IEEE 1394

IEEE 1394 is an <a href="/facts/Interface_standard/mzLtkqs6">interface standard</a> for a <a href="/facts/Serial_communication/r5xP7P1c">serial bus</a> for high-speed communications and <a href="/facts/Isochronous/4aX8RPCl">isochronous</a> real-time data transfer. It was developed in the late 1980s and early 1990s by <a href="/facts/Apple_Inc./oTJYta3k">Apple</a> in cooperation with a number of companies, primarily <a href="/facts/Sony/7x4tCtBd">Sony</a> and <a href="/facts/Panasonic/TqkBQmgj">Panasonic</a>. It is most commonly known by the name FireWire (Apple), though other brand names exist such as i.LINK (Sony), and Lynx (<a href="/facts/Texas_Instruments/88NUhuHF">Texas Instruments</a>). Most consumer electronics manufacturers phased out IEEE 1394 from their products lines in the 2010s. 
The copper cable used in its most common implementation can be up to 4.5 m (15 ft) long. Power and data is carried over this cable, allowing devices with moderate power requirements to operate without a separate power supply. FireWire is also available in <a href="/facts/Cat_5/sKqfp7sg">Cat 5</a> and <a href="/facts/Optical_fiber/5ruuIFbj">optical fiber</a> versions.
The 1394 interface is comparable to <a href="/facts/USB/XcIKWLyg">USB</a>. USB was developed subsequently and gained much greater market share. USB requires a host controller whereas IEEE 1394 is cooperatively managed by the connected devices.

IEEE 1394 open-in-new

IEEE 1394