hello,not needed to be here for a while!!!!!Thing is, my Firebox has given up the ghost and wont even let me install . I need a new similar device and was wondering if the market has moved too far away from my oldish [about 5-6 yrold] set up.
I was thinking of either edirol UA-25 or fa-66, or possibly Echo audio Gina 3g.As long as it can handle 16/44.1 files from a Boss BR-80 recorder ,is easy to install and is reliable, I'll be happy! If you think either firewire or USB is the better option with the specs let me know!
 
My system specs are----------
mobo  Asus A8 NE,  AMD Athlon 2.21 ghZ processor with 2gb ram  IEEE 1394 bus host controller is NEC [OHCI compliant]-----I have USB 2.0, and am running SHS4 with windows XP with SP2.
 
Thanks for any help, will acknowledge when I can,I'm on public terminal for net access--
thanks in advance,marsal.
 

If you were happy with the Presonus FireBox, maybe consider something from the same company?
It looks like the FA-66 only works in 24-bit, according to the Cakewalk page about it.
You'll want to check each device you're considering carefully, since some will work with XP SP3 only.
My Focusrite Saffire works great with XP SP3, but I don't think they make this model anymore. They do have USB Saffires now, though.
 

Thanks for the reply Greg.I was wondering if USB 2 was more reliable than a firewire device ,considering the specs my rather elderly set up  runs on! I guess things have moved on otherwise I'd have got more replies,but thanks for yours.
I'll probably check out the Edirol devices,and possibly the new equivalent of the firebox--------
                                                 thanks,marsal

Firewire is a dying technology. Go with USB. 

Thanks, Dave----- I wonder why though,it was touted to be faster and better for audio wasn't it? Well ,usb2  will save me from wondering if the firewire bus is up to it/faulty, at the least! thanks for the info,-------
                                                          Marsal
 

I wonder why though,it was touted to be faster and better for audio wasn't it?

MaximumPC magazine published a list of dead and dying technologies in their latest issues. For Firewire it said: "We say good day to this ill-conceived, port-blowing tech. Yup, superior engineering, indeed."


I know in this forum that people with Firewire devices have to get a Firewire card that has the Texas Instruments chipset for it to work properly with Sonar. USB 2 has become the standard. It will one day be replaced by USB 3 which is even faster, but that is just starting to make it into the mainstream. 


PS: Did they ever fix those 4,000 holes in Blackburn, Lancashire?

daveny5

I wonder why though,it was touted to be faster and better for audio wasn't it?


I know in this forum that people with Firewire devices have to get a Firewire card that has the Texas Instruments chipset for it to work properly with Sonar. USB 2 has become the standard. It will one day be replaced by USB 3 which is even faster, but that is just starting to make it into the mainstream. 
 
 

I remember reading that before I bought my Saffire and was worried that it wouldn't work, but my stock VIA FireWire card has worked well for over 4 years.
When I went shopping for a new computer at Best Buy awhile back, none of the display models had FireWire, so it's apparently already dead.

hA-HA ------you got the reference,Dave---Iactually do live about 20 miles from there .There are probably more holes not less these days what with the lack of cash to fix that sort of thing nowadays!
           cheers,marsal.

....USB every time! No matter what they say, don't EVER pull the plug on a firewire device without shutting it down first. Very expensive practice!!

Thanks for the reply,Tremor.It looks like its going to be an Edirol ua-25 ex as its the box that can live with  XP service pack 2 as far as I can tell......thanks again, marsal