"FireWire" is the common name given to a data interface standard defined by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers as IEEE 1394. It is also known as "i-Link" (a Sony name). FireWire-A (1394a) has been around for many years, and is widely available on both Macintosh and PC computers, as well as many proprietary systems. FireWire-B (1394b) is a new higher-speed standard which appeared on the market in 2003.

Glyph delivers FireWire solutions for professional, project, post production and mobile studios. Glyph FireWire technology is an excellent match for audio and video applications requiring high data rates and extended-length data transfers, but which do not require the even-higher data rates (and associated costs) of SCSI.

To provide an optimum storage environment, we developed our own FireWire circuits to complement the available products, all meeting or exceeding industry standards.

FireWire Features

• Hot-pluggable — you don't have to turn off your storage system or computer to connect or disconnect it, and you don't even need to restart your computer.
• FireWire-A max raw data rate is 400Mbps (50MB/sec); typical sustained transfer rate is about 40MB/sec. FireWire-B doubles these rates.
• FireWire-A is about 30 times faster than USB 1.1 (Universal Serial Bus), and about the same speed as USB 2.0 Hi-Speed. FireWire-B is about 60 times faster than USB 1.1, and about twice as fast as USB 2.0 HS.
• Supports up to 63 devices per bus. A typical bus will have between two and perhaps a dozen devices.
• Hubs are available to provide "tree" layouts in addition to the more common "daisy-chain".
• Cable lengths can extend up to 14 feet (4.5 meters) between devices.
• Cables are easy to connect and you don't need device IDs or terminators.

FireWire 400 vs. USB 2.0 Hi-Speed

Even though USB 2.0 Hi-Speed has a theoretical max raw data rate slightly higher than FireWire (480 Mbps vs. 400 Mbps), the typical sustained transfer rates are about the same, because FireWire is a more efficient protocol to use in audio and video environments. In fact, in most cases, FireWire beats USB 2.0 Hi-Speed, albeit by a small margin. Very often it will be the computer or hard drive mechanism which limits the system performance more than the interface, so you might see about the same performance using FireWire 400 or USB 2.0.

Useful Links

1394 Trade Association FAQ
1394 TA Specification
IEEE Standards Site