Firewire cable which one

[Cookie 0]

Just a dumb question??
To transfer DV from one PC101 to another do I require a 4 pin to 4 pin firewire cable. Or is it the 4 pin to 6 pin. Dum answers accepted!!!

[nacmacfeegle 0]

4 pin to 4 pin is what you probably want.
The 6 pin ones can carry power, and are often seen on interface cards, and external devices such as burners and hard drives. I've never seen a 6 pin socket on a camera, or vcr deck to date. They are different size and shape to each other.

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He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson

[freakous 0]

Cookie,
I just ordered one for my PC101. I had the help of being able to look at a friends firewire cable for matching purposes. It is definatly the 4-4 pin for video to video.

[dragon2 2]

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4 pin to 4 pin is what you probably want.
The 6 pin ones can carry power, and are often seen on interface cards, and external devices such as burners and hard drives. I've never seen a 6 pin socket on a camera, or vcr deck to date. They are different size and shape to each other.

Hmmm do you mean that the 4-6 and the 6-6 cables CAN'T carry power?

I had a laptop with an interface card (sold it to Henny ) with 2 6-pin ports. Now I have a Vaio with one 4-pin port.

I did notice that the 4-6 and 6-6 cables are somewhat cheaper than the 4-4 cables (?).

Anyway I got an adaptor-type thingie for my 4-6 cable so I can turn it into a 4-4 cable , so that's one cable less in my bag.
But if the cables themselves are different ..?

ciel bleu,
Saskia

[AndyMan 7]

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Hmmm do you mean that the 4-6 and the 6-6 cables CAN'T carry power?

6-6 carries power. That's what the extra two pins are for. 4-4 does not, and 4-6 is sort of an "adapter" cable, it does not carry power.

Most devices do not need firewire power. Video cameras are of this kind - they do not need firewire power, because they've got their own batteries and power supplies.

Some external hard disks need six pins because they don't have their own power supplies.

We don't need six pin, but can use it just fine. All 4 pin devides will work just fine in a six pin adapter, if you have the 4-6pin cable.

We use 4-4 cables to connect two cameras.

_Am

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You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead.

[nacmacfeegle 0]

"Hmmm do you mean that the 4-6 and the 6-6 cables CAN'T carry power? "

Only the 6-6 can carry power, as Andy said, the 4-6 is an 'adaptor'.

"I had a laptop with an interface card (sold it to Henny ) with 2 6-pin ports. Now I have a Vaio with one 4-pin port. "

I'm not sure if any PCMCIA cards, such as you might get on a laptop, actually output power without adding another adaptor (transformer). But I've no doubt it worked fine talking to devices that had their own power supply. Otherwise Henny would not have bought it..
To clarify, if you want to copy footage from one camera to another you need a 4-4 pin firewire (or IEEE 1394) cable.
Its also important to note that many early model Euopean DV cameras have their dv inputs neutered , particularly PC7 and PC10 from sony. 7s can be fixed by searching the net for "dv in enable" 10s are a lost cause.
Most recent models are ok.

Bear this in mind if you are buying a second hand, dv cam in Europe.

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He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson

[TheMonkey 0]

you can use either the 4-4 or 4-6...you just might have to break a couple pins off one and push hard to get it in....

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Never argue with an idiot, they will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience!