Can someone recommend me a new PCI-e Firewire card with TI chipset?
 
I currently have a combination USB/Firewire - which is apparently prone to buggy behavior. It has TI chipset, but still seems to act a little buggy. It's old, and has been transplanted from one PC to the next - so it's probably just time to go.
 
If you were buying a PCI-e firewire card today, what would you get?
 
Or, at least - what specs should I look for aside from Texas Instruments chipset? Firewire 400 vs 800? Etc...

Hello.  I use TigerDirect.com to get my computer parts.  I have never had a problem with them.
 
My newest computer had a StarTech FW interface card; it has a TI chipset ($15 at TigerDirect).  I was experiencing problems with the computer, so I bought a SIIG FW interface card; it has a TI chipset ($45 at TigerDirect).  I continued to have the same problems with the computer - so do not assume replacing the FW card will fix your problems.  Are we having fun yet?
 
I use the FW interface because my audio interface uses FW 400.  So I can get away with getting a FW 400 interface card.  If your device uses FW 800, then get a FW 800 card.
 
The cards are pretty cheap, and the technology is mature and robust.  So there really is not much to worry about when getting a FW interface card.  As my experience shows, you don't necessarily get more when you pay more for a FW card - perhaps better quality control on the manufacturing. 

Thanks. I typically buy from TigerDirect / Newegg / etc. So no problem there.
 
My current interface is AlesisIO26 (FW 400). The only problems I run into are...
 
1) After a reboot my PC fails to see my IO26. Some googling indicates this is likely due to the fact that I have a combo USB/FW card and blah blah blah.All I can do is disconnect, count to 10, reconnect, rinse and repeat until it recognizes again.
 
2) Sound occasionally disappears when switching between certain programs, like Sonar and Windows Media Player for example. This could easily be an ASIO thing (aka - spoiled brat who refuses to share). I've disabled all (hopefully) non-Alesis sound devices in my PC's device manager, and have kept an eye on the process list in task manager to make sure the Sonar and WMP exe's are not hung up. But considering the fact that I can usually restore sound by launching Sonar, and then ending it's "task" in task manager. So yeah, there's obviously something getting hung up somewhere, sure. 
 
But as this FW card is old enough to collect social security, I just want to replace it. Hopefully eliminating one potential issue.
 
I'm looking at my next interface, which will either be USB or PCI based. So this is a temporary solution, but I'm still interested in suggestions - especially from anyone who has been successfully using the Alesis.
 
Thanks all!

I would recommend the Sonnet Allegro FW800 PCIe card. I got mine to use with my Apollo QUAD back in 2012 and it has worked flawlessly. I recently built a new DAW with an ASUS Z87 Deluxe/QUAD MB that has dual TB 2.0 ports on it and for the last couple of month have been using the TB port with my Apollo, but I still have the Sonnet Allegro installed as a backup. Just make sure to use the Texas Instruments FW800 driver (that comes installed with Win 7 SP1 or higher) and you should be golden. I got mine at newegg for about $60 back in 2012. Avoid the Syba FW800 PCIe cards, they are cheap, but are also very unreliable. Before I got the Sonnet Allegro, I had a Syba stop working correctly the day after I installed it (would not keep a steady FW800 speed). UA said that when they were beta testing the Apollo, they had Syba cards arrive DOA! Spend a little extra and get reliability and peace of mind.
 
http://www.sonnettech.com/product/allegrofirewire800pcie.html
 
Cheers,
 
Billy Buck

I used to have an IO26.  It wasn't too sensitive to the FW chip in the PC.  My first Firewire interface was in a SoundBlaster I/O console and I don't know what chipset was in that but the IO26 didn't have a problem with the interface.  My new desktop, at the time, had a T.I. Firewire chipset on the motherboard so the IO26 worked OK with that.  Later, I got a laptop and it had a Firewire port but not a T.I. Firewire chipset (don't remember what that was) but the IO26 seemed to work OK with that.   From my experiences the IO26 isn't one of those devices that "must have" a T.I. chipset in the PC. 
 
However, I upgraded to a Focusrite Saffire Pro 40 and it did have to have the T.I. chipset or it wouldn't work.  I tried it with the Laptop that worked with the IO26 and the Saffire Pro 40 would not connect.
 
I have now moved on to USB interface's and I'm much happier with them and get lower latency.  My main unit is a Roland Octa-Capture.

Well, I just ordered the Sonnet card mentioned above.

For everyone who has problems with FW cards:
with my firewire card (EXSYS EX-6610E ExpressCard, for notebooks) I couldn't connect with my audio interface (Focusrite Saffire Pro 40). I resolved changing the drivers by hand to "Legacy".

Billy Buck
Avoid the Syba FW800 PCIe cards, they are cheap, but are also very unreliable. Before I got the Sonnet Allegro, I had a Syba stop working correctly the day after I installed it (would not keep a steady FW800 speed). UA said that when they were beta testing the Apollo, they had Syba cards arrive DOA! Spend a little extra and get reliability and peace 

Totally depends on which Firewire audio interface you're using.
Apollo (UA), Mackie, and Tascam units don't work well with the Syba TI chipset controllers.
Almost every other Make/Model works just fine with the Syba TI chipset controllers (including RME and MOTU).
 
 

Jim Roseberry

Billy Buck
Avoid the Syba FW800 PCIe cards, they are cheap, but are also very unreliable. Before I got the Sonnet Allegro, I had a Syba stop working correctly the day after I installed it (would not keep a steady FW800 speed). UA said that when they were beta testing the Apollo, they had Syba cards arrive DOA! Spend a little extra and get reliability and peace 

Totally depends on which Firewire audio interface you're using.
Apollo (UA), Mackie, and Tascam units don't work well with the Syba TI chipset controllers.
Almost every other Make/Model works just fine with the Syba TI chipset controllers (including RME and MOTU).
 
 

when you say "don't work well with the Syba TI chipset..."
 
what exactly do you mean by that?  popping and clicking forcing higher buffers?  or doesn't really work at all? or somewhere in between?

I bought a Sybia card with T.I. chipset for a PC.  I had two Firewire units at the time, an Alesis IO26 and a Focusrite Saffire Pro 40.  The Alesis IO26 worked OK with the Sybia, the Saffire Pro 40 would not connect.
 
The Saffire Pro 40 has a DICE II Firewire chipset.  Not sure about the IO26.