Is my firewire card dead?

[sygnin]

Please choose the appropriate forum for this topic. Thank you. Hi

I bought a firewire card to connect my 2nd gen 10G Ipod to my PC. The first time I plugged it in, the Ipod started to charge, but it did not sync with Itunes.

I read an article that led me to believe I might have somehow damaged the port, so I tried another port, and it worked. It worked fine for about 3 weeks, and then yesterday, it stopped.

I plugged in the Ipod before turning the computer on. Usually, Windows 2K would boot up and Itunes would launch and the sync would occur. I would also see a little icon on the bottom right of the system tray indicating a firewire device was active.

Since yesterday, when I plug in the Ipod, it continues to charge, but Itunes does not launch. The little icon (which looks like a grey dot with a green arrow I think) is also missing from my system tray.

I tried connecting the cable to the other ports in the firewire card but this didn't make any difference.

My question is: Is my firewire card dead? I find it odd since the pod can charge, but Win 2K does not seem to recognize the plugged-in device at all, although it recognizes the card itself if I look under Control Panel > System

[sygnin]

*bump*

[UTEP_MinerPod]

Hmmmm... that's odd. Have you tried plugging in any FireWire devices other than the iPod in and seeing if they work? Also, you may want to try using your iPod with another computer (just be careful when iTunes launches on the other computer so you don't lose your tunes with Auto-Sync). That way, you'll be able to figure out whether it's the iPod or the FireWire card that's causing the problem.
Also, just for sanity's sake, can you tell me what kind of FireWire card you have? There are some cards that are incompatible with the iPod, and it's somehting worth checking.

[sygnin]

Thanks for the reply.

Yes, I tried plugging in an external firewire hardrive. It worked before, but now when i plug it in, it does not load. Or rather, it seems there is no connection, but sometimes i will get a popup window saying i improperly disconnected the device. Regardless, I cannot get it to show up as a connected drive.

I guess I can try connecting the card to another computer and trying the external hdd on that first.

I do not know what the card is really. It came in a box that said Firewire IEEE 1394A Card, and it has a NEC chipset. It's not a 'brand name' card like Adaptec - I suspect it was something that was supposed to come bundled with some software coz it says something about Ulead Videosuite on the top right and it came with a firewire cable that has a smaller head (4-6 pin or something like that).

The oddest part was that it did work for a while, but then it suddenly didn't the other day and it's still not working. Maybe the power is too much for it or something (scratches head in confusion).

Assuming its dead, can you recommend a firewire card I could get as a replacement? Or is it better to just get a new ipod and stick with USB 2?

[UTEP_MinerPod]

Hey there... well, I'm certain that it's definitely the FireWire card... that is really odd that it worked fine and just quit on you, and since it doesn't work with the external HDD either, it's probably that you just got a bad card. I don't know if you watch the Screen Savers on what used to be TechTV, but they actually had a segment on bad parts last week, and if a part is gonna go, it's usually gonna die within a month. I think that's what happened to you, probably not too much power going to it, just bad luck.
As for your dead card, definitely not a name brand, and with the software bundled with it, it was probably meant for DV video editing.
We are going to assume that it's dead. Personally, I would recommend you sticking with FireWire. I would really recommend a Belkin PCI FireWire port. They have a Texas Instruments chipset which has been tried and true with iPod, and heck, right on the box it touts its compatibility with iPod. I got mine for $30 at CompUSA, and I'm sure you can find it at other stores, like Best Buy and Fry's. Belkin has always had high quality products, and I haven't had a problem with any of their accessories. And hey, spending $30 as opposed to buying a new iPod? If you're happy with the 2G, I say stick to it. I have my 3G 10 Gig, and I have no plans to get a 4G anytime soon. With my college budget... maybe a 6th Gen someday!!!

[sygnin]

Thanks for the help. I'll try to find a Belkin card... I'm pretty sure I can find one if I look hard enough. Heh, the new firewire card would probably cost me about S$80-100 round here.. still cheaper than the S$548 for a new 4G ipod, but who knows when the battery on this 2G will die! (I bought it 2nd hand... lil' trooper is still going good, so keeping fingers crossed on the battery thing!)

[UTEP_MinerPod]

I'm glad I could help... keep me posted, and give s shout if you need any more help!!!