Safe to run an audio interface through my Apple Cinema's FireWire port?

[Nikos]

Hey guys, first post here though I've been lurking for quite a while. I'm thinking about replacing my M-Audio Fast Track Pro (USB) with a different interface. This time around I'm thinking about going with a FireWire interface.

The problem is my motherboard (Abit IP35E) does not have any FireWire ports, so I had to get a PCI FireWire card. The card only has one FireWire port, so I have my Apple Cinema Display hooked up to it. The back of my display has two FireWire ports.

Will it be OK to connect a FireWire audio interface to my display's FireWire port that is connected to my PCI FireWire card, or is there too much chaining going on there? Should I stick with another USB interface instead? PCI is also a possibility, but I like the fact that USB/FireWire is mobile.

Any and all help would be much appreciated!

[Nikos]

Shameless bump! :o

[dkatz42]

It's just a firewire hub, no harm in using it. Or you could use an outboard one if you wanted.

[vixapphire]

this may or may not be helpful: when i use the cinema display's USB hub with an external HD, transfer rates are considerably slower than when i plug it right into the computer's front or back panel USB jack. even though it's only apparently on an "extension cord" to the monitor, this has been the case in my experience. Not sure how or whether firewire would behave any differently, but it's something to test for yourself.

[dkatz42]

Originally Posted by vixapphire

this may or may not be helpful: when i use the cinema display's USB hub with an external HD, transfer rates are considerably slower than when i plug it right into the computer's front or back panel USB jack. even though it's only apparently on an "extension cord" to the monitor, this has been the case in my experience. Not sure how or whether firewire would behave any differently, but it's something to test for yourself.

It sounds as though whatever Cinema display you have might have a USB 1.1 hub. My reasonably-new 20" aluminum job does have a 2.0.

In any case, Firewire is a different beast entirely.

Having said all that, I just tried copying 1GB to and from an external FW drive, once plugged straight into the computer and once plugged through my Cinema, and got identical (within less than 1%) results.