4 Pin Firewire Cable vs 6 Pin Firewire Cable

It can be difficult to determine the exact difference between a 4 pin firewire cable and a 6 pin one. Both are used to connect external devices to a computer. Additionally, both types work at the same speed, and use the same type of format to transfer data. It would seem that there are no differences between 4 and 6 pin FireWire connectors, aside from the number of pins. However, there are a few important differences between these two types of connectors, despite their obvious similarities. What follows should explain the basics of the differences between the two types.

Different Purposes

4 pin FireWire cables and 6 pin FireWire cables are actually the same basic type of cable. However, the different types of connectors that they feature have different purposes, and interact with your external devices in different ways.

6 pin FireWire connectors use 4 of their pins to transmit data. The extra two pins are used to supply  the device they are connected to with power taken from your computer.

4 pin FireWire connectors are simply 6 pin FireWire connectors that do not have the extra two pins to power their device. Other than that, they function in the same way.

There is no difference in speed or performance capability between 4 pin and 6 pin FireWire connectors.

Uses For a 4 Pin FireWire Cable

Mainly, 4 pin FireWire cables are used for external devices that have their own supply of power, whether it is a battery or a connection to an electrical outlet. For example, cameras, mp3 players, and external hard drives that connect to your computer with a FireWire cable will usually use 4 pin connectors to do so.

Uses For a 6 Pin FireWire Cable

6 pin FireWire cables, in contrast, are generally used for devices that do not have their own power supply, requiring them to take power from your computer. Devices such as memory card readers or thumb drives will often use 6 pin connectors for this reason.

Compatibility

If you have a device with a 4 pin FireWire port, and a computer with a 6 pin port, you can still connect them without any problems. FireWire cables come in a great many varieties to deal with this situation. While there are cables with 4 pin connectors, and other cables with 6 pin connectors, there are also FireWire cables with a 4 pin connector at one end and a 6 pin connector at the other. There is no compatibility issue whatsoever, as the cable in between the connectors is the same for all of these.

Damage

While a 4 pin FireWire cable is not very different in function than a 6 pin one, there is one small disadvantage to 4 pin FireWire cables that you should be aware of. 4 pin FireWire connectors, due to their small size, are not very sturdy. It is possible to damage them—or your ports—by accidentally pulling on them. It is important to make sure your cables are not too tight in all situations, but particularly when you use 4 pin FireWire cables.