Sandisk Firewire and External Harddrive

[DOverton]

Hi Guys

I have just bought a Sandisk Firewire to dump cards from. However I stupidly didnt see the 6 Pin firewire only bit and my laptop only has 4 pin, *slaps head*

Ive been looking at a new External harddrive as im running out of space on my others.

I was wondering if I get a External Harddrive with a Firewire port could I plug the Sandisk Firewire into the External Harddrive to dump cards?

Would this work?

Thanks

Dan.

[DOverton]

Any ideas anyone?

[szekiat]

yes, but i think most externals are 6pin as well...

[DOverton]

Hi szekiat

I will connect it to the laptop via USB 2.0 as I only need to dump cards quick and then they get uploaded straight away. Still possible?

Thanks again

[PacAce]

You can connect (daisy chain) your FW card reader to your FW hard drive but you'll also need to connect the hard drive to the computer via the FW cable if you want the computer to be able to see the FW card reader. If you connect the hard drive via the USB port, the card reader will not be accessible. And you won't be able to offload the card to the hard drive directly unless it's a type of storage device like, for example, the Epson P3000.

Why don't you buy yourself a 6-pin to 4-pin FW cable? That'll simplify life for you. :)

[DOverton]

Thanks for the reply PacAce

I would just buy a 6 pin to 4 pin cable but the FW Reader needs a power supply and 4 pin FW does not give any power so thats out of the question.

Could I 6 pin to 4 pin the Harddrive and then plug the FW Card Reader into it? Would that work? or does the harddrive not give any power through the built in FW ports.

Dan

[PacAce]

Thanks for the reply PacAce

I would just buy a 6 pin to 4 pin cable but the FW Reader needs a power supply and 4 pin FW does not give any power so thats out of the question.

Could I 6 pin to 4 pin the Harddrive and then plug the FW Card Reader into it? Would that work? or does the harddrive not give any power through the built in FW ports.

Dan

Oops! You're right, you do lose the power pins with the 4-pin cable. Forgot about the card reader needing power.

Plugging the card reader to the external hard drive and then connecting the drive to the laptop should work if the external hard drive provides its own power instead of tapping it from the computer.