PC Techs

Billy McCombs · Post by **Billy McCombs** » 7 Mar 2011 2:15 pm

As I stated in a earlier post I have a new PC its a HP slimline s5704 Window 7,and it does not have a firewire port for my Personas firebox that I payed 350.00 for a few years back. Best buy will not help me with this problem they have ports for the larger PC but not for the slimline ones.They told me I will have to fined one on line my self. What a piece of crap.

I'm no PC Tech so I could please us some help.Thanks

Mitch Drumm · Post by **Mitch Drumm** » 7 Mar 2011 2:47 pm

I assume the HP is a desktop PC rather than a laptop.

Sounds like you need a firewire card that fits into a slot on your motherboard and provides an external connector for firewire on the back of the case.

Here is a bunch of them:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductLi ... ewire+card

Which one you needs depends on what you find inside your PC.

You may not have any PCI slots. In that case you could not use a "PCI to 1394" card (1394 stands for firewire).

You may not have any PCI Express slots. In that case, you could not use a "PCI Express to 1394" card.

You have a slim line case. That may mean you have to get a "low profile" card. A standard one might be too tall and wouldn't fit, even if you had the right slot.

So, you have to dig into your HP manual and find out what if any open slots you have inside and then buy a card that fits in that slot and isn't too tall.

Or you could take it to a tech and have them do it for you.

Billy McCombs · Post by **Billy McCombs** » 7 Mar 2011 5:30 pm

Mitch thanks for the response. Here's a look at the back side of the Slimline. The slots you can see measure about 23/4" The Presonus calls for ram 256 MB recommended 512MB. The PCs a HP Pavilion Slimline s5704 Desk Top, Windows 7. If you or some one can take this Info. and point me in the right direction I would be so grateful. I cant believe Best Buy treated me this way. Thanks PS Best Buy offered to install it if I brought it in to them for $50.00

Mitch Drumm · Post by **Mitch Drumm** » 7 Mar 2011 5:50 pm

Billy McCombs wrote:Mitch thanks for the response. Here's a look at the back side of the Slimline. The slots you can see measure about 23/4" The Presonus calls for ram 256 MB recommended 512MB. The PCs a HP Pavilion Slimline s5704 Desk Top, Windows 7. If you or some one can take this Info. and point me in the right direction I would be so grateful. I cant believe Best Buy treated me this way. Thanks PS Best Buy offered to install it if I brought it in to them for $50.00

Billy:

What you see in your pic are actually "slot covers" and don't really provide any info other than that you have 2 slots inside.

But we don't know what kind of slots. PCI? PCI Express?

Dig into your manual. Look for a diagram. A PCI Express slot is short--like an inch or inch and a half.

A PCI slot is several inches long.

Do you have your HP model number EXACTLY right?? I couldn't find any info for that model number.

Here is a pic of slot types. Which do you have? You could pop the case open and look.

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 7 Mar 2011 7:18 pm

If this is a "slim" (compact) PC tower you will need a "Low profile" type card either PCI or PCIeX1. In addition you will need a firewire port card that has the T.I. (Texas Instrument) firewire chipset for proper operation of the Firebox. That uses the "Dice II" firewire interface and they will only work with a few firewire chipsets and primarily T.I. Don't use anything other than a T.I. firewire chipset.

I have a Focusrite Saffire Pro 40 firewire interface and it has the same Dice II chipset (as does most of the Firewire audio interfact equipment). My desktop motherboard (an Intel motherboard) has the T.I. firewire chipset.

The T.I. chipset is a hot topic on the Sonar forum and on the MAudio (Avid/ProTools) forum.

Billy McCombs · Post by **Billy McCombs** » 7 Mar 2011 8:26 pm

Mitch I have sent you a private message

Mitch Drumm · Post by **Mitch Drumm** » 8 Mar 2011 4:03 am

Billy:

I got your messages.

The link you sent me was not valid. Post it again in this thread and I will try to take a look.

I still cannot find info on that model number via google. I did find 3 similar models at HP, but they vary in what slots are inside, so I still can't tell what is inside your PC.

Jack makes some good points. Looking at the possible cards at Newegg, it looks like there are several types of Firewire ports, varying by pin count. You have to ensure that the card you buy has a port that is fully compatible with the connector from your Firebox.

Did you not look inside the case and inspect the slots?

Does your manual specify the types of slots?

Does your Firebox manual give more info on what it needs to connect to?

I'd hate to see you spend 50 to have Best Buy do such a simple job.

I don't know much about Firewire personally.

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 8 Mar 2011 5:21 am

I found that PC on Best Buy. Apparently a custom model made for Best Buy as it's not on the HP site.

CLICK ME

The specs at Best Buy say "one PCIeX1 expansion slot". So it looks like a "low profile" PCIex1 card type will be required.

Again, and I can't stress enough, get one that has the T.I. firewire chipset - anything else and it's iffy it will work or work with getting dropouts.

Mitch Drumm · Post by **Mitch Drumm** » 8 Mar 2011 6:06 am

Jack:

What do you think about this one? The details state "Using with TI XIO2213 chipset". It's PCI Express low profile:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... -_-Product

Dale Gray · Post by **Dale Gray** » 8 Mar 2011 7:32 am

Would $50.00 be too far out of line to fix this problem?

Billy McCombs · Post by **Billy McCombs** » 8 Mar 2011 8:06 am

Dale the $50.00 is just to install it, what got me upset is that they would not locate the firewire card for me. Mitch I have not opened up the back of the PC yet I'm looking for a Teck here locally to install it if you guys can locate the right one for me. I really appreciate you and Jack helping me out with this. This Forums the greatest.

Mitch Drumm · Post by **Mitch Drumm** » 8 Mar 2011 8:46 am

Billy McCombs wrote:Dale the $50.00 is just to install it, what got me upset is that they would not locate the firewire card for me. Mitch I have not opened up the back of the PC yet I'm looking for a Teck here locally to install it if you guys can locate the right one for me. I really appreciate you and Jack helping me out with this. This Forums the greatest.

Billy:

I looked at the link to Best Buy that Jack provided above. It states that you have a PCI Express X 1 slot.

You also have a narrow case and likely would need a "low profile" card.

The card I linked in my most recent post meets those qualifications.

BUT, BUT,

I would wait for Jack to comment on the card I mentioned as I know very little about Firewire.

Keep trying to locate a tech---he might have a card or can get one locally so you would not have to mail order and take a chance on getting the wrong one.

I'd also want to know if the connector on the back of the card is necessarily compatible with your Firebox. I don't know. Not all Firewire ports are identical.

Billy McCombs · Post by **Billy McCombs** » 8 Mar 2011 9:21 am

Mitch heres the backside of the Presonus.

Mitch Drumm · Post by **Mitch Drumm** » 8 Mar 2011 9:30 am

Billy:

The pic is too small, but even if it was huge, I don't have the necessary knowledge to come to any conclusions.

Wait for Jack or others or your tech.

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 8 Mar 2011 3:15 pm

That's a standard Firewire port, the same as I have on my Firewire device.

The "A" port (firewire 400) in the firewire card reference is what is needed. The other two are "B" or Firewire 800 that is not compatible with "A" which is normally what you find.

That card has the T.I. chipset but with Firewire 800 it's questionable whether it will work. I know there are Laptop PCMCIA firewire cards that are strictly Firewire 400 and there are those that are both 400/800 and the 400/800 cards do not work according to posts on the Sonar forum. A dual port "A" type would be the most useful.

HERE is a two port card and it lists the T.I chipset.

$50 although sounding high is not really out of line to install a part. Most places charge a minimum of two hours labor to do anything and many charge $50 or more per hour.

Billy McCombs · Post by **Billy McCombs** » 8 Mar 2011 3:47 pm

Thanks Jack I will have a PC tech. read this post and hopefully he will understand what I need. I have no problem paying the $50, I just think they could have found the card for me. Seams like that ought to be part of there Geek department. Really appreciate the help from both you guys. Thanks again.

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 9 Mar 2011 3:05 am

I wouldn't expect Best Buy would find what you wanted, as the personnel there probably have no idea what you really need. Anything other than standard "run of the mill" items and they are probably lost.

Billy McCombs · Post by **Billy McCombs** » 9 Mar 2011 8:01 am

Jack I will order the one you recommended and have a tech install it, Thanks again

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 9 Mar 2011 9:39 am

While your waiting for the card, download the latest driver from Presonus. The latest driver adds Windows 7 support.

CLICK ME

Billy McCombs · Post by **Billy McCombs** » 9 Mar 2011 10:33 am

Thanks again Jack you are the Man.

Billy McCombs · Post by **Billy McCombs** » 17 Mar 2011 3:39 pm

I would like to thank Jack and Mitch again especially Jack for pointing me in the right direction. Got the Firewire installed today and I'm up and running. Thanks to you guys and this Forum I could not have done it with out you.

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 17 Mar 2011 3:57 pm

Billy, great news. Glad I could help.