Booting the Metric Halo 2882 via Firewire

[combat hook]

Hello,

This is my first post. I hope it's in the right section and hasn't already been covered.

I brought my Macbook Pro (Intel, bought March 2008) with me on vacation along with my Metric Halo 2882 2D interface and was shocked to discover I can't power it from the MBP firewire bus as advertised. After searching the Metric Halo forum I've learned that this is a common problem and has to do with some settings Apple tweaked on the firewire bus of this Macbook Pro model (The 2882 CAN be powered through firewire but it needs AC power or an older Mac to "boot" from). I have thought of one workaround but I want to ask here first to make sure I won't be damaging any of my equipment.

Here's my idea: a friend has an older Macbook with a firewire port, the 2882 has two firewire ports, and I have two firewire cables. Can I boot the 2882 with the older Macbook, use the second firewire port on the 2882 to simultaneously connect to my Macbook Pro, and then disconnect the older Macbook from the 2882? Is there any risk of damage? I figure as long as I leave the Macbook Pro powered and awake I can keep the flow of power going to the 2882 for as long as I need to work with it.

Why do I feel like my car battery died and I need a jump?

Anyway, thanks in advance for any advice.
c

[dannygold]

How about a PC express card thingy for you MBP with FW 400 using a chipset that MH recommends? They're like 40 bucks maybe.

[DCtoDaylight]

You can make a little "kick start" device with two 9V batteries - the instructions are on the Metric Halo site:

https://www.mhsecure.com/faq/index.p...t=kick%20start

Yes, it's a bit of a PITA, but it works, and it's easier than using the full AC power supply. I made mine out of a little food storage container with a momentary pushbutton on it; this way there's no chance of leaving the batteries connected and draining them (maybe it's just me who's prone to this). You just connect the interface to the laptop, boot the laptop, and then hit the pushbutton for a couple of seconds. Then all will work.

Glamour shot attached - good luck!

[Ricey]

brilliant

[Allen Rowand]

Answered here:
https://www.mhsecure.com/faq/index.p...=21&artlang=en

[combat hook]

Thanks for all of your replies thumbsup

I read about the 9V jump-start device before posting but I don't have access to that kind of equipment where I'm at now. Maybe I'll use that one next time.

Would the second macbook option with two firewire cables work?

Thanks again.

[DCtoDaylight]

So, you must not have the line-lump AC power supply either, or you wouldn't be asking....the two-firewire cable idea is clever thinking, but I have no idea if it would work or what the risks would be. My guess is that the firewire bus only wants one boss at a time, but I'm talking through my hat, as my grandpa would have said.

I've had excellent luck e-mailing the folks at Metric Halo - they're usually quite prompt with responses, and while they're obviously keeping an eye on this thread, it might be faster for you to shoot them a note directly from their Web site.

You could also try the MH users mailing list - it's a bit of an old-school approach; I kind of wish they'd set up a forum like this one. But there's a lot of good knowledge there:

https://mail.music.vt.edu/mailman/listinfo/mobileio

In any case, if you get a yea or nay on your idea, post the info here - it's always nice to know the options!

[mh_bj]

Yes -- the two Mac solution you propose will work, and it will not damage anything.

[DCtoDaylight]

Originally Posted by mh_bj

Yes -- the two Mac solution you propose will work, and it will not damage anything.

And now we know the options! Thanks, BJ!

[combat hook]

Excellent. It seems as if there are several solutions to this problem. In the end my plans to get the other macbook fell through so I spent my time enjoying my vacation instead of being holed up in the hotel room working on music. Probably a better outcome anyway...

I bought the 2882 only a couple weeks ago after saving up around $2,500 and investigating every other interface in that price range. In the end it came down to the Apogee Ensemble and the Metric Halo unit and I chose the latter because of their excellent customer support and dedication to their product (the 2882 is still getting significant updates nearly ten years after its original release!). I would urge anyone else in the same position to choose Metric Halo.