FireWire is a high-speed data bus that is defined by IEEE Standard 1394-
1995. This protocol is a scalable, flexible, low-cost digital interface. It can
move large amounts of data between computers and peripheral devices,
using simplified cabling, hot-swapping, and transfer speeds up to 400 Mbps.
Because of the very high data rates that FireWire can handle, it is ideal for
use with multimedia devices such as digital video cameras and high-speed
hard drives and printers. FireWire speeds the transfer of multimedia data
and large files, enabling a PC to connect directly to digital consumer
products such as camcorders, video tape drives, video disks, high-resolution
scanners, and music systems.
Microsoft® Windows® 2000 and Windows XP support the IEEE 1394
standard, ensuring that OSs, drivers, and applications work properly with
any compliant hardware. Your computer provides a standard IEEE 1394
connector on both the front and back panels. See "Front View of the
Computer (Doors Open)" and "Back-Panel Features." This allows you use
multiple external IEEE 1394 devices with your computer.
The OHCI standards allow Windows 2000 and Windows XP to support
hard drives, CD and DVD drives, and other devices through the Serial Bus
Protocol (SBP-2) driver. SCSI class drivers can then use SBP-2 to
communicate with IEEE 1394 devices. For example, an IEEE 1394 CD
drive can be supported by SBP-2 and the existing SCSI driver architecture.
For more information on IEEE 1394, OHCI, and the SBP-2 driver, see your
Windows documentation.
