Have you ever been sitting at your desk only to have your feet become snared in a spaghetti-like explosion of computer cables? Have you ever disconnected a cable while it was plugged-in only to find that you had to re-start your computer? Have you ever spent hours trying to figure out how to configure a new device for your computer? Have you ever wondered why every piece of consumer electronics that you own requires a unique cable, one of which you canÕt seem to find right now? Well, if you answered yes to any of these questions then the following is a must for you to read.
Welcome to the world of IEEE 1394, often referred to as FireWire. FireWire was first developed by the so-called Plumbing Architects at Apple Computer as a new and improved way for transporting digital data. In other words, they sought to develop a high speed, easy-to-use, reliable and low cost serial bus. For those of you who are new to technology just think of a computer bus as a busy city street in which the vehicles are packets transporting data from point-to-point. Unlike our street example, FireWire is always extremely fast, reliable, never has collisions, and the price of transport is going down, not up.
This revolutionary bus has enormous potential within the office, the factory and even the home. It offers a single way to connect your computer, printers, speakers, televisions, VCRs, video cameras, fax machines and almost any other consumer electronics gadget that you can imagine.
All this through a single bus capable of providing not just data but power also. No more need for those old parallel cables, modem cables, coaxial cables, custom pin arrangements or the elaborate drivers required to operate them.
FirewireÕs first big commercial triumph was on a digital Sony camcorder. This application of the technology allowed for a direct connection from the camcorder into the computer without any loss of quality via digital-analog-digital conversion as well as saving the purchaser approximately $20,000 that was previously required for a video capture board and additional editing equipment. Sony is quickly following with additional uses including color video cameras for videoconferencing applications.
Technically speaking, IEEE 1394 very simply specifies a shielded, six-wire cable made up of two internally shielded, twisted pairs and one pair for power. The use of an IEEE 1394 cable is as easy as plugging-in a modular phone jack given that the connector is very similar.
The actual transmission of data is considered to be either asynchronous or isochronous as opposed to the synchronous nature of parallel busses. The advantage of this is that we can send larger amounts of data over fewer wires utilizing a less complex technology that issues simple read/write commands. To learn more about the most current advances in FireWire you may wish to contact the 1394 Trade Association.
The ability to provide asynchronous data transport allows for connectivity to legacy peripherals such as printers and modems as well as providing a control method for new devices. The isochronous capability is more well suited for the transport of audio and video data. The ability to transmit data in both fashions makes FireWire very attractive as a counterpart to an ATM network. Using FireWire as the link between an ATM network and the computer will eliminate the loss of quality that occurs when switching to a more conventional technology at the premise and then back again once inside the computer. Another big plus for FireWire is that assignment of node addresses is dynamic thereby eliminating the need for address switches. This "plug-and-play" feature allows total flexibility in rearrangements, adds, and deletes without complex reconfigurations.
The next stage in consumer applications for FireWire is to become the standard connection on home audio/visual products (televisions, video cassette recorders, set-top cable boxes) as well as becoming a standard interface on personal computers, printers, facsimile machines, and digital production facilities. Within industry many companies have been looking at factory-floor potential where there is a need for high-quality, reliable transmission of data at a cost that doesnÕt resemble the cost of fiber optic technology. Within the home this technology will allow for more robust home theaters, in-home offices, and total home network integration. The latter foreshadows easily linking home security, audio-visual systems, environmental controls, and the personal computer.
Similar bus technology such as IntelÕs Universal Serial Bus (USB) tout many of the same advantages of FireWire except that it provides a speed of only 12Mbps versus FireWire transfer rates up to 400Mbps and planned to reach 1Gbps. Given the ultra-low cost of USB it is likely to find a home as a complimentary technology by connecting peripherals such as the keyboard and the mouse. FireWire does currently have some limits on the length of cable runs (4.5 meters without a repeater but expected to easily reach 25 meters soon) as well as the number of devices (63).
Dozens of companies from software manufacturers like little known Microsoft to makers of laptop computers and everything in between are currently endorsing and/or providing serial bus technology in their product offerings. Companies like Sony, Apple, Compaq, Adaptec, and Skipstone are already offering serial bus technology as part of their product line and the prognosis is for more commitment to the technology as successes continue to be publicized.
Given our research into FireWire we make two recommendations. The first is to ensure all future personal computer purchases are IEEE 1394 compatible. As Gary Hoffman, CEO of Skipstone, tells us in his e-mail,
"IEEE 1394 is an industry standard already specified for 100Mbps, 200Mbps, 400Mbps. There are multiple groups already working to take IEEE 1394 to 800Mbps and 1600Mbps. (Conversely) USB is semi-proprietary and only has an effective throughput of about 1.5Mbps."
Clearly, all computers should have external "1394" connectors. Internally, the manufacturers are already taking advantage of this technology to save space and improve processing.
The second recommendation is to identify opportunities within the organization where speed, quality and cost can be optimized through the use of FireWire. We currently donÕt see it as a replacement for the LAN. But, it has potential to improve the quality of videoconferencing, computer-peripheral integration, digital imaging and editing as well as office aesthetics. Depending on the needs of the business such as simple document and work flow automation versus graphics and video editing, the business may dictate no required action to benefit from manufacturersÕ use of IEEE 1394 or it may dictate a conscious need to pursue those that utilize only IEEE 1394.
Disclaimer/Feedback
