FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions - Knowledge Base

Is FireWire 800 backwards compatible with FireWire 400 (1394a)?

Yes, FireWire 800 is backwards compatible with FireWire 400. However, the connector size and shape is different, so you need to buy a 9 to 6 pin cable to use it with your existing 1394a port.

Note
The resulting performance is only equal to 1394a!