STARTECH PEX1394B3 2× FireWire 800 + 1× FireWire 400 expansion card

Three-port FireWire expansion card

The StarTech PEX1394B3 adds two FireWire 800 ports and one FireWire 400 port to a desktop computer through a PCI Express slot. It is designed for users who still connect legacy camcorders, audio interfaces or external hard drives that rely on the IEEE 1394 interface. The card uses a native single-chip controller for broad compatibility with older Windows and Mac operating systems.

Bandwidth limited to 800 Mbps peak

The card follows the 1394A and 1394B standards with maximum transfer rates of 800, 400, 200 and 100 Mbps. Real-world throughput will be lower because of protocol overhead and the PCI Express bus generation installed in the host system. Devices that demand sustained bandwidth above 800 Mbps cannot be supported by this adapter. Hot-swapping is supported so drives can be connected or disconnected without a reboot.

Simple PCI Express installation

Insert the card into any free PCI Express slot, secure the bracket and attach the internal power cable if required by the specific board revision. The open host controller interface specification 1.1 means most supported operating systems load a driver automatically. The main issue installers encounter is forgetting the auxiliary power connection, which leaves the ports unpowered even though the card is detected.