Apple Thunderbolt to FireWire Adapter

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  • Overview

    Easily connect your Thunderbolt-equipped Mac to a FireWire device with the Apple Thunderbolt to FireWire Adapter. Small and compact, it connects to the Thunderbolt port on your Mac computer, giving you a FireWire 800 port that supplies up to 7W for bus-powered peripherals like hard drives and audio devices.

    What’s in the Box

    Apple Thunderbolt to FireWire Adapter with built-in Thunderbolt cable

    System Requirements

    OS X v10.7.4 or later

    Thunderbolt-equipped Mac computer

  • Mac Models

    • MacBook Air (13-inch, Early 2015 - 2017)
    • MacBook Air (11-inch, Early 2015)
    • MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch, Late 2012 - 2015)
    • MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2012 - 2015)
    • iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, Late 2015)
    • iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, Late 2014 - 2015)
    • Mac Pro (Late 2013)
    • Mac mini (Late 2014)

  • 3.0 Average
    3 out of 5 stars
    Number of stars Percentage Number of reviews
    5 Stars(Read all reviews)
    42%
    		14reviews
    4 Stars(Read all reviews)
    9%
    		3reviews
    3 Stars(Read all reviews)
    12%
    		4reviews
    2 Stars(Read all reviews)
    3%
    		1reviews
    1 Star(Read all reviews)
    33%
    		11reviews
    Write a review
    • 1.0 out of 5 stars

      I so wanted it to work . . .

      I have an expensive Firewire (FW) 800 external drive that I have been using for the last few years. Rock solid and fast. Got new iMac 21.5" for office. Thought I have an expensive Firewire (FW) 800 external drive that I have been using for the last few years. Rock solid and fast. Got new iMac 21.5" for office. Thought I could use this FW drive with new Thunderbolt port using this $29 adapter but no luck. Checked drive on two other FW 800 systems and the drive is perfect. Just to make absolute sure, I reformatted drive then tried again. No luck. Specifically, drive displays on desktop just fine (as any external drive does) but you are unable to transfer files to or from drive. Just a spinning beach ball. Also can't eject drive. Even "Force Eject" doesn't work. You have to unplug power to drive to get it off desktop. Too bad. Bought a seagate USB 3.0 drive and it is a little faster than FW 800.

      • Written by Nicholas C from Alexandria

      71 of 74 people found this useful

      Is this review useful?I so wanted it to work . . .

    • 4.0 out of 5 stars

      Does what I need

      I can't speak to the issue some have had with devices that require bus power. But, for my particular need, it does the trick. I use an old MiniDV camcorder w I can't speak to the issue some have had with devices that require bus power. But, for my particular need, it does the trick. I use an old MiniDV camcorder whose tape drive has become unreliable. The camera has a 4-conductor FireWire 400 output, so I decided to try using it as a direct camera input for iMovie. I purchased a FireWire 400 cable (4-conductor at one end and 8-conductor at the other) and patched that through a FireWire 400-to-800 adaptor plug to connect to a MacBook. This worked, but my newer MacBook Air has no FireWire. This Thunderbolt to FireWire adapter—effectively the third adapter in my Franken-cable—successfully connects my camcorder to my MacBook Air. Interestingly, the camera will not work properly with the current iMovie, but functions just fine with iMovie 9.09 (thankfully available as a free download, and still compatible with El Capitan).

      • Written by Scott R from Edmonton

      64 of 65 people found this useful

      Is this review useful?Does what I need

    • 1.0 out of 5 stars

      Doesn't even see my FW drives

      Been through 2 adapters so far on my brand new 2015 mac mini with exactly the same results. Both my external drives work great via my older mac book pro firewir Been through 2 adapters so far on my brand new 2015 mac mini with exactly the same results. Both my external drives work great via my older mac book pro firewire800 port, but through this adapter on the new mini they aren't even recognized. Its not the thunderbolt side, when monitors are attached to the mini via mini display port i get a good image. Its a useless adapter. Buyer beware... this technology does not work.

      • Written by Thomas C from Houston

      65 of 72 people found this useful

      Is this review useful?Doesn't even see my FW drives

    • 4.0 out of 5 stars

      On Mac works perfectly fine.

      I bought it back in 2017, so I am using it for more than 2 years, no problems at all and I use it every single day for about 8 to 12 hours, and I have it connec I bought it back in 2017, so I am using it for more than 2 years, no problems at all and I use it every single day for about 8 to 12 hours, and I have it connected to a Thunderbolt 3 (Apple) to Thunderbolt 2 adapter and a Fw800 to FW600 cable... I just put some Velcro on the FireWire adapter to stick it to my desk and keep it fixed to something solid, then the Thunderbolt 3 is in the air plugged into my iMac. That allowed me to keep on using my Soundcard Motu which is Firewire 600 so I also have a cable from FW800 to FW600 (Lindy) and all of this thing works perfectly fine, so I didn't gave to it 5 stars just because this adapter could be better designed somehow to do a more reliable connection without having to stuck it with Velcro to keep it working (specially for laptop users), but electronically speaking it works just great. Also is not that expensive if you have in mind it is not just a cable, inside there is a very complex electronic doing the whole conversion thing. I hope this helps to other people looking for a solution like mine. I rarely write reviews (because I am not getting paid for it) but in this case it could save a lot of people money and headaches and stop making a good old device just a land filling piece.

      • Written by G A M I from London, England.

      Is this review useful?On Mac works perfectly fine.

    • 5.0 out of 5 stars

      these things work great

      I replaced my 2011 iMac with a 2015 model, and the first thing I did was get one of these and a USB superdrive to get back what Apple took out. I subsequently a I replaced my 2011 iMac with a 2015 model, and the first thing I did was get one of these and a USB superdrive to get back what Apple took out. I subsequently added a 2014 mini and got another since gotta have my firewire. I even found one at a thrift store and scored it for a dollar, to keep one handy for the next firewire-less box I get. They all have worked perfectly on every box I've tried 'em on, including the two mentioned and a 2012 MBP used to test the thrift store find. Every device I have ever tried has worked great with them. I do dread having to get the $50 thunderbolt 3 to 2 adapter to make it work on a brand new box come time to get one. Unlikely I'll ever find one of those in a thrift store.

      • Written by Randy S from SAN ANTONIO

      1 of 1 people found this useful

      Is this review useful?these things work great

    • 1.0 out of 5 stars

      Wasted $29 plus shipping

      Apple Thunderbolt to FireWire Adapter doesn't work. I bought this for my Mac Pro so that I could connect my 8TB storage for video editing but Apple's Thunderbo Apple Thunderbolt to FireWire Adapter doesn't work. I bought this for my Mac Pro so that I could connect my 8TB storage for video editing but Apple's Thunderbolt to FireWire Adapter doesn't work at all!!! I would give ZERO stars if I could. You FAIL Apple, I will never again buy another Apple product (been using Apple computers since the Macintosh). You lost me when you started soldering your storage.

      • Written by Theresa C from Ann Arbor

      Is this review useful?Wasted $29 plus shipping

    Read all 33 customer reviews

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