| FireWire port is a form of serial port. It makes | | | | is a 6-pin port that is commonly used on |
| use of FireWire technology for transferring | | | | desktops and most of the Apple computers. This |
| information quickly between electronic devices. | | | | type of port has become very common these |
| Apple Inc. was the first company to use FireWire | | | | days and is similar to a USB port. Same as the |
| port in its digital camcorders in 1995. Today, this | | | | USB port, a FireWire uses twisted pair of wiring |
| technology has progressed by leaps and bounds | | | | for data movement. While USB data transfer |
| and is used in a number of electronic devices. | | | | speed is limited to 12bits/sec, the FireWire port |
| FireWire port is a multiple platform serial bus that | | | | has a high 400Mbps speed. Nevertheless, USB can |
| has the capability to interact with a number of | | | | handle 127 devices per bus whereas FireWire can |
| different devices. The transfer rate of a FireWire | | | | handle only 63. Both these types of ports need a |
| port can go up to 400 Mbps. Thus, it ensures | | | | specific amount of bandwidth for streamlining |
| faster transfer of information whilst maintaining | | | | information, perfect for sorting video and audio |
| the quality of data. Hence FireWire is an ideal | | | | content. Also both allow you to plug as well as |
| choice to connect the laptop to a scanner or | | | | unplug a number devices as many times as you |
| printer. It can also be used to upload images from | | | | would want to. |
| a digital camcorder to the laptop's hard disk drive. | | | | Compared to all other technologies, FireWire is the |
| By using FireWire port for data transfer, you can | | | | most flexible in its ability to accommodate |
| be assured of absolutely no loss to data quality. | | | | different types of content. It uses a fair |
| Although, FireWire can be used to establish a | | | | judgemental approach and ensures that all its |
| connection between a computer and various | | | | nodes get equal chance to transmit information. |
| other electronic devices, FireWire connections can | | | | This type of impartial approach is not provided by |
| also be created between two independent | | | | many others such as Ethernet connection. In |
| devices. It is due to this port that images from | | | | order to implement FireWire networks, the |
| your digital cameras can be directly printed on | | | | bridges isolate the local traffic onto the distinct |
| your printer, hence saving you loads of time and | | | | groups of nodes. |
| energy. FireWire is one of the fastest peripheral | | | | On the whole, FireWire port offers enhanced |
| standards formulated. It has been incorporated | | | | transfer rate between devices. This enables it to |
| into Macbooks, Power Macs, etc. The latest | | | | be one of the most sought after connection port |
| machines with FireWire ports support a transfer | | | | amongst the hand-held devices as well as |
| rate of up to 800Mbps. Most of the major | | | | amongst temporary storage equipments. |
| manufacturers of multimedia devices have been | | | | Nonetheless, these days businesses are making |
| implementing FireWire technology. | | | | use of independent storage devices equipped with |
| There are two types of FireWire ports; one is a | | | | a FireWire port owing to its advantages over the |
| 4-pin one that is used in camcorders and is also | | | | others. |
| found in most of the laptops, while the other one | | | | |