USB Firewire

USB Cables, Firewire Cables

USB Cables
These USB cables are used for USB mouse or keyboards, USB printers or any other standard USB devices. USB cables are completely interchangeable. They are rated for usage in either 12Mb/s or 1.5Mb/s applications. There are four USB connector types most often used, the "A" type, the "B" type, the mini USB, and the mini USB, version 2.

Standard USB cables go to 15 feet. Extra long USB extender cables are available in 50, 75, 100 and 150 foot lengths.

Firewire Cables
IEEE-1394 is the new, extremely fast external serial bus standard that supports data transfer rates of up to 400 Mbps (400 million bits per second). It is used primarily for multimedia devices such as camcorders, computers, VCR's, and Digital audio recording devices. IEEE-1394 is known under a variety of names, depending of the manufacturer involved: FireWire, iLink, or Lynx

There are three types of FireWire cables or IEEE-1394 cables.

1. 6 conductor wire with 6-pin connectors at each end.

2. 4 conductor wire with 4-pin connectors at each end.

3. A hybrid of the two above: either 6 or 4 conductor wire, and a 4 pin connector at on end with a 6 pin connector at the other.

Standard 1394/ilink/firewire cables use 28 AWG. The maximum length is 4.5 meters. Special custom cables can be designed up to 10 meters.

With Fiber optic Extenders, IEEE-1394 cables can go up to 700 meters and above.

Firewire Cable Q & A

Q: What is the maximum length a FireWire (A) cable can be?
A: The maximum cable length for connecting device to device with a 400Mbps cable is 4.5-meters (14.85ft). The Firewire specification calls for 10 meter (32ft) cables that may be used in conjunction with a repeater when it is necessary to extend FireWire cables over long distances.

Q: Why are some FireWire "A"cables 4-pin and others 6-pin?
A: The 6-pin cable carries data and draws power from the FireWire bus. The 4-pin cable is used to carry data only, it does not draw power from the FireWire bus. It's also called iLink.

Is there a difference between FireWire 800 and 1394b?
A: No. These are two different ways identifying the new second FireWire standard, as defined by the IEEE and bringing FireWire to a whole new level. The new faster 800Mbps standard is called 1394b, FireWire 800 or just FireWire B.

Q: What are beta and bilingual cables?
"Beta cables" refers to the true FireWire 800 cable, intended for connecting a 1394b device with a 1394b port on your personal computer. Both ends will have a 9-pin connector, compliant with the 800 standard, and are designed to get all the speed of FireWire 800.

"Bilingual cables" refer to those that have a 9-pin connector on one end, for a 800Mpbs device or port, and an "A" connector, either 6-pin or 4-pin, on the other

Q: If FireWire 800 is backwards compatible, does it matter which cables I use?
Yes.