Tips for achieving FireWire bliss
The
FireWire 800 (1394b) sockets on the Paca and Pacarana provide a high speed data link between your audio interface, host computer and Kyma. If you treat them with the same care and attention you would give to a high-speed sports car (and don't lend out your keys), they will serve you speedily and well for many years to come! The following tips will help keep your Paca(rana) running in top form.
- Avoid plugging or unplugging the FireWire cables when your audio interface, computer or Paca(rana) is powered on
- When plugging in the FireWire cable, make sure that the cable is connected in the correct orientation (not upside down)
- Be gentle with the FireWire connections, they require very little force to be connected properly
- The FireWire cable should plug straight into the connector on the back of the Paca(rana) and the cable should not have any tension on it
- Use 1394b bilingual cables (see diagram below)
- For extra protection, use a FireWire 800 or FireWire 400 hub; leave the Paca(rana) permanently connected and do all plugging/unplugging into the hub
- Make sure you connect to the correct FireWire bus (your computer may have more than one)
- For fastest speeds, connect the Paca(rana) directly to the FireWire 800 port of your computer or to a FireWire 800 hub (rather than through a FireWire 400 device or hub)
- You can use the two Paca(rana) ports to daisy-chain devices, but the daisy-chain only works while the Paca(rana) is powered on
- When using an Apple Thunderbolt to FireWire Adapter, all of these same tips apply
If your computer is powered on when you plug or unplug a
FireWire cable, there is a a small chance that the high-voltage
FireWire bus power could be briefly connected to the low-voltage
FireWire data connections. If this happens, the
FireWire ports of the Paca(rana), the computer, and/or the audio interface can be damaged. So, please turn off your audio interface, computer and your Paca(rana) when changing
FireWire cables around.
The connection surfaces of
FireWire plugs and sockets are on the side of the connector and not on the end of the connector. "Pushing harder to make sure it's really plugged in" does not improve the
FireWire connection; in fact, pushing harder only stresses the electrical connections and mechanical anchors of the socket.
All
FireWire 800 connectors are sensitive to pressure and cable movement. The
FireWire cable should plug straight into the connector on the back of the Paca(rana) and the cable should not have any tension on it. That includes tension due to gravity pulling on the cable, so whenever possible, try to run the cable across a table or desk rather than letting it hang off the edge. The
FireWire connection can become unreliable if the cable connector is at an angle to the Paca(rana) connector or if there is any pressure applied to the connector.
Never unplug a FireWire connection (or any other kind of connection) by the pulling on the cable. To disconnect a
FireWire connection, grasp the
FireWire connector where it meets the socket and gently pull the connector straight out.
The bilingual 1394b connector has a narrow notch that provides a better friction fit and is less likely to disconnect due to tension on the
FireWire cable. The image below compares the bilingual and beta 1394 connectors (notice the size of the notch on the top front of each of the connectors):
The 1394 standard specifies that the bilingual connector must be used on 1394b to 1394a cables and are permitted on 1394b to 1394b cables. The standard also specifies that the beta connector is permitted on 1394b to 1394b cables only. (The reason for the restriction is to prevent
FireWire-800-only devices from being connected to
FireWire 400 devices.)
Unfortunately, the
FireWire cable manufacturers do not always follow the standard which means that you will sometimes find the bilingual connector on one end of a
FireWire 800 to 400 cable. Since it is not possible to rely on the cable manufacturer having used the correct connectors,
it is important to inspect any FireWire cables that will be used to make sure that they use the narrow-notched bilingual connectors.
If you will be moving your Paca(rana) (or plugging/unplugging
FireWire cables) often, it is a good idea to use a
FireWire hub as the central point for connecting all of your
FireWire devices.
When using the hub, you would connect each
FireWire device (computer, Paca(rana), audio interface) to the hub. This helps reduce some wear-and-tear on the
FireWire connectors of each device and can help prevent any cable and connector mishaps from damaging more than one device.
Sometimes, a computer will have more than one
FireWire bus (for example, when a
FireWire expansion is added to a computer that has built-in
FireWire). If this is the case, make sure that the Paca(rana) and its
FireWire audio interface are connected to the same bus.
You will get the highest performance out of Kyma (faster communications and faster downloading of Sounds and samples) if you connect the Paca(rana) directly to a
FireWire 800 port on your computer. If you are using a
FireWire 800 hub, you will get the same high performance.
The two
FireWire ports on the Paca(rana) can be used to daisy-chain
FireWire devices.
For example, you could connect the computer to one
FireWire port and your audio interface to the other. When the Paca(rana) is powered on, the Paca(rana), computer, and audio interface are connected to one another on the same
FireWire network. When the Paca(rana) is turned off, none of these devices is connected to each other.
An Apple Thunderbolt to
FireWire Adapter provides a
FireWire 800 port indistinguishable from a built-in
FireWire 800 port. All the same tips apply when you're using a Thunderbolt/FireWire adapter cable.
--
KurtHebel - 01 Jul 2013
