FireWire On My Desktop

[blazer5913]

Hey guys! I am in love with the IPOD, just like all of you, and I am hoping to get one for X-mas (shiny white 20GG 3G). I will be using the dock and Ipod on my desktop (Sony Vaio) and I just want to make sure I've got a Firewire port. Right next to the USB on the front, I have something called an i.Link S400. It looks the same as a firewire port, but isn't called a "firewire port exactly." So I just wanted to make sure this will work. Thanks alot you guys!

[boxlunch]

Hrm, this is a tough one. I'm pretty sure that i.Link is Sony's version of Firewire, and is "mostly" Firewire compatible. The Firewire standard is give under IEEE 1394.

Now, apparently iPods can be a little finiky as to what firewire cards they will communicate with. I have a Pentium 4/W2K system at home, and had problems with a d-link firewire card. So I replaced it with an Apple-approved Adaptec firewire card. The new card cost me C$ 48.00.

For a list of compatible cards, check out http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=93405

FWIW, I bought the Adaptec 4300, works like a charm!

[jhansman]

If you should need to add in a firewire card to you system, you don't need to spend anywhere near what people are paying for Adaptec cards. The cards that use VIA's chipset work perfectly with WinXP, and can be found for as little as $8.50 through Pricewatch. I have one such card in my system and my iPod loves it.

[TheFly]

I use a 2G iPod with my SONY VAIO just fine. That is the firewire port you're talking about. Never had a problem with mine.

[ToddW]

i-Link is the same as IEEE1394. Sony calls it i-Link, Apple calls it Firewire