FireWire speeds set to quadruple (to 3.2 GigaBit !)

[FastEddy]

" The speed of FireWire is set to quadruple next year after the group behind it announced a new specification for the networking interface. FireWire is the best-known brand name for the 1394 standard, which is also known as i.Link. The technology is used as a high-speed data interface for linking devices such as external hard drives and camcorders to PCs.

On Thursday, the 1394 Trade Association announced the S3200 electrical specification for FireWire. The specification builds upon the existing IEEE 1394b standard by boosting the maximum speed from 800 megabits per second to 3.2Gbps. I ..."

From: Tech News at ZDNet

Making FireWire the top choice for a Video and high resolution audio interface = faster than USB by 8 X, faster than GigaBit Ethernet by 4 X, faster than SATA by 1.6 X. " ... Importantly, S3200 can use the cables and connectors already in use for FireWire 800 products, the association claimed. ..."

The interesting thing is that FireWire S3200 audio gadgets could be built right now! The cabling and connectors will run at all FW speeds from 10 MegaBytes per Second (S100) to 320 MegaBytes per Second (S3200)

Performance perspective:

FireWire S100 = USB1.1 = 16 bit CD quality audio
FireWire S400 = USB2.0 = bi-directional 24 bit professional studio quality, db5.1 audio
FireWire S800 = twice GigaBit EtherNet = networked CGI movie making (graphics rendering & co-processing) and bi-directional 24 bit to 32 bit professional studio quality, db5.1 audio.
...
FireWire S3200 (just announced above) = realtime display of HDTV, HD-DVD, BlueRay, big screen digital movies in theaters, "jumbotron" billboards ... with 24 bit to 32 bit multichannel db7.1 or greater audio.

(Mercenary announcement: my company has been doing FireWire cables, parts and accessories online since 1997, making me somewhat prejudicial.)