[ IEEE 1394 CONTROLLER // EXPANSION CARDS ]
Unibrain FireBoard Blue-e 1394a PCIe
OHCI PCIe FireWire 400 controller with two external and one internal connection. Verify the exact board label and revision before service.
MODEL SCOPE: Unibrain FireBoard Blue-e 1394a PCIe. 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 | Unibrain FireBoard Blue-e bulk part 1213; Fire-i SDK-license part 1134. |
|---|---|
| Controller chipset | Texas Instruments TSB43AB23 1394 PHY/link controller plus TI XIO2001 PCIe-to-PCI bridge. |
| PCI bus / lanes | PCI Express x1. |
| IEEE 1394a rate | IEEE 1394a / FireWire 400, up to 400 Mb/s. |
| IEEE 1394b rate | Not a 1394b / FireWire 800 adapter. |
| Ports and connectors | Two external and one internal IEEE 1394a FireWire 400 ports (model specification); verify exact connector format against board revision. |
| Power / bus-power notes | Internal 4-pin Molex auxiliary-power connector. Unibrain specifies up to 18 W Vbus per port and 54 W total; use the correct PSU lead and stay within the product rating. |
| OS driver compatibility | Unibrain documents Windows 7/8/10, macOS 10.4+ and Linux for the model; these historical version statements are not a guarantee for current releases. Use the platform’s OHCI driver and verify the intended application stack. |
| Host compatibility | PCI Express x1 host interface; check bracket/slot clearance, current OS IEEE 1394 OHCI support, device connector and power arrangement before installation. |
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
- Unibrain — FireBoard Blue-e 1394a OHCI PCI-Express adapterManufacturer product reference for the named part; check the specific board revision and documentation availability.
- Texas Instruments — TSB43AB23 IEEE 1394 controllerAdditional 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.