Adaptec FireWire 1394 User manual

The emergence of digital video and multimedia applica-
tions has brought with it the need to move large amounts
of data—quickly—between peripherals and PCs. And as
audio/video products migrate to digital technology, both
consumers and professionals alike stand to benefit from a
simple high-speed connection that would make this
transmission more efficient. Enter 1394: the digital cable.
The IEEE 1394 serial bus is the industry-standard imple-
mentation of Apple Computer, Inc.’s FireWire digital I/O
system. It is a versatile, high-speed, low-cost method of
interconnecting a variety of personal computer peripher-
als and consumer electronics devices. Developed by the
industry’s leading technology companies, the specifica-
tion was accepted as an industry standard by the IEEE
Standards Board on December 12, 1995.
FireWire offers several advantages over other
technologies. These benefits include:
• Guaranteed delivery of multiple data streams
through isochronous data transport
• The ability to connect up to 63 devices without
the need for additional hardware, such as hubs
• Data transfer rates of up to 400 Mb/sec with
1.2 Gb/sec speeds in development
• A flexible, six-wire cable
• Complete plug-and-play operation, including
the hot swapping of live devices
• Acceptance by over 40 leading manufacturers
in the computer and electronics consumer
industries
How does FireWire work?
Using special integrated circuits, FireWire multiplexes
a variety of different types of digital signals such as com-
pressed video, digitized audio, and device control com-
mands on two twisted-pair conductors. The result is that
FireWire’s standard, 6-pin cables and connectors replace
the myriad of I/O connectors currently found in con-
sumer electronics equipment, PCs and peripherals.
FireWire also employs isochronous data transfer to guar-
antee the delivery of multiple time-critical multimedia
data streams. And, the protocol uses a “fairness” arbitra-
tion scheme to ensure that all nodes having information
to send get a chance to use the bus.
ADVANTAGES OF IEEE-1394
• Speed: up to 400 Mb/sec with 1.2 Gb/sec
speeds in development
• Expandability Up to 63 devices
supported
• Convenience Easy-to-use cable and
connectors for plug-and-play and
“hot swapping”
• Guaranteed data transfer Isochronous
transport of multiple time-critical data
streams
• Low-cost flexible, six-pin cable for use
in high-volume commercial markets
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What can FireWire do?
Because FireWire is an extremely versatile I/O subsystem,
it enables a very wide range of popular applications.
These include:
Professional
• Desktop video editing
• Publishing (color printers, scanners, high-resolution
digital still cameras)
• Storage (disk drives, removable drives,
digital video disk (DVD))
• Audio production
Business
• Video conferencing
• Publishing (color printers, scanners, high-resolution
digital still cameras)
• Storage (disk drives, removable drives, DVD)
Consumer
• Home A/V network (living room PC connected to
all consumer electronic devices—VCR, camcorder,
stereo, Digital Satellite System (DSS) settop box,
digital still camera, DVD, musical instruments,
cable modems)
• Desktop video editing
Currently, Sony Corporation is shipping FireWire-enabled
digital camcorders, opening up an entirely new mid-range
video editing market by reducing the need for expensive
PC video capture cards.
Adaptec’s role
Adaptec’s business is making the movement of data
between the computer and non-computer worlds as fast
and as easy as possible. Our expertise in creating high-
performance I/O systems for personal computers—from
SCSI to ATM—places us at the forefront of developments
in new high-speed serial technology.
As a leader in high-performance I/O and connectivity
products and as an active member of the 1394 High
Performance Serial Bus Trade Association, Adaptec is
playing a leading role in the commercialization of the
FireWire bus, and will be introducing 1394 host connec-
tion products in 1996. Our products will provide the user
complete solutions that are easy to use and have the high-
est level of compatibility with new 1394 peripherals.
If you’d like to learn more about the IEEE-1394
standard and Adaptec’s role in the development
of FireWire products, please visit our website at
http://www.adaptec.com/firewire/1394.html. Should
you have more detailed questions that are not addressed
at our website, please direct your correspondence to:
[email protected].
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APPLICATIONS
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APPLICATIONS
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Printer Disk Drive
Still Image
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Editing Color Printer
Scanner High-Resolution Digital 
Still Camera
Applications for FireWire
Adaptec, Inc.
691 South Milpitas Boulevard
Milpitas, California 95035
Adaptec Singapore
Block 1003
Bukit Merah Central
#07-09
Singapore 15983.6
Tel: [phone]
FAX: [phone]
Adaptec Brussels
Dreve Richelle 161
Bldg. A, 2nd Floor
B1410 Waterloo
Belgium
Tel: [phone]
FAX: [phone]
Literature: 800-934-2766
Ordering Software:
800-442-7274
Interactive FAX:
[phone]
Adaptec USA Bulletin Board:
[phone]
(up to 28,800 baud, using
8 bits, 1 stop bit, no parity)
CompuServe: GO ADAPTEC
Internet ftp server:
ftp.adaptec.com
World Wide Web:
http://www.adaptec.com
Copyright © 1996 Adaptec, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Adaptec and the Adaptec logo are registered
trademarks of Adaptec, Inc., which may be
registered in some jurisdictions. FireWire is
a trademark of Apple Computer, Inc. used
under license. All other trademarks used are
owned by their respective owners.
P/N 980258-011 Rev. A 3/96
Printed in USA
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