FireWire Depot- Guide to 1394 iLink cables and adapters

What FireWire Cable Do I Need

Q: How do I know which cable I need?
A: There are several types of cables available from Firewire Depot.

6 pin cable6 pin cable

6-pin to 6-pin cable. This cable draws power from the FireWire bus and is most commonly used for connecting to devices such as FireWire Hard Drives, FireWire CD-RWs and other 1394 computer peripherals.
6 pin cable4 pin ilink cable

6-pin to 4-pin cable. This cable does NOT draw power from the FireWire bus it is connected to and is usually used to connect to DV Cameras or other self powered devices.
15 pin cable firewire6 pin firewire cable

15-pin to 6-pin adapter. Used to connect to a PCMCIA Cardbus card. The other end of the cable is a standard 6-pin (male) connector for connecting to typical FireWire devices including hard drives and other storage peripherals. Cardbus cards DO NOT provide power to FireWire devices.
15 pin firewire cable4 pin firewire ilink cable

15-pin to 4-pin adapter. Used to connect to a PCMCIA Cardbus card. The other end of the cable is a standard 4-pin (male) connector, most often used to connect to a video camera. Cardbus cards DO NOT provide power to FireWire devices.

About FireWire cables

FireWire cables are available at many electronics stores and may be called IEEE 1394 cables. Cables come in many lengths. Popular lengths are 0.7 meters (m) (2 ft.), 2 m (6.5 ft.), and 4.5 m (15 ft.).

IMPORTANT: Avoid using cables longer than 4.5 m unless you are using it for a DV camera. Your computer and the FireWire device may not perform reliably with longer cables.

There are two types of FireWire connectors, 4-pin and 6-pin. Cables with 6-pin connectors carry power and data from one device to another. Four-pin cables carry data only and are typically used with self-powered camcorders or other devices.

WARNING: Before connecting a 4-pin connector to a FireWire port on a device, align the connector and port carefully. Do not force a connector into a port. Make sure you use the right connector with the right port. The same is true with 6 pin connectors. Make certain the orientation of the cable connector is the same as the FireWire port. NEVER force a cable into an port or your will damage the computer and the FireWire device.

Tip: Some FireWire cables use latching connectors you must pinch when unplugging the connector. If a latching connector does not fit into a port, replace that cable with one that doesn't have a latching connector.

Using FireWire devices with your computer

FireWire is an open industry standard also known as IEEE 1394. If your computer has built-in FireWire, you can use this technology to connect high-speed external devices, such as digital video (DV) cameras, hard disks, printers, and scanners, to your computer.


FireWire also allows you to transfer video images from a DV camera to and from your computer. With video-editing software, you can edit the images and export them to the camera or to another FireWire device.


Here are some key benefits of FireWire:

  • You can connect as many as 63 FireWire devices (including computers) together; you can connect up to 16 devices together in a chain
  • You can connect and disconnect FireWire devices while your computer is turned on.
  • You can transfer information at up to 400 megabits per second (Mbps).
  • There are no identification numbers to set for FireWire devices
  • Some FireWire devices receive their operating power through the FireWire cable and don't need to be connected to a power supply or outlet.

 


Connecting and disconnecting FireWire devices

You can connect as many as 63 FireWire devices (including computers) together. There are multiple ways to connect FireWire devices to your computer:
  • For up to 16 devices, use a chain to connect devices together in a single chain
  • For 17 or more devices, set up the devices in a hierarchy, or tree arrangement.
    Note: You can also use a FireWire hub to connect multiple FireWire devices to your computer.


Connecting a FireWire deviceTo connect a FireWire device to your computer:

  1. If the device came with software, install this software on your computer.
    For more information, see the documentation that came with the device or contact the device manufacturer.
  2. If necessary, connect the FireWire device to a power source.
  3. If your FireWire device does not have an attached FireWire cable, connect one end of a FireWire cable to the FireWire port on the device.
  4. Connect the other end of the cable to the FireWire port on your computer.
    6-pin FireWire port and connector
    Note: Some FireWire cables use latching connectors you must pinch when unplugging the connector. If a latching connector does not fit into a port, replace that cable with one that doesn't have a latching connector.
  5. Turn on the device.
    For more information, see the documentation that came with the device.

You will now be able to use the FireWire device with your computer.


Note: Many devices have a power-on indicator light which lights up to show that the device is properly connected and receiving power.Disconnecting a FireWire deviceNote: Don't disconnect a FireWire device while the device is being used by an application or you may damage the files on that and other FireWire devices.


To disconnect FireWire devices from your computer and from each other:

  1. If you're using files and applications on a FireWire device, save and close the files, then quit all open applications.
    If you don't do this before you disconnect the device, you may damage the files on that device.
  2. Drag the device's icon to the Trash.
    If you don't do this before you disconnect the device, you may damage the files on that device.
  3. Unplug the connector from the FireWire port. Pull the connector, not the cable.


Connecting multiple FireWire devices to your computer

To connect up to 16 FireWire devices to your computer, arrange the devices in a chain. The computer can be anywhere in the chain. For best performance, put the slower devices at the end of the chain.
Slowest device

Note: You can use both FireWire ports to connect devices in a chain. However, if you connect all 16 devices to one FireWire port on your computer, you can't attach anything to the other FireWire port.


If you want to connect a digital video (DV) camera to your computer, connect it directly to a FireWire port on your computer, and not as part of a chain. DV cameras only have one FireWire port.


If you want to connect a fast FireWire device such as a video camera, you can avoid data bottlenecks by simply attaching the device to the other FireWire port on your computer.

If you want to connect 17 or more devices to your computer, you can create a hierarchy, or tree arrangement.

 

Troubleshooting a hierarchy of FireWire devices

When you are connecting devices to your computer, don't make a second connection between two devices that are already part of the tree. The devices will not work properly because the transmission of the second connection is blocked and forms a loop within the tree arrangement. FireWire devices need only one connection to another device to become part of a hierarchy (tree) arrangement.
This cable creates a loop because it connects a device back to the computer.

If you can't tell whether you have a loop, count the number of devices connected and the number of cables between them all. If the number of cables you have is one fewer than the number of devices, you do not have any loops.


If you discover a loop in your arrangement, disconnect one of the cable connectors on a device to break the loop.

Troubleshooting FireWire devices

If you can't connect a cable to the device's FireWire port: Make sure you're using the right kind of cable.


If a device unexpectedly shuts down: There may be a power overload. Disconnect the device immediately to avoid damaging the computer.


If the device is connected to a hub:

  • If the hub has a power cord, make sure the cord is plugged into a working electrical outlet.
  • Make sure the hub's cable is properly connected to your computer.
  • Try plugging the device into a different port on the hub, or into a different hub.


If a device doesn't work or is not available:


Try the following items in order until the device is available:

  • If you are using a software application with the device, quit and restart the application.
  • Make sure all FireWire devices are turned on.
  • Disconnect the device from the FireWire port, then reconnect it.
  • Turn the device off and on.
  • Make sure that you haven't used an individual cable longer than 4.5 meters (15 feet), the maximum cable length for devices you can connect to the computer.
  • Make sure that you've installed any software that came with the device.

 

 

Q: What is the maximum length a FireWire cable can be?
A: The maximum cable length for connecting device to device is 4.5-meters (14.85ft). A 10 meter (32ft) cable may be used in conjunction with a hub/repeater when it is necessary to extend FireWire cables over long distances. You must however have a hub/repeater for every 10 meters (32ft) of FireWire cable.

firewire, 1394, hard disk, cardbus, cables, hub, storage

FireWire Connector

The 6 pin FireWire connector has six contacts, as shown above. The connector pin assignments are shown above.

Table 3-2  Pin assignments on the FireWire connector 
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Blue: TPA +
Orange: TPA -
Green: TPB +
Red: TPB -
White: VP / Voltage + / VCC
Black: GND / Voltage -
Black: S-GND / Over Current / Shielding

The S-GND wire is fatter and can be easily recognized.

Some devices use a cable with pin headers (as shown below):

HEADER CONNECTION GUIDES
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Diagram 1: On most motherboards, the IEEE 1394 header/pinout consists of 9 pins arranged in 2 rows. Please note that, normally, there are 2 VP pins and 2 GND pins.

Diagram 2: Simply plug the connector onto the header, in such that; the color coded wires match correctly with the pin assignments. Please note that only 1 VP pin and 1 GND pin are connected. The additional VP and GND pins are for reserved purpose (no connection required).

The connection of S-GND wire is optional. If your port header does not have a S-GND pin, you can leave the S-GND wire unconnected.

You might have to rearrange the wires to match with the pin assignments, or change the header connector if necessary, depending on the layout of the port header.

 
Note

The maximum voltage on the FireWire power pin on the current iBook computer is lower than that of the previous model.

Pin 2 of the 6-pin FireWire connector is ground for both power and the inner cable shield. If a 4-pin connector is used on the other end of the FireWire cable, its shell should be connected to the wire from pin 2.

The signal pairs are crossed in the cable itself so that pins 5 and 6 at one end of the cable connect with pins 3 and 4 at the other end. When transmitting, pins 3 and 4 carry data and pins 5 and 6 carry clock; when receiving, the reverse is true.

FireWire800 1394

The FireWire800 1394b cable has a new 9 pin connector - some people may confuse the connector with a USB connector, but if you look carefully at the port on a device, you will see there is a distinct difference.