I haven’t opened up to check yet, but i was wondering about removing the existing 4-pin iLink port and perhaps the DC power connector and replacing it with a 6-pin firewire connector… then stealing 16v straight from near the main power socket…  this would not be available when it gets un-plugged of course…

Dunno if it would fit…  might have to do some fudging with a few bits of wire to get the connections and possibly glue the connector down with the correct adhesive… instead of soldering it down.

Hmmmm

would it not be easier to get an adapter for 6pin to ilink? i have one, it came with some apple device…
jigs

[quote author=“jiggy”]would it not be easier to get an adapter for 6pin to ilink? i have one, it came with some apple device…
jigs

you’d still need external power in that case.

[quote author=“jiggy”]would it not be easier to get an adapter for 6pin to ilink? i have one, it came with some apple device…
jigs

Yeah, the quest was for a powered socket…

No need for it now!!!

I got one of these cables off eBay ($20):

It’s the cable that plugs into yer i-Link + DC sockets for VAIO external drives…

...and chopped the screw-in end off and fitted a standard 6-pin firewire plug to it.

So it’s firewire + power

The DC socket on yer VAIO gives 15 volts DC… and it runs my external hard disks perfectly!  Even the ones that don’t spin-up with a single usb cable (needing aditional power cables)

A very elegant solution

Make yerselves one, it’s easy!

Cheers
    Rich