six pin to four pin adaptor question. at DVinfo.net

Matt Buys · July 27th, 2007, 07:07 PM

I just tried to hook up my motu with my laptop and noticed I needed a six pin firewire, not a four. Apparently the motu can't draw power from a four pin. I did a google search for a four to six adaptor and it looks like I'm out of luck but there are so many resourceful people here I figured someone might have a work around.

Glenn Chan · July 27th, 2007, 08:03 PM

You can get a 6-pin FW card that fits into your laptop. I'm not sure what that interface is... it might be PCMCIA or something else.

Chris Hurd · July 27th, 2007, 08:22 PM

They're either PCMCIA or PC Express, depending on the age, make and model of the laptop.

Jack Smith · July 27th, 2007, 10:24 PM

You didn't say which Motu your using, but if you check with Motu you will find that as long as the Motu is powered by DC( battery or a/c adapter),the bus power is not used as in the Traveler.
http://www.motu.com/techsupport/tech...FireWire-Power
The 6 pin configuration is to carry power to the device and if powered by DC you can use a 4pin to 6 pin cable.

Matt Buys · July 27th, 2007, 11:02 PM

Thank you, your threads have saved me a great deal of trouble. I have the motu ultralight and a relatively new dell and I need to get it (gulp) dialed in before wednesday. I didn't see anything in the manual about an alternative power source, but then I stopped reading when it said I couldn't use a four pin and I started grinding my teeth and googling. Thank you to all once again.

Tim OBrien · August 3rd, 2007, 09:37 AM

I've used a 6pin-to-4pin cable with my 828mkII (which is mains powered) to my laptop for over a year with ZERO problems.

Data is carried on the 4pins, the extra 2 pins only carry power and if you've got the firewire device plugged into the wall you can just ignore them.

July 27th, 2007, 07:07 PM	#1
Matt Buys Major Player Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Asheville NC Posts: 426	six pin to four pin adaptor question. I just tried to hook up my motu with my laptop and noticed I needed a six pin firewire, not a four. Apparently the motu can't draw power from a four pin. I did a google search for a four to six adaptor and it looks like I'm out of luck but there are so many resourceful people here I figured someone might have a work around.

July 27th, 2007, 08:22 PM	#3
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,366 Images: 513	They're either PCMCIA or PC Express, depending on the age, make and model of the laptop. __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!

July 27th, 2007, 08:03 PM	#2
Glenn Chan Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 4,750	You can get a 6-pin FW card that fits into your laptop. I'm not sure what that interface is... it might be PCMCIA or something else.

July 27th, 2007, 10:24 PM	#4
Jack Smith Major Player Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: ontario Posts: 445	You didn't say which Motu your using, but if you check with Motu you will find that as long as the Motu is powered by DC( battery or a/c adapter),the bus power is not used as in the Traveler. http://www.motu.com/techsupport/tech...FireWire-Power The 6 pin configuration is to carry power to the device and if powered by DC you can use a 4pin to 6 pin cable.

July 27th, 2007, 11:02 PM	#5
Matt Buys Major Player Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Asheville NC Posts: 426	Thank you, your threads have saved me a great deal of trouble. I have the motu ultralight and a relatively new dell and I need to get it (gulp) dialed in before wednesday. I didn't see anything in the manual about an alternative power source, but then I stopped reading when it said I couldn't use a four pin and I started grinding my teeth and googling. Thank you to all once again.

August 3rd, 2007, 09:37 AM	#6
Tim OBrien Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Palm Beach, Florida USA Posts: 99	I've used a 6pin-to-4pin cable with my 828mkII (which is mains powered) to my laptop for over a year with ZERO problems. Data is carried on the 4pins, the extra 2 pins only carry power and if you've got the firewire device plugged into the wall you can just ignore them.