Jobs responds to outrage over MacBook's missing FireWire

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  • Reply 461 of 1665
    Originally Posted by awmawm

    Unless I am missing something, FW800 was always limited to the MacBook Pro machines. The new MacBook Pros still have FW800. Hence, there is no problem for you to switch from your existing MacBook Pro to a new one.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Frank777 View Post


    That's not the issue. FW400 is largely obsolete, and many were expecting FW3200 to replace it quickly and with backward compatibility. Apple's removal of FW from its biggest seller has now damaged Firewire's standing in the market for almost anyone who uses it.



    Yes, it is the issue and you took my response out of context. I replied to a post where the poster was telling us that he/she uses FW800, yet is disappointed by the disappearance of of the FW port in the new MacBook. If he has been using FW800 on a MacBook so far, he had to have a MacBook Pro; hence, if he wants/needs to upgrade, it is only reasonable to expect that he sticks with the "Pro" line.
  • Reply 462 of 1665
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SpamSandwich View Post


    Then why is everyone crying about this?



    Because this thing sucks, look, I have more invested in FireWire peripherals than I have invested in computers, these peripherals don't really go obsolete. And it isn't like USB 2.0 really performs as well as FireWire (especially in hard disks)
  • Reply 463 of 1665
    rickagrickag Posts: 1,626member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by coolfactor View Post


    Apple's thinking is and always will be slightly ahead of consumers' thinking. Sure, we hate to lose Firewire, a technology that has a cool name, great performance, and bragging rights, since Apple invented it. But if you stop and think about it... the MacBook (which no longer has Firewire) is targeted to a market that probably won't ever use Firewire. The vocal minority here are the ones that should be looking at a MacBook Pro anyway, which still has their beloved port.



    (Firewire has saved my butt many times over with Target Disk Mode, but I understand that the landscape changes, and so will our products. Just look at the myriad of display/video ports we've gone through in the past few years).



    How nice of you to speak for all other posters. Seeing as how you must know how many of them there are and their actual needs.
  • Reply 464 of 1665
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Abster2core View Post


    Because they like to.



    Just talked to Belkin.



    Their Hi-Speed USB 2.0 and FireWire 6-Port Hub works the new Macbook!



    http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProdu...duct_Id=199941



    This is interesting but the specks look like it is a simple 2 port FW hub and a 4 port USB hub meaning that you still need a USB and FW connection to your computer.



    Did you actually verify with Belkin that the hub will cross connect FW and USB so that only a USB cable needs to be used with the MB?
  • Reply 465 of 1665
    rickagrickag Posts: 1,626member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by trip1ex View Post


    'Cause you're not going to mistakenly buy any more FW400 devices going forward.



    And hell some of you won't buy a new laptop now either. That's an even bigger savings.



    Everyone bitching should take heed that the next-gen of interfaces are coming very soon anyway. And they should put off buying any device with a FW400 port or USB2 port if they can help it.



    Except Apple's primary focus in marketing is the consumer, that needs easy of use and plug and play. The typical consumer that bought into that marketing is more than likely the one that will be burned by decisions like this. Like all those poor souls, me included, that have a modestly expensive digital camcorder that uses FW only for movies.



    There is no way to spin this by Apple, all over what couldn't save that much in cost. What did Apple save $10 ... $20 if that.



    That said, will I abandon buying Apple computers, no. I'll continue buying Apple, but how many others will, I don't know.
  • Reply 466 of 1665
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by EauVive View Post


    Is it not possible to transfer data from a camcorder to a dual-interfaced USB/FireWire disk? I mean, do the camcorders always act as slaves, or can they also be masters and transfer to an external peripheral?



    Last night I tried this very experiment. I use a Macally USB/FW/eSATA external enclosure that I always use with a FW cable.



    Well I connected the unit to my MB using only the USB cable. I connected my camcorder to one of the two FW ports on the external enclosure to see if the MB would recognize it. Fired up iMovie and tried to capture.



    Didn't work . The MB did not even recognize the camera, so the external enclosure does not connect FW through to USB. Now I think that the Macally can only use one type of port at a type and it switches the other off, so that is probably why it did not work. I suspect that most other USB/FW enclosures are the same, but please test away. Perhaps someone will find one that works.....
  • Reply 467 of 1665
    dave k.dave k. Posts: 1,306member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ikir View Post


    Please tell me you're joking. I work i an apple center, here about 50% of users need ethernet even on a notebok and like 99% of users doesn't even know what firewire is.



    No I am not joking. In fact, I would even go so far to say that Ethernet is more a business need at this point, not a consumer need. The majority of schools and homes are wireless now a days, not wired.



    Your Apple center needs to implement a wireless network already. Wired notebooks? What is this? The 90's.
  • Reply 468 of 1665
    hmurchisonhmurchison Posts: 12,425member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SpamSandwich View Post


    Perhaps a USB 2.0 MacBook was some kind of a concession to Intel since they lost the graphics chip business.



    Yeah but after looking at AI's recent article I think that nVidia bungled the FW support in their chipset. I noticed there's no Macbook Pro diagram showing how Apple has gained the FW support. If they had to go through some extreme lengths to add FW then I could see why they didn't do that on the Macbook. The only hope would be that Apple would convince nVidia to add FW to their chipset in a future revision if they want to be considered for future opportunities.





    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SpamSandwich View Post


    Looks like this thread has become the new "DVD vs. Blu-Ray"....



    Paging Marzetta7....paging Marzetta7





    Hell I tell you my complaining would be less if Apple had delivered a 13" Macbook Pro.
  • Reply 469 of 1665
    teckstudteckstud Posts: 6,476member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Abster2core View Post


    My apologies. I was just trying to help you out. But you don't own a Mac now, do you?



    ?? Yes- 4 over 10 years. But nowadays Apple is not delivering on what many of us want so for the first time I am questioning if I buy elsewhere for a laptop. I would never though switch my desktop - never.

    Unless, of course, Apple licenses out the OS.
  • Reply 470 of 1665
    leonardleonard Posts: 528member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by kerryn View Post


    Last night I tried this very experiment. I use a Macally USB/FW/eSATA external enclosure that I always use with a FW cable.



    Well I connected the unit to my MB using only the USB cable. I connected my camcorder to one of the two FW ports on the external enclosure to see if the MB would recognize it. Fired up iMovie and tried to capture.



    Didn't work . The MB did not even recognize the camera, so the external enclosure does not connect FW through to USB. Now I think that the Macally can only use one type of port at a type and it switches the other off, so that is probably why it did not work. I suspect that most other USB/FW enclosures are the same, but please test away. Perhaps someone will find one that works.....



    I don'tthinnk that's what he was suggesting you do. I think he was suggesting that the camera could transfer the data from the camera to the HD over the firewire interface, AND THEN you'd disconnect the HD with the movie data on it and hook it up to the Macbook by USB 2.0. Then you would import it from the HD to iMovie.



    I don't think the camera has the capabilities to export the data.



    But I think that alot things said in this thread may give rise to some sort of device to handle the no-Firewire on Macbook problem. Maybe something like the Belkin device, but that actually connects the firewire and USB 2.0 ports to only USB 2.0. I believe the Belkin device just extends the number of USB 2.0 and Firewire ports from existing USB 2.0 and Firewire ports. I think it requires a USB 2.0 and Firewire connection from the computer.



    BUT, who really has a problem here? What you currently have works, right? It's only if you want to buy a new Macbook that you have a problem? RIGHT? Unless you currently sold your rig, which you shouldn't have until you saw the hew stuff. If you want to buy new MB and have a firewire port, wait for the third-party fix.
  • Reply 471 of 1665
    sflocalsflocal Posts: 6,096member
    Apple is usually the first to roll the dice and phase out dying technologies. This Firewire drama is similar to when Apple got major flame for removed the floppy disk.



    Let's face it. Firewire is a dying technology. Like it or not, it will go away one day like the floppy, Serial COM ports, LPT ports, VGA, etc...



    Looks like various flavors of USB will be the norm. It sucks that people have invested serious $$ into camcorders, storage, etc. but what is a company to do? One of the nice things about OSX compared to Windows is that they don't include legacy software in the OS which would eventually bloat it to a Windows-level install. I admire them for taking that step to succumb to the reality that Firewire won't be around that much longer.



    That's the computer industry for you. The Macbook Pro still supports Firewire and if that price-point is too high, then it's unfortunate.



    If this causes you to lose faith and go with a non-apple machine, then you go right ahead. It will be a more expensive proposition in the long run dealing with Microsoft drama than to just go and buy a Firewire/USB cable.



    I know more people hopping on the Apple wagon than the other direction. You folks are just the vocal minority.
  • Reply 472 of 1665
    leonardleonard Posts: 528member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Marvin View Post


    You need an encoding chip somewhere to write the file. You do get drives like the Firestore and Quickstream that capture to a drive but the kicker is they're firewire-only too.







    I was one of a few who suggested firewire instead of ethernet. Ethernet is most often used for network traffic and that's typically much lower bandwidth than firewire devices. Remember, this is a consumer device and consumers are far less likely to have gigabit network switches in their house than firewire devices.



    The only downside would have been that ethernet would top out at half its maximum speed but 60MB/s theoretical max is still 3 times higher than the built-in laptop's 20MB/s average so a slower ethernet doesn't make one bit of difference.



    Not to mention, a few people use wifi now as it is.



    So, keeping ethernet means you can't use the thousands of firewire products out there and most camcorders.

    Keeping firewire, the worst that would have happened is that ethernet transfers would top out at 60MB/s but a laptop drive only handles 20MB/s anyway so there's no issue doing this.



    Conclusion: either Apple picked the wrong port to go with through not thinking it through properly or they deliberately left it out to force people to buy the MBP.




    I disagree. First you don't need a Gigabit switch to hook 2 computers together to transfer files and wifi is damn slow for transferring lage volumes of data, I'd rathers stick an ethernet cable between the two computers and get it done fast.



    As well ethernet is a standard port that has much more popularity.
  • Reply 473 of 1665
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by BenRoethig View Post


    Yes it, is That cable is connected to the FW800. And its the ultra-like Mk3 as well.



    Good catch. The picture posted earlier refers to MOTU's FireWire 400 Audio Interfaces with the accompanying text.



    From the MOTU Macbook Page:



    New MacBooks energize your MOTU studio



    Across the board, Apple's new MacBook and MacBook Pro mean faster processing, increased storage and greater portability than ever for your MOTU studio. All current shipping versions of MOTU software sparkle on the new ultra-thin 13.3-inch and 15-inch LCD screens, with blazing new speed and CPU efficiency. Plug in your MOTU FireWire or USB2 audio interface, or your MOTU MIDI interface, and go. A new era in sleek, stylish mobile studio recording has arrived, and your MOTU software and hardware products are ready ? today. USB2 connectivity with the new 13-inch MacBook is just the beginning.



    FireWire 400

    All MOTU FireWire audio interfaces are fully compatible with the new FireWire-equipped MacBook Pro. All you need is a standard FireWire 400-to-800 cable. Just plug in and go. The FireWire bus operates at 400 Mb/sec, providing the same high speed, low latency and rock solid reliability that MOTU FireWire interfaces are known for.



    Subsequently, MOTU's 828mkII USB2 follows:



    UltraFast USB2

    The affordable 13-inch MacBook provides USB2 connectivity for audio I/O, and the MOTU 828mkII USB2 audio interface is the perfect professional audio I/O solution for this new generation of MacBooks. With plug-and-play connectivity via ultrafast USB 2.0, you take full advantage of USB 2.0's 480 Mb/sec bus speed, which is even higher than FireWire 400. and a photo below it.



    http://www.motu.com/newsitems/new-ma...ur-motu-studio
  • Reply 474 of 1665
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by kerryn View Post


    This is interesting but the specks look like it is a simple 2 port FW hub and a 4 port USB hub meaning that you still need a USB and FW connection to your computer.



    Did you actually verify with Belkin that the hub will cross connect FW and USB so that only a USB cable needs to be used with the MB?



    I asked again and got a different answer. It is just a hub
  • Reply 475 of 1665
    johnqhjohnqh Posts: 242member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Leonard View Post


    I disagree. First you don't need a Gigabit switch to hook 2 computers together to transfer files and wifi is damn slow for transferring lage volumes of data, I'd rathers stick an ethernet cable between the two computers and get it done fast.



    I would rather just use a USB stick.



    Oops, did I mention USB? I wonder why where wasn't any Firewire stick......
  • Reply 476 of 1665
    MarvinMarvin Posts: 15,326moderator
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by kerryn View Post


    This is interesting but the specks look like it is a simple 2 port FW hub and a 4 port USB hub meaning that you still need a USB and FW connection to your computer.



    Yeah that is the case.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by kerryn


    Didn't work . The MB did not even recognize the camera, so the external enclosure does not connect FW through to USB. Now I think that the Macally can only use one type of port at a type and it switches the other off, so that is probably why it did not work.



    This wouldn't work because there is nothing controlling the data stream.



    You had:



    camera <---FW--->drive<---USB--->computer



    The drive doesn't know what to do with the incoming data from the camera - under no circumstances would it push it back out the USB port. Even if it did, movie capture software looks for incoming data over the firewire protocol, not USB.



    I mentioned it in another thread but there is a very simple and cheap solution. Buy a $50 PC tower with gigabit ethernet and a firewire card - buy the cards as needed. Capture the data on firewire and transfer to the Mac over ethernet. This will likely cost less than buying an adaptor. Capturing is donkey work anyway, you may as well let a PC do it.



    Yes it means you have to resort to Windows or Linux to get the job done but Apple have made their decision, there's very little we can do.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Leonard


    I'd rathers stick an ethernet cable between the two computers and get it done fast.



    Sure but what I was saying about the transfer rate still applies. An internal laptop drive can only write at 20MB/s so you can't transfer data any faster than that anyway. USB2-ethernet still gives you 60MB/sec max. Gigabit ethernet allows you to transfer at 125MB/s but you'd only benefit from that speed if you had an internal SSD and were writing to an external RAID system or between 2 laptops with SSD where you'd see rates of 80-90MB/s. This is a very rare occurrence.



    You can also transfer files via FW800, which is 80% of the speed of Gig-E - in real world terms they are around the same transfer rate.
  • Reply 477 of 1665
    When I heard that the new MacBooks did not come with FireWire I was rather unhappy. So I went to the MacBook feedback page and sent some feedback on my opinion on FireWire. At this point I went from unhappy to downright mad because when I sent my feedback it asked for my name and I stupidly used my real name. Today I tried logging into my apple ADC account and it appears that my account has been disabled and the only reason I can think of is because I sent negative feedback about the lack of FireWire in the new MacBooks.



    Has this happened to anyone else?
  • Reply 478 of 1665
    jesus christ you fricken whiners. just buy a macbook pro if you're so deeply concerned with having firewire
  • Reply 479 of 1665
    hmurchisonhmurchison Posts: 12,425member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by yourdj70 View Post


    jesus christ you fricken whiners. just buy a macbook pro if you're so deeply concerned with having firewire



    Nothing but pure class in this post! Welcome to AI lol.
  • Reply 480 of 1665
    It would have been nice for Apple to add eSATA to the MacBook and MBP as a replacement for/complement to FW, since we won't get USB 3 until late next year and USB 2 is just too slow for many applications. The nVidia chipset offers six SATA channels in total, so there should be four spare channels for eSATA. SATA and all SATA devices are designed to be hot-pluggable; eSATA is just an alternative connector design, therefore no additional chips are needed to support this. In addition, Apple could license the combined USB/eSATA connector design from MSI, which basically means eSATA support will NOT require any extra space. Finally, eSATA can easily support target disk mode, Apple just needs to add some code in the firmware to turn the computer into a large SATA drive enclosure. In fact, Apple had already filed a patent for this very idea: http://arstechnica.com/journals/appl...mode-for-esata, so I am guessing eSATA support is definitely being looked at.
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