[mdlug] [mdlug-admin] IEEE 1394a

[Michael Rudas]

--- Carl T. Miller wrote:

> Garry Stahl wrote:
>> IEEE 1394a ... What is it used for and what uses it?

> It's a type of type of connection that requires little
> configuration (similar to USB), but it's much faster.
> You may have heard of by it's other name, FireWire.

Actually IEEE-1394*a* is nominally SLOWER than USB 2.0 -- 400 Mbps max
vs. 480Mbps -- but IEEE-1394*b* has nominally 2x the throughput of the
"a" version at 800 Mbps.  Real-world results peg 1394a and USB 2.0 as
about equal; I have not played with the "b" version.

Apple was (is?) the biggest promoter of this protocol.  Video
camcorders are the most likely devices you will encounter with this; a
few video monitors have it, as well as some external hard drives that
support both USB 2.0 and IEEE-1394x.

~~ Mikey