Benefits of FireWire

Quickly transfers data; faster than USB

Ease of use

Hot-Pluggable ability means they can be connected and disconnected at any time, even when the power is on.

Low cost cabling and implementation

Plug and play performance

Ability to connect over 60 devices to a bus

Windows operating systems and Mac OS support it

FireWire vs USB

The original FireWire 400 was faster than USB when it came out and is still in use today, with transfer rates of up to 400 Mbps and maximum distance between devices of 4.5 meters of cable length.

Soon, USB 2.0 was released, with slightly quicker transfer speeds and slightly longer distances. Then, in 2002, FireWire 800 came out, with transfer rates up to 800 Mbps and maximum distances of 100 meters of cable length.

The major difference between FireWire and USB is that FireWire is designed for use with devices working with a lot more data, like camcorders, DVD players and digital audio equipment.

Another difference is that USB is host-based, which means that devices must connect to a computer in order to communicate, while FireWire is peer-to-peer, meaning that two FireWire cameras can communicate with each other without the use of a computer.

USB is less expensive than FireWire, which is the reason it is the standard for connecting most items that do not require a high-speed bus.

There are many different types of FireWire cables and connectors available. FireWire devices can be powered or unpowered. FireWire allows devices to draw their power from their connection.

FireWire 800 is back-ward compatible with FireWire 400, with a variety of adapters and ports available to allow the combination of both types on the same bus.

Uses for FireWire

FireWire is great for digital video applications. Most digital video cameras and camcorders have FireWire plugs. FireWire connections are amazing; they are supported by isochronous devices, meaning data can move between devices and their host in real-time with guaranteed bandwidth and no error correction. For example, a digital camcorder can command the host computer to allocate sufficient bandwidth for the camcorder to transmit uncompressed video in real-time to the computer. As the connection enters isochronous mode, the camera can send the video in a steady flow to the computer without anything interrupting the process.

FireWire allows you to easily create and edit custom video projects, using your camcorder and computer. With the correct software, the computer and camera communicate; the computer downloads the video with perfect digital clarity.

FireWire is one of the fastest peripheral standards ever developed for use with multimedia products like digital video cameras and other high-speed devices. Major manufacturers of multimedia devices have adopted the FireWire technology for its speed and ease of connection to computers. FireWires technology was honored by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, receiving awards for its impact on the television industry.

This article was written by Jack Keystone of Net Cables Plus (http://www.netcablesplus.com) an online store that carries a wide variety of cables and accessories. Choose from among a large selection of FireWire, Ethernet, USB, fiber optic, or any type of cables and connectors your business requires. Net Cables Plus offers a variety of shipping options for the most time-sensitive or the cost-conscious customer.