▷ Firewire: what is it, what is it for and differences with usb
Table of contents:
- What is the Firewire port
- Firewire connector versions and speed
- Main features of the Firewire cable and its connector
- Buy Firewire to USB adapter
Do you know what the IEEE 1394 or Firewire port is? Surely if you are European you do not know this PC port too much and it is even possible that you have not seen it on any motherboard. That is why today we will see in detail what Firewire, how it works and what we can use it for.
Index of contents
Connectivity is a very important aspect that we must always take into account when buying a "smart" electronic device. The connection port largely depends on whether we can interact with this equipment through a computer or make it compatible with certain devices. Almost everyone knows very well what a USB port is, but not everyone knows Firewire, and the truth is that currently we will hardly find it, but it is worth knowing what it is and how it works in case one day we find one and we need to use it.
What is the Firewire port
The first thing we should know is that its official name is IEEE 1394 port due to the standard communication protocol it uses. If a team has Firewire, you will see it identified in this way with almost all probability.
The Firewire port is a type of input and output connection to provide high-speed communication between multimedia devices. It works through serial data transfer, just like a USB port and is mainly used to connect professional digital cameras, printers and other devices where we typically find the USB port.
The main reason why we do not see it too often is because the use of the USB port is much more widespread in Europe, and that is why we will be able to see it more frequently in the American continent. In addition, this port is used mainly by Apple equipment, since it was the manufacturer that invented it in 1995 and implemented it in its range of products, both personal computers and professional equipment.
Firewire connector versions and speed
As we say, in the domestic sphere, the IEEE 1394 port has been displaced by manufacturers due to new standards such as USB 3.0 and the new Thunderbolt interface on Apple computers and other equipment and peripherals. But we must know that it is still widely used in industrial automation and professional environments, so we will see below.
One of the characteristics that were once of great interest to the computing community is that Firewire is capable of controlling from a PC the peripheral that is connected to it, that is, we can interact directly with the firmware of a video camera or with the properties of a monitor. And this is something that was not yet possible with the contemporary USB port to it. In addition to this, it could also supply power to the devices at 25 VDC, something also novel and very useful.
The versions of Firewire that have been deployed to date are as follows:
- Firewire 400 (IEEE 1394): It is the first version released to the market with a very characteristic 6- pin connector and a speed of up to 400 Mbps (50 MB / s), thus far exceeding the speeds of USB 1.0 and 1.1. Firewire 800 (IEEE 1394b): published in 200, it is a connector that is capable of supporting transfers of 786 Mbps (100 MB / s) and can reach distances of 100 meters of cable. The connector was also modified with respect to Firewire 400 (the first), providing it with 9 pins instead of 6. The Firewire 800 is contemporary to USB 2.0. Firewire s1600: This version was implemented in 2007 and expanded the bandwidth to 1.6 Gbps (200 MB / s) under the same connector as Firewire 800. It then outperformed the USB 2.0 version in a large speed range, since that this only reached 60 MB / s. Firewire s3200 (IEEE 1394b): Also created in 2007, it increased the speed to 3.2 Gbps (400 MB / s) using the 9-pin connector in the same way. In a short period of time USB 3.0 was also created, which was capable of providing transfer speeds of up to 600MB / s and was the perfect choice for all manufacturers. Firewire s800T (IEEE 1394c): This is another variant announced in 2007 that implements Firewire technology through the RJ-45 Ethernet connector, to combine the advantages of one and the other.
In the following table you can identify a comparison between the different speeds of the most current connections versus Firewire
| Firewire version | Speed (MB / s) | USB version | Speed (MB / s) |
| 400 | fifty | 1.0 | 0.19 |
| 1.1 | 1.5 | ||
| 800 | 100 | 2.0 | 60 |
| s1600 | 200 | 3.0 | 600 |
| s3200 | 400 | ||
| 3.1 | 1, 225 | ||
| Thunderbolt 1 | 1, 200 | ||
| Thunderbolt 2 | 2, 400 | ||
| Thunderbolt 3 | 4, 800 |
We see that USB is clearly the prevailing standard due to its tremendous data transfer performance.
Main features of the Firewire cable and its connector
We have already seen the versions and speeds that we can achieve with Firewire, now it is time to see the capabilities of this port in terms of compatibility and connectivity.
- It is capable of supporting connections of up to 63 devices and cables of 4.25 meters in length. Like USB, it supports Plug and Play and hot plugging. It also supports Peer-to-peer connections in which its link does not need to use neither system memory nor CPU. Asynchronous transmission medium oriented to real-time connections, very important for example for video surveillance.
Now we will see the types of Firewire connectors that we can find
6-pin Firewire:
It is distinguished by being a rectangular connector ending in a triangular tip. The pins are located in a central block with two rows of three contacts. It is used for the Firewire 400 version .
There is also a smaller 4-pin version.
Firewire 800 onwards
This connector reduces its size somewhat and extends the connection pins to 9 arranged in a central block with a row of 5 contacts and another of 4 separated two by two. The connector is square.
Buy Firewire to USB adapter
Being serial data link interfaces, it is possible to obtain compatibility devices that use one or the other interface. For this, it will only be necessary with a Firewire to USB converter or vice versa. Obviously the transfer speed will be limited by the slowest node.
Here we can see some converters for sale of higher or lower quality, but quite affordable if we need them.
Firewire IEEE 1394 to USB adapter
The first of them will be this adapter from version 400 to USB 2.0 which will surely be the most commonly used.
Fangfeen 1394 6 Pin 6 Pin Female USB 2.0 Type USB 1.1 / 2.0 One Male Adapter Firewire IEEE Portable Adapter Female to Male Adapter; Firewire 1394 adapter; 6pin USB 2.0 adapter; USB adapter 2.58 EURIEEE 1394 4-pin to USB Firewire adapter
- Only compatible with Sony DCR - DV trv75e. Cannot use other 1394 or USB - work unit. Connection: 13944Pin plug one side. On the other hand is a USB - plug. Length: 100cm; Connector: 1 side is 1394 4-pin male. The other side is USB male
Here we have another version that turns our USB into a 4-pin Firewire connector
Firewire to Thunderbolt adapter
- Easily connect your Thunderbolt Mac to a FireWire device with the Apple Thunderbolt to FireWire Adapter. This compact adapter plugs into your Mac's Thunderbolt port to provide a 7W FireWire800 connection that supports self-powered peripherals such as hard drives and audio devices. Apple Thunderbolt Apple to FireWire adapter
We also have Thunderbolt to Firewire converters that will come in handy for Mac laptops that don't have Firewire.
Firewire 800 to 400 adapter
- FireWire 400 (female) 6-pin to FireWire 800 (male) 9-pin adapter Eliminates the need for additional cables Made of strong ABS, to protect ports and ensure reliable connection Bi-directional, works from 400 to 800 as well as from 800 to 400
Finally we can choose Firewire converters from version 800 onwards to the traditional 6-pin connector.
Firewire + USB to RJ-45 adapter
- Male / female gender type USB and FireWire adapter for TC-NT2 Optimal solution for expanding or adding USB and FireWire connectivity Black color
Finally we have an HUB adapter for multiple connections compatible with RJ-45, USB and Firewire.
Well this is all about the Firewire connector, how it works and its main features and types. As you can see, it is a connector similar in functions to USB, although little by little displaced by it due to its great acceptance and higher speed in its latest versions. Does your motherboard have a Firewire connector?
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If you have something to contribute or give us your opinion in the comments, we are always attentive to help the community.
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