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Hello. I have the Flex 3000. If get a usb to firewire adpator will the power sdr software still work

dan
dan Member ✭✭
edited October 2019 in FLEX Series (Legacy) Radios
Hello. I have the Flex 3000. If get a usb to firewire adpator will the power sdr software still work? Thanks.

Answers

  • Mike NN9DD
    Mike NN9DD Member ✭✭
    edited October 2019
    As long as all the. Equipment is working. That should be it Mike N9DFD
  • Jay Nation
    Jay Nation Member ✭✭
    edited May 2019
    Dan 

    The quick answer is no.
    USB/Firewire adapters are usually nothing more than plug adapters, PowerSDR can't connect to anything but Firewire. What are you using for a PC? there are PCI/PCIE adapters that are combo Firewire/USB. The Chipset used for the Firewire should be a TI, or Lucent/Agere chipset. those have proven to be the most reliable Firewire chipsets. At one time is was suggested to avoid Combo USB/Firewire cards, that was several years ago. Combo chipsets may have improved. There are Flexradio Knowledge Base articles with all the details look on the Support Menu on the main Flexradio website.

    Also the subject has been discussed here in the Community ...
    https://community.flexradio.com/flexradio/topics/do_any_firewire_usb_adapters_work_with_flex_3000



    73, Jay - NO5J
  • Mike NN9DD
    Mike NN9DD Member ✭✭
    edited December 2016
    I missed the USB part. Thanks for the correction Jay
  • DH2ID
    DH2ID Member ✭✭✭
    edited March 2017
    I run my Flex-3000 off a Panasonic CF-52 Toughbook, which works quite well
    with it's firewire port. USB to firewire does not work, as USB is way too slow (At leat USB2.0).

    If you own a PC, be careful to get a working FW adapter card.

    URL's:
    http://kc.flex-radio.com/KnowledgebaseArticle50179.aspx

    https://community.flexradio.com/flexradio/topics/do_any_firewire_usb_adapters_work_with_flex_3000

    73, Alex DH2ID

  • Jay Nation
    Jay Nation Member ✭✭
    edited May 2019
    Dan 
    And avoid these things. ...

    https://community.flexradio.com/flexradio/topics/usb_to_1394_adapters_can_damage_your_radio_or_pc

    73, Jay - NO5J
  • DH2ID
    DH2ID Member ✭✭✭
    edited December 2016
    Yeah, right, maybe there were no electronics in that worthless thing
    at all ;-)

    Off topic: Man was I glad when I installed my new Flex-6500
    with it's ethernet connection. Never had a SDR, which was so fast and easy
    to install! I'm keeping my Flex-3000 for mobile/portable/EMCOMM work, though...

    73, Alex DH2ID

  • Jay Nation
    Jay Nation Member ✭✭
    edited August 2016
    Alex

    Going forward all my PC builds will require both Firewire and Parallel Ports. Some motherboard manufactures still provide what's neccessary  via PCI/PCIE expansion slots. It is getting difficult to get PS/2 mouse and keyboard ports. I still use an old IBM type M, keyboard, I did have to find PS/2-USB adapter for that with my last build, very few of those actually work too. This motherboard had only a single Combo PS/2 adapter that nearly worked, but nearly wasn't good enough, so I had to find the PS/2-USB adapter, with an actual chipset and driver to get it to work right. At some point I expect to have to give up on PS/2 and possibly Parallel ports, but Firewire is still actively used for Pro-Audio. But in the long run I may just have to keep the older PCs running. I did manage to get the older PCs upgraded and running as needed with Windows 10 at least.

    73, Jay - NO5J
  • dan
    dan Member ✭✭
    edited March 2016
    Thanks Jay. Great reply.

    I'm using a very basic HP (Walmart) PC (Celeron proc w/ 2 megs RAM) that I bought for my daughter about 5-6 years ago. It's used exclusively for my Flex 3000. There is no other significant software on the PC, except Windows 7 and the fire wire PCI card software.  I don't even have it connected to the internet. The Power SDR software works fine but freezes and or shuts down when I transmit and do not have the antenna (43' ZeroFive vertical) tuned to under 2:1. I used to have the Flex 3000 hooked up to a muscle machine and never had a lick of problems. I believe the answer is a computer with the specs to do the job (as how Flex has recommended for years). I could purchase another machine with significant computer power but more than likely won't come with Firewire. Just though that maybe I could put an adapter on the firewire cable and plug it into the USB port on the PC. Thanks again.  :)

    73, Dan KH6DAN     
  • Bill -VA3WTB
    Bill -VA3WTB Member ✭✭✭
    edited December 2016
    It sounds like to me you are getting RF into the computer at transmit. Make sure your fire wire cable is well protected from RF and anything eles connected to the computer.

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