Third Quarter TA Meeting Features Newest FireWire 800 Coax Cables, 1394b Transceivers, Auto Security Camera Demo by Astek and Molex

New Products Reduce Power and Cost in Long Haul 1394-based Industrial and Consumer Applications

The third quarter Trade Association general meeting, held in mid-July at Fujitsu Semiconductor in Sunnyvale, Calif., featured demonstrations of the latest long haul products and technology.  From Unibrain came long haul ‘smart’ coax FireWire 800 cables, using EqcoLogic's EQCO875SC transceivers to send high-speed signaling with power over coaxial cable at very long distances.

Until recently, long haul applications using 1394 faced power and cost constraints.  But the new long haul ‘smart’ coaxial cables and advanced 1394b (FireWire 800) repeaters resolve those challenges.  Applications for the Long Haul "smart" cables are machine vision, security signal control, automotive, and audio/video, all benefiting from advances in cable, connector and transceiver technology.

For example, in machine vision (IIDC FireWire) cameras, most designs require a distance between the computer and the camera up to about 30 meters. In the past, this length could only be achieved using two or three typical 1394b repeaters and multiple copper FireWire cables; in most cases external power is needed on the repeaters because of the increased number of nodes that are added in the topology. While there are other solutions for power, such as Ethernet-based designs, most of them require external power on each node. This increases the cost significantly.  The latest coaxial products keep costs lower.

For A/V systems, using thin, 4-millimeter diameter fully powered coaxial cable with optimal flexibility – other features of the latest cables -- delivers a particular advantage over thick cables and repeaters.  Cable length is critical, and repeater solutions are generally undesirable because cabling needs to be deployed through walls, under floors or rooftops. The installation constraints generally make it more difficult to add external power.

Another good example of where longer, thinner cabling is a plus in long haul systems is for security cameras that cover wide areas such as public transportation centers and stadiums. These kinds of designs benefit from the new versions of coax cables.   Recent examples are described in the article entitled “1394-Based Network Delivers Large Area Security Imaging System.” A copy is at www.eetimes.com/design/industrial-control/4206075/IEEE-1394-ideal-for-long-haul?pageNumber=2

Astek and Molex Demo Prototype VersaPHY Auto Camera System

New product demonstrations also included Molex and Astek (dba Quantum Parametrics) showing a prototype IEEE-1394 VersaPHY automotive camera system. Operating at S800 (983.04 Mb/s) the demonstration highlighted the Molex HS Autolink II automotive grade sealed connector system. The demo highlighted advantages of implementing IEEE-1394 VersaPHY technology including use of a single network with four cameras, with one video stream directly to DVI, one PC connection capable of displaying up to 6 video streams, power over the data lines, and VersaPHY static labels enabling streaming without a host (similar to an analog video stream).

Implemented in a 5-port hub the FireWire(tm) to DVI display interface illustrates the ability of FireWire cameras streams to be directly connected to a common display technology with very little hardware and absolutely no software. "This makes 1394 as easy to implement as a point-to-point analog interface, while providing the advantages of a network technology," said Richard Mourn of Astek. "Power over the data lines, while not yet standardized, shows one more way 1394 makes connecting devices more space and cost efficient and ideally suited for automotive camera applications."

-- with contributions from Richard Mourn, Astek; Theo Sosonis, Unibrain; and Zeph Freeman, EqcoLogic