[Douglashh]

I was just reading a review of the LaCie Mini external FireWire HD with Hub. The writer said that the LaCie must be hooked up via USB in order for the extra USB ports to be used. If you hook up the Mini via FireWire the USB ports will not work.

Can anyone confirm this for me? Would this also apply to the Newer Tech V2 external FireWire HD too?

Thanks,

[OreoCookie]

Nonsense, my father has one and we couldn't be happier. The harddrive is plugged in via FireWire (which is faster anyway) and you just plug in one USB plug (for the built-in USB hub) and one FireWire plug for the FireWire plugs and the harddrive. So of course, you need to plug in the USB plug for the USB hub to work, but that's the same with any USB hub! The built-in hub is really nice and has lots of juice unlike cheap hubs (that can't seem to power even one 2.5" harddrive). Of course everything works if you plug both in, what else did you expect!

I say go for it! My father likes his (it's his TimeMachine backup drive )

[Douglashh]

Thanks, I was about to order one and was afraid I wouldn't be able to use the extra USB ports.

[analogika]

Just to clarify:

If you want to use the extra USB ports, the drive MUST be attached via USB.
You can ALSO have it attached via Firewire at the same time, though.

[mduell]

There's no easy/widespread/affordable way to convert USB to FW or FW to USB, so if you only plug one in the only one will work.

[Douglashh]

It just never occurred to me that you could plug in both the FW and USB. Guess I need clear the cobwebs out of my head and start thinking.