# custom firewire cable **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 19, 2007, 10:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/custom-firewire-cable/408570 "2007-06-19T10:23:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![abby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/48db29/32.png) [@abby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/abby)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2007, 10:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/custom-firewire-cable/408570/1 "2007-06-19T10:23:36Z")
Hi. I was wondering if the folks here could help - I need what’s most likely a custom firewire cable, 4-pin male, right angle --\> 6-pin female, about six to eight inches long. stacks of searches have resulted in nothing close. I cannot seem to buy the connectors to make my own cable. Are these the sort of thing you can get custom made? I guess I’d need to order 1000 of them or something? that’s a possibility, but I’d have no idea where to start…? ---
**Author:** ![panamajack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/47e85d/32.png) [@panamajack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panamajack)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2007, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/custom-firewire-cable/408570/2 "2007-06-19T15:27:06Z")
If having it mass produced is an option, I think you can try here : [http://www.google.com/search?&q=custom+firewire+cable&btnI](http://www.google.com/search?&q=custom+firewire+cable&btnI) ---
**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2007, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/custom-firewire-cable/408570/3 "2007-06-19T15:29:36Z")
If you indicate what you need this for maybe others have done this already and know exactly how to do it. You were pretty vague in the OP. I guess what I’m getting at is what devices, specifically, are you trying to connect together? Maybe they’re not designed to be connected. Like, maybe you’re trying to patch a digital camcorder directly to an external hard drive or something? ---
**Author:** ![El\_Cid\_Viscoso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/41988e/32.png) [@El\_Cid\_Viscoso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Cid_Viscoso)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2007, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/custom-firewire-cable/408570/4 "2007-06-19T15:46:23Z")
I would take an [adapter](http://www.cablestogo.com/product_list.asp?cat%5Fid=602) and cut it open. Splice in longer wires, shrink wrap and go. Radio Shack also has them. ---
**Author:** ![groman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/73ab20/32.png) [@groman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/groman)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2007, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/custom-firewire-cable/408570/5 "2007-06-19T16:29:55Z")
[QUOTE=El Cid Viscoso] I would take an [adapter](http://www.cablestogo.com/product_list.asp?cat%5Fid=602) and cut it open. Splice in longer wires, shrink wrap and go. Radio Shack also has them. [/QUOTE] I’m guessing the likelihood of that working well is fairly low. Those wires are typically shielded and for a reason – it’s a very high frequency serial link and you don’t want any part of it being an antenna 🙂 I’ve never dealt with firewire directly but my experience with USB taught me that splicing a cable open too try to hook up a USB analyzer “the wrong way” will make everything not work in the most bizarre of ways. As in, it sort of works, but then your cell phone checks for voice mail and it doesn’t :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![El\_Cid\_Viscoso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/41988e/32.png) [@El\_Cid\_Viscoso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Cid_Viscoso)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2007, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/custom-firewire-cable/408570/6 "2007-06-19T16:57:01Z")
Huh. Thanks, **groman**. Having no innard-wise experience with adapters (only the cables), I guess I spoke too soon. I think my little Radio Shack jobbie is going to become acquainted with a Dremel. ---
**Author:** ![abby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/48db29/32.png) [@abby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/abby)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2007, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/custom-firewire-cable/408570/7 "2007-06-21T10:06:55Z")
[QUOTE=Uncommon Sense] If you indicate what you need this for maybe others have done this already and know exactly how to do it. You were pretty vague in the OP. I guess what I’m getting at is what devices, specifically, are you trying to connect together? Maybe they’re not designed to be connected. Like, maybe you’re trying to patch a digital camcorder directly to an external hard drive or something? [/QUOTE] Actually, that’s exactly what I’m doing, but they are designed to work together, and do work well together. But the firewire socket on our HVX202 cameras is on a very flimsy part of the camera, so we want to firmly attach a short cable, and cable tie (or, hot-glue) it to the chassis, and make a qucik-release 6-pin to 6-pin. So, in a nutshell, strain-relief. ---
**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2007, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/custom-firewire-cable/408570/8 "2007-06-21T13:07:57Z")
[QUOTE=abby] Actually, that’s exactly what I’m doing, but they are designed to work together, and do work well together. But the firewire socket on our HVX202 cameras is on a very flimsy part of the camera, so we want to firmly attach a short cable, and cable tie (or, hot-glue) it to the chassis, and make a qucik-release 6-pin to 6-pin. So, in a nutshell, strain-relief. [/QUOTE] Sounds like a very good idea. You’ll no doubt increase the longetivity of that socket on the camera(s). I have not been able to locate such a cord or even a 90(degree) fitting that you could use instead. ---
**Author:** ![yoyodyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a9a28c/32.png) [@yoyodyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yoyodyne)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2007, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/custom-firewire-cable/408570/9 "2007-06-21T16:53:01Z")
[Here’s](http://industrialcomponent.com/newnex/fr64r01av06.html) one. There’s a 12" one [here](http://www.newnex.com/products/angled/index.php) (P/N: CFA-4R1/6R3-12). ---
**Author:** ![abby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/48db29/32.png) [@abby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/abby)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2007, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/custom-firewire-cable/408570/10 "2007-06-22T01:42:58Z")
[QUOTE=yoyodyne] [Here’s](http://industrialcomponent.com/newnex/fr64r01av06.html) one. There’s a 12" one [here](http://www.newnex.com/products/angled/index.php) (P/N: CFA-4R1/6R3-12). [/QUOTE] wahoo! ordered! thanks **yoyodyne**!