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What
is IEEE1394 ?
IEEE
1394 is the latest I/O serial interface, combining
high performance with ultimate ease-of-use. Originally
developed by Apple under the name FireWire®,
IEEE 1394 is now becoming established as an industry
standard, such as the Sony iLink™. Look for these
logos to identify IEEE 1394 compatibility on some
computers.
The IEEE 1394 multimedia connection enables simple,
low-cost, high-bandwidth isochronous (real-time)
data interfacing between computers, peripherals,
and consumer electronics products such as camcorders,
VCRs, printers, PCs, TVs, and digital cameras. With
IEEE 1394-compatible products and systems, users
can transfer video or still images from a camera
or camcorder to a printer, PC, or television, with
no image degradation.
- Digital
camcorders
- Surround
sound processors
- Scanners
and printers
- Hard
disk audio recorders
- Videoconferencing
cameras
- Disk
drives
- CD
Writers
- DVD
Recording
IEEE
1394 is a cross-platform multi-purpose standard
for connecting high-speed computer peripherals (hard
disks, removable drives, DV cameras, music synthesizers,
high-end scanners & printers) to your computer.
This is the “all-digital” multimedia link: users
do not experience the quality loss associated with
to analog-to-digital conversion. 1394 offers interoperability
with most digital audio & video devices and
flexible, plug-and-play implementation.
IEEE 1394 is the new advanced interface for connecting
desktop computers to digital cameras, video camcorders
and high-speed data storage devices. It promises
to bring high-end applications within the reach
of ordinary desktop users. Now rapidly becoming
established as an industry standard under names
such as FireWire® and iLink®, the 1394 interface
is set to revolutionise desktop computing for the
next century.
Main Features
- Up
to 63 devices per bus
- Potential
transfer rates of up to 50MB/s (400Mbits/s)
- Hot-plug
capability (no computer shutdown required for
installing a new peripheral)
- Automatic
configuration, with no need for ID selection or
terminator, connection
- Simple
slim line cables
- Up
to 1.5A power from the 1394 bus (some low-power
peripherals do not require an additional power
supply unit)
Connect
Up To 62 1394 Devices
With more and more consumer
electronics devices (cameras, camcorders, TVs,
VCRs, etc.) moving into the digital realm, facilitating
their connection to computers via the new 1394
interface standard became something of a necessity
if the standard was to become acceptable.
A FireWire (IEEE1394) card enables users to
connect up to 62 1394-enabled external devices
and gain incredible performance of up to 25MB/sec
data transfer rates. Many kits even includes
software to enable the capture of video still
images. |
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of Information concerning IEEE 1394 & FireWire: |
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1394
Trade Association
The
1394 TA web site.
Full details of specifications, members,
and future growth potential.
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1394
is
used as an abbreviated version of IEEE-1394, which
is the designation of the standard which defines a
high performance serial bus. IEEE is shorthand for
"The Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers,"
the group that wrote the standard. This just so happened
to be the 1394th standard that they agreed upon.
FireWire is an Apple trademark. Apple, in the 1980s,
was the originator of the technology which came to
be defined as IEEE-1394. Companies that would like
to include the FireWire name in a product which makes
use of IEEE-1394 technology must sign a licensing
agreement with Apple.
i.LINK is a recently unveiled IEEE-1394 branding initiative
by Sony. As a company with strong roots in the consumer
electronics industry, Sony understands well the importance
of establishing brands that consumers can grasp quickly
(Walkman, Trinitron etc.). i.LINK is Sony's effort
to put a friendly face on IEEE-1394 technology for
both the consumer electronics and computer industries.
A number of leading companies, including Adaptec,
have endorsed this initiative.
Adaptec
has chosen to refer to its products
which incorporate IEEE-1394 technology as simply "1394"
products. They are compatible with other products
that adhere to the IEEE-1394 specification, no matter
what brand name - FireWire i.LINK or some other -
they use.
LaCie
has unveiled a range of data storage peripherals specifically
for the 1394 interface, and is among the first manufacturers
to deliver a series of drives for this new interface.
LaCie offers the widest 1394 range on the market,
with several different technologies adapted to your
needs, including:
- Hard
drives, from 10GB to 73GB
- 1.3GB
magneto-optical drive
- DVD-RAM
drive
- High-speed
CD-RW drive
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