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

    • 13-inch MacBook Air
    • 11-inch MacBook Air
    • 13-inch MacBook Pro
    • 15-inch MacBook Pro
    • 21.5-inch iMac - Thunderbolt 2
    • 27-inch iMac - Thunderbolt 2
    • Mac Pro
    • Mac mini

  • 3.0 Average
    3 out of 5 stars
    Number of stars Percentage Number of reviews
    5 Stars(Read all reviews)
    41%
    		12reviews
    4 Stars(Read all reviews)
    7%
    		2reviews
    3 Stars(Read all reviews)
    14%
    		4reviews
    2 Stars(Read all reviews)
    3%
    		1reviews
    1 Star(Read all reviews)
    34%
    		10reviews
    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

      65 of 68 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

      61 of 62 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

      62 of 69 people found this useful

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

    • 5.0 out of 5 stars

      Works with chained disks and DV camera

      This adaptateur works perfectly even with chained peripherals. Tested with 3 disks, two firewire 800 and the last one, a BD/DVD burner, in Firewire 400. Ever This adaptateur works perfectly even with chained peripherals. Tested with 3 disks, two firewire 800 and the last one, a BD/DVD burner, in Firewire 400. Every things works fine. Throughput is the one of my Firewire disks. The camera works as well thru this adaptater, in iMovie in can be remotely driver and video imported. Camera seen as well in Quicktime Player. IMPORTANT. The camera will not bee seen if connected behind the Firewire 400 device. For DV camera (Sony DCR-TRV30E) at least a cable Firewire 800 to DV IN/OUT on firewire 800 is required. (9 to 4 pins Firewire cable). It works behind disks (assuming Firewire 800 connection). This last point is indeed not related to the adapter. Even if the chain is connected to a real Firewire 800, the camera is not seen when a Firewire 400 device is in the middle.

      • Written by Stéphane G from Tournefeuille

      Is this review useful?Works with chained disks and DV camera

    • 1.0 out of 5 stars

      Flimsy thunderbolt plug

      It usually works fine until you move your device. Often disconnects if you touch it and falls off if you move your device. The issue with pretty much all th It usually works fine until you move your device. Often disconnects if you touch it and falls off if you move your device. The issue with pretty much all thunderbolt 1 and 2 apple connectors that I used including display cables. I think it is greatly overpriced considering this problem.

      • Written by Maciej R from London

      12 of 15 people found this useful

      Is this review useful?Flimsy thunderbolt plug

    • 5.0 out of 5 stars

      Works fine, just be careful to have an old version of iMovie

      Wanted to connect up an old 2005 Canon DV camcorder to my MacBook Air 2017 - and yes it works! I needed a FireWire 400 to 800 adapter (found on internet) and t Wanted to connect up an old 2005 Canon DV camcorder to my MacBook Air 2017 - and yes it works! I needed a FireWire 400 to 800 adapter (found on internet) and there are a few bugs with the clips getting muddled up by year/month. The trick is to have the right version of iMovie - I have version '09 (version 8.0.6) since this is my 3rd MacBook and I have always imported the disk and not reinstalled the various Apple components unless required.

      • Written by Matthew T from Etoy

      2 of 2 people found this useful

      Is this review useful?Works fine, just be careful to have an old version of iMovie

    Read all 29 customer reviews

  • Answers from the community

    • Will this let me connect my firewire video camera to final cut pro?
      • Asked by Josh J from RUTLAND
      • on 1-Aug-2012

      Answer

      Yes, the purpose for this adapter is to be able to connect Firewire devices to a Thunderbolt equippe Yes, the purpose for this adapter is to be able to connect Firewire devices to a Thunderbolt equipped machines, including Firewire based video cameras.

      • Answered by Allen C from Baton Rouge
      • on 2-Aug-2012

      Answer now(Will this let me connect my firewire video camera to final cut pro?)

      1 Answer(Will this let me connect my firewire video camera to final cut pro?)
    • Thunderbolt -> Firewire capacity?
      • Asked by Calvin H from Glendale
      • on 1-Aug-2012

      Best Answer:

      Good question. <br/> <br/>Thunderbolt daisychain capacity is 6 units but that's with thunderbolt protocol. I Good question. <br/> <br/>Thunderbolt daisychain capacity is 6 units but that's with thunderbolt protocol. If your talking to the Firewire adapter, the computer should see only one thunderbolt device and allow you the full 63 daisy-chained devices of the FireWire protocol... <br/> <br/>Try it and tell us about it!

      • Answered by Felix A from Montreal
      • on 3-Aug-2012

      Answer now(Thunderbolt -> Firewire capacity?)

      1 Answer(Thunderbolt -> Firewire capacity?)
    • Will this work with my (very old gen3) ipod?
      • Asked by Tiepa T from Te Atatu Peninsula
      • on 1-Sep-2012

      Best Answer:

      The 3rd Generation iPod was the first model to feature a dock connector, and had the play/pause, men The 3rd Generation iPod was the first model to feature a dock connector, and had the play/pause, menu, forward, and back buttons in a line above the touch wheel. <br/> <br/>You can Identify your iPod Model at Apple Support KB article HT1353 <br/> <br/>If this is the case, any USB or Firewire 400 to Dock Connector cable should be OK to use, just use a USB one, and plug it directly into your MacBook. <br/> <br/>If you have a first or 2nd generation iPod (With a physical wheel, or a touch wheel with buttons arranged around the wheel (but not on the wheel) and with a FireWire port on the top of the unit (no dock connector) you will additionally need a Firewire 400 to Firewire 800 cable. You can plug the FW400 end into the iPod, and the FireWire 800 end will fit into this accessory. You can then use a specialist piece of software to extract the music from your iPod.

      • Answered by Silas P from Elwood
      • on 11-Sep-2012

      Answer now(Will this work with my (very old gen3) ipod?)

      1 Answer(Will this work with my (very old gen3) ipod?)
    See all 64 Questions