Subject: cheap (apparently) NetBSD-compatible Cardbus->Firewire cards
To: None <current-users@netbsd.org>
From: Laine Stump <lainestump@rcn.com>
List: current-users
Date: 11/14/2001 00:03:46
In case anyone is looking for a cheap firewire interface for their
laptop - I found an IBM cardbus->firewire card at Computer Geeks for
$26, so I decided to buy one and see if it was supported by the (still
under development. I hope?) firewire drivers in NetBSD-current. Turns
out the card is OHCI-compliant (whatever that is ;-), and is detected
by the firewire driver just fine.

Now if I could just *do something* with the interface. I did test it
with VideoStudio and my camcorder under Win2k to make sure the card is
functioning properly (it is advertised as new, and has a 1 year
warranty), but I don't know what, if any, software is available to use
firewire on NetBSD. What I'd *really* like to see is support for
firewire CD-RW's (BTW, is there anything special I should know when
choosing a firewire->IDE external drive enclosure?)

The link:

  http://www.compgeeks.com/details.asp?invtid=IBM1394

and the lines I added to GENERIC_LAPTOP config file:

  fwohci* at pci? dev ? function ?
  fwohci* at cardbus? dev ? function ?
  fwnode* at fwbus? idhi ? idlo ?

BTW, Comp Geeks also had some 3Com mini-PCI 56k modems for $8 that had
a part number frighteningly similar to the 3Com 10/100 ethernet +
modem (something-something-556-something), so I bought one to see if,
by chance, it might be a true hardware modem. Alas, it is just another
WinModem, so don't waste your money.