Flex 5000a Questions

Chris Tucker

I just pulled my firewire cable, it has 3 pins in the connector

Chris Tucker

I must have a 4 pin card

Chris Tucker

I just googled it, it is 4 Pins

Chris Tucker

Hey, does anyone know if the Flex  5000a radios use Firewire 400 or Firewire 800 ?

Bill -VA3WTB

uses a 400, so you need a 6 pin to 4 pin cable?

JohnK2CIB

Bob Needleman

Chris - ideally you want to use a PC with a IEEE-1394a ( 400 Mbps) port (looks like a USB jack but with a 'peaked roof' design at one end (like a narrow rectangle with a peak on one end) . You then get an IEEE 1394a cable that mates with the jack and the 1394a jack on back of the 5000 to connect the PC to the 5000. Not many PC's come supplied with 1394a Firewire ports  anymore (having been replaced by USB ports almost exclusively), but I had an older desktop (HP) that did have one and it worked fine, after I eventually got a Firewire card with the TI chip on it (the cheap firewire cards with generic chips caused a lot of freeze ups that drove me nuts).
Bob K3AC

Chris Tucker

Yes, the HP Z420 Computer I am using has a built in Firewire Card. 

Bill -VA3WTB

and I think you said that built in card is a 4 pin? the Flex has 6 pin

Chris Tucker

Bill, I THOUGHT my Card only had a 6 Pin, but it has BOTH! 
Like I said, this HP Z420 computer has a built in Firewire card. with 2- 4 Pin Connections, front and back of the computer.
The ham who sold me the Flex 5000a included a Firewire card, so I installed it.
I tried hooking that card up, but it didnt seem to fit my 4 Pin Firewire Cable, so I have been using the built in card.
Well, today, I looked up the card, to see what kind of Port it has, to order a shorter Firewire Cable, and guess what ?
This card has 3 Ports, 2- 6 pin, and one 4 Pin!!!!!
So, about 2 hours ago, I have had it hooked up to this Card.
LOL, it is called a GodShark Card, and windows 10 calls it a Texas Instruments Card.

Bill -VA3WTB

Lol when they say  Texas Instruments, it is the chipset on the card, the 5000 needs that chipset for best performance. Ok then I guess your good to go now, you can buy a cable in either configuration. but i really suggest you get one,,it makes a big difference.

Chris Tucker

I have been running all day today, thanks to the TI Card!
I still am getting RF in the long **** HEIL Mike Cables, forcing me to use a Yeasu Hand Mike, for now.