IEEE 1394 is a personal computer and digital video serial bus interface standard that offers high-speed communications and isochronous real-time data services. Its capabilities are sufficient to support various high-end digital audio/video applications such as the consumer audio / video device control and signal routing, home networking, nonlinear DV editing and 32-channel (or more) digital audio mixing.
FireWire 400 is capable of transferring data between devices at data rates of 100, 200, or 400 Mbit/s. Within this six-pin cable, two shielded twisted-pair wires transmit data while another acts as a ground and supplies power. Data is sent along the twisted pairs in packets that contain both the data and the addressing information. The 1394 protocol achieves its fast data-transmission rates by reducing noise along the wires, that allows the signal to move along the line quickly and without any error. However, in order to support these high speeds, the cable can only be 4.5 meters long.
