Serious Problem

[Mikey Gribble]

I needed a new laptop so I went and bought one the other day. I was just looking for something a little smaller so it didn't take up so much room up front. I've always had Toshibas so I decided to try a HP. I bought this laptop, brought it home and loaded a few programs on there. Then yesterday I was trying to set up my streaming video and realized it doesn't have a firewire port. There were a few choice words running through my mind after I figured that out. I didn't even think to check for that because every laptop I've ever bought had one. I thought it was pretty much standard. I'll attach a link to the computer I bought. What I need to know is if there is any other way to stream video with this laptop. I use a regular camcorder for my webcam and I don't want to change that and go to a regular webcam since I can't zoom in and control it as well. Here is the link to the computer.
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/HP+-+Pavilion+Laptop+with+AMD+Turion%26%23153%3B+II+Dual-Core+Processor+-+White/9705406.p?id=1218154377090&skuId=9705406
If I can't make this work does anybody know if Best Buy will take a computer back after you've already loaded a few programs on it.
Any help would be greatly appreciated. I am in a pretty bad spot here.

 

[Jeff Snyder]

I'd just get an Expresscard card to add a couple of Firewire / 1394a/b ports, something like THIS ONE at NewEgg. You can search around NewEgg (HERE is a search of Expresscard cards that give you two firewire ports), Amazon, or other e-store for similar products. Unless you already have an expresscard card that you use all the time (since your laptop has one expresscard 34/54 slot, from the looks of the BestBuy specs), this should be a pretty easy fix. I haven't used such a card to add a firewire port, though, so I can't guarantee that it behaves absolutely identical to a firewire port "built in" to a laptop, but I don't see why it shouldn't. Just make sure you get an Expresscard 34 (or 54) card (Wiki page), not a PC Card / PCMCIA card...

 

[Scott Hammel]

I ran into this same problem a few months ago when I was looking at getting a new laptop solely for chasing. I went to Best Buy as well and told the guy I was looking for a standard laptop, nothing fancy, but had to have a firewire port. The only Windows laptop they had with a firewire port standard was $1100! I too just assumed firewire ports were standard on almost all laptops. Yeah, not so much. Anyway, like Jeff mentioned an express card is the quick fix. Even the new Macbooks don't come with firewire standard anymore. What's up with that, is firewire dying?

 

[Mikey Gribble]

Thanks a lot Jeff. I looked at all the other laptops I was considering and none of them have firewire. I don't understand that. I've been searching for a solution, but I don't understand computers very well. I will get an expresscard and hopefully that will work out fine. Really appreciate the help.

 

[Jason Foster]

Additionally, with the express card, try to get one that really fits tight. If you laptop is like my HP (purchased late last year) the express card slot is the kind that still looks like the pcmcia width, but inside it's actually express. The problem I have is the express card often (especially when I tested for streaming) moves and becomes disconnected. Not reliable for streaming. I have returned to USB for streaming, but even while capturing video, it sometimes becomes disconnected...so I have to be real still.

Bottomline of what I'm getting at, is don't skimp on the cost. Make sure the card fits tight and stays secure.

 

[Jeff Snyder]

Bottomline of what I'm getting at, is don't skimp on the cost. Make sure the card fits tight and stays secure.

Jason -- is the Expresscard card you got an Expresscard 34 or Expresscard 54? The 34 is a little "skinnier" than the 54 (34 mm wide vs. 54 mm wide). From what I've read, the 34 mm cards can wiggle a bit, so you may want to look for an Expresscard 54 card. Again, I haven't used any of these -- that's just what I've read when I was looking for an Expresscard that would give me an eSATA port.

 

[Mark Blue]

From what I've read, the 34 mm cards can wiggle a bit, so you may want to look for an Expresscard 54 card. Again, I haven't used any of these -- that's just what I've read when I was looking for an Expresscard that would give me an eSATA port.

That's exactly right Jeff. The Expresscards come in two formats and if a person wants one that fits "tight" as Jason posted you'd have to buy the Expresscard 54 format, otherwise the 34 mm format doesn't completely fill up the slot and it has the propensity to move and/or wiggle if accidentally bumped.

 

[Jason Foster]

Yes, it is the skinnier version. I have not seen (but didn't look super hard) for the wider versions of the express card that actually had the firewire option. I checked the usual places (best buy, OfficeDepot, even B&Hphoto) but didn't find anything.

 

[Ben Holcomb]

Stream using an easy cap, capture with express card firewire port. That's my professional answer