thinkpads and Ipod? Anyone using Firewire PC for charging?

[nikemen]

So, I put in a firewire pcmcia card, a Trendware, works nice and was cheap.

but, I thought this would mean I could now CHARGE my ipod using the firewire port on the PCMCIA card? But, all I can do is sync faster. Can anyone use their USB2.0 or Firewire connector with a USB port or firewire card, to CHARGE their ipod with their THINKPAD?
Is there a setting required?
thanks
N

[Cneil]

My iPod charges fine with the built in USB ports from my T42. A pcmcia card usually doesn't have enough power to supply a iPod, but usually these devices have a small input DC port to use with a power adapter.

[nikemen]

IS there something necessary to enable USB 2.0 chargin?
or a special cable?

[Cneil]

If you use the Apple supplied USB cable, or probably any other standard USB cable, your Thinkpad USB port should charge your iPod.

[damorg]

what generation is your ipod?

I have a 3G and it's not able to charge via USB. It's my understanding that direct USB charging is only available on 4Gs and newer (under Windows at least).

For firewire charging, if your PCMCIA card is powered-port enabled and it has a power adapter plugin, you can plug in a power cord and it will charge your ipod while it's plugged in/docked.

Another option is the additional Apple cable that has both USB and Firewire. If you dock the ipod with the USB connecter and then plug the firewire into the wall brick, the unit will charge.

(I use this last option myself since if I have to do a full sync of my music library, it takes multiple chargings of the batter to get the whole library synced unless it's charging at the same time it's syncing.)

Dan

[nikemen]

I have a 3G and it's not able to charge via USB. It's my understanding that direct USB charging is only available on 4Gs and newer (under Windows at least).

For firewire charging, if your PCMCIA card is powered-port enabled and it has a power adapter plugin, you can plug in a power cord and it will charge your ipod while it's plugged in/docked.

Another option is the additional Apple cable that has both USB and Firewire. If you dock the ipod with the USB connecter and then plug the firewire into the wall brick, the unit will charge.

(I use this last option myself since if I have to do a full sync of my music library, it takes multiple chargings of the batter to get the whole library synced unless it's charging at the same time it's syncing.)

Dan

so, this is a 3G ipod, but I thought it was possible.
this last sentance

For firewire charging, if your PCMCIA card is powered-port enabled and it has a power adapter plugin, you can plug in a power cord and it will charge your ipod while it's plugged in/docked.

what do you mean power adaptor plugin? Do you mean, on the PCMCIA card, or just the power adaptor cable for firewire to ipod?

[damorg]

I mean on the PCMCIA card. For example, my Adaptec FireConnect card takes a power adapter (though it didn't come with one). If you look at the picture of my card at this URL, you can see a round power socket: http://www.adaptec.com/worldwide/suppor ... eWidth=600

The issue here is that most PCMCIA cards don't offer powered ports that draw enough juice off the system to charge an item like the ipod. Though I don't know of any PCMCIA cards that do offer powered ports like that, some will power the ports if an additional adapter is plugged in (like my Adaptec).

Re: the 3G not charging via USB...yes it stinks. It was a long-standing gripe that Apple finally corrected in the 4G.

[nikemen]

yeah, funny that I can charge with FIREWIRE from a desktop computer, one would think the pcmcia port would be similar in configuration thoughb

[UCI2CI]

i think it depends on how many pins your firewire port has. the bigger firewire ports (not commmonly found built into laptops) can charge your ipod with no problem. I think it called a 6 pin plug. Im surprised that an adaptec card cannot supply the power needed to charge an ipod. I think thats one of the functions of the 6 pins adaptors; the extra pins supply the power. I also have 3G ipod and i have to charge it on my desktop computer since i dont have a firewire port on my laptop. I was actually planning on buying a firewire pc card a few days ago and i came across this cheap IBM firewire card

http://www.ocie.com/metacart/product.as ... ID=2016022

pair this up with one of these

http://www.sendstation.com/us/products/pd_fw.html

and you got a firewire card that wont stick out of your pcmcia slot and also lets you connect your ipod.

[nikemen]

yes, well I just bought a ne card, the one I listed the other day, from TrendNet, only $10 after rebate.

I would think, that there are six pins in there, seems like it. I just though, that this pcmcia card would do the trick, faster sync and charging.

[UCI2CI]

i stand corrected. seems like regardless of the number of pins, pcmcia cards cannot supply the power needed to charge an ipod as damorg suggested, unless you plug the card to a power outlet also. which kinda defeats the whole purpose of buying a firewire card for your ipod. good thing i read this post, cus i was really close to buying that IBM firewire card.

[nikemen]

so NO PCMCIA cards will simply supply power?

[damorg]

None that I know of. It's possible but not likely since the power requirements for that kind of function aren't part of the PCMCIA spec.

PCMCIA (as in "Personal Computer Memory Card International Association" standard) was originally a memory card standard and though it's been tweaked to keep up a broader range of new devices, it was never designed to power or charge devices with substantial electrical requirements.

This kind of makes sense if you keep in mind that PCMCIA is fundamentally used to provide additional peripherals to laptops. Laptops are, by definition, mobile and have rather tight/contrained electrical specs compared to desktop hardware with power supplies that usually pump out plenty of juice for any and all add-ons (within reason ). Likewise, since laptops are designed to run off battery, it also makes sense that their general electrical specs might not be designed to do charging duty for other battery-operated devices. (people do charge pdas and cells off of laptops but that's not really a "main" functionality).