Conclusion
Overall, the Adaptec FireConnect 4300 performs superbly. It is very easy to install and setup and works great with a supported operating system. If you are in the market for a reliable FireWire card, whether it be for video production, image editing, or the extra boost of speed for storage devices, I would highly recommend that you check out the Adaptec FireConnect 4300.

***Added 5-18-01***

I received an e-mail from one our readers alerting me to the fact that despite what the website and box says, the version of VideoWave included with the Fireconnect 4300 is actually VideoWave 4 SE, a crippled version. I contacted VideoWave about this to find out exactly what the SE version was and what it lacked from the full. I also inquired about support on the product. Here is what I found:

MGI will not be offering direct support for the SE version. Instead Adaptec will handle the frontline support.

When I inquired about updates on the SE, the reply was that most users will upgrade to the full version, sounding to me as though updates were unlikely.

Features that are lacking from the VW 4 SE are as follows:

No teal-time MPEG-2 capture
Only 20 special effects compared to 27 in full.
38 transisitions compared to 60 in full.
No color removal
No timewarp
No darkroom custom templates

I think that Adaptec should make the software version more clear. Nowhere could I find on the box where it says VideoWave 4 SE, all I found was VideoWave 4. In fact, even the installation states VideoWave 4. Not until you actually launch the application will you see VideoWave 4 SE. Very SNEAKY!!!