StarTech.com 3 Port 2b 1a 1394 PCI Express FireWire Card Adapter - 1394 FW PCIe FireWire 800 / 400 Card , TAA (PEX1394B3)

This card works well. I installed it in a Dell 7020 Core I7 desktop PC. No problems at all. I can download video from an old Sony camcorder (DCR-TRV520) through the i.LINK / FireWire port. I tried another card (Linkstek brand) that did not work at all (PC would not even boot up with the card installed). This card, while more expensive, works flawlessly.

My system is a Dell Optiplex 7010 i7-3770 with 16G of RAM running Cakewalk. I was getting clicks in my audio stream with my VIA chipset FW PCI card, although Cakewalk was not reporting any dropouts. Thought that for the price I would try the "gold standard" in FW cards for audio, the Star Tech with its Texas Instruments chipset. After installing it, I decided to stress test it with lower latency settings. I'm now able to run projects at 256 samples that used to need at least 512. Haven't gotten any clicks, either. I couldn't be happier with the purchase. I would say that if your system is getting old (and if you're running a FW interface, it might very well be) and you are having latency or sync or connection issues, or if you just want to tune in a notch better latency, this is a good purchase. I later found out that in the era my Saffire is from, audio interface manufacturers usually used TI FW chips in their interfaces, which explains why they work so well with TI FireWire controllers.

I purchased this for use on a Dell that was delivered with OEM Windows 10 installed and wanted to use it for Software Defined Radios using the 1394 interface. The card was recognized and the legacy driver installed. It worked perfectly until one of the infamous WIndows 10 forced-updates about a month later. After the update the computer and card would not function. I restored from a backup which fixed the issue and it was fine ---- if I stayed off the web. Finally gave up "hiding" from the web which resulted in an immediate forced-update to re-break the system. I added a new boot drive with a sealed-box-copy of Windows 7 Ultimate everything now functions perfectly. My belief is that this is a great 1394 card but that Windows 10 is not useful for anything more complex than surfing the web (and possibly not even that). I have now moved everything of importance to me to Mac OSX or Windows 7 machines. I am weary of trying to purchase "WIndows 10 compatible" items and will go to Mac or Linux before I ever purchase anything else with Windows 10 pre-installed. As a Windows user since MS shelved DOS, I've finally given up on the Microsoft OS. Moral .... this is a great card for use in a system that has a functional OS installed - which currently leaves out Windows 10.

Let me begin this review by saying that before you purchase the Star Tech 4 port PCI 1394a FireWire adapter card, be sure that your computer does have PCI slots. These can usually be identified as being white colored slots. If not, it would be advisable to do some more investigating before purchasing this adapter card. Anyways, these Star Tech 4 port PCI 1394a FireWire adapter cards fitted right into my Gateway Essential 700S desktop computer, and my Dell XPS410 desktop computer as well. Regarding the Gateway Essential 700S desktop computer, this computer also had a FireWire port in the front of the computer so the black cable from that frontal port easily plugged into the internal 6 contact port of the Star Tech 4 port PCI 1394a FireWire adapter card. Needless to say, that activated the frontal FireWire port on the Gateway Essential 700S desktop computer. No, I haven't actually tried out these Star Tech 4 port PCI 1394a FireWire adapter cards yet, but I was surely looking into it. What a fabulous addition to a vintage computer!

After trying various FireWire 400 / IEEE1394 PCIe interface cards (with and without Texas Instrument chipsets) to connect my Sony DV Camcorder to my PC and trying various "Legacy" drivers and the rest, I purchased this card and it has worked FLAWLESSLY. All I did was install the card, Windows 10 installed the necessary drivers (I assume since I never saw a message ...) Connected a Firewire 800/9 pin to 4 Pin cable to my camcorder and it works! Absolutely no frame drops! I am using Magix Vegas Pro 19 Video Capture Tool and have captured 6 full tapes so far with No Frame Loss!I am completely happy with this card - Buy It! It is a bit pricey but it is completely worth it.

I just purchased a new Lenovo T430. I ordered every possible option, but unfortunately Lenovo no longer offers a Firewire/1394 option on this model. So, I purchased this product.I plugged it in, and my T430 recognized it and installed the driver in less than two seconds. I plugged in my Sony TRV-11 DV camcorder and instantly captured video from my Sony Vegas program.I haven't yet connected my Sony FX-1 HDV camcorder, by I'm pretty sure it will work.As others have noted, the unit does stick out of the computer quite a long way. This is due to the decision to use full size Firewire connectors rather than mini connectors. Also, others have complained that it requires quite a bit of force to push the Firewire cable into either of the two sockets on this card. This is true. However, given that a laptop is more likely to be used to capture video while out in the field, rather than in a studio, and given that conditions in the field tend to be more rugged, it is probably good that the fit is snug. If it wasn't, the cable might disconnect as things move around in a mobile enironment.When I use this for my first project, I will probably connect the cable BEFORE inserting the card, and that will solve the snug fit issue.So, for me, this card works exactly as expected, and I highly recommend it to others.