1394 Trade Association Press

RECENT 1394 TRADE ASSOCIATION PRESS

ARTICLE: FireWire Moves Through to 4Gbps

The introduction of 2Gpbs (S1600) FireWire products this fall including cameras from Sony & Point Grey, OHCI host adapter and Firespy Analyzer from DapTechnology, plus others -- and with 4Gbps (S3200) FireWire demonstrated by DAP Technology at Vision 2011 this November -- FireWire has reached the pinnacle of performance defined in the IEEE 1394-2008 standard. We no longer have to wait; FireWire is now running at S3200! S1600 FireWire is in full production, all the tools needed are available; including protocol analyzers, computer node supporting OHCI with a PCIe x4 add-in card, tested cables, connectors, evaluation boards and IP. But the performance improvements need not end at 4Gbps. As long as FPGA technology allows higher performance, FireWire can scale to higher throughputs. More on that later. CONTINUE

ARTICLE: 1394 Enables Kernel Debugging to Keep Up With PC Memory Expansion

1394 is the de facto connection used in the industry for kernel debugging of processor-based systems. It is supported in Windows, Linux, MacOS, VMware, is by far the easiest to use, and most efficient. CONTINUE

FireWire Prominent at Annual VISION Conference in Germany, Led by Innovative New 3.2 Gigabit/second SoC Solution from DapTechnology
IEEE1394 Extends Leadership in High End Vision Systems with Breakthrough Speeds and Bandwidth

San Francisco, Calif., Nov. 22, 2011 — FireWire, which has become one of the leading interface choices for vision systems and camera products, was on full display again this year at the VISION 2011 Conference in Stuttgart, Germany, Nov. 8-10. CONTINUE

1394 Trade Association Publishes New Article on the Benefits of PCIe with IEEE 1394 - FireWire
Using PCIe with 1394b Increases Bandwidth, Efficiency, Error Immunity and Power Requirements, among Others

San Francisco, Sep. 8, 2011 -- The 1394 Trade Association has published a new technical article that reports on the benefits of PCI Express, or PCIe, when used in conjunction with FireWire. CONTINUE

FireWire Design Guide and Reference Tutorial Now Available in Chinese from 1394 Trade Association
Simplified and Traditional Chinese Versions Will Help Designers Using FireWire in the World's Largest Markets

San Francisco, August 17, 2011 -- The FireWire Reference Tutorial and Design Guide have both been translated into traditional and simplified Chinese and are available now from the 1394 Trade Association website. CONTINUE

1394 Trade Association Issues Latest Specifications on Compliance Test Suites, 1394-Automotive Fiber, VersaPHY GPIO
New Standards Support FireWire's Faster Speeds, Longer Distances, Advanced Media, and Innovative Applications

San Francisco, July 17, 2011 -- The 1394 Trade Association has completed a new set of specifications that support FireWire’s faster speeds, longer distances and new applications.
Updates and additions to the Base Test Suite, 1394-Automotive, and VersaPHY General Purpose Input/Output standards were completed during the second quarter. CONTINUE

1394 Trade Association to Present FireWire Technology Seminar at Grand Hyatt in Taipei July 12
Features Latest Developments in FireWire Technology, including Longer Distances, Faster Speeds, Smaller Connector Options

San Francisco CA, June 28, 2011 – The 1394 Trade Association will hold a comprehensive seminar featuring the latest advances in IEEE 1394 (FireWire) technology, including presentations on long distance FireWire, demonstrations of 1.6 Gigabit/second technology, and newly proposed mini-connector packaging. CONTINUE

New Technical Backgrounder from 1394 Trade Association Describes the Benefits of FireWire in Professional and Pro-Amateur Audio Applications
Includes Live Session and Post Production Scenarios, Compares FireWire’s Features with Other Standards

San Francisco, May 25, 2011 The 1394 Trade Association has issued a comprehensive new technical backgrounder describing the benefits of the FireWire standard in professional and pro-amateur audio applications. CONTINUE

Update: Automate 2011

Mar. 24, 2011 – The Automate 2011 conference and show was held March 21-24 at Chicago’s McCormick Place. CONTINUE

Newest FireWire-Enabled Cameras and Industrial Automation Products, to be Featured at Automate Conference in Chicago Mar. 21-24
Point Grey, Sony, Allied Vision, NorPix, Intercon-1 Among Leading Exhibitors of 1394b Products

San Francisco, Mar. 16, 2011 – The latest and most innovative 1394-equipped cameras for vision systems and industrial automation will be on display at the Automate 2011 conference and exposition at McCormick Place in Chicago March 21-24. CONTINUE

1394 Trade Association Elects 2011 Board of Directors, Will be Led by Representatives from Littelfuse, Texas Instruments, LSI
Issues New Technical Article on FireWire in Security Camera Applications

San Francisco, Feb. 22, 2011 – The 1394 Trade Association has elected a new Board of Directors for calendar 2011, led by members from industry leaders Littelfuse, Texas Instruments, and LSI Corporation. CONTINUE

FireWire Remains The Ideal Solution for Set-Top Boxes Following Updated Federal Communications Commission Mandates
IEEE 1394 is the Only I/O Technology that Meets 2011, 2012 Requirements for Multidirectional STB Connectivity, Video Transport, Control

San Francisco, Feb. 10, 2011 – FireWire, the popular computer, consumer electronics and industrial systems interface, remains the optimal technology for video transport and connectivity in set-top boxes, meeting all Federal Communications Commission mandates through the end of 2012, the 1394 Trade Association said today. CONTINUE

FireWire Reaches 2 Billion Ports Shipped Worldwide, Will Continue its Strong Growth in 2011
IEEE 1394 Provides More than 1.2 Billion Consumer, Computer, Industrial Products with Optimal Connectivity; Will Move to 1.6 Gigabit/second Bandwidth in 2011

San Francisco, Feb. 10, 2011 – FireWire, the popular computer, consumer electronics and industrial systems interface, reached the two billion ports milestone in 2010 and will continue its steady growth worldwide throughout 2011, the 1394 Trade Association said today. CONTINUE

FireWire Again Takes Center Stage at VISION 2010 in Stuttgart, with Advanced New 1394b Products and Demonstrations
New Industrial Cameras based on 1394b, First 1.6 Gigabit/Second System-on-Chip Demo Highlight FireWire’s Major Role in Advanced Applications

San Francisco, Nov. 17, 2010 – Leading industrial systems manufacturers from around the globe brought an impressive set of new products and demonstrations based on IEEE 1394 (FireWire) technology to the annual VISION Conference in Stuttgart, Germany, Nov. 9-11. Industry leaders including DapTechnology, Newnex Corp., IOI Technology, Point Grey Research, and Allied Vision Technologies provided featured new products and demonstrations. CONTINUE

1394 Trade Association Sets Demonstration of 1394-Automotive for Convergence 2010 in Detroit, Booth 1019
To Show How 1394-Automotive Delivers Optimal Cost, Flexibility, Physical Layer Performance for In-vehicle Networking

San Francisco, Oct. 12, 2010 -- The 1394 Trade Association will host a new, comprehensive demonstration of 1394-Automotive at the biennial Convergence Conference in Detroit Oct. 19-20. CONTINUE

1394 Trade Association Issues New Technical Backgrounder on Applying FireWire in Long Haul Applications

San Francisco, CA., July 26, 2010 -- The 1394 Trade Association today published a new technical backgrounder developed to help designers deploy the 1394 (FireWire) standard in long haul industrial equipment, vision systems, automotive networks and other applications. CONTINUE

New Technical Backgrounder Compares Benefits of 1394-Automotive with Ethernet AVB for Automotive Networking Systems
Size, Weight, Cost, Flexibility, Availability, High Level Command Control, PHY Layer Performance Combine to Make 1394-Automotive the Superior Choice

San Francisco, CA., July 7, 2010 -- The 1394 Trade Association today issued a new technical background report identifying the benefits of the 1394-Automotive standard for new vehicle networking systems. CONTINUE

1394 Trade Association Releases New and Revised Specifications on Blu-Ray, Set top Box Functionality
Revisions Address FCC STB Requirement, Analog Component Video “Sunset” Directive

San Francisco, June 21, 2010 - The 1394 Trade Association today issued a trio of new specifications focused on video compression, audio and music transmission, and set top box functionality. CONTINUE

1394 Trade Association Publishes New Reference Tables Guide to Assist Users in Maximizing FireWire Performance
Includes Complete Tutorial, Reference Tables, for Calculating Bandwidth in Isochronous Streaming Applications

San Francisco, May 17, 2010 - The 1394 Trade Association has published a comprehensive reference table white paper created to help designers optimize the use of the 1394 (FireWire) standard in their product designs. CONTINUE

1394 Trade Association Sees Strong Growth for 1394-Equipped Products in the Year Ahead
Industry Leaders Texas Instruments, LSI, PLX Technology Expect Solid Demand

San Francisco, Calif., April 26, 2010 - The 1394 Trade Association today predicted a strong year of expansion for FireWire across a wide range of markets in 2010, as the electronics industry returns to growth and designers adopt faster FireWire speeds. CONTINUE

1394 Trade Association to Present the Benefits of the 1394 Automotive Standard for In-Vehicle Networking at SAE World Congress April 13-15
1394 Trade Association to Present the Benefits of the 1394 Automotive Standard for In-Vehicle Networking at SAE World Congress April 13-15

San Francisco, Calif., April 12, 2010 - The 1394 Trade Association will describe the features, benefits and advantages of the 1394 Automotive standard for in-vehicle information and entertainment networking at this year’s SAE World Congress April 13-15 at the Cobo Center in Detroit. CONTINUE

1394 Trade Association Issues Comprehensive FireWire Reference Tutorial Featuring Descriptions and Benefits of IEEE 1394
Developed by Trade Association Experts for Engineers New to FireWire

San Francisco, Calif., March 22, 2010 – The 1394 Trade Association has developed a comprehensive new reference tutorial to assist engineers in evaluating the IEEE 1394 (FireWire) standard, understanding how it works, and maximizing FireWire performance in their applications. CONTINUE

New FireWire Design Guide Ready from 1394 Trade Association

San Francisco, Calif., March 9, 2010 -- The 1394 Trade Association today issued its new 2010 FireWire Design Guide, which details the guidelines for implementing FireWire (IEEE 1394) ports on high level complex devices such as personal computers and automobiles, and on simple devices such as consumer electronics products. CONTINUE

1394 Trade Association Publishes New Technical Papers about FireWire’s Use in Security Camera Designs and Industrial Monitoring Applications
Articles Appear on EE Times’ GreenSupplyLine.com and in Advanced Imaging Pro Magazine

San Francisco, Jan. 27, 2010 -- The 1394 Trade Association has published a pair of new technical articles detailing innovative applications of the 1394 (FireWire) standard in security camera designs, and in systems used to measure the operating condition of industrial equipment such as wind turbines. CONTINUE

1394 Trade Association 2010 Board of Directors Includes Representatives from Texas Instruments, LSI, Littelfuse
Group Sees Strong Year of Continued Growth for FireWire, in Computer, Storage, Automotive, Industrial Markets, will Approach 2 Billion FireWire Ports by Year End

San Francisco, Jan. 25, 2010 -- The 1394 Trade Association has elected a new Board of Directors for 2010, including members from industry leaders Texas Instruments, LSI, and Littelfuse. CONTINUE

2009 Press

MEMBER PRESS

Point Grey Launches 1 Megapixel 70 FPS CCD FireWire Camera

August 25, 2011 – Richmond, BC, Canada – Point Grey, a world leader in advanced digital imaging products, today announced the launch of its new Grasshopper Express GX-FW series of IEEE 1394b (FireWire-b) digital cameras. CONTINUE

Point Grey Grasshopper2 1.4 Megapixel FireWire Camera Doubles Frame Rates, Reduces Noise

February 24, 2011 – Richmond, BC, Canada – Point Grey, a world leader of advanced digital imaging products, today announced the launch of its new 1.4 megapixel IEEE 1394b high-performance Grasshopper®2 camera. CONTINUE

Fujitsu Microelectronics Wins EDN Innovation Award for its 1394 Automotive Networking IC Technology
MB88395 Controller with the Fujitsu SmartCODEC is Industry’s First Auto IC to Support 800Mbps Speeds, Deliver HD Video in the Vehicle

Sunnyvale, CA, April 28, 2010 — Fujitsu Microelectronics America, Inc. (FMA) announced that its MB88395 IEEE 1394 Automotive networking controller has won a 2009 EDN Magazine Innovation Award. CONTINUE

DapTechnology Fires Up World’s First 3.2 Gigabit IEEE 1394b FireWire SOC Solution

(Nijmegen, The Netherlands, November 23, 2009)--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- DapTechnology, a world-leading supplier ofadvanced IEEE 1394 protocol analyzers and solutions to the aerospace, defense, industrial, automotive and consumer electronics markets, announced today that the company successfully demonstrated the world’s first high speed S3200 3.2 Gigabit IEEE 1394b FireWire system-on-a-chip (SOC) solution at VISION 2009 in Stuttgart, Germany. CONTINUE

EqcoLogic NV, Leader in High-Speed, Low-Power Analog and Mixed Signal ICs, Announces Zephra Freeman as New Vice President, Business Development

Brussels and Dallas, June 19, 2009 -- Eqcologic NV announced today that industry veteran Zephra Freeman has joined the company as Vice President of Business Development. CONTINUE

1394 IN THE NEWS

Avoiding design errors in 1394-based external storage systems

Common Design Mistakes: Frequently seen design mistakes that often impact interoperability or performance fall into four categories: power management; configuration ROM contents; board layout; and Late-VG protection. Read More at eeTimes.

ULAN and 1394 Trade Association introduce home network device Artery
Ulan Company, a Taiwan-based developer of IEEE 1394 peripherals, and 1394 Trade Association have been developing Firewire interface 1394b and have introduced the home network device Artery, which enables daisy-chain connection, connecting up to 16 TVs and 100 meters for each.... Read More at DigiTimes.

1394 PRESENTATIONS

SAE-CVTA - September 2010.

1394 Presentation to CVTA

SAE International - April 2010.

The 1394 Auto Network Bus for all High-bandwidth, High-speed Communications & Infotainment

AT International - July 2009.

Ready To Launch - 1394 Automotive

IEEE CONFERENCE ON PRODUCT CERTIFICATION & CONFORMITY ASSESSMENT

1394TA Compliance Logo Program Overview

Automotive Seminar.

In May 2009, in Dearborn, Michigan, the 1394 Trade Association hosted a series of presentations of interest to designers and engineers working with 1394 in the automomobile. The seminar presentations are now available on-line. Please contact Tina Lipscomb of the 1394 Trade Association with questions.

Design Seminar.

In October 2008, in Munich, Germany, the 1394 Trade Association hosted a series of presentations of interest to designers and engineers working with 1394. Topics included Automotive Solutions, Storage Solutions, Large Topologies, and Microsoft's support for 1394. The design seminar presentations are now available on-line. Please contact Tina Lipscomb of the 1394 Trade Association with questions.

Product Seminar.

In February 2008, the 1394 Trade Association hosted a series of presentations of interest to manufacturers and designers interested in the benefits of using 1394 in their products. Topics included 1394 in Machine Vision, Audio Video applications, Automobiles, and Computers, among others. The product seminar presentations are now available on-line. Please contact Tina Lipscomb of the 1394 Trade Association, with questions.

Design Seminar.

In November 2007, the 1394 Trade Association hosted a series of presentations of interest to designers and engineers working with 1394. Topics included GUID, Compliance, Board Layout, and Cable Power, among others. The design seminar presentations are now available on-line. Please contact Tina Lipscomb of the 1394 Trade Association, with questions.

1394 WHITE PAPERS

Digital Audio Relies on the Features and Benefits of IEEE 1394, by Morten Lave, CEO of TC Applied Technologies

Like most everything else, professional audio production happens almost entirely in the digital domain these days. The digital transition has enabled amazing production capabilities on PCs using digital audio workstation (DAW) software. But with the digital transition came the need for a digital interconnect that had the bandwidth needed to move audio streams in real time along with the need for timing and synchronization capabilities that allow mixing of multiple audio channels. The 1394 or FireWire interconnect has proven to be the only interconnect that can support pro audio applications.

1394 Maximizes Value in Security Camera Networks, by Dimitrios Staikos, Codemost Technology Ltd. Inc.

Companies making security and surveillance Systems that rely on multiple cameras are facing a major technology transition – the swap to an all-digital system. That transition will necessitate a digital network that links all of the cameras in an installation. Video-centric security systems in the past have typically used analog connections that link remote cameras to a surveillance control center. Older systems have even stored video on analog media such as videotapes. More modern analog designs digitize the video using servers in the control center. Industry-standard compression techniques yield video that is stored on disk drives for quick access and the ability to jump instantaneously to any timestamp in a recorded stream.

Avoiding Design Errors in 1394-Based External Storage Systems

Dave Thompson, LSI and Don Harwood, PLX Technology

IEEE 1394, also known as FireWire, has become a standard of choice for storage applications. FireWire is a popular and proven standard, and while it is familiar to many system designers, there is still the potential to make design errors that can compromise performance.

IEEE 1394 Ideal for Long-Haul Automotive, Consumer, Industrial, Security and PC Applications

How to Use FireWire for Innovative New Designs without Distance Constraints

Les Baxter, Baxter Enterprises

Since 1995, FireWire has been a proven and popular interface for short haul audio and video transfer in PCs, storage products and consumer electronics. To date over 1 billion ports have shipped. Now the 1394b version of FireWire (known as Beta mode), which runs at up to 3200 Megabits/second, is becoming an interface of choice for innovative and advanced long haul applications. Since the publication of the 1394 Copper Automotive Specification in 2008, there has been significant interest in FireWire for automotive applications as well.

Proven 1394 Technology Trumps Ethernet AVB Potential

With the automobile becoming yet another home for a network of interconnected intelligent subsystems, vehicle designers must choose a multimedia network technology. Modern automobiles need a way to move everything from video to safety data around the auto. Ethernet works well in the office and the home, and at first glance it might appear a good fit for vehicles. A detailed investigation, however, reveals that the Ethernet physical layer (PHY) is not a proper match for the automotive environment, and that no high-level protocols exist for multimedia delivered over Ethernet in the automobile. Conversely, 1394 has a more flexible PHY that supports numerous topologies (including preferred daisy-chained connections) and also includes proven protocols for passing real-time multimedia streams.

Reference Tables for FireWire Isochronous Bandwidth Usage

The details in this paper provide a concise explanation of how FireWire bandwidth works, and a complete set of reference tables so users can achieve these objectives. Tables are provided for users who intend to oversubscribe the available isochronous bandwidth to a certain extent, so that in these cases the designer can make the correct calculations.

1394 Reference Tutorial

This document is a FireWire tutorial aimed at engineers that have no previous exposure or understanding of FireWire. Its purpose is to familiarize the reader with FireWire and to build a sound and complete understanding of how the FireWire bus operates from the experiences of expert members of the 1394 Trade Association.

1394 Design Guide 2010

This document provides detailed guidelines for implementing FireWire (IEEE 1394) ports on both complex and simple devices. It includes references to normative specifications
as well as full reference designs that can be used as is or, with the careful consideration of the trade-offs, as a starting point for a more optimized design.

1394 Automotive Camera Systems Are on the Move: Simple Designs with High Bandwidth, Low Latency and Scalability

Automotive camera systems are progressing from a single backup camera and simple sensors to detect objects to smart driver assist systems such as collision avoidance and sign recognition. These systems require high bandwidth, low latency, multi-camera synchronization, and scalability; and they must meet general automotive considerations like low cost, low maintenance and reduced weight, achievable using a flexible wire harness. This white paper discusses 1394's benefits for these more complex systems.

Of Windmills and Recording Studios, by Burke Henehan

Windmills are pleasing to the eye, but the size, violence, and expense of these mega-machines make them even more impressive. They are standalone power plants, 40 to 80 meters above the ground, costing more than a $1 million USD each with 20+ year life spans, meaning they require maintenance. This article describes the need for a machine monitoring system in wind turbines, how the requirements for a music studio network are similar to a wind turbine’s machine monitoring system, and how a FireWireTM music studio networking system has been used to create a condition based maintenance system for wind turbines.

FireWire Security Imaging, by Burke Henehan

All WhitePapers