EXSYS EX-6500E FireWire 1394 PCI Card with 4 Ports (TI Chipset)

The EXSYS EX-6500E stands out with its genuine Texas Instruments TSB43AB23 chipset, delivering rock-solid compatibility and sustained 400 Mbps throughput for legacy FireWire devices. Unlike generic controllers that suffer from dropped frames or driver conflicts, this card provides three external 6-pin ports plus one internal port, allowing you to connect DV camcorders, external drives, and audio interfaces simultaneously without hubs or adapters.

Highlights

• Four IEEE 1394a ports (3 external, 1 internal) for flexible device connectivity
• Texas Instruments TSB43AB23 chipset ensures broad OS support and stable performance
• PCI 2.2 compliant, 32-bit interface works in standard desktop expansion slots
• OHCI 1.1 compliant with hot-plug and plug-and-play support
• Optional 4-pin Molex power connector provides bus power to connected FireWire devices
• Supports Windows 98SE through Windows 10, macOS, and Linux (32/64-bit)

In daily use

Installation is straightforward: insert the card into a free PCI slot, install the driver if required (Windows 98SE/ME may need the included CD; later systems have native support), and connect your FireWire peripherals. The card’s hot-plug capability means you can attach or remove devices without rebooting. For bus-powered devices like portable hard drives, connect the optional Molex power cable to ensure stable operation. The internal port is ideal for front-panel FireWire connectors or internal devices.

Full specifications

• Host Interface: PCI 32-bit
• FireWire Standard: IEEE 1394a
• External FireWire Ports: 3 x IEEE 1394a (6-pin)
• Internal FireWire Ports: 1 x IEEE 1394a (6-pin)
• Total FireWire Ports: 4
• Chipset: Texas Instruments TSB43AB23
• Max Data Transfer Rate: 400 Mbps
• PCI Specification: PCI 2.2 compliant
• OHCI Compliance: OHCI 1.1
• Hot-Plug Support: Yes
• Bus Power: Supports bus power for FireWire devices (requires optional 4-pin Molex power connection)
• Operating System Support: Windows 98SE/ME/2000/XP/Vista/7/8/10 (32/64-bit), macOS, Linux
• Form Factor: Standard Profile PCI Card
• Plug & Play: Yes
• Included Accessories: FireWire cable (often 6-pin to 4-pin), Driver CD (for older OS)

Final note

For professionals and enthusiasts who rely on legacy FireWire hardware, the EXSYS EX-6500E offers a dependable bridge to modern PCs. Its TI chipset and four ports make it a versatile choice for video capture, audio production, and data transfer.