Adaptec AFW-4300A User manual

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AFW-4300A Host Adapter
Installation Guide

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In this Booklet
With the Adaptec AFW-4300A Host Adapter, you can connect Digital
Video (DV) cameras or other devices with a 1394 (also known as
FireWire®or i.LINK) digital interface to any Windows®or Power
Macintosh®computer with PCI expansion slots. The AFW-4300A
reaches a maximum transmission speed of 400 Megabits per second, and
is ideal for multimedia applications with high data transfer rate
requirements. This host adapter is a 32-bit and 33 MHz PCI card and will
work only in a 32-bit or 64-bit, 33 MHz slot.
Your AFW-4300A Host Adapter Connectors 2
Installing Your AFW-4300A 3
Installing the Driver 5
Registering Your AFW-4300A 6
Connecting a Digital Video Camera 6
Connecting Other 1394 Devices 7
Troubleshooting 8

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This installation guide explains how to
■Install the AFW-4300A.
■Install the appropriate driver selection through the operating system.
■Attach standard 1394 cables between the AFW-4300A to your DV
camcorder or other 1394 device.
Your AFW-4300A Host Adapter Connectors
External
connectors
32-bit PCI connector

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Installing Your AFW-4300A
1Discharge any static electricity build-up before handling the
AFW-4300A by touching a grounded metal object (such as the
exposed metal parts on the back of your computer).
2Turn off power to the computer and disconnect the power cord.
Open the computer cabinet, following the manufacturer’s
instructions.
3Locate an unused 32-bit or 64-bit PCI expansion slot and remove the
expansion slot cover. Save the slot cover screw for use in Step 6.
32-bit PCI slot
Slot cover screw
Expansion
slot cover
64-bit PCI slot

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4Remove the AFW-4300A from its antistatic packaging.
Caution: Always handle the host adapter by its edges or metal
bracket. Do not touch the gold connector or any components
on the card.
5Insert the AFW-4300A into the PCI expansion slot. Press down firmly
until the card clicks into place. When installed properly, the card
should appear level with the expansion slot.
Note: Depending on the tightness of the PCI slot, gentle but
firm force may be required to insert the card.
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6Secure the card bracket with the slot cover screw you removed in
Step 3.
7Close the computer cabinet, reattach the power cord, then turn on
the computer.
Installing the Driver
After you’ve installed the AFW-4300A, you must install the driver.
Follow the instructions provided for your operating system.
Driver Installation—Windows
1During startup, Windows automatically detects the new host adapter
and loads an embedded driver.
2Restart your computer if you are prompted to do so.
3Go to the Windows Device Manager and check to see if the host
adapter is installed correctly under the IEEE 1394 Bus Host
Controller section.
Driver Installation—Macintosh
1Insert the AFW-4300A CD into your CD-ROM drive.
2Double-click the Start Installation Here file.
3Follow the on-screen instructions to install the latest Macintosh
FireWire drivers.
4After installation is complete, click Restart to restart your computer
to have the new settings take effect.

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Registering Your AFW-4300A
To register your AFW-4300A, go to register.adaptec.com.
Connecting a Digital Video Camera
Follow these steps to attach a DV Camera to your AFW-4300A.
1Using a standard 6-to-4-pin 1394 cable, plug the larger connector
(6-pin) of the cable into the external 1394 port on AFW-4300A.
4-pin connector 6-pin connector

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2Plug the smaller connector (4-pin) of the 1394 cable into the 1394 port
on your DV camera.
Caution: As you insert the 4-pin connector of the 1394 cable into
the DV camera, make sure the connector and the 1394 port are
properly aligned. If the connector and port aren’t aligned
correctly, the pins can bend and damage the internal connector
of the camera.
3Install the 1394 software included on the AFW-4300A CD. For
installation instructions, refer to the CD jacket cover.
Connecting Other 1394 Devices
You can connect up to 62 1394 devices to the AFW-4300A in almost any
configuration using either 6-to-6-pin or 6-to-4-pin 1394 cables.
Note: There are two main types of 1394 connectors: a 4-pin
connector and a 6-pin connector. DV cameras have 4-pin
connectors; most other devices have 6-pin connectors. Your
AFW-4300A has three 6-pin connectors.
Ensure that you have the proper cables (4-pin to 6-pin or 6-pin to
6-pin) to connect your devices to the host adapter.
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Hot-Plugging
The AFW-4300A host adapter supports hot-plugging, which allows 1394
devices to be connected or disconnected while the computer is powered
on.
Device manufacturers support hot-plugging in different ways. Please
refer to your device documentation for specific information.
Troubleshooting
If you have any problems while installing the AFW-4300A, check these
items first:
■Is the card seated completely and evenly in the PCI slot?
■Is bus mastering support provided and enabled for the PCI slot
containing the AFW-4300A? (Check your motherboard
documentation for information on this.)
■Is your 1394 DV camera or device powered on?
■Is the 1394 cable properly connected to both the AFW-4300A and the
DV camera or other 1394 device?
If none of those suggestions help, try these ideas:
■Move the card to a different PCI slot if the driver fails to load.
■Check the troubleshooting section of your operating system user
manual.
■Check the Software Tutorial and Readme file on the AFW-4300A CD
if you encounter any problems with the software.

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■Check the Windows 2000 Event Log if you encounter problems
loading the drivers on your Windows 2000 operating system.
■For the Power Macintosh system, verify that the card is seen by the
Apple System Profiler by following these steps:
aPull down from the Apple Menu to Apple System Profiler.
bClick the Devices and Vo l u m e s tab.
cIn the window that appears, scroll down to the PCI area and click
the arrow next to each PCI slot to reveal the PCI card
information. If the AFW-4300A is installed properly, you will see
this information listed under one of the slots:
Card type: Not available
Card name: pci104c,8010
Card model: Not available
Card ROM #: Not available
Card revision: 0
Card vendor ID: 104C
dIf the card is not seen, verify the Apple FireWire 2.4 or later
extensions are loaded and enabled.
eIf the extensions are loaded and enabled, verify that the card is
seated properly.
If you are still unable to resolve a problem, see the Adaptec Web site at
www.adaptec.com, or the Adaptec Support Knowledgebase at
ask.adaptec.com for additional troubleshooting information.