- Thunderbolt 2 To Firewire 400
- Thunderbolt 2 To Firewire
- Thunderbolt To Firewire Adapter For Mac
- Apple Thunderbolt To Firewire Adapter For Mac
The main difference between FireWire and Thunderbolt is that Thunderbolt provides a higher data transferring rate than FireWire.
Presonus Audio does support the use of the approved Apple Thunderbolt to firewire adapters on PC and Mac systems: Apple's Approved Thunderbolt to Firewire Adapter You will also want to consider this adapter when utilizing Thunderbolt 3 connections on PC computers with the above adapter: Thunderbolt 3 to thunderbolt 2 adapter - Startech. Use FireWire devices with Mac. You can use FireWire (sometimes called IEEE 1394 or i.LINK) to connect external devices, such as a hard drive or a digital video camera, without needing to restart your computer.A FireWire port provides power, so the connected device usually doesn't need its own power cord. Many Mac computers have one or more FireWire 400 ports that transfer data at up to 400.
FireWire and USB are standard interfaces to establish communication between electronic devices. FireWire provides a data transferring rate of 400 to 800 Mbps. On the other hand, Thunderbolt provides a data transferring rate of 10Gbps. It is around 12 times faster than FireWire 800 version. Therefore, Thunderbolt is faster and performs better than FireWire.
Key Areas Covered
1. What is FireWire
– Definition, Features
2. What is Thunderbolt
– Definition, Features
3. What is the Difference Between FireWire and Thunderbolt
– Comparison of Key Differences
Key Terms
Thunderbolt 2 To Firewire 400
FireWire, Thunderbolt, USB
What is FireWire
FireWire is an interface that allows high-speed communication and data transferring among devices. It is the Apple version of the IEEE 1394 standard. There are two types in FireWire as FireWire 400 (IEEE 1394a) and FireWire 800 (IEEE 1394b). FireWire 400 provides a data transfer rate up to 400 Mbps, and it is a 6 pin connector. FireWire 800 provides a data transfer rate up to 800Mbps, and it is a 9 pin connector. There are future versions such as FireWire 1600 and 3200 that can support much faster speeds.
FireWire provides multiple advantages. It has thin serial cables. Moreover, it is possible to connect devices together without terminators or complicated setup requirements. Most importantly, it builds the pathway to connect peripherals such as external hard drives, video cameras, audio interfaces, etc.
What is Thunderbolt
Thunderbolt is an interface to connect external devices to a computer. It combines PCI Express and Display port into two serial signals. Therefore, it supports both data devices and displays with high resolutions. Thunderbolt provides a data transferring rate of 10Gbps in both directions. It is a higher rate compared to FireWire. Also, this interface is capable of supporting eight 720p video streams at the same time.
Thunderbolt provides power to connected devices. In other words, it is possible to power an external device that requires 10 watts or less power. Moreover, we can connect multiple devices to one Thunderbolt port in sequence. Thus, it is also called daisy chaining.
Difference Between FireWire and Thunderbolt
Definition
FireWire is Apple version of a standard, IEEE 1394, high-performance serial bus for connecting devices to personal computers. Thunderbolt, on the other hand, is a hardware interface that allows the connection of external peripherals to a computer. Thus, this is the fundamental difference between FireWire and Thunderbolt.
Designer
Thunderbolt 2 To Firewire
Apple Inc. is the designer of FireWire while Intel and Apple are the designers of FireWire.
Speed
Speed is the main difference between FireWire and Thunderbolt. That is; the FireWire provides 400-800 Mbps data transferring speed whereas the Thunderbolt provides 10Gbps data transferring rate.
Daisy Chain
Also, it is possible to daisy chain up to 63 devices in FireWire. However, it is possible to daisy chain up to 6 devices in Thunderbolt. Hence, this is a difference between FireWire and Thunderbolt.
Maximum Voltage
Moreover, one important difference between FireWire and Thunderbolt is that the maximum voltage of FireWire is 30V and the maximum voltage of Thunderbolt is 18V.
Maximum Current
Maximum current is also an important difference between FireWire and Thunderbolt. The maximum current of FireWire is 1.5A while the maximum current Thunderbolt is 0.55A.
Popularity
FireWire is more commonly used than Thunderbolt.
Conclusion
FireWire and Thunderbolt are interfaces to allow communication between electronic devices. The main difference between FireWire and Thunderbolt is that the Thunderbolt provides higher data transferring rate than FireWire.
1. 'IEEE 1394.' Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 31 Dec. 2018, Available here.
2. 'Thunderbolt (Interface).' Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 17 Jan. 2019, Available here.
3. 'Firewire.' P2P (Peer To Peer) Definition, Available here.
4. 'Thunderbolt.' P2P (Peer To Peer) Definition, Available here.
1. 'FireWire cables' By Mikkel Paulson – Own work (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia
2. 'Thunderbolt 3 interface USB-C ports' By Amin – Own work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia
The adapters and cables in this article work with these Mac computers and iPad Pro devices:
- Mac models that have Thunderbolt 3 ports. These ports support both Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C connections.
- Mac models that have a USB-C port. This port supports USB-C connections.
- iPad Pro models that have a USB-C port. This port supports USB-C connections.
To find the right cable or adapter for your Mac or iPad Pro, use the information below to identify the connector on the end of the cable coming from your display, hard drive, camera, hub, or other device. Check the end meant to plug into your Mac or iPad Pro.
Thunderbolt 3
If you're using an Apple Thunderbolt 3 cable or other Thunderbolt 3 cable with your display or other device, it will connect to your Mac without an adapter.
The Apple Pro Display XDR and LG UltraFine 5K Display use Thunderbolt 3.
USB-C
If you're using a mophie USB-C Cable with USB-C Connector or other USB-C cable with your device, it will connect to your Mac or iPad Pro without an adapter.
The LG UltraFine 4K Display uses USB-C.
USB-A
If you're using a USB-A cable with your device, use the Apple USB-C to USB Adapter, the Apple USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter, the Apple USB-C VGA Multiport Adapter, or another USB-C to USB-A adapter to connect your device to your Mac or iPad Pro.
To charge an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch from a Thunderbolt 3 or USB-C port without one of these adapters, you can use the Apple USB-C to Lightning Cable instead.
Ethernet
If you're using an Ethernet cable with your device, use a third-party USB-C to Ethernet adapter, such as the Belkin USB-C to Gigabit Ethernet Adapter.
Thunderbolt or Thunderbolt 2
If you're using a Thunderbolt or Thunderbolt 2 cable with a Thunderbolt display or other device, use the Apple Thunderbolt 3 to Thunderbolt 2 Adapter.
This is the correct adapter for the Apple Thunderbolt Display.
Thunderbolt and Thunderbolt 2 are not the same as Mini DisplayPort . They have the same shape, but use different symbols on the cable and port.
Mini DisplayPort
If you're using a Mini DisplayPort cable with a Mini DisplayPort display, use a third-party USB-C to Mini DisplayPort adapter. Check with its manufacturer for compatibility with your Mac and display model.
This is the correct solution for the Apple LED Cinema Display.
1. 'IEEE 1394.' Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 31 Dec. 2018, Available here.
2. 'Thunderbolt (Interface).' Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 17 Jan. 2019, Available here.
3. 'Firewire.' P2P (Peer To Peer) Definition, Available here.
4. 'Thunderbolt.' P2P (Peer To Peer) Definition, Available here.
1. 'FireWire cables' By Mikkel Paulson – Own work (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia
2. 'Thunderbolt 3 interface USB-C ports' By Amin – Own work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia
The adapters and cables in this article work with these Mac computers and iPad Pro devices:
- Mac models that have Thunderbolt 3 ports. These ports support both Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C connections.
- Mac models that have a USB-C port. This port supports USB-C connections.
- iPad Pro models that have a USB-C port. This port supports USB-C connections.
To find the right cable or adapter for your Mac or iPad Pro, use the information below to identify the connector on the end of the cable coming from your display, hard drive, camera, hub, or other device. Check the end meant to plug into your Mac or iPad Pro.
Thunderbolt 3
If you're using an Apple Thunderbolt 3 cable or other Thunderbolt 3 cable with your display or other device, it will connect to your Mac without an adapter.
The Apple Pro Display XDR and LG UltraFine 5K Display use Thunderbolt 3.
USB-C
If you're using a mophie USB-C Cable with USB-C Connector or other USB-C cable with your device, it will connect to your Mac or iPad Pro without an adapter.
The LG UltraFine 4K Display uses USB-C.
USB-A
If you're using a USB-A cable with your device, use the Apple USB-C to USB Adapter, the Apple USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter, the Apple USB-C VGA Multiport Adapter, or another USB-C to USB-A adapter to connect your device to your Mac or iPad Pro.
To charge an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch from a Thunderbolt 3 or USB-C port without one of these adapters, you can use the Apple USB-C to Lightning Cable instead.
Ethernet
If you're using an Ethernet cable with your device, use a third-party USB-C to Ethernet adapter, such as the Belkin USB-C to Gigabit Ethernet Adapter.
Thunderbolt or Thunderbolt 2
If you're using a Thunderbolt or Thunderbolt 2 cable with a Thunderbolt display or other device, use the Apple Thunderbolt 3 to Thunderbolt 2 Adapter.
This is the correct adapter for the Apple Thunderbolt Display.
Thunderbolt and Thunderbolt 2 are not the same as Mini DisplayPort . They have the same shape, but use different symbols on the cable and port.
Mini DisplayPort
If you're using a Mini DisplayPort cable with a Mini DisplayPort display, use a third-party USB-C to Mini DisplayPort adapter. Check with its manufacturer for compatibility with your Mac and display model.
This is the correct solution for the Apple LED Cinema Display.
Mini DisplayPort is not the same as Thunderbolt or Thunderbolt 2 . They have the same shape, but use different symbols on the cable and port.
DisplayPort
If you're using a DisplayPort cable with your display, use a third-party USB-C to DisplayPort adapter or cable, such as the Moshi USB-C to DisplayPort Cable.
HDMI
If you're using an HDMI cable with your display, use the Apple USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter or a third-party USB-C to HDMI adapter or cable.
Thunderbolt To Firewire Adapter For Mac
VGA
If you're using a VGA cable with your display, use the Apple USB-C VGA Multiport Adapter. Or use a third-party USB-C to VGA adapter, such as the Belkin USB-C to VGA Adapter.
DVI
If you're using a DVI cable with your display, use a third-party USB-C to DVI adapter or cable. Check with its manufacturer for compatibility with your Mac and display model.
Learn more
Apple Thunderbolt To Firewire Adapter For Mac
- You can use your USB-C Power Adapter and charge cable with any Thunderbolt 3 or USB-C port on your Mac or iPad Pro.
- If you have an Apple TV connected to your TV, projector, or other display, you can use AirPlay to wirelessly stream video to that display, or extend the desktop of your primary display.
- Learn about using external monitors with your Mac.
- Learn more about using the USB-C port on your iPad Pro.
