What is the difference between 1394 (FireWire) and Universal Serial Bus (USB)?
Anyone experienced with both USB and 1394 (FireWire) probably considers the latter a complement to USB, rather than a replacement. It offers much higher speeds and isochronous and asynchronous video / audio / data transfer. USB is easy to use and works well for computer peripherals requiring less speed, such as keyboards and trackballs. 1394 (FireWire) is just as easy to use but works at a much higher speed, ideal for mass storage and dozens of other applications. Many new desktops and portable PCs and Macintosh computers offer both ports. FireWire is like USB in many ways and the two technologies coexist on Pentium systems. While USB is great for lower-speed input devices such as keyboards, mice, joysticks, etc, FireWire is aimed at higher-speed multimedia peripherals such as video camcorders, music synthesizers and hard disks. Both technologies offer incredible convenience through their Hot-Plug capabilities, eliminating any need to turn off or restart the computer when attaching a n
