USB or Firewire

[edvardta]

Greetings fellow pod-people.

As a new podder (Got my 40 GB two days ago, and yes, i'm satisfied like hell) using a laptop and only a 4-pins firewire i've realized the disadvantages of not being able to be able to charge and sync at the same time. I have a usb-port, but it seems to be a 1.1. I have pcmcia-card (think thats what it's called) slot on my pc. was planning on filling that with a goodie so i can charge and sync simultaniously

Therefore i got a few q's..I was thinking of getting a 6-pins firewire card, Will that work? or should i get a usb 2.0 card and buy the extra cable and be connected to the power adapter and to the pc? isn't it better to only have one wire and get the power from the pc?

I know these questions have probably been answered before, but please someone give me a decent answer.....


thanks for reading

[ashawley]

PCMCIA card slots still won't provide power to charge the iPod. So, you have two options (well, 3).

1. Get a PCMCIA firewire card that has an external adaptor that will supply power

2. Get a PCMCIA firewire card w/2 6-pin ports. One port connects to the iPod, the other port you connect (w/a 2nd firewire cable) to the iPod's AC adaptor and plug that into an outlet. You'll power the iPod this way

3. Get a PCMCIA USB2.0 card and get the Apple USB cable.

Me, I'd go with option 2.

Adam

[Riceboi]

http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Merchant_Id=&Section_Id=201526&pcount=&Product_Id=148854

here is a firewire card that i used for my laptop....in the manual they ahve specifications for a powered adapter...either way....with or without power...it works great and i would recommend it out of personal experience.

[edvardta]

Thanks for the answers...

will probably go with option number two.

gonna go to a store and pick up the pc-card later today, So freaking annoying not being able to charge....

Anyway thank, an just gotta say congrats to the people running ipodlounge. you're doing a good job. am mighty impressed......

[ozsmac]

it is a shame that the iPod can't pickup charge from USB2. Adam, thanks for saving us all from buying a USB cable, i would have if you didn't let me know it doesn't supply power........

[azure1968]

Further to Adam's option 1 above, does anyone know of a powered PCMCIA firewire card? Or is that still going to have a wire trailing from a power socket, rather than draw power from the laptop itself?

[dmt1]

Laptop cards are unpowered; there is one out there you can plug a power source into--don't know the name of it offhand; if you have two firewire slots, you can run your AC adapter into one, your ipod into the other, and that will power it...

[edvardta]

Just did that...bought a card with two firewire ports and connect them as listed above.....

Works perfect... have had no problems with that..

although i have another problem.....

can someone please help me with this..see other post...