Question re: Lexar FireWire Card Reader

[p4olom]

I'm not very familiar with firewire products hence my question.

I'm about to order an older lexar rw024 card reader with a 6 pin connection.
My laptop only has a 4 pin connection. With an adapter cable (6 pin to 4 pin) will this card reader still work? Is there anything else that I need to know?

[Jon]

The 6-pin connectors carry power, which your reader might require. If you mean the FireWire 400 mini 4-pin connector, that doesn't have the power available; I'm not sure about the newer FireWire 800 connector which is, yet again, different. If you want to go ahead with the Lexar reader, you may want to get a FireWire powered hub to go with it (yes, they make them, no they aren't as easy to find as USB hubs, and no, it isn't a terribly convenient package to take on the road when you add in the hub). If your laptop supports USB 2.0, I'd just get a high performance USB 2 reader like SanDisk's Extreme series.

[p4olom]

Thanks for the response I already have a lexar usb reader I was just hoping for something a lot faster, but you mentioned the san disk extreme readers. I'll take a look into that

[overclock]

The Sandisk requires power as well which the 4 pin firewire connection does not provide. Your only hope is the Lexar USB UDMA reader. I have one for my non-firewire computers and love it. But nothing beats the firewire reader.