Chipset upgrades FireWire speed

A new chipset doubles FireWire datarate by supporting the new 800Mbit/s IEEE1394b standard.

The speed at which information can be moved between personal computers (PCs) and various devices such as high-performance hard disk drives can be doubled because of a new chipset introduced today by Agere Systems.

The company's chipset, called the FW430 and FW843, transports voice, data and video signals moving between computer and consumer electronics equipment at up to 800Mbit/s - twice as fast as current 1394a 400Mbit/s technology.

Agere's chipset reaches that speed because it adheres to the IEEE1394b standard.

This standard consists of a common set of rules of operation being installed in a growing amount of computer and consumer electronics equipment.

The chipset aims to meet requirements of PC users with the need to back up critical, large files including uncompressed digital video on high-performance external hard disk drives.

Video developers would find the greater performance advantageous for backing up large files they create, doing so in half the time of the 1394a chip technology.

"PC manufacturers and consumers want faster peripheral connections and this Agere chip meets those demands squarely", said Nathanial Grier, Senior Marketing Manager with Agere Systems.

"PC manufacturers are looking for cost-effective ways to implement 1394b on the main board".

"With Agere's solution, they can cost effectively offer 1394a and 1394b using one main board design, by deciding to populate the FW843 1394b PHY or not, as needed".

1394a technology provides speeds of 400Mbit/s extending distances up to 4.5m.

1394b performs at 800Mbit/s bandwidth spanning up to 4.5m.

Agere has shipped to market more than 60 million 1394 chips.

Agere's 1394b chipset is available in sample quantities now.

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