F L Y C A S E
P R O
E X T E R N A L S T O R A G E P E R I P H E R A L S
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A N N E X E S
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FI RE WI RE ® TE CH NO LO GI E, I EE E 13 94
The 1394 digital link standard was conceived in 1986 by tech-
nologists at Apple Computer, who chose the trademark 'Fire-
Wi re', in re f e rence to its speeds of operation. The first speci-
fication for this link was completed in 1987. It was adopted in
1995 as the IEEE 1394 standard.
The Fire Wi re (IEEE-1394) high-speed bus is a se rial-type bus.
Its advanced characteristics meet re q u i rements where transfer
rates are very important. It is particula rly suited to consumer
audio/video (A/V) applications, storage peripherals, other PCs,
and portable peripherals.
F i re Wi re provides a "Plug and Play" extens ion interface fo r
MAC or PC microcomputers.
Transfer speeds of 100-Mbps, 200-Mbps, and 400-Mbps are
well suited to input/output multi-streaming audio/video appli-
cations. Future versions of Fire Wi re will be able to reach trans-
fer rates of 800 Mb/s and higher.
MAC OS 9.1 operating systems and higher, as well as re c e n t
versions of Microsoft_ Windows_, support t he Fire Wi re bus
internally.
The main computer manufacturers today supply their systems
with Fire Wi re interface integrated as standard. You can chain
up to 63 Fire Wi re peripherals on the same bus, with a maxi-
mum of 16 peripherals per branch.
On the same Fire Wi re chain you can mix FlyCASE with other
p roducts like burners, hard disks, etc, with a PikaOne or other
brand Fire Wi re interface. To do this, connect the first periphe-
ral to a Fire Wi re port on your co mputer and link the second
F i re Wi re connector of this peripheral to a port on the next per-
ipheral, and so on, using the appropriate Fire Wi re cables. As
distinct from USB technology, you do not have to use a "hub"
for Fire Wi re connections. The IEEE 1394 multimedia connec-
tion enables simple , low-cost, high- bandwidth isochro n o u s
( real-time) data interfacing between computers, peripherals,
and consumer electronics products such as camcorders, VCRs,
printers, PCs, TVs, and digital cameras. with IEEE 1394-com-
patible products and systems, users can transfer video or still
images from a camera or camcorder to a printer, PC, or tele-
vision, with no image degradation.
BENEFI TS OF 1394
Applications tha t benefit from I EEE 1394 include nonlinear
(digital) video presentation and editing, desktop and commerc i a l
publishing, document imaging, home multimedia, and perso-
nal computing. The low overhead, high data rates of 1394, the
ability to mix real-tim e and async hronous dat a on a single
connection, and the ability to mix low speed and high speed
devices on the same network provides a truly universal connec-
tion for almost any consumer, computer, or peripheral appli-
cation.
FUTURE OF 1 394
The strong multimedia orientation, self-conf igurability, peer-
to-peer connectivity and high perf o r mance of 1394 have encou-
raged new, innovative product concepts soon to be re l e a s e d
or in development now. W ith the advent this y ear of native
IEEE 1394 support in Microsoft Windows operating syste ms,
a number of new applications f or 1394 will come forth that
link the worlds of consumer and computer electronics.
F i re Wi re "A" became the standard for digital content sto -
rage and management for graphic designers, digital audio and
video makers, and anyone desiring fast, easy mass sto rage...
and PikaOne are there at the beginning. Now th e new Fire-
Wi re 800 or 1394b products are arriving, and here we are again.
F i re w i re 800 will revolutionize the technology, with a pro m i-
sed 800Mbps ceiling, about twice the limits of legacy Fire Wi re .
And PikaOne has the first good stuff.