EXSYS EX-16600 PCI Express FireWire 1394a Card with 3+1 Ports (VIA)

The EX-16600 adds three external and one internal FireWire 400 port to a desktop PC through a PCI Express x1 slot. The VIA chipset delivers the full 400 Mbit/s IEEE 1394a bandwidth, making it suitable for DV camcorders, external drives, and audio interfaces that rely on FireWire's low-latency connection.

Highlights

• 3 external 6-pin FireWire ports plus 1 internal port
• PCI Express x1 interface, compatible with x1, x4, x8, x16 slots
• VIA chipset with OHCI 1.1 compliance
• Supports hot-swapping of FireWire devices
• Includes low-profile bracket for slim cases

In daily use

Install the card in a free PCIe slot, connect the power from the bus, and the operating system will load the standard OHCI driver. Connect a DV camcorder or external FireWire drive to any of the three external ports; the internal port is available for a front-panel FireWire header. The card is backward compatible with PCIe 1.0a and newer slots.

Full specifications

• Host interface: PCI Express x1
• FireWire standard: IEEE 1394a
• External ports: 3 x 6-pin FireWire 400
• Internal ports: 1 x 6-pin FireWire 400
• Chipset: VIA
• Max data transfer rate: 400 Mbit/s
• Hot-swap support: Yes
• Plug and Play: Yes
• Operating systems: Windows XP/Vista/7/8/10/11, Linux, macOS
• Form factor: Standard profile, low-profile bracket included
• Power: PCIe bus power
• OHCI compliance: OHCI 1.1
• Included accessories: Low-profile bracket

Final note

The EX-16600 is a straightforward way to add FireWire 400 connectivity to a modern desktop that lacks legacy ports, with the flexibility of both standard and low-profile mounting.