FireWire via mini-PCIe slot

[ke9ns]

The mini-PCIe slot is usually found in laptops and mini PCs.
StarTech.com makes a 1394 FireWire Card for mini-PCIe slots.
I have personally tested this and it works great with my Flex-5000 at 192khz SR (see my website for details)
This card can also be used in a M.2 slot if you get an adapter (M.2 to mini-PCIe)

Darrin

LSI_MiniPCI_1394.JPG (567.84 KiB) Viewed 5736 times

[k7dod]

Darrin, I'm trying to replicate this set up but am running into problems. I purchased the StarTech card and the M.2 adaptor that you recommended in your video. The PC recognises the Firewire but not the radio. I peeled the sticker off of the chip and discovered that my card has the TI chip on it. Do you think that could be the problem?

I've tried using the Legacy driver and had the same results. Any suggestions?

Fred
K7DOD

[ke9ns]

I have never seen a card that was not detected.
Almost always, the card is detected, but PowerSDR will either crash your PC or act strange (like asking for a Flexradio Bios update)

Can you run PowerSDR in Demo mode?

When you have the FireWire cable installed between your radio and the card, and the radio powered on, what do you see when you run the FlexRadio.exe program?

Darrin

[k7dod]

Yes, I can run demo mode although I get the following errors. First

PortAudio Error: -9997 Invalid sample rate

When I click OK for that error I get:

PortAudio Error: -9988 Invalide stream pointer

Here are the screens I see when I run FlexRadio.exe:

Screenshot 2024-10-17 155938.png (32.68 KiB) Viewed 1371 times

Clicking OK I get:

Screenshot 2024-10-17 160002.png (124.28 KiB) Viewed 1371 times

When I click on Info I get:

Screenshot 2024-10-17 160032.png (139.63 KiB) Viewed 1371 times

If I go to the System button and Scan Now for Additional details I get the following:
___________________________________________________________________
OS: Microsoft Windows 8 64-bit [6.2.9200]
CPU(s):
Processor: Intel(R) N100
Physical: 1
Cores: 4
Logical: 4
L1 Cache: 32 KB (8)
L2 Cache: 2048 KB (1)
L3 Cache: 6144 KB (1)
Installed RAM: 16155 MB

Microsoft ohci1394.sys [6.1.7601.22699]
Microsoft 1394bus.sys [6.1.7601.22699]

Looking for OHCI 1394 Host Controllers...

1:
Vendor : (104C) Texas Instruments
Chipset: (823F) XIO2213
Revision: 01
Details:
Subsysten VendorId: 3412
Subsystem DeviceId: 7856
Max # isoch Rx contexts: 4
Max # isoch Tx contexts: 8
Max 1394 Speed Capability: S800
Support: Compatible, no known issues.

Done.
__________________________________________________________________

I can run this radio on with my desktop with no issues. My desktop runs Win 10 while the mini PC runs Win 11. I just now noticed that the above report says that the OS is Win 8. I'm not sure why that would be???

Any help will be greatly appreciated!

Thanks Darrin,
Fred

[ke9ns]

If you cannot run PowerSDR in demo mode with errors, I would stop and solve that before anything.
You should not be having errors of any kind.

You need to make sure that if you open the windows control panel SOUND app, you need to see at least 1 playback and 1 recording device listed as enabled and default (PowerSDR requires this)

Simply plugging in a USB headset (headphone and mic) would fill this requirement.

Interesting that the Flexradio program sees the card but will not find your radio. Its good that you know the Radio and cable and power supply work on another PC.

On my website (in the FireWire section) I have some things to check, like how to check for an IRQ conflict, but I am at a loss as to why it wont even find your radio? Its possible the card itself is bad, But I think you said you tried 2 cards already?


Darrin

[k7dod]

Darrin, I tried the things you suggested but none of it worked. I went ahead and bought a new M.2 to PCI-E card and a PCI-E Firewire card. Everything is now working great!

Thanks for all you do to keep these great radios alive and usable!

Fred
K7DOD

[ke9ns]

glad you got it working.

I still wonder if it was the TI chip on the card, or the card itself that was bad, or maybe even the adapter cable?

I have also found that China does copy chips and passes them off as authentic, so TI chips may not be real TI chips.
But its impossible to prove unless you can crack open the chip and put it under a microscope.

Darrin