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admin
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 Posted: Wed Aug 23, 2006 12:52 pm Post subject: Griffin ships FireWave |
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Griffin ships FireWave
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
Falling into the category of better late than never, Griffin Technology today announced that it is shipping FireWave, its affordable 5.1 surround sound solution for Mac. FireWave is a small, portable external device that adds Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound and Dolby Pro Logic II to your Mac. The device gets its power through its FireWire connection to the computer, and features an extra FireWire port so you can daisy chain other devices through it. FireWave has 3.5mm outputs for left/right, center/subwoofer and left/right surround speakers. It supplies line-level output, so it's suitable for connecting to an amplified multi-channel speaker system or to an amplifier or receiver that uses discrete surround inputs. The Griffin FireWave is priced at $99.99.
http://www.123macmini.com/news/story/517.html
Last edited by admin on Wed Aug 23, 2006 9:00 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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agruenebaum
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Joined: 13 Mar 2006
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Location: Neverland, Vatican
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| Posted: Wed Aug 23, 2006 2:06 pm Post subject: where is the beef? |
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| What`s the benefit of using FireWave against connecting the optical digital audio output of the macmini to any DSR receiver or amplifier? |
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Cory Cooper
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Joined: 29 May 2006
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| Posted: Wed Aug 23, 2006 2:08 pm Post subject: |
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Only the current Intel mini has optical out...the G4 mini is only analog.
C
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allinamini
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Joined: 10 Aug 2005
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| Posted: Wed Aug 23, 2006 4:32 pm Post subject: |
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| Cory Cooper wrote: | Only the current Intel mini has optical out...the G4 mini is only analog.
C |
So this is for older G4 Mac Mini only ? |
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Cory Cooper
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| Posted: Wed Aug 23, 2006 4:50 pm Post subject: |
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No, you can use it on any Mac with FireWire.
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MBP 2.4 C2D; 4GB
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mini 1.25 G4; 1GB
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allinamini
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| Posted: Wed Aug 23, 2006 5:23 pm Post subject: |
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| Cory Cooper wrote: | | No, you can use it on any Mac with FireWire. |
But then again: what is the advantage of using FireWare vs hooking the Mac Mini directly to your stereo receiver/amplier ? |
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Cory Cooper
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| Posted: Wed Aug 23, 2006 5:58 pm Post subject: |
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Because the analog mini output jacks are stereo. This unit will allow you to output to a 5.1 surround receiver that has separate input jacks for surround processing.
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MBP 2.4 C2D; 4GB
mini 1.66 CD; 2GB
mini 1.25 G4; 1GB
VT N0362 2x2 G5; 4GB
Xserve (SL) 2x1.33 G4; 2GB
QS 2002 2x1 G4; 1.5GB
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khisayruou
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Joined: 14 May 2006
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| Posted: Wed Aug 23, 2006 6:26 pm Post subject: |
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Benefits for this device...
1. Older minis without optical out and you want surround sound.
2. You have analog surround sound speakers.
But to connect the intel mac mini to the firewave and then to a receiver... there is no real benefit, but thats not its real purpose imo. |
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allinamini
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| Posted: Wed Aug 23, 2006 7:02 pm Post subject: |
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| khisayruou wrote: | Benefits for this device...
1. Older minis without optical out and you want surround sound.
2. You have analog surround sound speakers.
But to connect the intel mac mini to the firewave and then to a receiver... there is no real benefit, but thats not its real purpose imo. |
If I connect the Intel Mac Mini's optical out directly to the 5.1 receiver's optical in, I will get 5.1 digital output, right ? You can tell that I don't currently own a Mac Mini, but I am considering... |
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khisayruou
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| Posted: Wed Aug 23, 2006 8:10 pm Post subject: |
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| allinamini wrote: | | If I connect the Intel Mac Mini's optical out directly to the 5.1 receiver's optical in, I will get 5.1 digital output, right ? You can tell that I don't currently own a Mac Mini, but I am considering... |
Yes, assuming that your 5.1 receiver has dolby digital/dts to do the decoding. Thats how I have my current setup, it plays my dvd movies just fine. My only gripe, divx/xvid encoded with ac3 doesn't output in 5.1 using quicktime/frontrow, using VLC player will allow 5.1 though. |
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Bandit Bill
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Joined: 07 Jun 2005
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| Posted: Wed Aug 23, 2006 9:18 pm Post subject: |
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Question:
Does the optical out from a mini allow you to control the volume through the OS volume control or does the volume have to be controlled at the amp?
With the firewire out you may be able to use the mini as a pre-amp.
I also believe the firewire will allow a user to output to an amp simultaneously. Therefore you could have a set of computer speakers hooked up and also output to an amp. I don't think you will have to select the output via option by go this way. From what I understand iTunes for example does not support simultaneous output through analog and optical. If you have a PowerMac with multiple output this is a bonus. |
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SOCOMRAIDER
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Joined: 26 Oct 2005
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| Posted: Wed Aug 23, 2006 9:55 pm Post subject: |
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The real benefit to this system is that it supports computer speakers that have the multiple jacks. Not very many computer speakers have optical inputs. So this allows you to use your Mini for 5.1 thru a 5.1 computer speaker package.
Yes you can also get y-splitter cables of headphone-to-rca jacks to input into a receiver (especially handy if your receiver is old). But if you have a modern receiver you will want to use the optical output.
Optical output is better, because optical cable is immune to RF interference and is a digital connection. The FireWave is digital from the computer to the device, but then goes into analog when you connect via the jacks.
| Bandit Bill wrote: | Question:
Does the optical out from a mini allow you to control the volume through the OS volume control or does the volume have to be controlled at the amp?
With the firewire out you may be able to use the mini as a pre-amp.
I also believe the firewire will allow a user to output to an amp simultaneously. Therefore you could have a set of computer speakers hooked up and also output to an amp. I don't think you will have to select the output via option by go this way. From what I understand iTunes for example does not support simultaneous output through analog and optical. If you have a PowerMac with multiple output this is a bonus. |
When you go thru the optical on a Mac, the system volume is fixed. So you can either control the volume thru the amp or thru the application you are using.
If you want to use the FireWave to connect to computer speakers, then the optical to an amp/receiverr at the same time. You can do easy switching between your outputs by using this program, SoundSource. It is put into your menu bar and lets you pick your audio out thru a drop down menu. This saves time from having to go to System Preferences.
This is a decent design. As it has two FireWire ports for daisy-chaining.
But if you have a PPC Mac mini and want an 5.1 optical out, then get a M-Audio Transit.
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curt
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Location: Oregon
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| Posted: Wed Aug 23, 2006 10:05 pm Post subject: |
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Wow, it's about time they released this thing. I was looking to buy one for my G4 mini in like December or January.
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DBOi
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Joined: 26 Jul 2006
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| Posted: Thu Aug 24, 2006 2:29 pm Post subject: |
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Awwww, i already gave away my speakers/sub set to my sister
Good Product |
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SOCOMRAIDER
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Joined: 26 Oct 2005
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Location: Minneapolis
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| Posted: Thu Aug 24, 2006 10:28 pm Post subject: |
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| DBOi wrote: | Awwww, i already gave away my speakers/sub set to my sister
Good Product |
Time to call her up and say "I WANT MY STUFF BACK" 
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