FireWire 3200 Finalized, But USB 3.0 Will Be Faster

FireWire 3200 Finalized, But USB 3.0 Will Be Faster

The IEEE has already approved the IEEE 1394-2008 specification which is also known as Firewire 3200, adding support for bandwidth up to 3.2Gbps. This type of hardware is commonly known for its use in connecting PC's with digital video devices or external hard drives. Its new bandwidth is four times the speed of Firewire 800. This is to support the increasing bandwidth demands of multiple, chained devices like hard-drives or DSP processors. The specification is fully backwards-compatible with every prior FireWire specification, and uses the same connector as the current FireWire 800 spec.


Intel, on the other hand, is also expected to release their USB 3.0 specification by the end of 2008, with a target throughput of 4.8 Gbps.  Like the prior USB specifications, it will rely on the CPU to control the flow of data to and from all connected peripherals. The commercial products are expected to arrive in 2009 or 2010. USB 3.0 is designed to be backwards-compatible with USB 2.0 and USB 1.1 and employs more efficient protocols to conserve power.