Hi Miklos,

I've checked my mac out and it has PCI-X slots...this Firewire PCI card looks ok-

http://www.sonnettech.com/product/allegro400.html

Matt

I don't know that one, all I can say is that I can only recommend the Lacie cards - and any mac store I've been too has done the same, I believe there are some problems with some cards, the one you linked to - I don't know, but I know for me the Lacies have had no problems at all and I have two of them in the same box - a fw400 and fw800. Also they're cheap, simple no fuss and do the job. I would recommend going with the name brand on something like this, it's not like an audio interface where the difference is subjective or preferential, anyway, just my advice.

Miklos.

Thing is...the Lacie firewire pci card is not compatible with g5's that hold pci-x slots...check it out:

http://www.lacie.com/uk/products/product.htm?pid=10085

Matt

I thought they had both express and pci X? I am sure my G5 has pci-X I know it's not express. I could be wrong. Anyway, good luck with it that's the extent of my knowledge on the matter - sorry.

Miklos.

hmmm..well if you have that card you must have neither pci-x nor pci express slots...according to their website anyway!

thanks for your help,

matt

has to be one of the two - it's a g5 dual processor 2.0, the only ones with the old pci slots were the first gen 1.8 single processor machines.

how odd...because i have a first gen 1.8 single processor and according to apple in their support section, the g5's with 8 dimm slots (which mine has) are pci-x :S ...

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=86790

Hmmmm.....! I remember, there was *a* model, single 1.8 G5, that had whatever the last G4 tower had - and then the other G5 models up from that, had the new pciX slots... perhaps I'm wrong. Anyway Sorry if so!

Perhaps this will help clear up some of the confusion on this issue - dual processor G5's have PCI or PCI-X slots. However the Dual Core G5's (including the Quad) introduced in October 2005 - and all MacPro's- - have PCI Express (PCIe) slots. PCI cards are compatible with PCI or PCI-X slots but are NOT compatible with PCI Express slots.

Matt's single processor 1.8 GHz G5 has, according to Apple, 3 PCI (not PCI-X) slots. However most cards that are PCI-X compatible are also PCI compatible. The question for Matt is: how soon do you anticipate upgrading your computer itself?

All new computers will likely have PCI Express slots, so any card you buy for your present computer will not be usable in your next machine. If you intend to keep your computer for a while, then you might want to invest in a card.

However, before assuming that the problem has to do with your drives, I would suspect, as some others have suggested, that the problem may be with your Audio interface or its drivers. If it's possible to borrow a firewire audio interface made by another manufacturer, I would try that first. If that does not appear to be the problem and you decide that you are going to keep your present computer for a while then you have to decide whether you want to stick with firewire and get a firewire PCI card or go with a SATA solution - - both would give you a dedicated firewire port for your interface.

Miklos, what I see you said a week ago (about FW buses) has been my experience too for the most part. And I understand about FW800 being backwards-compatible; my point is that there should be separate FW busses so none of this is an issue.

Good advice, however, the pci 400 card is very cheap, about $50US or even less perhaps, plug your interface into that, don't put anything else there and it should work fine, it's better to have things on separate buses anyway IMO. my interface is the MIO 2882 +DSP if I put anything else on the same bus despite latest drivers software etc, despite the fact the makers say you can do so, I get clicks pops, crashes and so on it's a pain, once I put it on it's own bus and don't touch it, it works perfectly and so does everything else.

Miklos.

Nick: overlapping post there - I agree. In fact I agreed from the start! [:)]

@stevesong said:

Matt's single processor 1.8 GHz G5 has, according to Apple, 3 PCI (not PCI-X) slots.

.......or go with a SATA solution...

In that link i put up, apple say my g5 has pci-X slots, apparently not pci lol

SATA? [*-)] lol

I'm certainly not thinking of upgrading to a new computer in the near future, so investing in a pci card (and considering, as Miklos pointed out, that theyre pretty cheap) is most definitely what I'll do.

Matt

just to explain - pci comes in several flavours:
- PCI 1 32 bit 5 V
- PCI 2 32 bit 3,3 V
- PCI 2.1 32bit 3,3 V compatible to PXI-X
- PCI-X 64 bit 3,3 V 66 MHz
- PCI-X 64 bit 3,3 V 100 MHz
- PCI-X 64 bit 3,3 V 133 MHz
all PCI-X slots are compatible for PCI 2.1 cards

PCI 2.1 cards have 2 notches to fit into both types of slots
PCI 1 cards have only one notch (so they don't fit into PCI-X slots)
christian

[:'(] [:'(] [:'(] [:'(] [:'(] [:'(] [:'(]

I still have the box off the last one I bought, very simple doesn't say pci doesn't say what type says only "Lacie Firewire 400 PCI card" with a picture of the card, cost under $50. Works. I just plug my audio interface in that nothing else, works. cheap.

Miklos. [:D]

@cm said:

..all PCI-X slots are compatible for PCI 2.1 cards...

Thing is- the companies that sell these pci cards don't specify whether they're 2.1 or 1! Argh...look at this one...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Belkin-FireWire-3-Port-Software-Cable/dp/B0000YB7QC/sr=1-2/qid=1159706136/ref=sr_1_2/202-9717519-5224667?ie=UTF8&s=electronics

If you compare that Belkin one to the Sonnet Allegro version, the ends at the bottom of the card are different [*-)] ....

http://www.sonnettech.com/product/allegro400.html

HELP!!!! lol

this (belkin @ amazon) is typical PCI 1 - 32 bit 5 V - not compatible and does actually not fit to PCI-X (see the notch on the adjecent side of the bracket)

this (sonnet allegro) is typacally PCI 2.1 and compatible to PCI-X and PCI 32 bit (see the two notches - to fit in both types of slots)

two notches means it allows to be used in slots with 3,3 and 5 V
christian

Check the specs for the 1.8GHz G5 PowerMac at http://support.apple.com/specs/powermac/Power_Mac_G5_June_2004.html

What this document states is that this computer has "PCI slots Three open full-length 33MHz, 64-bit PCI slots."

@Matt Taylor said:

SATA? lol

I suggested SATA as an alternative to firewire drives - thus freeing your Mac's Firewire port for your audio interface.

forgot .. there are also PCI 2.1 33 MHz 64bit slots, the sonnet would also fit in such a slot.
christian