FireWire: Blazing the Way for Industrial Vision
While there isn’t a single digital interface that works best for all vision applications, there is one that continues to lead the pack as the technology of choice for most industrial machine vision applications—and it’s not GigE Vision™. IEEE 1394 is the interface leader in an industry with substantial change in both technology and customer requirements. continued

VISION 2008 to Feature Full Array of 1394 Products from TA Member Companies and Global Leaders
VISION 2008 is the premier event for machine vision and identification technologies from around the world.  One third of visitors come from abroad. Some 40 nations are represented at the trade fair, held at Neue Messe in Stuttgart, Germany, November 4-6. continued

Design Seminar, Interoperability Workshop, Set for
Munich October 13-15
The 1394 Trade Association will hold a Design Seminar and Interoperability Workshop in Munich October 13-15. The seminar specifically targets engineers and marketing professionals developing products for European companies and/or the European market. continued

New IIDC Specification Set from 1394TA’s Industrial and Instrumentation Working Group
Improves Bandwidth Efficiency, Adds Additional Support for Latest FireWire Digital Cameras
The 1394 Trade Association’s Industrial & Instrumentation Working Group has completed work updating its IIDC 1394-based Digital Camera Specification. The new standard (Version 1.32) adds several important features including more efficient use of bandwidth and new modes that simplify design implementations for the machine vision and surveillance camera markets. continued

1394 Trade Association Introduces First Global Standard for Networking Entertainment Devices Over Coaxial Cable
The 1394 Trade Association in August announced adoption of the first global standard for networking digital content over coaxial cables using Ultra Wideband (UWB) communications. The new 1394 Over Coax standard enables the industry’s fastest whole-home network in a multi-supplier ecosystem featuring protected high-definition and multimedia content. continued

1394 Trade Association Demonstrates Latest Home Networking Audio/Video Solutions at CEDIA EXPO 2008
Demo Organized by TC Group Features Top Video, Audio Products
Members of the 1394 Trade Association delivered a pair of demonstrations to CEDIA EXPO 2008 in Denver, showing the latest UWB over coax technology along with a complete audio-video transport system organized by TC Group engineers and featuring globally available audio and video products. continued

New White Papers Deliver FireWire Performance Comparisons, Review the Benefits of the UWB Over Coax Standard
A pair of new white papers developed by the 1394 Trade Association provide updated performance comparisons involving FireWire and other interface standards, and a look at the benefits of the new UWB Over Coax standard for home networking. continued

The 1394TA has just returned from the 2008 CEDIA Expo where we continue to see strong interest in 1394 home networking. Despite some impressive claims about long distance HDMI matrix devices, the installers tell us that they encounter problems using these devices. Our HANA based demo promotes a solution that meets the needs of this target market. The appeal of running HD programming over a single CAT5 cable without first converting it to analog is significant, and this year we started to hear installers express strong interest in coax. Despite the fact that installers routinely use CAT5 cables for home networks, some customers do not want the installers to drill holes to run new wires, especially in historic homes and old estates. However, there is normally some coax cable already installed which could be used. Surprisingly, I could find nothing significantly new on the show floor to meet the increasing needs for HD networking as we move rapidly to the digital transition: the market is still wide open.

From October 13 to 15, the 1394TA will host an Interoperability Workshop in Munich, Germany. Companies will still be able to test products for a 1394 Compliance Logo, but the primary focus of this event will be to assist companies in debugging problems they are having with their products.  Fraunhofer IPMS will provide compliance testing for companies wishing to test for the compliance logo or who want more in-depth testing on their products.  Our other European third party test house, PMTC NV, will also be involved in product testing.  Microsoft is bringing a team to test products against a pre-release version of their 1394b stack.  

Also, on Monday, October 13 at 1 PM, we will have a Design Seminar focused on industrial applications, large 1394 networks, storage solutions, and Microsoft 1394b support.  We will also have a special report on one of the hottest topics in the market today, Automotive 1394.  Please encourage all your contacts to register for this interoperability workshop.  If they cannot join us for the workshop, encourage them to attend the seminar. Space is limited so everyone should register early.

Finally, a special word of thanks to our sponsors.  Rosenberger HF Technik GmbH & Co. KG is the Premier Sponsor for our 4Q08 meeting in Mattsee, Austria.  Our workshop is being sponsored by three companies:  DAP Technology B.V., Microsoft, and Oxford Semiconductor, Limited.  Without our sponsors, these events would not be possible.  Please be sure you express your appreciation to them.

-- James Snider, Executive Director

EDITOR’S NOTE:

This edition of the 1394 Trade Association newsletter features the impact of FireWire in industrial imaging and camera applications, one of the most exciting developments for the standard over the past few years.  In
preparation for the VISION 2008 conference Nov. 4-6 in Stuttgart, we are featuring a report on the new specification, IIDC 1.32, as well as a feature contributed by Mike Gibbons of Point Grey Research.

The next TA newsletter will feature the 1394-Automotive standard, with a full report and contributions from leading members on activity involving in-vehicle networking using 1394. We thank our members for their contributions, and look forward to featuring authored articles in every edition of the newsletter.