua-25 or UA-101 and I'd hate to downgrade, so the 101?

any opinions?

[frisbeedisk]

can you not just power the Presonus Firebox with it power supply and use the pcmcia(also some pcmcia cards have a power adaptor input for this reason), or are you wanting to do location recording etc where no power points are available?

[rikhyray]

What do you want to use it for exactly. If you want mobile - non PSU solution, get Indigo IO or DJ or both. I personally wouldnt bother about any USB audio.
After using Ozonic last few months,had to use Indigo because of outdoor shooting (german TV filming me doing remix in street Cafe in the middle of frankfurt) was amazed how much better Indigo sounds comparing to M(other f.....) Audio.
Presonus is the best cheap solution and Motu Ultralight if you want quality for less money.
You need quality PCMCIA FW adaptor, no any cheapo but TI chip inside.
Alternative mobile solution- get a Mac.

[Euklid.fox]

Got the same pb with edirol Fa 101.
finallu sold it for an ECHO INGO DJ PCMCIA, only 199 euros
NO fIREWIRE, just plug and play, im so happy 512s latency.
if you don't need lots of input, i suggest you this card or the i/o model.

[stinky]

can you not just power the Presonus Firebox with it power supply and use the pcmcia(also some pcmcia cards have a power adaptor input for this reason), or are you wanting to do location recording etc where no power points are available?

you're right.. but they have to be 6 pin pcmcia to get power from the bus. I would rather do that then have to get a USB drive. Firewire drives have better throughput.

[eyeknow]

This really is just frustrating. It's the number one reason I don't go lappy all the way.

Am I hearing that the usb edirol 2.0 isn't working as an option? Not bus powered?

The option of the mac is something to consider......although not a very reasonable option if you already have the lappy!

[stinky]

anything usb is bus powered

[rikhyray]

How is the Edirol USB 2 ?, actually I would consider it for myself, just remember some complains here, drivers or whatever.

[cashman]

I'm not sure if this will help, but a couple of weeks ago I picked up an Edirol FA-66.
There were problems with it when trying to monitor a mix and when recording a mic in (both in Live), despite my G4 being optimised for Live (power settings, RAM, free HD space etc).

The very helpful assistant at the Sound Centre in Oxford St (basement of Virgin) offered to exchange the unit as it may have been faulty. The replacements were on hold for other customers, but he gave me a really good deal on a Focusrite Saffire LE (which also comes bundled with lots of goodies ).

I got the LE home, plugged it in and it works fine. I'm very happy with it.

I'm new to all this, so the problems I experienced with the FA-66 could well have been to do with my handling of the device, but I Focusrite works and is the one for me!
It has been a little stressful trying to decide which audio interface to get, but it's over now!

Manufacturer's page - http://www.focusrite.com/productdetails ... 3&iRange=5
(can't find Sound Centre's site I'm afraid)

Viva Live!
Viva Focusrite!
Viva Heath from Soundcentre!

[DeadlyKungFu]

Thanks for the replies.

I'd like to get the laptop setup the best I can, completely mobile with 2+ ins and outs. I play guitar, the wife sings and I'd like to be able to play along with other laptops. The mic/line/guitar inputs on a lot of these devices is sexy. I might take my laptop to Robotspeak and sit in a corner while I try out a new card. http://www.robotspeak.com

Even with the Firebox on AC power with the firewire PCMCIA firewire port and buffer settings set to HUGE it still won't play a measure of music without dropping out. This is on a dual core 2GHz HP DV8000 with 1Gb RAM, bummer.

[quandry]

just out of curiousity, did you try ac power to the presonus and just going from the presonus to the 4 pin fw socket on the HP with a 6-to-4 pin fw cable--just wondered if it might work better than the pcmcia card? Also, fwiw, my friends fw alesis multimix8 interface somehow works way better with super-low latencies than higher ones--the low latency setting work great, higher ones crackle like popcorn!

Anyways, I second the opinions that usb audio interfaces are not ideal, but I guess you are down to usb or pcmcia--you might look into the e-mu pcmcia products like:

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/1616Cardbus/

not sure if they can be powered solely from the laptop, worth checking into...