[ IEEE 1394 CONTROLLER // EXPANSION CARDS ]
StarTech PCI1394_2
Three-port conventional PCI IEEE 1394a FireWire 400 controller, with two external ports and one internal port. Verify the exact board label and revision before service.
MODEL SCOPE: StarTech PCI1394_2. Specification distinctions below identify 1394a/1394b rates, physical bus and power limitations; host OS and driver support can change by revision and release.
Specifications and compatibility
| Exact model / SKU | StarTech PCI1394_2 |
|---|---|
| Controller chipset | The manufacturer documents the PCI1394_2 controller but does not guarantee a single controller IC across all production revisions; identify the installed board by revision and PCI ID. |
| PCI bus / lanes | 32-bit conventional PCI card; not PCI Express. Check motherboard slot voltage/keying and available bus resources. |
| IEEE 1394a rate | IEEE 1394a / FireWire 400, up to 400 Mb/s per link. |
| IEEE 1394b rate | Not a 1394b / FireWire 800 adapter. |
| Ports and connectors | Two external ports (one 6-pin and one 4-pin) plus one internal 6-pin IEEE 1394a header. The internal 6-pin header and external 6-pin port share a connection and cannot be used simultaneously; see the manual for port labeling. |
| Power / bus-power notes | The internal/external 6-pin connection can carry bus power if enabled by the card/host; the 4-pin external port carries no power. The shared 6-pin connections cannot be used at the same time. The cited model documentation does not specify a universal bus-power current limit; observe host and peripheral power requirements. |
| OS driver compatibility | Use the OS IEEE 1394 OHCI driver supported for the installed release; the card is a legacy PCI product, and StarTech driver availability/application support can vary by OS. |
| Host compatibility | Requires an actual conventional PCI slot; a PCIe slot or PCIe-to-PCI bridge is not equivalent. Confirm the system BIOS and OS retain legacy PCI and OHCI support. |
Installation and archival notes
- Match the card’s printed model/revision and connector layout to the cited maker documentation; do not infer a controller IC or current limit from the connector alone.
- IEEE 1394 link rate is negotiated with the peripheral and cable. A FireWire 800 connector does not make a 400-Mb/s device or cable operate at 800 Mb/s.
- Use ESD precautions; validate system bus wiring, driver version, peripheral power source, and application-level compatibility before replacing a working legacy host.
Manufacturer and standards sources
- StarTech — PCI1394_2 product specificationsManufacturer product reference for the named part; check the specific board revision and documentation availability.
- StarTech — PCI1394_2 manualAdditional maker documentation or official model-family reference.
- IEEE — IEEE 1394-2008 standardIEEE 1394 bus/protocol standard reference; card-level details are in the manufacturer documentation.
- Linux kernel — FireWire subsystem documentationOHCI/FireWire software-driver reference; platform-specific support remains OS-release dependent.