It could be static discharge that is damaging your port. I remember browsing through a product catalog a year or so back and seeing a product that protects firewire devices from ESD. Might want to get one. Its about 1/2" x 2".

I don't think a cable change will make much difference becuse I think the short often occurs as you insert the plug in to the socket and the connections in the socket contact the wrong pins on the plug as you push it in, passing power up the data line, so disconnecting the power in the cable won't stop this at the computer end. It would stop it at the camera end.

I would suggest that if you must hot plug that you always connect the cable to the computer before the camera is connected.

I have heard of far more blown FW connections from PC users than Mac users. This could either be down to better quality connectors on Macs or simply a larger number of PC users, thus more failures.

this is insane

it blew again today. It was plugged into my macbook pro with a new cable. I had a disc in. Working fine, i ejected using the camera, not on the desktop, put another disc in and it no longer worked!!

Could be a dodgy firewire component in the Mac???

Get a PCMCIA or express card firewire card for your mac and try it with that or try it on another mac or PC.

well its fried and it has to go back so got no choice there. Hope they dont charge me. Need the U1 to be writable!

Are you running the camera off mains? You may have an earth loop problem. I would also get a new firewire cable. Some of the connectors used in the cheaper firewire cables are too slack in the sockets used on the Mac's and Sony cameras allowing the conntacts to move and short.

nice new expensive cables already! Also, battery powered. OH WELL, Sony are picking it up tomorrow no problem. They took 3 days to get it back to me last time. Just going to use the expresscard firewire from now on

Poss bad Mac FW prot?
 

Seems to me I remember hearing that a damaged FW port could damage a working FW port. Meaning, if the Mac port had been damaged at any time (usually by hot swapping), it could damage a known good FW port on the camera. This is kind of like a contagious infection. I don’t know if the Mac’s port could be damaged, but still working, but it would explain your situation if it is possible.

Regards,
Chris

PS, I got away with hot swapping for years and never had a problem. Guess I was lucky. I’ve read about and know many, many people who have blown the FW port by one or both of the devices being powered up.