IEEE-1394 (i-Link, Firewire) Connections to your PC

[Solid Lifters]

I'm in the market for a new PC, and I'm not very computer savvy. Sorry.

I want to get a PC that I can connect to my Sony HDTV set via an IEEE-1394 (i-Link, Firewire) cable, so I can use my HDTV as my only monitor. Do any of you have an i-link connetion on your PC? My HDTV has a 4 pin input only connection, so I want to know if the 4 pin i-Link on any PC is output, or input only. Have you tried this connection with other electronic devices?

What about the 6 pin Firewire, i-Link, IEEE-1394 connection? Is it output and input? Is there a way to connect a 6 pin to a 4 pin?

Your guys help will be greatly appreciated! 👍

 

[Flerbizky]

I connect my JVC DV cam (4pin) to my PC (6pin) with FireWire. So basically - You just need to get a 4-6pin cable... Haven't heard of a gfx card that'll output through FireWire...

 

[Solid Lifters]

Originally posted by Flerbizky
I connect my JVC DV cam (4pin) to my PC (6pin) with FireWire. So basically - You just need to get a 4-6pin cable... Haven't heard of a gfx card that'll output through FireWire...

No. I told you, I'm a complete idiot when it comes to computers.

You are connecting the JVC DV cam as an output. I know the PC will take an input, but is it output as well? Will it work with my HDTV? I'm looking for somebody who has tried it, or something similar.

A 4 to 6 pin cable, cool. I might use that if the 6 pin on the PC is both output and input.

The gfx card, how much do they cost? I don't want to install it by myself. I would like to just plug and play, without spending extra money, or paying some noob at Circuit City to install something on my new PC.

 

[Flerbizky]

Originally posted by Solid Lifters
No. I told you, I'm a complete idiot when it comes to computers.

You are connecting the JVC DV cam as an output. I know the PC will take an input, but is it output as well? Will it work with my HDTV? I'm looking for somebody who has tried it, or something similar.

A 4 to 6 pin cable, cool. I might use that if the 6 pin on the PC is both output and input.

The gfx card, how much do they cost? I don't want to install it by myself. I would like to just plug and play, without spending extra money, or paying some noob at Circuit City to install something on my new PC.

Ehh.. The FireWire plug on your comp is both input and output. I copy what has been recorded, say over a weekend, from the JVC to the puter. Edit it, and then I can transfer it back to the Camera. (But don't as I usually burn it on a DVD instead.)

What kinda HDTV do you have ?. (Or more specific, what kinda inputs does it have ?) . I'm fairly sure the FireWire input is just an easier way to connect eg. aforementioned camera (instead of the front mounted SVHS / Composite plugs on the TVs
of the stoneage...)

As said - I've never seen a Gfx card with a FireWire output, but I wouldn't be at all surprised if your HDTV has either an analog VGA input or even a DVI input (Digital Heaven )

Edit: Man I STINK.. Just noticed your first post said SONY HDTV - Anyway - I checked, and apparently most Sonys have a DVI input... I think you'd want to look in that direction instead of FireWire...

Edit2: And to answer your question, the FireWire on the PC is both input and output although I think the only thing it'll output is caputured video back to the Camera....

 

[Solid Lifters]

Originally posted by Flerbizky
Ehh.. The FireWire plug on your comp is both input and output. I copy what has been recorded, say over a weekend, from the JVC to the puter. Edit it, and then I can transfer it back to the Camera. (But don't as I usually burn it on a DVD instead.)

What kinda HDTV do you have ?. (Or more specific, what kinda inputs does it have ?) . I'm fairly sure the FireWire input is just an easier way to connect eg. aforementioned camera (instead of the front mounted SVHS / Composite plugs on the TVs
of the stoneage...)

As said - I've never seen a Gfx card with a FireWire output, but I wouldn't be at all surprised if your HDTV has either an analog VGA input or even a DVI input (Digital Heaven )

Edit: Man I STINK.. Just noticed your first post said SONY HDTV - Anyway - I checked, and apparently most Sonys have a DVI input... I think you'd want to look in that direction instead of FireWire...

Edit2: And to answer your question, the FireWire on the PC is both input and output although I think the only thing it'll output is caputured video back to the Camera....

The Sony HDTV I have is pre DVI. The i.LINK is the only digital connection. I do have two wideband component inputs, but both are used. One for my PS2, and one for my High-definition hard drive recorder. I have no VGA.

Well, it looks like I'm SOL. Sony finally e-mailed me back saying "...It is not possible....failures will result..." Crap. I guess you're right. Only still images, or captured video can pass through the i.LINK connection.

Have you ever seen a component output video/TV card? Maybe I'll get a new audio receiver that has component switching, so I can connect it that way, if the component outs exist.

Got any great web sites that can me research for parts I need? I do google searches, but nothing compatible with my MSNTV receiver pops up.

Thanks for all your help! 👍

 

[cm108kph]

Check out an ATi All-in-Wonder card as a modification after you get your new computer. They may have what you're looking for. The one I have lets me watch TV on my computer, and has S-Video and RCA inputs.

 

[traveaso23]

I just bought a IEEE 1394 PCI Card off of Ebay and the person didn't have a CDROM or Disc with the drivers on it. So i tried the plug and play for Windows XP insert my disc into the CDROM like it tells me too but it can't find the driver. I really want to get this working so i can use my Sony MiniDV camera. Please if anyone has this driver for Windows XP Home Edition please send it to me.

 

[Solid Fro]

Does it say the company name on the card? You should have not bought the card if the person selling it did not tell you who the manufacturer is or given you a driver CD.

 

[emad]

umm..you can't use firewire as a monitor I think. YOu need to use your graphic card's S-Video Output to connect to your tv. Also, almost all new graphic cards come with a digital output which many new tvs support. That'll give better quality than svideo.

for ur firewire question, microshaft is stupid and somehow got exclusive rights to make drivers for both usb and firewire connections. Sooooo, you'll only get those drivers if you have windows working properly. It sucks but that's the way micro**** is.

 

[Solid Lifters]

Originally posted by emad
Also, almost all new graphic cards come with a digital output which many new tvs support. That'll give better quality than svideo.

OK, but what type of digital connection is it? DVI, HDMI, FireWire, etc...

 

[emad]

firewire is used only for transferring video from cameras...
by digital output, I meant DVI. I've never really known what It was called - just knew what the interface looked like and what it did.

 

[Solid Fro]

Originally posted by emad
for ur firewire question, microshaft is stupid and somehow got exclusive rights to make drivers for both usb and firewire connections. Sooooo, you'll only get those drivers if you have windows working properly. It sucks but that's the way micro**** is.

You mean that the drivers are native to Windows, right?

Obviously, XP cannot find the correct drivers for his Firewire card, so he needs to install the drivers manually.

DVI stands for Digital Visual Interface, you can connect your HDTV here. Most video cards today have DVI.

IEEE-1394 is used to transfer information just like USB, not just digital video cameras.

HDMI stands for High Definition Multimedia Interface. Set top boxes like DVD players and receivers would connect here.

 

[Pako]

Just to recap on a couple of points that have been a little misleading.

1.) Firewire400 is simply a DATA path that transfers data to and from the computer at 400mb's. This is NOT limited to only video, but all digital media. You can network with it, do DV dumps, hookup external devices such as hard drives, backup systems, optical drives, ect...

2.) Firewire 800 (Macs only) is the same as the Firewire400 IEEE 1394 standard except it runs at 800 mbs.
3.) I wouldn't say that most cards have DVI outputs, but I would say that most higher-end DUAL-Head video cards have a VGA and a DVI output, along with S-video outputs. Most if not all of ATI's current dual head cards have S-Video outputs, the All-In-WOnder cards adds input as well as output, along with additional features not found on the other non-All-In-Wonder cards.

 

[emeraldtiger]

you guys are so confusing to read all he needs is a video card with video output and that will let him hook it up to allmost every tv there is