Questions & Answers for Apple Thunderbolt to FireWire Adapter
45 Questions from the Community
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do multiple TB-FW adapters create multiple FW busses?
Hi,
I have a question concerning the use of multiple thunderbolt to firewire adapters. If I plug two of these into an iMac, and then a drive to each adapter, would those devices present themselves to the computer as being on two different firewire busses, or one unified firewire bus?
Some people on here have commented on how they have multiple drives daisy-chained to one adapter, that is not what I am asking about, as in that kind of situation you can easily saturate a single firewire buss.
My purpose here is to use Universal Audio's Satellite UAD product (firewire) in addition to a firewire audio interface. the Satellite prefers to be the sole device on a FW chain for best performance, so what I would like to do is use one adapter for a satellite, and one for a firewire audio interface, and have the two operate independently on their own busses.
Does anyone know if this is possible? Has anyone tried it?- Asked by Henry R from Chandler
- 11-Jun-2013
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Will I be able to transfer video files from my Mac Book Pro with Retina Display to my IMac mid-2010? If not with this cable, any other ideas?
- Asked by Norm K from Fort Collins
- 12-May-2013
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Will this adapter work with a Sandisk Extreme FireWire reader (FW800) and my MBP retina?
- Asked by Michael S from West Hollywood
- 4-Jun-2013
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Will this adapter allow me to connect my sony handy cam 4pin firewire cable to transfer video?
- Asked by Henry J from Fort Mill
- 4-Dec-2012
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AnswerNo, this connects a FW800 device, not a FW400. I'm having the same problem. I purchased this adaptor and then a FW800 to FW400 cable (4 pin) to enable me to connect my older camera. I'm not sure is this is the culprit, but when I import now, my video and audio are out of sync. I'm still working on a solution and will share it with you if I have any success.
cheers,
Jack- Answered by Jack S from Huntington
- 3-Jun-2013
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Is it possible to use this to connect an iMac with FireWire to a Thunderbolt external hard drive?
- Asked by Bryan C from La Verne
- 1-Aug-2012
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Best AnswerNo, the adapter works the other way around. It's to connect a Mac with a thunderbolt port to a device that has a Firewire800 port.
- Answered by Graham D
- 2-Aug-2012
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Will this allow users to start a Thunderbolt-equipped Mac in "Target Disk Mode" and access it via a FireWire-only Mac? (And vice-versa)
I know that Thunderbolt-to-Thunderbolt Target Mode is available and obviously FireWire-to-FireWire, but I'm more curious about using Target Disk mode to support older Macs with newer ones and vice versa.
- Asked by Josef L from Tacoma
- 1-Aug-2012
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Best AnswerYes, a Thunderbolt-equipped Mac will do either Thunderbolt Target Disk Mode, or with the Thunderbolt to FireWire Adapter, it will do Firewire Target Disk Mode just fine.
- Answered by Kerry K from Los Altos
- 4-Aug-2012
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Can this adapter be used to connect thunderbolt external hard drive to older mac with firewire 800?
I want to purchase a Thunderbolt external hard Drive to use with my new MacBook Pro with retina display. I also want to be able to use that hard drive with my older iMac that only has FireWire 800. Will this adapter allow me to connect the thunderbolt drive to the older iMac.
- Asked by Alexander E from Dix Hills
- 4-Aug-2012
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Best AnswerNo. This device creates a FireWire port for the host Mac when connected to a Thunderbolt port. It needs software drivers to do this, and cannot function as a converter on it's own. Because of this, it cannot be used as a bridge to do the opposite. (That would be a completely different adapter, but as far as I know no one has made one yet.)
- Answered by John S from Notre Dame
- 8-Aug-2012
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Will this allow me to hook up an older Cinema Display to a new iMac?
- Asked by Samantha W from Sherwood Park
- 27-Mar-2013
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Will the Apple Thunderbolt to firewire adapter work on PCs (Asus, for example) that have the Thunderbolt ports ?
- Asked by David T from Poughkeepsie
- 3-Dec-2012
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Best Answer
Yes.
I bought Apple Thunderbolt to FireWire Adapter for my Mac Book Pro with Retina Display. Then I realized it is FireWire 800 instead of FireWire 400. I bought the iWires FireWire 800 to FireWire 400 Cable and used it with Apple Thunderbolt to FireWire Adapter and was able to capture video from my Sony DV recorder using Apple Final Cut Pro X.
I think it is possible to use the Belkin FireWire 800/400 9-Pin to 4-Pin Cable as well, although I have not try it. Just make sure your DV recorder is using 4-pin or 6-pin FireWire port.- Answered by Tang Fung W from Hong Kong
- 30-Aug-2012
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Will this adapter work with a 4th gen ipad
I would like to upload raw images via my firewire compact flash card to my 4th gen ipad. My card reader is firewire 800. Thank you.
- Asked by Joseph B from Roswell
- 21-Dec-2012
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Does this Thunderbolt to Firewire connection allow Sony DV camcorders to record to the Mac? (for iStopMotion)
- Asked by Richard K from Vancouver
- 16-Sep-2012
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Will this adapter work on a Mac with Snow Leopard 10.6.8?
I want to use this adapter with a 2011 MacBook Pro still loaded with Snow Leopard and don't wish to update to Lion.
- Asked by Stefan R from Bellevue
- 3-Aug-2012
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Best AnswerNo it will not. You need to have Lion 10.7.4 or higher.
- Answered by Dean S from Encino
- 3-Aug-2012
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I have a FW 400 device that I would love to use with my MacBook Air. Does anyone know if a FW 800 to FW 400 adapter will work with this adapter?
- Asked by Robert T from Long Beach
- 1-Aug-2012
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Best AnswerI tested such a device with this adapter, and it worked well.
I plugged an audio interface, called the PreSonus FireBox, into a MacBook's Thunderbolt port. It's a FireWire 400 device.
I already had a FW 800 to FW 400 adapter cable, and I plugged that into Apple's FireWire-to-Thunderbolt adapter.- Answered by James P from Decatur
- 9-Aug-2012
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Will this adaptor connect with 6 pin FireWire Maxtor External HD?
- Asked by Jennifer E from Warrell Creek
- 18-Feb-2013
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thunderbolt to firewire400 adapter?
Hi, I've got a TimeMachine with FW400 connection and want to buy a new MacBook Pro that only has Thunderbolt. I've searched for a Thunderbolt to FW400 adapter, but only find one that says it's for Thunderbolt to FW800. Is there an adapter for TB to FW400? Or am I going to have to daisy chain (FW400 to FW800, then FW800 to Thunderbolt)? Thanks!
- Asked by Stacey K from West Bloomfield
- 3-Aug-2012
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Best AnswerThere are also cables that have FW 400 on one end and FW 800 on the other. I find the cable solution a little more elegant and it's not another adapter to lose.
- Answered by Jef L from Chicago
- 7-Aug-2012
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Medium Format Camera?
Will I be able to use this to connect a Leaf Aptus medium format camera back to my rMBP?
- Asked by Daniel E
- 29-Oct-2012
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Best AnswerI just tried with my Mamiya dm22. You can only read what is on the card. no dithering . I am going to have to return both the Mac Air and the adapter, That was the only reason I bought it. I would have avoided wasting my time if anyone at Apple would have been clearer on the limit of the adapter.
- Answered by Walter T from Las Vegas
- 7-Nov-2012
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is there an adaptor for a external memory usb to thunderbolt
- Asked by Kevin S from St Helens
- 28-Jan-2013
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Answer
Their can be no adapter for what your asking because somewhere in the mix you have to have a Intel main board with a Thunderbolt port.
- Answered by John B from Winters
- 21-Dec-2012
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What transfer speeds would I expect using this adapter? Will this convert my firewire drives to thunderbolt speeds?
- Asked by Randall J from Spring
- 2-Aug-2012
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Best AnswerWith FW400 devices you will get a maximum of 400Mbps (~50 MB/sec), and with FW800 you will get a maximum of 800Mbps (~100 MB/sec). That will be your throughput ceiling, your drives won't be able to take full of advantage of Thunderbolt's speed.
- Answered by Martin J from Ottawa
- 3-Aug-2012
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