VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

ricevoice · Posted: Fri May 04, 2012 10:15 am Post subject: Installing Firewire Card

So I had to buy a new PC this week, none of my options came with FireWire so I needed to install a FireWire PCIe card. When I installed the card my monitor stopped working... removed the card and the monitor was fine. Any ideas on what could be the reason for this? Did I do something wrong?
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Chris Rice - Noisemaker
www.ricevoice.com

Ghosthendrikson · Joined: 03 May 2012 Posts: 5

Just the most basic advice off the top of my head, make sure the Firewire card and your video card aren't touching each other. If possible keep at least one slot between your vid card and the Firewire card.

Lapianoman · Posted: Fri May 04, 2012 12:31 pm Post subject:

Is your video an add-in card, or integrated into your motherboard? Adding the card into the wrong slot may cause your system to think you're adding a new video card & sending the signal to the firewire card. Hopefully there's more than 1 PCIe slot...

What PC did you buy?
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John LaPiana
Voice User

ricevoice · Posted: Sat May 05, 2012 7:50 am Post subject:

Thanks for the responses. It's a new ASUS CM1740 desktop. There are I believe 4 open slots but only 1 slot that this card fits (PCIe x 1). And it's an integrated video card, so that explanation makes sense.

Now I'm torn between trying another card to try a different port, or just biting the bullet and switching audio interfaces to something USB. I know everyone used to say FireWire was much smoother for audio but I've heard that the newer USB products have improved quite a bit in that area.
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Chris Rice - Noisemaker
www.ricevoice.com

Lapianoman · Posted: Sat May 05, 2012 9:54 am Post subject:

You might be able to use that standard PCI slot. For very little cash, this is actually a decent card: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815265002

I guess I should have asked what card you currently have...not sure if you need FireWire 400 (1394a) or FireWire 800 (1394b).
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John LaPiana
Voice User

ricevoice · Posted: Sat May 05, 2012 11:15 am Post subject:

I'm using FireWire 400. From what I've always read, TI chipsets are the way to go for FireWire for stability and glitch-free recording... it looks like that card you linked has a different type of chipset so I think I'd be concerned about that.

I decided I'm probably better off trying USB than messing around under the hood any more than I already have. I've been using a Focusrite Saffire Pro 24 and have been very happy with it, so I just ordered the new-ish USB version, the Scarlett 8i6. Added bonus: the Scarlett comes with a bundle of plugins to play with! cool

Thanks again for your help!
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Chris Rice - Noisemaker
www.ricevoice.com