FireWire

FireWire, standardized as IEEE 1394, is a serial bus for connecting computers and peripherals. It supports high-speed data transfer and can carry power to connected devices.

IEEE 1394 architecture: The bus architecture and protocols defined by the IEEE 1394 standard. Explains how FireWire devices communicate without relying on a host computer.
IEEE 1394: A family of standards for high-speed serial buses, commonly known by the name FireWire. FireWire is the familiar name for products built around this standards family.
Digital video: Video represented and processed as digital data rather than an analog signal. FireWire became a common link for transferring digital video from cameras.
USB: A widely used standard for connecting computers with peripherals and transferring data and power. USB competed with FireWire and became the more common general-purpose peripheral connection.
Apple Inc.: An American technology company that designs and sells computers, software, and consumer electronics. Apple developed the technology that became FireWire and popularized its name.
FireWire connectors and cables: The plugs, sockets, and cables used to connect IEEE 1394 devices. Different connector types carry data and, in some versions, device power.
Serial communication: The transmission of data one bit at a time over a communication channel. FireWire sends data serially rather than across a parallel bundle of data lines.
DV: A family of digital videotape formats that records compressed video onto cassette tape. Many DV cameras used FireWire to send their recordings to computers.
Thunderbolt: A computer interface that combines high-speed data transfer with display connectivity. Thunderbolt later served demanding peripherals with greater bandwidth and broader adoption.
IEEE 1394 working group: The IEEE group responsible for developing and revising the 1394 bus standard. Its work turned FireWire into a standardized interface adopted beyond Apple products.

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ExpressCardRelated: ExpressCard adapters added FireWire ports to laptops that lacked them.