FireWire Still Spreading Like Wild Fire
FireWire Still Spreading Like Wild Fire
Posted 01/13/2011 at 7:29am
| by Paul Lilly
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You don't hear a whole lot about FireWire anymore, which has been largely overshadowed by USB. But FireWire is still popular in the digital video field, helping the interface reach the two billion ports milestone in 2010, the 1394 Trade Association announced.
"The two billion ports represents a significant new milestone for 1394," said Max Bassler, chairman, 1394 Trade Association. "Just as impressive is the innovative and creative application of FireWire in new generations of advanced industrial automation, vision systems, and production equipment."
Bassler said he expects the FireWire spec to "continue its steady, stable growth during 2011" as the first products begin to roll out operating at 1.6Gb/s.
Show of hands, who's still using FireWire?
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QuadraQ
January 13, 2011 at 4:28pm
While USB 3.0 is exciting, FireWire kicks all the previous standards to the curb. Best speed, best reliablility, and doesn't slow the rest of your system down because it has it's own controller, and doesn't need the CPU to control it.
Vigilant Satyr
January 13, 2011 at 3:28pm
I've only ever used FW to download video from my Sony digital camcorder into my PC. Now that I have a new flash memory camcorder/camera as soon as I copy my few remaining tapes over to my PC it may as well be history.
It was decent competition for USB technically and certainly surpassed it initially, but Sony killed it by not actually competing with USB on price just like they did for any number of technologies, Beta, Memory Stick, MiniDisk, et al.
fellowleo
January 13, 2011 at 3:07pm
Been trying to get the Firewire on my Windows 7 HTPC to work with my Cablebox. It used to work on and off with Ubuntu but no luck with Windows 7. Possible for you guys to look into this?
SANMANx
January 13, 2011 at 10:56am
All my wife wanted for christmas was for me to transfer our miniDV tapes to our computer. 14 hours later it was done (14 miniDV tapes of home videos). Firewire is great for that format. I have used it alot.
praetor_alpha
January 13, 2011 at 10:43am
I keep an external hard drive at my parents as an offsite backup. It has Firewire, and is the only Firewire device I have ever had. Got USB 2, Firewire 400, and 800. Yes, Firewire at 400 mbps is faster than USB 2 at 480 mbps.
I see Macbooks with FW 800 ports all the time, but never a PC, whereas PC motherboards have had the same FW 400 ports since about 2003. Are the licensing fees/implementation costs for FW 800 so outrageous that no one has put them as standard on motherboards?
Xaero429
January 13, 2011 at 2:15pm
Since USB is free, and firewire is proprietary to sony, it's an infinite price increase to put a firewire port on a motherboard. Not only that, but it's very niche, and is basically used for home video, and that's it. If sony would make firewire ports free, then i would guess people would see a few more pop up. USB 3.0 is 4.8 Gbps though, and will be the faster choice in the near future.
Markitzero
January 13, 2011 at 10:24am
I have a FireWire on my PC in the back but I have never used it at all. I mainly use USB 2.0 or the internal Optical drive.
gothliciouz
January 13, 2011 at 8:32am
what do they mean by " two billion ports"?..as in you connect 127 divices, using a hub to a single usb port, and in firewire you can get two billions?
Scootiep
January 13, 2011 at 8:05am
They need to get 1394d standardized and out the door so there's some good competition to USB 3.0. But even after that, I still doubt it will have the popularity of USB 3.0. Kind of sad seeing as how firewire offers a true peer-to-peer network and USB requires a bus master.
jowens203
January 13, 2011 at 7:45am
Nope.. Haven't seen the 1394 adaptor/port since my iPod circa 2003, and my laptop around the same time. I haven't noticed it being used on any recent vid equipment either.. Does this study include the United States? lol
OliverSudden
January 13, 2011 at 7:45am
Same here. Sony video offload to Premiere Pro. USB's not really an option there.
strangelove9
January 13, 2011 at 7:39am
I am!
When it comes to offloading digital video from my Sony videocamera, FireWire is still unequalled.
jowens203
January 13, 2011 at 7:59am
Was just curious.. I don't recall this currently being used on any other vid equipment (i.e. Nikon/ Canon)..
Athlonite
January 13, 2011 at 11:00pm
No it's not and that's because most manufacturers chose USB over firewire
and just let it die already I've two on my Asus M3A32MVP-Deluxe (1394a) and I'll more than likely never use them.... my Vantec HDD doc is USB and eSATA my didgital camera is USB my cell phone is USB heck even my 4GB memory stick is yup you guessed it USB, my partners digital photo frames are USB... Infact the only piece of electronics in the house that isn't USB is the satalite DVB box and thats RS232 :S just to make things difacult i spose (there's always one drongo manufacturer)o_O
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