Firewire 1394b (800 Mbps) - where is the driver?

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

I just installed the Adaptec FireConnect 8300 PCI card. (This is Texas Instruments OHCI Compliant IEEE 1394 Host Adaptor). The card has both 1394 a (400 mbps) and 1394 b (800 mbps) ports. I am interested in the faster speed. Adaptec does not supply drivers with the card and the Microsoft driver 5.1.2600.1106 seems to support only the slower 400 speed even when I connect to a device with the 1394b port. I got most of this info from the device manager.
Can I get a better driver? When is Microsoft going to come out with the 1394 b driver?

Thanks.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

As far as I am aware, Microsoft do not yet have a release-version
of the Firewire800 (also known as IEE1394b) driver.


Wrinkles and "gotchas":

1. Until recently, there was only one Firewire Specification -- which
was known as IEEE 1394. Recently, a faster second-generation
form of firewire was ratified. This new specification did not get a
new number.

2. The original Firewire Specification is now called Firewire 400 (as
its original maximum data-transfer-rate was 400Mb/s). The
Technical Specification for Firewire 400 is now called IEEE 1394a.
Any *old* information that reads 1394 is now assumed to be read
as 1394a.

3. The new Firewire Specification is now called Firewire 800 (as its
new maximum data-transfer-rate is 800Mb/s). The Technical
Specification for Firewire 800 is now called IEEE 1394b. From
now on it is mandatory for a 1394-specification-document to state
the "a" or "b" suffix to differentiate between the old and new chips
and/or old and new drivers.

Note: It is assumed that further Firewire developments will run in
a similar vein. (Eg: Firewire 1200 will probably be known
as IEEE 1394c.)

4. Currently, the only release-version drivers that support IEEE 1394b
of which I am aware are part of Apple OS 10.3 - also known as
Panther.

5. It is my understanding that Windows Firewire 800 support will be
rolled out along with the WXP-SP2 release. For now, I recommend
using the 1394b-rated chip at the 1394a datarate (the new chips are
backwards-compatible with the old drivers at the old datarate).

Once the final WXP-SP2 update is released, you will then be able
to use your new card at its full datarate.


Best I can do for now. <tm>


Bill



MalHenry wrote:
> I just installed the Adaptec FireConnect 8300 PCI card. (This is
> Texas Instruments OHCI Compliant IEEE 1394 Host Adaptor). The card
> has both 1394 a (400 mbps) and 1394 b (800 mbps) ports. I am
> interested in the faster speed. Adaptec does not supply drivers with
> the card and the Microsoft driver 5.1.2600.1106 seems to support only
> the slower 400 speed even when I connect to a device with the 1394b
> port. I got most of this info from the device manager. Can I get a
> better driver? When is Microsoft going to come out with the 1394 b
> driver?
>
> Thanks.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

Using IEEE 1394 (FireWire) Devices with Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;310433&Product=winxp

General Troubleshooting for IEEE 1394 Devices and Host Controllers
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;314873&Product=winxp

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

Be Smart! Protect your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"MalHenry" <anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message:
news:BF3F7E71-7904-4E45-B37B-3E52D611A664@microsoft.com...

|I just installed the Adaptec FireConnect 8300 PCI card. (This is Texas Instruments OHCI Compliant IEEE 1394
Host Adaptor). The card has both 1394 a (400 mbps) and 1394 b (800 mbps) ports. I am interested in the
faster speed. Adaptec does not supply drivers with the card and the Microsoft driver 5.1.2600.1106 seems to
support only the slower 400 speed even when I connect to a device with the 1394b port. I got most of this
info from the device manager.
| Can I get a better driver? When is Microsoft going to come out with the 1394 b driver?
|
| Thanks.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

Try www.unibrain.com. I believe their ubCore 3.1 drivers
should be general enough for your Adaptec card with TI
chipset. Unibrain sells a Firewire800 PCI card, which I
have and which works well with the ubCore drivers, but I
believe the drivers should work with your adapter.

The ubCore package is $30 from their website, but I think
you can download them and try them (for 30 minutes at a
time). If they work for you, you can pay the
registration fee and activate the drivers fully.

>-----Original Message-----
>As far as I am aware, Microsoft do not yet have a
release-version
>of the Firewire800 (also known as IEE1394b) driver.
>
>
>Wrinkles and "gotchas":
>
>1. Until recently, there was only one Firewire
Specification -- which
> was known as IEEE 1394. Recently, a faster second-
generation
> form of firewire was ratified. This new
specification did not get a
> new number.
>
>2. The original Firewire Specification is now called
Firewire 400 (as
> its original maximum data-transfer-rate was
400Mb/s). The
> Technical Specification for Firewire 400 is now
called IEEE 1394a.
> Any *old* information that reads 1394 is now assumed
to be read
> as 1394a.
>
>3. The new Firewire Specification is now called
Firewire 800 (as its
> new maximum data-transfer-rate is 800Mb/s). The
Technical
> Specification for Firewire 800 is now called IEEE
1394b. From
> now on it is mandatory for a 1394-specification-
document to state
> the "a" or "b" suffix to differentiate between the
old and new chips
> and/or old and new drivers.
>
> Note: It is assumed that further Firewire
developments will run in
> a similar vein. (Eg: Firewire 1200 will
probably be known
> as IEEE 1394c.)
>
>4. Currently, the only release-version drivers that
support IEEE 1394b
> of which I am aware are part of Apple OS 10.3 - also
known as
> Panther.
>
>5. It is my understanding that Windows Firewire 800
support will be
> rolled out along with the WXP-SP2 release. For now,
I recommend
> using the 1394b-rated chip at the 1394a datarate
(the new chips are
> backwards-compatible with the old drivers at the old
datarate).
>
> Once the final WXP-SP2 update is released, you will
then be able
> to use your new card at its full datarate.
>
>
>Best I can do for now. <tm>
>
>
>Bill
>
>
>
>MalHenry wrote:
>> I just installed the Adaptec FireConnect 8300 PCI
card. (This is
>> Texas Instruments OHCI Compliant IEEE 1394 Host
Adaptor). The card
>> has both 1394 a (400 mbps) and 1394 b (800 mbps)
ports. I am
>> interested in the faster speed. Adaptec does not
supply drivers with
>> the card and the Microsoft driver 5.1.2600.1106 seems
to support only
>> the slower 400 speed even when I connect to a device
with the 1394b
>> port. I got most of this info from the device
manager. Can I get a
>> better driver? When is Microsoft going to come out
with the 1394 b
>> driver?
>>
>> Thanks.
>
>
>.
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

MalHenry wrote:
> *I just installed the Adaptec FireConnect 8300 PCI card. (This is
> Texas Instruments OHCI Compliant IEEE 1394 Host Adaptor). The card
> has both 1394 a (400 mbps) and 1394 b (800 mbps) ports. I am
> interested in the faster speed. Adaptec does not supply dri
> vers with the card and the Microsoft driver 5.1.2600.1106 seems to
> support only the slower 400 speed even when I connect to a device
> with the 1394b port. I got most of this info from the device
> manager.
> Can I get a better driver? When is Microsoft going to come out with
> the 1394 b driver?
>
> Thanks. *


Windows XP does not require a new driver to operate at 1394b speeds,
trust me, I work at a company that makes USB and FireWire bridgeboards,
I have done extensive testing with 1394b. The only thing you must do is
make sure your chipset in whatever you are attaching is a 1394b
chipset. Right now they are not very popular, we have not made many of
them and they dont sell very well, probably because people do not
realize what they are buying. When you connnect a 400Mbps port to an
800Mbps port you will only run at 400Mbps, same goes for
daisy-chaining, do not mix and match 400 and 800Mbps devices as they
will operate at the slower speed. Most of the time you can tell if your
device is 400 or 800 by the port. The new 9 pin, so called 'beta' ports
are required for 1394b, if you only have the standard 6-pin the device
most likely is not 1394b. The chipset may be 1394b however with a 6-pin
port it will run at 400Mbps. Also, if they put a 400Mbps chipset and
used a 9 pin this would be totally useless and not very cost effective,
those connectors are expensive and short-handed. But back to my
original point. You do not need a new driver, if you have a 1394b card
and a true 1394b device, it will work.

A note on the uni-brain drivers, they are making money off of people
easily for their driver, it is not needed, they do include some nice
little diagnostic tools, but mainly they are ripping people off. Like
this morning I received an email telling me that XP SP2 will limit
FireWire back to 100Mbps, this would be against the original spec and
never happen, I could see them limiting to 400Mpbs but 100? Come on,
what a bunch of bull-****

-WhiteHawk82



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whitehawk82
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[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

whitehawk82 wrote:
> *Windows XP does not require a new driver to operate at 1394b speeds,
> trust me, I work at a company that makes USB and FireWire
> bridgeboards, I have done extensive testing with 1394b. The only
> thing you must do is make sure your chipset in whatever you are
> attaching is a 1394b chipset. Right now they are not very popular, we
> have not made many of them and they dont sell very well, probably
> because people do not realize what they are buying. When you connnect
> a 400Mbps port to an 800Mbps port you will only run at 400Mbps, same
> goes for daisy-chaining, do not mix and match 400 and 800Mbps devices
> as they will operate at the slower speed. Most of the time you can
> tell if your device is 400 or 800 by the port. The new 9 pin, so
> called 'beta' ports are required for 1394b, if you only have the
> standard 6-pin the device most likely is not 1394b. The chipset may
> be 1394b however with a 6-pin port it will run at 400Mbps. Also, if
> they put a 400Mbps chipset and used a 9 pin this would be totally
> useless and not very cost effective, those connectors are expensive
> and short-handed. But back to my original point. You do not need a
> new driver, if you have a 1394b card and a true 1394b device, it will
> work.
>
> A note on the uni-brain drivers, they are making money off of people
> easily for their driver, it is not needed, they do include some nice
> little diagnostic tools, but mainly they are ripping people off. Like
> this morning I received an email telling me that XP SP2 will limit
> FireWire back to 100Mbps, this would be against the original spec and
> never happen, I could see them limiting to 400Mpbs but 100? Come on,
> what a bunch of bull-****
>
> -WhiteHawk82 *

Note that the above email was from Uni-Brain I believe this to be a
marketing scam.



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[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

whitehawk82 wrote:
> *Note that the above email was from Uni-Brain I believe this to be a
> marketing scam. *

Wow, so much information flying at me in the same day, evidently with
Microsoft Windows XP SP2, they will be "killing" 1394B, any 1394b
products connected will operate at 100Mbps (slower than 1394A). WTF.
They are doing this because they dont want FireWire cutting back into
USB's market-space. Feel the control of Microsoft. Maybe they will feel
the consumer control when everybody stays with XP SP1.



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whitehawk82
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