Re: How to get firewire to a laptop


"Johnnie Leung" <jsleung@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
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"SMS" <scharf.steven@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
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Oops, yes you're correct. If you look at the data *** at
"ftp://ftp10.dlink.com/pdfs/products/DFB-H7/DFB-H7_ds.pdf"; it shows only
USB 2.0 connection to the host, but in the fine print it does say that
you need the FireWire connection as well.

It implies that by saying '2 - 1394 Firewire Downstream Ports... 1 - 1394
Firewire Upstream Port'. But really, the terms 'upstream' and
'downstream' are meaningless because FireWire is peer-to-peer. USB is
playing catch-up with USB OTG.


Not really, because although USB-OTG can feature a port (A/B) that is either
host (A plug inserted) or peripheral (B plug inserted), it is either one or
the other, determined by whether the fifth pin on the connector is open
(peripheral (B)) or grounded (host (A)). Such a port can also feature the
limited ability to negotiate with another similar port over which is host.

For example if you have (say) a printer* and a handheld organiser which both
feature type A/B USB-OTG connectors. You insert your OTG cable such that
the printer gets the A plug and is host and the organiser gets the B plug.
The printer as host then initiates comms with the organiser, and they agree
that the organiser would make a more suitable host. They switch roles and
away they go. AIUI, there is no capability to switch back.

USB will never catch up with firewire because of the philosphical
differences, though USB was intended as a sort of firewire-lite. Firewire
has already pulled even further ahead with the new 1394b standard featuring
Beta protocol and up to S3200 transmission.

*The printer needs to be host when it is connected to a camera that supports
direct printing and is not OTG.


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