November 2006 - 1394 Trade Association

2006
NEWS
VOLUME 05 • ISSUE 05
A MONTHLY NEWSLETTER FROM 1394 TRADE ASSOCIATION
1394b Featured in New Computer,
Consumer, and Peripheral Products
The parade of new FireWire-equipped computer and consumer electronics
systems continued as summer moved into autumn, highlighted by an
impressive increase in 1394b-enabled products led by the new MacBook
Pro PCs from Apple Computer.
The MacBook Pro models introduced in late October are Core 2 Duo-based
notebooks with 15-inch or 17-inch screens. They are very similar to their
predecessors, but include a handful of new features – including FireWire
800 ports. The company says its latest 15-inch and 17-inch laptops are up
to 39 percent faster than previous models. “With an Intel Core 2 Duo
processor, greater storage capacity and FireWire 800 connectivity, the new
MacBook Pro delivers unprecedented performance and mobility in an
incredibly thin and light design,” said Philip Schiller, Apple's senior VP of
Worldwide Product Marketing.
1394-Equipped PCs: Acer’s Ferrari 1000, Rain
Recording’s Event PC, and Alienware’s Gaming
Machine
Introduced in mid-October, the ultraportable Acer Ferrari 1000 Series
weighs a scant 3.5 pounds and includes lots of 1394 technology, with a
six-pin FireWire port, along with a flashy external FireWire dual layer DVD
burner, with a similar Ferrari design. Built using carbon fiber, the light
Ferrari 1000 utilizes the AMD Turion IC and, in addition to the FireWire
port, comes with 1GB of RAM, 120GB SATA hard drive, 1.3 megapixel
webcam, external DVD+/-RW optical drive, ATI Radeon Xpress 200M
graphics chipset, 1,280 x 800 WXGA screen, Bluetooth 2.0, and WiFi.
FLASH
Also new in the fourth quarter is Rain
Recording’s Event computer, a
square little box measuring just 6.5
inches by 6.5 inches, and including
among other ports a FireWire 400
connection. The Event can perform
as a capable and flexible mobile
workstation. It includes a DVI
graphics board for direct hookup to
digital monitors like the Apple
Cinema Display.
IN THIS ISSUE:
- Executive Director’s Report
- Advanced Technology Demonstrations
Featured at Yokohama; Q4 Meeting
Sponsored by Fujitsu, Hamamatsu,
Molex, Nissan, Sumitomo and Wipro
- 1394b Featured in New Computer,
Consumer, and Peripheral Products
- Cable/Connector Seminar in
Dongguan Draws Standing Room
Only Crowd
Another exciting new PC comes from
- 1394 Trade Association Joins
Alienware. The P2 Area-51 7500
Connected Vehicle Trade Association
gaming machine includes 6-pin
FireWire ports, a microphone, and
headphone sockets. This makes it
easy to hook up most things a user needs, including an iPod, a game controller,
a DV camera, and a headset for gaming or Skype phoning.
continued on page 2
Apple’s
MacBook Pro
Executive Director’s Report
As we approach the final weeks of 2006, I am pleased to report that 1394
is doing better than ever. A quick review of the new products section of
this newsletter should convince you that more products are entering the
market for the Christmas 2006 season than ever before, and our list will
likely be missing a significant number of products which have entered the
market since the writing of this letter. Literally, new products are being
announced every day.
This validates the news I’ve received from all sectors which indicates that
interest in 1394 is higher now than in recent memory. We continue to
see new PC peripherals enter the market, and growing interest in 1394b
in the PC market. New 1394-enabled industrial and pro-audio products
are being launched, and there is significant movement in the automotive
industry as evidenced by the growing numbers of automotive suppliers
and OEMs joining the TA. In the consumer A/V sector, we have seen
expanded implementations of 1394 in DVD recorders in particular, with
continued steady growth in HDTVs.
This growing interest in 1394 has generated the need for two things:
qualified cables and more information.
continued on page 3
Advanced Technology Demonstrations
Featured at Yokohama; Q4 Meeting
Sponsored by Fujitsu, Hamamatsu,
Molex, Nissan, Sumitomo and Wipro
Attendees at the 1394 TA’s fourth quarter meeting in Yokohama got a good
look at some of the most advanced 1394-equipped technology now under
development.
The Q4 meeting was co-sponsored by a group of longtime IEEE 1394
product leaders including Fujitsu, Ltd., Hamamatsu, Molex, Nissan
Corporation, Sumitomo and Wipro.
Fujitsu demonstrated its IDB-1394 compliant controller with SmartCODEC,
which has been developed for high-performance in-vehicle entertainment
applications such as rear-seat display. The 32-bit controller, proven in a
wide range of applications, is coupled with the SmartCODEC, which
provides a compression rate of just one-third and a fast compressiondecompression time of two to three milliseconds. This enables compression and multiplex transmission of images throughout a vehicle, such as
A/V from DVDs or images from multiple automotive cameras located
externally on the car, truck or SUV.
continued on page 3
1.
2006
VOLUME 05 ISSUE 05
•
NEWS
FLASH
A MONTHLY NEWSLETTER FROM 1394 TRADE ASSOCIATION
continued from page 1
1394b Featured in New Computer, Consumer, and Peripheral Products
New Consumer Electronics Products
Among the consumer electronics leaders, Samsung Electronics
introduced the DVD-R135, an inexpensive and stylish DVD recorder which
includes FireWire 400 ports. It joins Samsung's DVD-VR330, which
provides the ability to record home movies and TV programming to a
wide variety of DVD discs while enabling users to continue playing
anything in a VHS library. A front-panel DV input with FireWire enables a
user to connect the family video camcorder and edit and record footage
directly to a DVD disc – all via a single cable and without losing image
quality.
..And more Drives….
Then there are the new Buffalo DriveStation Combo USB 2.0 / FireWire
external drives, which range from the 250GB (HD-HC250IU2) to a 750GB
(HD-HC750IU2) drive. Fantom Drives' MegaDisk also was introduced,
aimed at home "prosumers" seeking a robust storage solution. The
G-Force MegaDisk offers both Firewire 800 and FireWire 400 interfaces.
Other World Computing introduced its Mercury Elite Pro-AL Quad
Interface hard drives, with both FireWire 400 and FireWire 800 interfaces.
It also features an aluminum case that matches Apple's Pro-level Macs.
The LG 55PB2DR 55-inch plasma TV – equipped with a FireWire port –
was also brought to the market. It is set apart from other plasmas by a
built-in PVR functionality, allowing users to pause, record, and replay TV
programs up to two hours past the original broadcast. Along with the
FireWire port, features include 1366 x 768 native resolution, 2000:1
contrast ratio, 1000 cd/m2 brightness, and dual HDMI ports.
WiebeTech announced a major addition to its external drive line: a
four-bay FireWire device, the SilverSATA IV FH, with two independent
hardware RAIDs with two pairs of dual FireWire 800 interfaces. Each pair
of drives can be configured as a hardware-based Level 0 RAID or they
can be used individually as a bunch of discs (JBOD). The four-disk
system can hold up to 3 terabytes (TB) of storage capacity.
Panasonic introduced its DMR-ES45V, a DVD/VHS recorder that offers
one-button copying from VHS to DVD, as well as a FireWire input so users
can record straight from the camcorder.
EDGE Tech brought to the market its first quad interface hard drive, the
DiskGO 3.5-inch portable hard drive with quad interface. The latest in
the DiskGO line of drives is the first from EDGE Tech to include FireWire
800, along with three other interface connections.
Lots of Support for the Mini
A new 250 GB external drive for the Mac mini was
introduced by Apple. It includes three FireWire 400
ports, and can be used with multiple scanners, card
readers and other peripherals.
Several other companies also are offering stackable
Mac mini look-alikes that include FireWire ports
along with large hard drives, allowing users to
increase storage capacity and connect more
devices.
Trans International followed suit with a 200GB
version of its miniXpress portable hard drive in
mid-November. The miniXpress features a 2.5-inch
4200 RPM Toshiba SATA hard drive, along with
FireWire 800 and FireWire 400 ports – and it
includes backup and disk utility software.
One of the largest industry players, Western Digital,
announced its latest external storage system that
can store one terabyte of digital content, equipped
with FireWire 800 and FireWire 400 connections.
The My Book Pro Edition II system uses RAID
Lindy – in the U.K. – released its Mini HDD
(Redundant Array of Independent Disks) technology
enclosure for 3.5-inch IDE drives with two FireWire
to instantaneously duplicate user data for extra
400 ports which can be used with all 3.5-inch
Other World Computing’s
protection or to accelerate the delivery of data to
IDE/ATA drives. Its fan-free design offers quiet
Mercury Elite-AL Quad
users, the company said. The storage system can be
operation and its aluminum top cover allows for heat
Interface Drive
used to store digital libraries of photos, videos and
dissipation.
music, as well as business documents. Consuming less than 26 square
inches of desk space, WD says the drive has a smaller footprint than
The LaCie mini, with two FireWire 400 ports, has a four-corner crown
competitive systems using two internal hard drives for 1 TB of capacity
that provides cooling airflow protection. It is available in 250GB, 320GB
and is comparable to some storage systems using only one internal hard
and 500GB versions.
drive with much less capacity.
The miniMate from MicroNet is available with storage up to 400GB, with
And at DV Expo in Los Angeles in mid-November, CalDigit announced the
four USB 2.0 ports and three 1394 ports. Like the other drives, it comes
FireWireVR storage product to its lineup of storage solution products,
in an aluminum and plastic enclosure to match the Mac mini.
which provides universal connectivity of FireWire 400, 800, and USB 2.0.
The FireWireVR allows for RAID settings of 0, 1, and JBOD.
Newer Technology’s miniStack is an external FireWire/USB 2.0 drive
continued on page 4
designed to fit underneath a Mac mini. The miniStack measures 6.5 x 6.5
x 1.5 inches and adds two FireWire 400 ports. While it’s designed to suit
the Mac mini it’s compatible with other Macs, as well. Newer sells the
system in capacities from 80 to 750GB, as well as a “0GB” kit in which
users can install a 3.5-inch hard disk drive.
2.
2006
VOLUME 05 ISSUE 05
•
Cable/Connector Seminar in Dongguan
Draws Standing Room Only Crowd
The TA held a half-day seminar in Dongguan, China, Nov. 11 at the Regal
Palace Hotel, Dongguan, Guangdong. One hundred attendees from a total
of 22 cable assembly and connector manufacturing companies in
Shenzhen and throughout China were treated to a complete update on the
1394 market, cable and connector compliance programs, and new testing
methods for 1394 cables.
The standing room only crowd included representatives from a wide range
of companies and organizations including JEM, Space Shuttle, Sure-Fire,
Amphenol China, Marunix China, and FCI China, among others. The event
was co-sponsored by the 1394 Trade Association, ETC (the third party
cable test lab), cable supplier Elka, and Angstroms.
Topics included a 1394 market update by Sam Liu, the 1394 TA Vice Chair,
and Jack Bell, the 1394 TA Marketing Working Group Chair. Discussions
included the 1394 worldwide product market forecast with data supplied by
InStat Corporation, along with a review of the High-Definition Audio-Video
Network Alliance (HANA). The significance of 1394 support in Microsoft’s
upcoming Vista operating system release was also reviewed.
Sam Liu presented an update on the 1394 cable and connector compliance
logo testing program. Sophia Liu of ETC discussed 1394 cable and
connector compliance test methodology, and Ian Jung of RFTA Consultants
reviewed new cost-effective testing methods for 1394 cables.
"The strong interest we saw for this seminar is consistent with what we
are hearing from 1394 component suppliers who are telling us that they
are seeing a strong increase in customer interest in 1394," said James
Snider, executive director. "The market is ready for a more comprehensive seminar, which we are planning for the first half of 2007 across a
dozen major technology centers worldwide."
“We had an excellent turnout and even had to turn away some potential
participants since we could only accommodate 100 guests,” said Sam
Liu. ”The 1394a cable and connector logo program message is a strong
one, and the fact that we require certified cables and connectors for
devices is compelling to the audience. The group also is enthused about
the upcoming Vista support for 1394b.” He added that the 1394 TA is
receiving increasing requests for self-certification procedures.
NEWS
FLASH
A MONTHLY NEWSLETTER FROM 1394 TRADE ASSOCIATION
continued from page 1
Advanced Technology Demonstrations
Featured at Yokohama; Q4 Meeting Sponsored
by Fujitsu, Hamamatsu, Molex, Nissan,
Sumitomo and Wipro
Two of Japan’s major automakers – Nissan and Honda – were present for
the demonstrations, while three major suppliers – Alpine, Xanavi, and
Pioneer – also attended.
DAP Design showed its 1394b FireStealth analyzer, which features a
‘passive’ personality that operates invisibly to its target, meaning no
topology reconfigurations or bus reassignments are necessary. DAP
Design is a world leader in 1394-equipped test systems and equipment.
The company also developed the popular 1394 FireSpy Protocol Analyzer
solutions, which are in use around the world.
Wipro provided one of the first demonstrations of its new 1394b AV-Link
IP with AHB interface hardware and software using IP to move audio and
video between two camcorders. Taking streaming video from a
camcorder, the Wipro AV-LinkB board depacketizes DV data, moves it via
cable to the companion board, repacketizes it and provides the data to a
camcorder configured in video play mode.
Wipro‘s IEEE 1394 IP family just celebrated 10 years of wide deployment
in digital devices. Wipro’s Global Product Division develops licensable
Intellectual Property Cores including the Physical and Link Layer for IEEE
1394 protocol, and the company now has more than 60 licensees
worldwide. Licensees over the last 10 years include consumer electronics
leaders like Emuzed, Epson, Indigita, MediaTek and Zoran.
Hamamatsu Photonics showed its 1394b optical wake up technology,
which links a PC connecting a master node via 1394 and a networking
controller connecting 1394b via fiber. Hamamatsu develops a wide range
of IR and UV cameras, machine vision products, and beam and laser
measurement technology using the IEEE 1394 standard. The company’s
technology is designed primarily for scientific and industrial applications.
continued from page 1
From The Director
Our cable/connector test labs, ETC and NTS, have started receiving
cables for testing and should have some qualified SKUs to announce by
the end of this year. The 1394 TA will only pass products which use
qualified cables and connectors starting in 2007.
Concerning the need for more information, the Marketing Working Group
is currently planning a multi-city seminar for 2007. More on that will
follow once plans are solidified.
The half-day 1394 cable and connector seminar led by Sam Liu,
vice chair, drew a crowd of more than 100.
As we transition from 2006 to 2007, the success of 1394 continues to
grow with evidence mounting that 2007 will be the best year ever. Have
a good holiday season, and we look forward to seeing everyone at the
first quarter meeting in Kona starting Jan. 28.
James Snider,
Executive Director
3.
2006
VOLUME 05 ISSUE 05
•
NEWS
FLASH
A MONTHLY NEWSLETTER FROM 1394 TRADE ASSOCIATION
continued from page 2
1394b Featured in New Computer, Consumer, and Peripheral Products
Scanners and Cameras
Eastman Kodak has introduced a new 1394-equipped scanner, a 200
page-per-minute i1860 commercial scanner with 300dpi optical
resolution, a 500 sheet feeder, JPEG / TIFF file export functionality, and
FireWire connectivity through a six-pin 1394a port.
Basler Vision Technologies announced that it is now shipping its new
Scout series of digital video cameras featuring 28 different models of
cameras, which are versatile, fully digital and attractively priced – and
most of them include FireWire 800. The Scout family uses some of the
best Sony and Micron CCD and CMOS sensors, a wide variety of
resolutions and speeds, and has IEEE 1394b, offering use of 800 Mbits/s
transfer speeds and backward compatibility with FireWire 400. FireWire
800 provides higher frame rates and bit depths, along with easy and
cost-effective integration. 1394 also supports plug-and-play, and there is
no need for a frame-grabber on the Basler models that incorporate 1394.
Disc Burners with 1394
Plextor LLC announced the PX-755UF DVD±R/RW CD-R/RW burner - the
first Plextor external drive to feature 10X DVD+R Double-Layer recording
speed. The external PX-755UF features a dual interface with USB and
IEEE 1394.
The d2 Blu-ray Drive from LaCie is an external Blu-ray disc burner that
can also burn and read DVD and CD discs. It connects to the computer
via FireWire 400. LaCie describes it as an all-in-one rewritable drive with
FireWire ports for easy connection to any PC or Mac, making it a very
versatile drive.
1394 Audio
M-Audio introduced the new NRV 10 FireWire mixer, which incorporates a
10 I/O interface and an analog mixer. The NRV 10 includes 10 inputs, and
they can be routed back into the mixer for more flexible routing and
signal processing.
MOTU is now shipping the 8pre, a single-rackspace FireWire audio
interface with two FireWire 400 connections. The 8pre is compatible
with Mac OS X 10.3 or higher (including Intel Macs), Windows XP x64
(64-bit) and any audio software that supports standard WDM/ASIO/Core
Audio drivers. AudioDesk workstation software for Mac provides 24-bit
recording/editing and 32-bit mixing/processing/mastering.
At the AES in San Francisco in early October, Glyph demonstrated the GT
Series GT 062, a FireWire-equipped, dual-drive tabletop unit designed for
professional audio and video applications. The GT 062 supports three
drive modes through the use of a rear-panel switch, which features two
FireWire 800 ports and one FireWire 400 port. When connected via
FireWire 800, the GT 062 has a data transfer rate of more than 80 MB per
second. It also includes a FW800 cable and a FW400 cable, and can be
rack-mounted with a rack kit.
IP
Innovative Semiconductors Inc. announced its second-generation FlexFire
ISI-736 Cable PHY, which supports the IEEE 1394 standard, meeting the
demand for 1394-based IP by SoC designers targeting the market for
DVD, DTV, camcorders, STB and other high-performance consumer
electronics products. The mixed-signal, single channel configuration of
the FlexFire ISI-736 Cable PHY is optimized for performance; integrating
the FlexFire PHY with the Link layer and supporting software provides
SoC designers with a complete 1394 IP solution.
Sony’s Blu-ray Recorders Coming in December
Sony’s Blu-ray recorders, which incorporate 1394 interfaces, remain
scheduled for release in Japan in December. Both machines feature
hard-disk drives; the BDZ-V9 has a 500GB drive and the BDZ-V7 has a
250GB drive. There are two digital tuners in each recorder so that two
high-definition programs can be recorded simultaneously. The recorders
include Linear PCM audio and 1080p output. They can also be connected
to Sony’s recently launched high-definition camcorders using a FireWire
connection and can play back the AVCHD-format discs used in the
cameras.
1394 Trade Association Joins Connected
Vehicle Trade Association
The 1394 Trade Association has become an associate member of the
Connected Vehicle Trade Association (CVTA), based in Plymouth,
Michigan, to help the move toward implementing the IDB-1394 standard
in the automotive market.
The Connected Vehicle Trade Association (CVTA) is a non-profit business
league established to facilitate the interaction and advance the interests
of the entities involved in the vehicle communication environment. The
association enables the collaboration of companies, organizations, and
governmental bodies engaged in developing bidirectional vehicle
communications. Membership is open to corporations (except automakers), public entities, standards and specification organizations, educational institutions and qualified individuals.
In mid-October, the CVTA announced that it will jointly develop and
operate a new, one-of-a-kind laboratory to support global development
efforts in intelligent transportation and vehicle communications with the
Center for Automotive Research (CAR). The “Connected Vehicle Proving
Center” (CVPC) is expected to play a pivotal role in substantiating future
trends for vehicle wireless connectivity throughout the global automotive
community.
“Our long-term goal is to virtually link wireless enabled roads, proving
grounds and test tracks, independent bench test laboratories and traffic
management centers with a centralized data processing, evaluation, and
training center through the CVPC,” said CVTA President Scott McCormick.
McCormick attended the fourth quarter 1394 TA meeting in Yokohama,
Japan, and announced that the 1394 Trade Association Board of
Directors has confirmed its intent to participate as an Associate Member
in the Connected Vehicle Trade Association. "This is an important
organization in this area, and we look forward to the work we will do
together in the Proving Center and within CVTA. We have high
confidence that the standards and research done by the 1394 TA and its
member companies is of considerable value in advancing the vehicle
communications environment."
Upcoming Events:
International CES, Jan. 8-11, Las Vegas
Q1 Meeting, Jan. 28-31, Kona, Hawaii
CableLabs Winter Conference, March 4-6, Denver
4.