• ramses
  • DAW Mastermind
  • Online
  • From: UTC+1
  • Registered: 2012-10-14
  • Posts: 13,194

Topic: Difference between USB and Firewire

Here is a great article describing the difference between using USB and Firewire for audio streaming.

For something like this I was hunting for a long time..

Now I understand much better the central role / importance to get the right Firewire chipset
and that also the mainboard design and timing there impacts quality...

If you ever asked yourself whats the Vodooo behind Firewire vs USB .. then read this.

http://avid.force.com/pkb/articles/en_US/FAQ/en404647

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub14
  • From: Germany
  • Registered: 2007-04-10
  • Posts: 9,774

Re: Difference between USB and Firewire

The article does not make any statement about FW vs. USB audio... It is also dated in some ways, considering modern PC architechture no longer uses separate North-/Southbrigde chips (http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/printpag … ipsets/191).

What I find the most useful aspect of the article is the point it makes about not endorsing one specific FW chipset or manufacturer (remember recent issues with a certain TI chip) and that other implementations may work just as well, it all depends on the board or the entire system.


Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

RME Support's Website

  • ramses
  • DAW Mastermind
  • Online
  • From: UTC+1
  • Registered: 2012-10-14
  • Posts: 13,194

Re: Difference between USB and Firewire

Thanks Daniel for pointing this out. Most interesting aspects for me was that USB uses synchronous and Fw uses asynchronous communication and what the basic advantages and disadvantages are.

I deduce from that, that Firewire - which is using asynchronous transfers - is more sensitive to the quality of timing between Recording Device <-> Firewire Card <-> PC.

This makes it for me better understandable, that certain (luckily only 2) Samplefrequency / Buffersize combinations still do not work with my hardware when using Firewire (which does not happen with USB for me) and that its maybe impossible to get it 100% right for every combination of HW.

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub14