connecting usb2.0 flashdrive to fw400/fw800 somehow? possible?

[supernova777]

the search for cheapest + best flash storage for mac os 9 continues..

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/apple/firewire-to-usb-cable-windows-only-for-now/2454

just found this article and it made me think..
is it possible? to use a usb flashdrive to somehow connect via fw400 to be used as a disk? (or boot drive?)
and get a decent speed access? as we all know flash drives are very cheap now.. 8gb-16gb can be found for less then 20$ in my area

the usb/firewire cable article says windows only, but its dated 2008 maybe they made this universal by now?

which makes me ask the question why is there no firewire flash drive?
i guess u would have to buy a ssd and put it into a fw400 enclosure to acheive this


this cable might be the other way around. to connect firewire camera to usb port on windows pc?
but im interested if its possible to use usb2.0 flash drive connected via firewire to a g4/g5 or intel imac

[supernova777]

http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1365683

Yup, I remember back in the G4 days reading on the official Apple forums of some guy buying a no-name chinese FW to USB adapter and essentially destroyed his iMac's FW port.

Good times good times.

ok i will skip that idea 

looks like the best ideas possible are
a) firewire enclosure with ssd inside
b) flash card reader + flash card (like diehard suggested before)
i remember mactron posted some hack he did im trying to find the post
here it is
http://macos9lives.com/smforum/index.php?topic=1168.msg4497#msg4497


there must be a way for us to use our usb flashdrives as firewire drives?

OMG!
http://gizmodo.com/245941/ocz-rally-2-firewire-flash-drives-good-when-your-usb-ports-are-stuffed
http://www.cnet.com/products/kanguru-fire-flash-firewire-flash-drive-8-gb/
http://lowendmac.com/mail/07/0607.html#1
http://www.slashgear.com/firewire-flash-drives-from-ocz-214433/

[supernova777]

heres a good idea instead

+ same ssd knez talk about "kingspec" ide


http://www.ebay.ca/itm/New-External-2-5-PATA-USB-Hard-Disk-Drive-HDD-Enclosure-Firewire-IEEE-1394-US-/400742064909?pt=US_Drive_Enclosures_Docks&hash=item5d4e16a30d

if it would fit inside.. maybe would work better with a 3.5" enclosure becuase 4pin molex power connector


is there such thing as a SATA - FW400 enclosure?
remember this thread http://macos9lives.com/smforum/index.php?topic=1149.0

[supernova777]

it really sucks that this is easily possible with compact flash (compact flash ide adapter are $2)
but the compact flash themselves are expensive compared to usb flash drive which are more mass produced
so they are so cheap + avaialble everywhere

i wish i could find a way to bridge this to firewire or IDE!!
BUT i think this is a lost cause;(

http://www.mactalk.com.au/28/113888-firewire-thumb-drive-instead-usb.html

[supernova777]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Addonics-ADSACFAST-N-Flash-Reader-Writer-CFast-Card-Serial-ATA-adsacfastn-/231262805697?pt=US_Memory_Card_Readers_Adapters&hash=item35d8565ec1

heres compact flash to sata...
its a shame compact flash werent cheap!

[supernova777]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWaF1vePqUE[/youtube]

here is a video on a adapter to convert SD to CF!
but are SD cards cheaper then CF?
using this combine with CF Reader and FW enclosure? lol

amzing this thing has wifi in a tiny ass SD card!

[supernova777]

looking on ebay the price of 16gb SD cards is definately cheaper then compact flash!!!!!!!!!!! by alot
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-16GB-Micro-SD-microSD-SDHC-Flash-Memory-Card-Class10-C10-Free-Adapter-reader-/281415163019?pt=US_Cellphone_Memory_Cards&hash=item4185a69c8b

ok wait its actually a micro SD (SO SMALL!) in a sd adapter.. LOL!
microSD -> inside SD -> inside CF -> inside CF flash reader -> inside firewire enclosure -> inside mac g4
LOL:) it would be funny . makes me think of these russian dolls
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matryoshka_doll

32gb i see a listing for 22$ from hongkong! wow thats cheap
http://www.ebay.com/itm/SanDisk-Mobile-Ultra-Micro-SDHC-TF-32GB-32G-CLASS-10-Memory-Card-with-SD-Adapter-/190882323685?pt=US_Cellphone_Memory_Cards&hash=item2c71791ce5

firewire flash drive would be alot easier!!!

[Irisman]

That was a funny post!!! 

[blemk]

Not sure I would gamble on flash drives (usb) as most you could get so cheap would also not perform that well.

I know the hunt for mac compatible sata cards is on (got an owc one luckily on ebay), but you may want to look at pata/sata options yet. Onboard pata or a nice pata 133 card with one of the following options:

http://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-Drive-Optical-Adapter-Converter/dp/B00EOJNGC2/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1419325866&sr=8-6&keywords=startech+sata+pata+adapter

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001H3CW00/ref=sr_ph?ie=UTF8&qid=1419325894&sr=1&keywords=startech+sata+adapter

Both tested and work quite well with onboard ata and several mac ata pci cards I found. Performance is quite good (not limited by adapter so far). Could get cheaper adapters (different brand) that are very similar (maybe identical), but I know a few cheaper ones that use different chipsets/ICs that don't play as well.   Just an idea for those not ready to invest or can't find Mac compatible sata cards (or convertible to Mac sata cards).

Turns out, I am using a mix of real sata card and adapter or two in my work in progress MDD. Otherwise, also scored a bunch of brand new USB 2.0, FW400/FW800  2.5 inch sata drive enclosures for $12 each (brand new) on ebay recently. But even FW800 (which you won't get under OS 9 as 800 but FW400 instead) is far from ATA100/133 or SATA I (150) speeds.