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Note: FireWire adapter cables are not included with the computer.
The 9-pin FireWire 800 connector is shown in Figure 3-3 (page 28). Its connector signals and pin assignments
are shown in Table 3-3 (page 28).
Figure 3-3 9-pin FireWire 800 connector
Table 3-3 Signals on the 9-pin FireWire 800 connector
DescriptionSignal namePin
Twisted-pair B MinusTPB–1
Twisted-pair B PlusTPB+2
Twisted-pair A MinusTPA–3
Twisted-pair A PlusTPA+4
Twisted-pair A Ground ReferenceTPA (R)5
Power GroundVG6
Status Contact (no connection; reserved)SC7
Power Voltage (approximately 12.8 V DC)VP8
Twisted-pair B Ground ReferenceTPB (R)9
VP (pin 8) provides up to 7 W power, shared with the other FireWire connectors. The voltage on the power
pin is approximately 12.8 V.
The 9-pin FireWire 800 port is capable of operating at 100, 200, 400, and 800 Mbps, depending on the device
to which it is connected. The FireWire 800 port is bilingual in that it supports both IEEE 1394a and 1394b.
Using a cable with a 9-pin connector at one end and a 4-pin or 6-pin connector at the other, the 9-pin port
is capable of directly connecting to all existing FireWire devices. Using a cable with 9-pin connectors at both
ends, the 9-pin port is capable of operating at 800 Mbps.
The IEEE 1394b standard defines long-haul media using Cat 5 UTP and several kinds of optical fiber. The
PowerBook G4 17-inch computeris interoperable with such cables but cannot be directly connected tothem.
To use long-haul cables, connect the computer to a 1394b hub that has the desired kind of long-haul
connectors. If the hub has a bilingual port, that port can be connected to any of the computer’s FireWire
ports. If the hub has a beta-only port, it can be connected only to the computer’s 9-pin port.
28
FireWire Ports
Legacy Document | 2003-03-01 | © 2003 Apple Computer, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
CHAPTER 3
Devices and Ports