When Apple dropped the modem port from the iMac (and subsequent computers) they provided anApple-branded solutions for those who still needed a modem port.
When Apple dropped the Ethernet port from the MacBook Air they provided an Apple-branded solution for those who still needed a Ethernet on the Macbook Air.
When Apple dropped the FireWire port from the MacBook (and probably subsequent future computers) they did NOTHING for its customers. Nothing, except drop the port.
I don't have a problem buying a FireWire to USB converter device. I think it sucks, but I would buy it if I had too. But I want the device to come from Apple. Not from a 3rd party manufacturer which tested their device on a whole total of 3 FireWire devices before they deemed it "Mac-compatible".
An Apple branded solution is needed here (especially if the iMac updates next month drop FireWire too).
Here's a challenge. Provide with specs and supported with links a comparable laptop. Dare you!
Quote:
Originally Posted by backtomac
That may be hard.
But if I provide links to machines with better specs for less, will that count?
Why would it be hard to do? There seems to be a lot of people here that has stated otherwise. No proof however, but are quite adamant about it. They are more than welcome to participate.
P.S. Remember that my challenge was in response to the lack of FireWIre in the new Macbooks.
Why don't you get a Firewire to USB2 cable and problem solved?
The MacBook is a computer for entry level users, if you need to use Firewire 400/800, get a MacBookPro. If you can't afford a MacBookPro and have a FIrewire 400 device, buy a $30 cable knowing that Apple isn't going to put Firewire 400 ports on their entry level products anymore.
Why? It costs money which they are probably trying to save, and they are going to make a product for the majority of owners. Apparently, most of the MacBook users don't need or purchase Firewire 400/800 products to warrant putting in a port that takes up room and costs money. IF you REALLY need a FIrewire 400 port, get a Firewire to USB2 cable and use one of the two USB2 ports for a Firewire 400 device. IF you need a FIrewire 800 port for a Firewire 800 device, same your money and buy a MacBookPro.
anyone who claims that lack of firewire can be solved by plugging in a cable to a USB port should do a bit of research to find out the difference between the two technologies.... this will help you understand why USB simply isn't good enough...
next - remember that lack of firewire precludes Macbook upgrades for those of us with many expensive peripherals (already purchased - and some brand new) which have no USB equivalent even if we wanted to throw out our stuff and start all over again (motu's USB audio interface options are the lower end of their range...)
lastly they should try and understand that it's not just about speed.... not only is USB slower, but due to it's host controlled design, as opposed to FW's peer to peer design, there are many cases where USB2 simply cannot handle the parallel transfers that FW can (like 16+ tracks of 96 kHz audio for example)
the only arguments left (as I can see) are:
- well go out and buy a MBP (weight, size and cost)
- go and buy an old MB with FW (that's not really an upgrade is it...)
- USB 3 is around the corner (no stats on speed or audio capabilities - and it's not here now is it?)
am i missing something ?
'cause it seems like a lot of people defending Apple's strange 'upgrade' decisions are...
I've read the arguments from the "you don't need FireWire" camp and have tried to accept them at face value. However, there are two questions that I have for said persons and I would really like to know your answers:
1) If FireWire is "obsolete" today, why wasn't it obsolete two or more years ago when Apple was still promoting its virtues? It seems nothing really has changed in that time frame that would now suddenly cause FireWire to be obsolete.
2) If FireWire really is obsolete, why did Apple expend the effort to intentionally build it into the new-from-the-ground-up MacBook Pro, especially considering there is no native support on the nVidia chipset?
anyone who claims that lack of firewire can be solved by plugging in a cable to a USB port should do a bit of research to find out the difference between the two technologies.... this will help you understand why USB simply isn't good enough...
next - remember that lack of firewire precludes Macbook upgrades for those of us with many expensive peripherals (already purchased - and some brand new) which have no USB equivalent even if we wanted to throw out our stuff and start all over again (motu's USB audio interface options are the lower end of their range...)
lastly they should try and understand that it's not just about speed.... not only is USB slower, but due to it's host controlled design, as opposed to FW's peer to peer design, there are many cases where USB2 simply cannot handle the parallel transfers that FW can (like 16+ tracks of 96 kHz audio for example)
the only arguments left (as I can see) are:
- well go out and buy a MBP (weight, size and cost)
- go and buy an old MB with FW (that's not really an upgrade is it...)
- USB 3 is around the corner (no stats on speed or audio capabilities - and it's not here now is it?)
am i missing something ?
'cause it seems like a lot of people defending Apple's strange 'upgrade' decisions are...
Here's a challenge. Provide with specs and supported with links a comparable laptop. Dare you!
Can give you tons of links. No two laptops are the same most are not perfect but all offer more connectivity than the latest Macbook. The price in euros for a macbook 2,4 is 1499 at this price I can find you more choice but I wanted to get you one that is cheaper.
Something from your side of the Atlantic and somthing from Asia but from a local shop, didn´t even go searching on the internet.
There are new laptops coming out in the next months that will be even better with newer graphics even using the PC version of the Macbook integrated card (Geforce 9400M G)
I've read the arguments from the "you don't need FireWire" camp and have tried to accept them at face value. However, there are two questions that I have for said persons and I would really like to know your answers:
1) If FireWire is "obsolete" today, why wasn't it obsolete two or more years ago when Apple was still promoting its virtues? It seems nothing really has changed in that time frame that would now suddenly cause FireWire to be obsolete.
2) If FireWire really is obsolete, why did Apple expend the effort to intentionally build it into the new-from-the-ground-up MacBook Pro, especially considering there is no native support on the nVidia chipset?
Well said. To add to your comments.
If FireWire is obsolete technology than why does every single external hard drive sold in Apple retail stores still have this obsolete port on them (just checked the Buffalo, NY store)? Its not a obsolete technology by any stretch...
at home mac pro (eight core 2.88 early 2008) attached to either
MOTU 8 Pre
Phonic Helix 24
Edirol FA-101
and on the go (either recording at friends etc or live gigs) Macbook core duo 2006 with
any of those (although mostly the FA-101 unless with a full band)
...only the Macbook is struggling with the fan running full blast (which leaks into the recordings - depending on what it is i'm recording)
which is why i wanted an upgraded macbook so it could handle the load without overheating.
Fix the fan. Or as my lab guys suggest, cash in the Mac Pro and Macbook and get a new fully loaded Macbook Pro. As one of them suggested, what have you got connected to the Macbook when the fan runs full blast. They think the add-ons and perhaps the software you are running is killing the processor. But then, last year I offered to give them a raise over getting new Macs. Wives lost.
Can give you tons of links. No two laptops are the same most are not perfect but all offer more connectivity than the latest Macbook. The price in euros for a macbook 2,4 is 1499 at this price I can find you more choice but I wanted to get you one that is cheaper.
Something from your side of the Atlantic and somthing from Asia but from a local shop, didn´t even go searching on the internet.
There are new laptops coming out in the next months that will be even better with newer graphics even using the PC version of the Macbook integrated card (Geforce 9400M G)
Thank you Nanto. Now anybody else that needs FireWire and a Blu-Ray player have a choice. Here are the comparative links. Just click on the photo. http://www.vobis.pt/CheckOut.aspx
Thanks for the update. More choices. Keep it up. Hope this solves everybody's concern. Does mine.
If FireWire is obsolete technology than why does every single external hard drive sold in Apple retail stores still have this obsolete port on them (just checked the Buffalo, NY store)? Its not a obsolete technology by any stretch...
Now you are in my neck of the woods. No they don't.
I've read the arguments from the "you don't need FireWire" camp and have tried to accept them at face value. However, there are two questions that I have for said persons and I would really like to know your answers:
1) If FireWire is "obsolete" today, why wasn't it obsolete two or more years ago when Apple was still promoting its virtues? It seems nothing really has changed in that time frame that would now suddenly cause FireWire to be obsolete.
2) If FireWire really is obsolete, why did Apple expend the effort to intentionally build it into the new-from-the-ground-up MacBook Pro, especially considering there is no native support on the nVidia chipset?
1) Alot has changed. The consumer camcorder market is headed towards flash-memory based solutions that use USB 2.0. This has been happening the last year or two. I know Canon has specifically stated that this is the direction they are moving in. A few years ago this wasn't the case.
Also the last few years have seen MB sales increase dramatically with most (or half) of those sales coming from those new to the Mac and presumably with little use for FW as it never was in most machines on the pc side of things.
We've also seen the rise of eSata devices and we've seen FW800 get even less support in the marketplace than FW400 did. This doesn't bode well for future FW support either like FW3200.
2) Apple realizes that many professionals and serious hobbyists use FW. Hence they kept a FW800 port in their MBP line. The folks that truly need its speed will want FW800 anyway which was always a MBP feature and never a MB one.
Are some people going to be pissed? Sure. Not saying there aren't. But not like the previous generation of MBs are any slower and not like many of them can't move up to a MBP or refurb MBP. Not like there isn't a MB with FW on it still. Not like we won't see the next-gen of ports (USB3, etc) in the next year or two.
Fix the fan. Or as my lab guys suggest, cash in the Mac Pro and Macbook and get a new fully loaded Macbook Pro. As one of them suggested, what have you got connected to the Macbook when the fan runs full blast. They think the add-ons and perhaps the software you are running is killing the processor. But then, last year I offered to give them a raise over getting new Macs. Wives lost.
Maybe there's some smoother way of doing this that I'm unaware of; but if not, then being able to boot without Firewire doesn't solve all the problems.
Another way is to have a bootable USB drive. Clone an internal to USB, this will have the software needed and you can boot from this to repair the internal or transfer files. This method doesn't help if you have a broken screen though.
But with the internal drive in the laptops also being very easy to remove, you could simply drop it into and external enclosure.
Target mode is handy certainly for quick transfers but there are ways round not having it.
Firewire device support is the biggest loss here I think. Target mode is another loss but not one that people should use frequently and like I say, what it achieves can be done in other ways even if they are trickier.
Quote:
Originally Posted by melgross
What's more important to the vast majority of people owning Macbooks, a fast video subsystem (when compared to older models) or a FW 400 port?
Is that the compromise that needed to be made though?
I would say what's more important FW800 or Gigabit ethernet? The answer IMO is FW800. Ethernet can be supported via a USB adaptor. By contrast you can't get the benefit of FW800 from an adaptor.
Speaking of the adaptors, does anyone have a link for a Mac compatible USB-firewire adaptor?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave K
An Apple branded solution is needed here (especially if the iMac updates next month drop FireWire too).
They have plenty of room in the iMac though. If anything, they will try and drop it from the Mini if they update it so that people are persuaded into buying an iMac instead.
it's obvious a lot of the people supporting USB only on the MB don't have a lot of experience with audio recording and things such as latency and how speed of your connections effects how many simultaneous tracks you can record at one time, etc.
i don't record anymore and aside for a couple of HDD enclosures, don't have any FW devices, but I definitely feel your pain.
and selling your serious home set up so you can have a functional mobile set up is just beyond nutz to me. sometimes, people need to upgrade equipment. i understand that. it would seem like for the musicians and videographers, the older MBP's might be the best option, even if it's not as small as the MB's. it provides more ports and processing power at about the same price as the higher MB now. or hold off a bit and hope that apple sees the error of their ways and adds it back with the next (and inevitable) revision.
Thank you Nanto. Now anybody else that needs FireWire and a Blu-Ray player have a choice. Here are the comparative links. Just click on the photo. http://www.vobis.pt/CheckOut.aspx
Thanks for the update. More choices. Keep it up. Hope this solves everybody's concern. Does mine.
Fanaticism usually only exists in places where there is some kind of illiteracy I dearly hope that it does not exist here. my point is that any cheap laptop offers more connectivity than the Macbook does. And however much I like Apple I can also be impartial.
I was about to sell my 06 macbook to a friend and get a new macbook but I had to back out and explain to him that the newest macbook was less functional than mine.
Thank you Nanto. Now anybody else that needs FireWire and a Blu-Ray player have a choice. Here are the comparative links. Just click on the photo. http://www.vobis.pt/CheckOut.aspx
Thanks for the update. More choices. Keep it up. Hope this solves everybody's concern. Does mine.
Nanto originally wrote:
Quote:
lets face it a laptop of this price that only provides you with USB interface and only two of them is frankly ridiculous nowadays.
His point was that Apple could easily have afforded the cost of a Firewire port. You're evading the point by telling him, now that he's satisfied your request for data, to take a hike.
hmm no way i'm trading in the mac pro for a new macbook pro...
trade in
- 4 x firewire connections for 1 ???
- 4 x 1 TB drives for back up
- ability to run 1 x 24" + 1 x 20" monitors
- optical in/out
- 8 cores (audio is one area where parallel processing is actually used, particularly in logic)
for what ???
as far as software goes i'm using logic which is supposed to be optimised for macs
(with no plug-ins during recording)
I personally wouldn't want to have to use Logic on anything less than a top - the-line Macbook Pro. Certainly not on a Macbook no matter how many FireWire ports were on it.
Fanaticism usually only exists in places where there is some kind of illiteracy I dearly hope that it does not exist here. my point is that any cheap laptop offers more connectivity than the Macbook does. And however much I like Apple I can also be impartial.
My point was that if Apple offered a cheap laptop, i.e., with less power, slower graphic card, no comparable iLife suite, cheaper chassis, standard trackpad, no backlit keyboard, smaller drive, OS X (Cheetah), no Boot Camp, Windows emulation or Time Machine, would it be OK as long as it had more connectivity and a Blu-Ray player.
Comments
When Apple dropped the Ethernet port from the MacBook Air they provided an Apple-branded solution for those who still needed a Ethernet on the Macbook Air.
When Apple dropped the FireWire port from the MacBook (and probably subsequent future computers) they did NOTHING for its customers. Nothing, except drop the port.
I don't have a problem buying a FireWire to USB converter device. I think it sucks, but I would buy it if I had too. But I want the device to come from Apple. Not from a 3rd party manufacturer which tested their device on a whole total of 3 FireWire devices before they deemed it "Mac-compatible".
An Apple branded solution is needed here (especially if the iMac updates next month drop FireWire too).
Here's a challenge. Provide with specs and supported with links a comparable laptop. Dare you!
That may be hard.
But if I provide links to machines with better specs for less, will that count?
Why would it be hard to do? There seems to be a lot of people here that has stated otherwise. No proof however, but are quite adamant about it. They are more than welcome to participate.
P.S. Remember that my challenge was in response to the lack of FireWIre in the new Macbooks.
Why don't you get a Firewire to USB2 cable and problem solved?
The MacBook is a computer for entry level users, if you need to use Firewire 400/800, get a MacBookPro. If you can't afford a MacBookPro and have a FIrewire 400 device, buy a $30 cable knowing that Apple isn't going to put Firewire 400 ports on their entry level products anymore.
Why? It costs money which they are probably trying to save, and they are going to make a product for the majority of owners. Apparently, most of the MacBook users don't need or purchase Firewire 400/800 products to warrant putting in a port that takes up room and costs money. IF you REALLY need a FIrewire 400 port, get a Firewire to USB2 cable and use one of the two USB2 ports for a Firewire 400 device. IF you need a FIrewire 800 port for a Firewire 800 device, same your money and buy a MacBookPro.
anyone who claims that lack of firewire can be solved by plugging in a cable to a USB port should do a bit of research to find out the difference between the two technologies.... this will help you understand why USB simply isn't good enough...
this is a good starthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FireWire
(look at the 'comparison to USB' section)
or if you're interested in speed check out:
http://www.usb-ware.com/firewire-vs-usb.htm
next - remember that lack of firewire precludes Macbook upgrades for those of us with many expensive peripherals (already purchased - and some brand new) which have no USB equivalent even if we wanted to throw out our stuff and start all over again (motu's USB audio interface options are the lower end of their range...)
lastly they should try and understand that it's not just about speed.... not only is USB slower, but due to it's host controlled design, as opposed to FW's peer to peer design, there are many cases where USB2 simply cannot handle the parallel transfers that FW can (like 16+ tracks of 96 kHz audio for example)
the only arguments left (as I can see) are:
- well go out and buy a MBP (weight, size and cost)
- go and buy an old MB with FW (that's not really an upgrade is it...)
- USB 3 is around the corner (no stats on speed or audio capabilities - and it's not here now is it?)
am i missing something ?
'cause it seems like a lot of people defending Apple's strange 'upgrade' decisions are...
1) If FireWire is "obsolete" today, why wasn't it obsolete two or more years ago when Apple was still promoting its virtues? It seems nothing really has changed in that time frame that would now suddenly cause FireWire to be obsolete.
2) If FireWire really is obsolete, why did Apple expend the effort to intentionally build it into the new-from-the-ground-up MacBook Pro, especially considering there is no native support on the nVidia chipset?
anyone who claims that lack of firewire can be solved by plugging in a cable to a USB port should do a bit of research to find out the difference between the two technologies.... this will help you understand why USB simply isn't good enough...
this is a good starthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FireWire
(look at the 'comparison to USB' section)
or if you're interested in speed check out:
http://www.usb-ware.com/firewire-vs-usb.htm
next - remember that lack of firewire precludes Macbook upgrades for those of us with many expensive peripherals (already purchased - and some brand new) which have no USB equivalent even if we wanted to throw out our stuff and start all over again (motu's USB audio interface options are the lower end of their range...)
lastly they should try and understand that it's not just about speed.... not only is USB slower, but due to it's host controlled design, as opposed to FW's peer to peer design, there are many cases where USB2 simply cannot handle the parallel transfers that FW can (like 16+ tracks of 96 kHz audio for example)
the only arguments left (as I can see) are:
- well go out and buy a MBP (weight, size and cost)
- go and buy an old MB with FW (that's not really an upgrade is it...)
- USB 3 is around the corner (no stats on speed or audio capabilities - and it's not here now is it?)
am i missing something ?
'cause it seems like a lot of people defending Apple's strange 'upgrade' decisions are...
So what are you using now?
Here's a challenge. Provide with specs and supported with links a comparable laptop. Dare you!
Can give you tons of links. No two laptops are the same most are not perfect but all offer more connectivity than the latest Macbook. The price in euros for a macbook 2,4 is 1499 at this price I can find you more choice but I wanted to get you one that is cheaper.
http://www.vobis.pt/ProductDetail.as...5|4138|114|&c=
http://www.vobis.pt/ProductDetail.as...5|4138|114|&c=
http://www.fnac.pt/pt/Catalog/Detail...ate%20Portatil
Something from your side of the Atlantic and somthing from Asia but from a local shop, didn´t even go searching on the internet.
There are new laptops coming out in the next months that will be even better with newer graphics even using the PC version of the Macbook integrated card (Geforce 9400M G)
So what are you using now?
at home mac pro (eight core 2.88 early 2008) attached to either
MOTU 8 Pre
Phonic Helix 24
Edirol FA-101
and on the go (either recording at friends etc or live gigs) Macbook core duo 2006 with
any of those (although mostly the FA-101 unless with a full band)
...only the Macbook is struggling with the fan running full blast (which leaks into the recordings - depending on what it is i'm recording)
which is why i wanted an upgraded macbook so it could handle the load without overheating.
I've read the arguments from the "you don't need FireWire" camp and have tried to accept them at face value. However, there are two questions that I have for said persons and I would really like to know your answers:
1) If FireWire is "obsolete" today, why wasn't it obsolete two or more years ago when Apple was still promoting its virtues? It seems nothing really has changed in that time frame that would now suddenly cause FireWire to be obsolete.
2) If FireWire really is obsolete, why did Apple expend the effort to intentionally build it into the new-from-the-ground-up MacBook Pro, especially considering there is no native support on the nVidia chipset?
Well said. To add to your comments.
If FireWire is obsolete technology than why does every single external hard drive sold in Apple retail stores still have this obsolete port on them (just checked the Buffalo, NY store)? Its not a obsolete technology by any stretch...
at home mac pro (eight core 2.88 early 2008) attached to either
MOTU 8 Pre
Phonic Helix 24
Edirol FA-101
and on the go (either recording at friends etc or live gigs) Macbook core duo 2006 with
any of those (although mostly the FA-101 unless with a full band)
...only the Macbook is struggling with the fan running full blast (which leaks into the recordings - depending on what it is i'm recording)
which is why i wanted an upgraded macbook so it could handle the load without overheating.
Fix the fan. Or as my lab guys suggest, cash in the Mac Pro and Macbook and get a new fully loaded Macbook Pro. As one of them suggested, what have you got connected to the Macbook when the fan runs full blast. They think the add-ons and perhaps the software you are running is killing the processor. But then, last year I offered to give them a raise over getting new Macs. Wives lost.
Can give you tons of links. No two laptops are the same most are not perfect but all offer more connectivity than the latest Macbook. The price in euros for a macbook 2,4 is 1499 at this price I can find you more choice but I wanted to get you one that is cheaper.
http://www.vobis.pt/ProductDetail.as...5|4138|114|&c=
http://www.vobis.pt/ProductDetail.as...5|4138|114|&c=
http://www.fnac.pt/pt/Catalog/Detail...ate%20Portatil
Something from your side of the Atlantic and somthing from Asia but from a local shop, didn´t even go searching on the internet.
There are new laptops coming out in the next months that will be even better with newer graphics even using the PC version of the Macbook integrated card (Geforce 9400M G)
Thank you Nanto. Now anybody else that needs FireWire and a Blu-Ray player have a choice. Here are the comparative links. Just click on the photo. http://www.vobis.pt/CheckOut.aspx
Thanks for the update. More choices. Keep it up. Hope this solves everybody's concern. Does mine.
Well said. To add to your comments.
If FireWire is obsolete technology than why does every single external hard drive sold in Apple retail stores still have this obsolete port on them (just checked the Buffalo, NY store)? Its not a obsolete technology by any stretch...
Now you are in my neck of the woods. No they don't.
I've read the arguments from the "you don't need FireWire" camp and have tried to accept them at face value. However, there are two questions that I have for said persons and I would really like to know your answers:
1) If FireWire is "obsolete" today, why wasn't it obsolete two or more years ago when Apple was still promoting its virtues? It seems nothing really has changed in that time frame that would now suddenly cause FireWire to be obsolete.
2) If FireWire really is obsolete, why did Apple expend the effort to intentionally build it into the new-from-the-ground-up MacBook Pro, especially considering there is no native support on the nVidia chipset?
1) Alot has changed. The consumer camcorder market is headed towards flash-memory based solutions that use USB 2.0. This has been happening the last year or two. I know Canon has specifically stated that this is the direction they are moving in. A few years ago this wasn't the case.
Also the last few years have seen MB sales increase dramatically with most (or half) of those sales coming from those new to the Mac and presumably with little use for FW as it never was in most machines on the pc side of things.
We've also seen the rise of eSata devices and we've seen FW800 get even less support in the marketplace than FW400 did. This doesn't bode well for future FW support either like FW3200.
2) Apple realizes that many professionals and serious hobbyists use FW. Hence they kept a FW800 port in their MBP line. The folks that truly need its speed will want FW800 anyway which was always a MBP feature and never a MB one.
Are some people going to be pissed? Sure. Not saying there aren't. But not like the previous generation of MBs are any slower and not like many of them can't move up to a MBP or refurb MBP. Not like there isn't a MB with FW on it still. Not like we won't see the next-gen of ports (USB3, etc) in the next year or two.
Fix the fan. Or as my lab guys suggest, cash in the Mac Pro and Macbook and get a new fully loaded Macbook Pro. As one of them suggested, what have you got connected to the Macbook when the fan runs full blast. They think the add-ons and perhaps the software you are running is killing the processor. But then, last year I offered to give them a raise over getting new Macs. Wives lost.
yeah i did fix the fan....
have a look what came out
macbook fan cleaning
hmm no way i'm trading in the mac pro for a new macbook pro...
trade in
- 4 x firewire connections for 1 ???
- 4 x 1 TB drives for back up
- ability to run 1 x 24" + 1 x 20" monitors
- optical in/out
- 8 cores (audio is one area where parallel processing is actually used, particularly in logic)
for what ???
as far as software goes i'm using logic which is supposed to be optimised for macs
(with no plug-ins during recording)
Maybe there's some smoother way of doing this that I'm unaware of; but if not, then being able to boot without Firewire doesn't solve all the problems.
Another way is to have a bootable USB drive. Clone an internal to USB, this will have the software needed and you can boot from this to repair the internal or transfer files. This method doesn't help if you have a broken screen though.
But with the internal drive in the laptops also being very easy to remove, you could simply drop it into and external enclosure.
Target mode is handy certainly for quick transfers but there are ways round not having it.
Firewire device support is the biggest loss here I think. Target mode is another loss but not one that people should use frequently and like I say, what it achieves can be done in other ways even if they are trickier.
What's more important to the vast majority of people owning Macbooks, a fast video subsystem (when compared to older models) or a FW 400 port?
Is that the compromise that needed to be made though?
I would say what's more important FW800 or Gigabit ethernet? The answer IMO is FW800. Ethernet can be supported via a USB adaptor. By contrast you can't get the benefit of FW800 from an adaptor.
Speaking of the adaptors, does anyone have a link for a Mac compatible USB-firewire adaptor?
An Apple branded solution is needed here (especially if the iMac updates next month drop FireWire too).
They have plenty of room in the iMac though. If anything, they will try and drop it from the Mini if they update it so that people are persuaded into buying an iMac instead.
i don't record anymore and aside for a couple of HDD enclosures, don't have any FW devices, but I definitely feel your pain.
and selling your serious home set up so you can have a functional mobile set up is just beyond nutz to me. sometimes, people need to upgrade equipment. i understand that. it would seem like for the musicians and videographers, the older MBP's might be the best option, even if it's not as small as the MB's. it provides more ports and processing power at about the same price as the higher MB now. or hold off a bit and hope that apple sees the error of their ways and adds it back with the next (and inevitable) revision.
Thank you Nanto. Now anybody else that needs FireWire and a Blu-Ray player have a choice. Here are the comparative links. Just click on the photo. http://www.vobis.pt/CheckOut.aspx
Thanks for the update. More choices. Keep it up. Hope this solves everybody's concern. Does mine.
Fanaticism usually only exists in places where there is some kind of illiteracy I dearly hope that it does not exist here. my point is that any cheap laptop offers more connectivity than the Macbook does. And however much I like Apple I can also be impartial.
I was about to sell my 06 macbook to a friend and get a new macbook but I had to back out and explain to him that the newest macbook was less functional than mine.
Some friendly advise...
Thank you Nanto. Now anybody else that needs FireWire and a Blu-Ray player have a choice. Here are the comparative links. Just click on the photo. http://www.vobis.pt/CheckOut.aspx
Thanks for the update. More choices. Keep it up. Hope this solves everybody's concern. Does mine.
Nanto originally wrote:
lets face it a laptop of this price that only provides you with USB interface and only two of them is frankly ridiculous nowadays.
His point was that Apple could easily have afforded the cost of a Firewire port. You're evading the point by telling him, now that he's satisfied your request for data, to take a hike.
yeah i did fix the fan....
have a look what came out
macbook fan cleaning
hmm no way i'm trading in the mac pro for a new macbook pro...
trade in
- 4 x firewire connections for 1 ???
- 4 x 1 TB drives for back up
- ability to run 1 x 24" + 1 x 20" monitors
- optical in/out
- 8 cores (audio is one area where parallel processing is actually used, particularly in logic)
for what ???
as far as software goes i'm using logic which is supposed to be optimised for macs
(with no plug-ins during recording)
I personally wouldn't want to have to use Logic on anything less than a top - the-line Macbook Pro. Certainly not on a Macbook no matter how many FireWire ports were on it.
Fanaticism usually only exists in places where there is some kind of illiteracy I dearly hope that it does not exist here. my point is that any cheap laptop offers more connectivity than the Macbook does. And however much I like Apple I can also be impartial.
My point was that if Apple offered a cheap laptop, i.e., with less power, slower graphic card, no comparable iLife suite, cheaper chassis, standard trackpad, no backlit keyboard, smaller drive, OS X (Cheetah), no Boot Camp, Windows emulation or Time Machine, would it be OK as long as it had more connectivity and a Blu-Ray player.