Thunderbolt/FireWire
When using a Thunderbolt to FireWire adapter, is the data rate still limited to FireWire specs, or does it give you a FireWire connection with Thunderbolt data rates?
My system uses two MOTU Firewire interfaces (896 mk3 Firewire, 896 HD). Even though MOTU Firewire interfaces are theoretically capable of being daisy-chained, I've never been able to get them to work properly when daisy-chained. My laptop (HP 8670w) has a built-in 6-pin FW 400 port and an ExpressCard slot that I have a 9-pin FW 400 card connected two. Not only does that give me two ports but actually two separate FireWire BUSSES, and when I connect my interfaces separately to these two separate FW busses, my interfaces work perfectly, and with all the on-board analog inputs and my 3 ADAT preamps, I have a system that gives me 40 iputs.
I'm looking into upgrading my laptop but as both FireWire and ExpressCard are essentially defunct connectors, I have no choice but to start looking into Thunderbolt as my only option for continuing to use FireWire interfaces. There are laptops that have 2 Thunderbolt ports, but I'm wondering if that is even necessary, since a single Thunderbolt port would theoretically offer me more than enough bandwidth to daisy-chain my interfaces, assuming that the FireWire connection the adapter offers maintains the bandwidth of Thunderbolt.
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